A traditional thin waffle machine that makes Waffle House style waffles is really popular amongst waffle lovers. Even though waffles are really popular, cleaning up after you are done can be really time-consuming because the batter can end up all over the place. This is why many people want to find a waffle maker that is really easy to clean. There are three types of waffle makers that are the easiest to clean.
The first type uses an overflow channel to catch overflowing batter so that it does not make a mess on the exterior of the waffle maker and on your countertop. All of the Breville waffle makers come with a batter overflow channel.
The second type uses removable plates that you can detach from the base of the unit and either clean by hand or in your dishwasher. The best waffle makers with removable plates are the All Clad Gourmet Digital and GreenPan Elite 4-slice Belgian waffle makers.
Another benefit of a waffle iron with changeable grates is that some of these waffle machines have more than one set of removable grates for cooking different types of foods, such as the Metine and OSTBA 3-in-1 appliances which are two of the best 3 in 1 waffle makers, grills, and sandwich makers on the market because they will evenly cook your waffles, bacon strips, and sandwiches evenly in only 4 minutes.
The third type is a vertical waffle maker that only has one opening to pour in the batter which prevents the batter from dripping out the sides and onto your countertop.
Even though they are really popular because they make cleaning up much easier, there are not that many waffle makers with either an overflow channel or removable plates on the market. The big brands in the kitchenware industry including All-Clad, Hamilton Beach, Black and Decker, Krups, and Cuisinart only have 1 or 2 models that come with an overflow channel or removable plates. Other big brands in the kitchenware industry including Breville and Chef’s Choice do not have a single waffle maker that has removable plates. The All Clad Digital waffle maker with removable plates is the only waffle maker with removable plates from either All Clad or Breville.
Best Easy to Clean Waffle Makers Comparison Chart
| Features and Specifications | Power (Wattage) | Dimensions (Length x Width x Height) inches | Weight (Pounds) | Number of Browning Settings | Removable Plates | Drip Tray | Audio Beep |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Chefman Anti-Overflow Belgian Waffle Maker with Mess Free Moat Learn More | 700 watts | 10"D x 8"W x 4"H | 3.65 Pounds | 7 Settings | No | No | No |
 DASH Deluxe No-Drip Belgian Waffle Maker with Overflow Channel Learn More | 1200 watts | 12.5 L x 11.3 W x 4.6 H inches | 7.59 pounds | No temperature control settings | No | Yes | No |
 All-Clad Gourmet WD822D51 4-Square Belgian Waffle Maker with Removable Plates Learn More | 1600 watts (highest for any waffle maker w/ removable plates) | 15.59 x 10.75 x 5.94 inches | 13.27 pounds | 6 settings | Yes | No | Yes |
 Cuisinart WAF-300 4-Square Belgian Waffle And Pancake Maker with Removable Plates Learn More | 1200 watts | 12.2 x 9.65 x 6.3 inches | 8.23 pounds | 6 Settings | Yes | No | Yes |
OSTBA ABS06 3-in-1 Waffle, Grill & Sandwich Maker with Interchangeable Plates Learn More | 750 watts | 11.65 x 10.39 x 6.57 inches | 4.97 pounds | No temperature control settings | Yes (3 sets of cooking plates) | No | No |
Hamilton Beach 26201 Double Flip Belgian Waffle Maker with Removable Plates Learn More | 1300 watts | 14.13 x 9.75 x 7.94 inches | 9.22 pounds | No temperature control settings | Yes | No | No |
Hamilton Beach 26031 Flip Belgian Waffle Maker with Removable Ceramic Plates Learn More | 800 watts | 16" x 10.5" x 9.25" | 6.35 pounds | 5 Settings | Yes | Yes | No |
Blue Diamond Griddle with Removable Ceramic Grill and Waffle Plates Learn More | 1200 watts | 16.13" x 12.06" x 9" | 11.92 pounds | 4 Settings | Yes | Yes | No |
Oster CKSTVWF1 Titanium-Infused DuraCeramic Vertical Waffle Maker Learn More | 1080 watts | 10. 72"x 4. 97" x 11.77" | 4.74 pounds | 5 Settings | No | No | No |
Easiest to Clean – Waffle Makers with Removable Plates
The easiest to clean waffle makers are waffle makers with dishwasher-safe removable plates because you can take the plates out of the appliance and clean them in a dishwasher. Nearly all of the major kitchen appliance brands, including All Clad, Hamilton Beach, and Cuisinart, sell waffle makers that come with removable cooking plates.
Which Hamilton Beach waffle makers are the easiest to clean?
The easiest to clean Hamilton Beach waffle makers are the Hamilton Beach 26031 and 26201 Belgian waffle makers with dishwasher-safe removable plates. They do not have a waffle maker with an overflow channel or a vertical upright waffle maker.
