There are many different features you need to look for when you are trying to decide which waffle maker with removable plates to purchase. Listed below is a buying guide for the best waffle makers with changeable plates for home use that will answer any question you might have about this type of kitchen appliance. The best Belgian waffle maker with changeable plates is the All Clad digital waffle maker with removable plates because it has an LCD screen, extra thick cooking plates for even browning, and pre-programmed waffle types.
There are very few commercial-grade waffle makers with removable plates on the market. The best commercial waffle maker with changeable plates for restaurants is the Nemco 7020A-S240 SilverStone Non-Stick Belgian Waffle Maker because it has the best heat distribution.
Belgian and Classic American-style Waffles – Shapes and Sizes
One of the best thin non-Belgian waffle makers is the Black and Decker G48TD because it has reversible plates that enable you to make waffles, sandwiches, and eggs. The Black and Decker G48TD is the only classic non-Belgian waffle maker with detachable plates and it makes 4 square-shaped thin waffles at a time. The sides of these waffles are about 4.5-inches long and the thickness is about 0.5-inches thick.
Most of the waffle makers with changeable plates are 4-square Belgian waffle makers which means they make 4 square-shaped Belgian waffles at a time. The sides of these waffles are between 4- and 4.5-inches long and the thickness is between 0.75- and 1-inch thick.
All of the flip waffle makers with detachable plates make either one or two round-shaped Belgian waffles at a time. The diameter can range between 6.5- and 7-inches wide and the thickness is between 0.75- and 1-inch thick.
Flip feature for perfectly formed waffles
For conventional non-flip waffle makers, the bottom of the waffle always cooks much faster than the top because of the gravitational pull on the waffle batter. If you could flip the waffle, so that the top ends up getting baked by the bottom plate, then both sides can be browned evenly. This is where flip waffle makers come in.
Flip waffle makers have been used in people’s homes for about 20 years. They are really popular because they will make perfectly formed waffles that are evenly baked on both sides each time.
The flip feature will rotate the cooking plates 180 degrees so that the batter is evenly spread between the plates and all of the pockets of both plates are filled with batter.
The bottom cooking plate bakes the batter faster because gravity is pushing the batter downward so that it is making direct contact with the bottom plate, unlike the top plate. The top cooking plate will not bake the batter as well because gravity is pulling the batter downward, away from the top cooking plate.
Unfortunately, there are only three waffle makers with removable plates that have a flip rotary feature, the Hamilton Beach 26301 and 26201 and the Secura. All three waffle makers make Belgian-style waffles that are almost the same size and each rotates the cooking plates 360 degrees so the waffles will be the perfect shape and evenly baked on both sides. The Hamilton Beach 26301 and the Secura make only one Belgian waffle at a time while the Hamilton Beach 26201 makes two Belgian waffles at a time.
Number of Cooking Plates
Most waffle makers with removable plates only come with one set of removable cooking plates to make waffles with. However, there are some 3-in-1 and 2-in-1 appliances that can make more than just waffles because they come with 2 or 3 sets of cooking plates. The additional plates can be used to cook sandwiches, eggs, hash browns, bacon, or vegetables.
The only problem with 3-in-1 and 2-in-1 appliances is that they are about half the size of waffle makers that only come with one set of waffle plates so they will only make half as many waffles at a time.
One of the rare exceptions is the black and decker g48td which is big enough to make 4 square waffles at a time and can fold flat to give you two griddle cooking surfaces, making it the best 3 in 1 waffle maker, grill, and sandwich maker on the market.
Thickness and Weight of Cooking Plates
If you want the most even heat distribution so that your waffles are perfectly cooked without any burnt or raw spots, then you should get a waffle maker with really thick and heavy changeable cooking plates. This is because the really thick and heavy top and bottom cooking plates retain heat a lot better, which cooks the batter more uniformly across the entire surface, and they reheat quickly because they do not lose a lot of heat after they make contact with the cold waffle batter.
The All Gourmet Digital and Manual waffle makers have the thickest and heaviest cooking plates but they are the most expensive waffle makers with removable plates on the market.
Dishwasher safe Cooking Plates
The main reason why anyone wants to buy a waffle maker with removable plates is that you can remove the plates and quickly clean them in their dishwasher. So you would expect all of the removable plates to be dishwasher safe and you would be right in most cases. The Black and Decker G48TD is one of the few with detachable plates that you cannot clean in a dishwasher so you will have to soak them in a sink full of warm water and soap.