Hamilton Beach has some great waffle makers for sale including the Hamilton Beach 26009 and 26020 Belgian waffle makers that each make 2 and 4 Belgian waffles at a time, respectively.
They also have a good Eco-friendly waffle maker, the Hamilton Beach 26081, that makes one 7-inch diameter round Belgian waffle at a time and comes with cooking plates that use a non-toxic ceramic coating as well as a browning control knob and indicator lights.
These are great waffle makers that will hold up pretty well to moderate use but there is one missing component. The main problem with these waffle makers is that they do not come with detachable plates so you will have to clean them by hand.
Fortunately, they have two waffle makers with removable plates available, the Hamilton Beach 26031 and 26201, if you want an easier time cleaning up afterward. Both of these machines have a flip feature that rotates the grid so that the batter is spread more evenly and is cooked more evenly as well.
There are no other flip waffle makers that have removable plates. So if you want a flip waffle maker that is easy to clean, then you will have to go with one of the Hamilton Beach waffle makers.
Hamilton Beach 26031 flip single Belgian waffle maker with removable ceramic plates
The Hamilton Beach 26031 flip single Belgian waffle maker has ceramic-coated plates that contain no toxic materials. This makes it more Eco-friendly and safer to eat off of than a Teflon-coated waffle iron. It also has a 5-setting temperature control knob, drip tray, and indicator lights.
Hamilton Beach 26201 flip double Belgian waffle maker with removable plates
The Hamilton Beach 26201 flip double Belgian waffle maker with removable plates is the only double Belgian waffle maker that uses removable cooking plates and it also comes with a drip tray and indicator lights. However, it is missing two features found in the 26031. The first missing feature is the lack of an adjustable temperature knob to change the shading of your waffle. The second missing feature is the lack of an Eco-friendly coating like the ceramic coating found in the 26031. Instead, it has the standard Teflon coating found in most waffle machines.
Which Cuisinart waffle makers are the easiest to clean?
Cuisinart has a lot of great waffle makers that will suit the needs of any sized family. They sell only one classic-style waffle maker, the Cuisinart WMR-CA which makes Eggo-style waffles in a round shape but it comes with fixed plates that cannot be detached.
They sell a lot of round and square-shaped Belgian waffle makers. They have plenty of Flip waffle makers, including the Cuisinart WAF-F20 that makes two 7-inch wide Belgian waffles at a time, but none of them have removable plates.
They sell two really well-reviewed 4-slice Belgian waffle makers, the Cuisinart WAF-150 and WAF-300. Both make 4 square-shaped Belgian waffle makers at a time but only one of them uses removable plates, namely, the Cuisinart WAF-300.
Cuisinart WAF-300 Belgian waffle and pancake maker with removable plates
One of the first waffle makers with removable plates on the market was the Cuisinart WAF-300 which was released in October 2013. It comes with a set of waffle and pancake plates, a 6-setting browning control knob, indicator lights, and audio beeping notifications. It can make 4 square-shaped Belgian waffles or 4 pancakes at the same time.
Which All-Clad waffle makers are the easiest to clean?
All Clad had the same attitude that Breville had for a really long time. Many All-Clad customers wanted them to make a waffle maker with detachable plates but their pleas were ignored until 2020 when they released the All-Clad Gourmet to the market.
All-Clad Gourmet 4-Slice Belgian waffle maker with removable plates
It took until 2020 for All-Clad to release their first waffle maker with removable plates to the market, the All-Clad Gourmet 4-Slice Belgian waffle maker with removable plates. The All-Clad Gourmet 4-Slice Belgian waffle maker is the most expensive waffle maker that has removable plates but it is worth it because it has a heavy-duty build quality, powerful 1600-watt heating elements, and thick and heavy cooking plates for even heat distribution.
Which Black and Decker waffle makers are the easiest to clean?
Black and Decker sells two really good Flip Belgian waffle makers that have received thousands of 5-star reviews. The WM1404S is a single Flip Belgian waffle maker and the WMD200B is a Double Flip Belgian waffle maker but neither uses detachable plates.
Black and Decker only sells one American-style waffle maker, the G48TD, and for some reason, it is designed to have removable plates.
Black and Decker G48TD 3-in-1 waffle maker & griddle with reversible plates
There is only one waffle maker that makes American, Eggo-style waffles and comes with removable plates, the Black and Decker G48TD. It is the best 3-in-1 waffle maker because it not only makes 4 Eggo-style waffles at a time but you can fold the top plate down as well and use both plates at the same time as a grill or griddle to cook sandwiches, eggs, bacon strips, or hash browns.
Most Popular 3-in-1 Waffle Makers with Interchangeable Plates
The most popular 3-in-1 waffle makers include the OSTBA, Yabano, Metine, WOWDSGN, and Ovente 3-in-1 waffle, grill, and sandwich makers with interchangeable plates. All of these 3-in-1 appliances come with three different sets of cooking plates. One set is for making waffles; another set is for making sandwiches; the last set is for grilling steaks or vegetables.
The main differences among these 3-in-1 appliances are the price, size, power consumption of the dual heating elements, and the thickness and weight of the cooking plates. The best one is the one from Metine because it is one of the few 3-in-1 appliances with an adjustable temperature control knob and it has the most powerful heating elements, operating at 1200 watts. It is also the most expensive
If you are on a budget, then I would choose the one with the most 5-star reviews, which is the one from OSTBA, because that tells me that it met the needs of the most number of customers.
Best Waffle Makers with a Batter Overflow Channel
There are much fewer waffle makers with overflow channels than there are waffle makers with removable plates. The two cheapest ones are the Chefman Anti-Overflow round Belgian waffle maker and Dash Deluxe No-Drip 4-square Belgian waffle maker. They both have an overflow channel that prevents the batter from dripping down the sides and onto your countertop.
The most affordable round waffle maker with an overflow channel is the Chefman Anti-Overflow Belgian waffle maker. It makes one 6.5-inch Belgian waffle at a time and it has 7 temperature settings for different levels of shading and 700-watt heating elements. It comes with a measuring cup to ensure that you do not overfill the waffle maker. You can purchase it for under $30.
The most affordable 4-slice Belgian waffle maker with an overflow channel is the Dash Deluxe No-Drip waffle maker. It makes 4 square Belgian waffles at a time and it has 1200 watt dual heating elements, which is the norm for 4-slice Belgian waffle makers. However, it does not come with a temperature control knob that will let you change the temperature. You can purchase it for under $50.
Best Breville Waffle Makers with an Overflow Channel
Breville sells high-end kitchenware that is made from the most premium materials, which will last for a really long time. For some reason, they decided to not develop a waffle maker with removable plates. However, all of their waffle makers do come with an overflow channel. Their overflow channel is known as a wide wrap-around moat. It is effective at catching some of the overflowing batter but you can’t get inside the machine and clean the internal components like you would with a waffle maker with removable plates.
Breville’s two best anti-overflow waffle makers are the Breville BWM640XL 4-slice Belgian waffle maker and Breville BWM520XL classic waffle maker. The Breville BWM640XL is one of the best Belgian waffle makers on the market because it comes with pre-set waffle types, extra browning button, and a restart button. The Breville BWM520XL comes with 7 temperature settings and thick aluminum cooking plates for even heat distribution.
Best Vertical Waffle Makers
The unique thing about vertical waffle makers is that the pour spout located at the top of the appliance is the only opening for pouring in the batter. This makes it easy to clean because the batter does not leak out of the sides and onto your countertop. There are only two vertical waffle makers on the market right now. One is from Cuisinart and the other is from Oster.
Cuisinart WAF-V100 Vertical Waffle Maker
The Cuisinart WAF-V100 vertical waffle maker has measurements of 8″(D) x 13″(W) x 15″(H) and weighs 7 pounds. It bakes one round Belgian waffle with a 7-inch diameter at a time. It has 5 temperature settings, indicator lights, an audible alert, and 900 watt dual heating elements. It also comes with a measuring cup.
Oster CKSTVWF1 Titanium-Infused DuraCeramic Waffle Maker
The Oster CKSTVWF1 Titanium-Infused DuraCeramic Waffle Maker has measurements of 10.72″(D) x 4.97″(W) x 11.77″(H) and weighs 4.8 pounds. It does not have any temperature control settings or an audible alert but it does have indicator lights on the side of the device and it also comes with a measuring cup. However, the Oster has more powerful 1080 watt dual heating elements, ceramic coated cooking plates without Teflon, and a lower price tag.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How do you clean a waffle maker?
Waffle makers are a fun and convenient way to cook breakfast. However, they can be difficult to clean if not done correctly. Listed below is a step-by-step guide on how to clean your waffle maker.
Step One: The first step in cleaning your waffle maker is to unplug the waffle maker and let it cool down. This will help ensure that you do not get electrocuted while cleaning it.
Step Two: Use a soft brush to clean any batter or crumbs from the waffle plates.
Step Three: The next step is to use a damp cloth to wipe down the grids and the sides of the maker. Be sure to avoid using any harsh chemicals or abrasives, as they can damage the surface of the appliance. If needed, you can use a mild dishwashing detergent to clean the cooking plates. Place some of the detergent on a wet cloth and scrub the plates and exterior. You can also use a toothbrush to scrub the pockets and gaps in the plates.
If your plates are detachable, the next step is to remove the plates from the waffle maker. This can be done by pressing down on the plates and then pulling them straight out.
Fill a bowl with hot water and 1-2 tablespoons of vinegar. If the grids are detachable, just soak the grids in the solution for 5-10 minutes.
Step Four: Rinse the grids with some hot water and dry them with a towel.