Reversible Plates
The overwhelming majority of waffle makers come with plates that only use one side of the plates to cook your food. The Black and Decker G48TD is one of the few that has reversible plates that can cook different types of foods on both sides of the cooking plates.
Eco-friendly Plates
Most cooking plates from today’s waffle makers come with a nonstick Teflon surface to make it easier to clean. However, at high temperatures, Teflon can break down and emit toxic fumes that can harm you and your birds which is why many consumers prefer a safer, more Eco-friendly option.
Fortunately, there are waffle makers with removable plates that do not use a Teflon coating. Instead, they use a ceramic coating that is made from all-natural materials, making it Eco-friendly and safe to use at high temperatures.
The best ceramic waffle maker is the Hamilton Beach 26031 because it has a flip feature, 5 different browning settings, and excellent heat distribution.
Power Consumption of the Dual Heating Elements
Each waffle maker comes with two heating elements: one embedded right behind the top cooking plate and one embedded behind the bottom cooking plate.
The All Gourmet Digital and Manual waffle makers have dual heating elements with the highest power consumption at 1600 watts. The Hamilton Beach 26201 has the second highest power consumption at 1300 watts. Both the Cuisinart WAF-300 and Krups GQ502 operate at 1200 watts each. The Secura operates at 1000 watts, the Black & Decker G48TD 3-in-1 operates at 900 watts, and the Hamilton Beach 26031 operates at 800 watts.
Capacity
If you live by yourself or with one other person, then the capacity of the waffle maker does not matter very much. However, if you have a large family of four or more people, then you should look to buy the largest capacity waffle maker you can find just to save some time and keep everyone from complaining and breathing down your neck.
The largest capacity waffle maker you can buy is a 4-slice waffle maker. The majority of 4-slice waffle makers will make square-shaped Belgian waffles at a time. There will be slight variations in the width and thickness of these Belgian waffles. The All Clad waffle maker will make thicker 1-inch thick waffles while the Krups and Cuisinart WAF-300 will make 0.75-inch thick waffles.
If you prefer a large round Belgian waffle instead, you can buy the Hamilton Beach 26031 Flip Belgian waffle maker that will make one 7-inch diameter, 0.75-inch thick round Belgian waffle at a time. It is ideal for single people or newly married couples.
If you have a larger family and prefer round Belgian waffles, then you can purchase the Hamilton Beach 26201 Flip Double Belgian waffle maker instead that can make two round Belgian waffles at a time that each have a 7-inch diameter and 0.90-inch thickness.
Browning Control Knob with Adjustable Temperature Settings
Many people think that the browning control knob controls the amount of time spent cooking the batter. These people are wrong. Instead, the browning control knob controls the temperature the built-in thermostat operates at. The thermostat will cut the power to the heating elements so that the appliance does not overheat.
The All Gourmet Digital waffle maker has the most temperature settings with 7. Both the All Gourmet Manual waffle maker and Cuisinart WAF-300 come with 6 temperature settings. Both the Krups and Hamilton Beach 26031 come with 5 temperature settings. The Black & Decker G48TD 3-in-1 comes with only 3 temperature settings. Both the Secura and Hamilton Beach 26201 do not have a browning control knob which means they only operate at one temperature.
Drip Tray
The Hamilton Beach 26031 and 26201 flip waffle makers also come with a drip tray for catching any overflowing batter and preventing it from causing a mess on your countertop.
Power and Ready to Cook/Serve Indicator Lights
All of the most popular waffle makers with changeable plates come with a power indicator light to tell you if the appliance is receiving any power and a ready to cook/serve indicator light to tell you if the appliance is properly heated and ready to begin cooking your batter or if the appliance is done baking your waffle.
Audio Beeping Notifications
An audio beeping notification will tell you when your waffle is ready without standing over the waffle iron the entire time, waiting for the ready to serve indicator light to turn on.
The Cuisinart WAF-300, Krups GQ502D, and All Gourmet Digital and Manual waffle makers all come with audio beeping alerts. The Secura, Black & Decker G48TD, and Hamilton Beach 26031 and 26201 waffle makers all do not have an audio alert.
Space-saving Vertical Storage
Storing your waffle iron in a vertical position will save up a lot of space in your kitchen cabinet. The back of all of the 4-square Belgian waffle makers is designed with a flat surface that allows you to stand the appliances in a space-saving vertical position.
The flip waffle makers cannot be stored in a vertical position so they will take up more space than one of the 4-square Belgian waffle makers.
