How to Use the Breville No Mess Waffle Maker

This article will give you helpful instructions on how to use the Breville BWM520XL, which is one of the best classic thin waffle irons because it has the best heat distribution and its overflow channel makes it the easiest to clean. The Breville BWM520XL No Mess Classic Waffle Maker can bake one 7-inch round thin waffle that is half as thick as a Belgian waffle.

The Breville BWM520XL is the easiest to clean thin waffle maker because it has a moat or channel for catching overflowing batter. However, like every other Breville waffle maker, it does not have removable plates.

The All Clad Gourmet Belgian waffle maker is the only waffle maker from either All Clad or Breville that comes with removable plates. The All Clad Gourmet is the best waffle maker with removable plates because it has the most even heat distribution. There is no news on when there will be a Breville waffle iron that has removable grids.

Like many other waffle makers, the Breville BWM520XL No Mess has a stainless steel body, ‘Power’ and ‘Ready’ indicator lights, and a browning control knob that helps you select the cooking temperature and baking time. However, it has a few exclusive features, including a no mess moat that will catch any overflowing batter, that are not found in its closest competitor, the All Clad 99012GT classic round waffle maker.

The Breville No Mess is a better waffle maker than the All Clad 99012GT because it has better heat distribution and is more reliable.

How durable is the Breville BWM520XL No Mess?

The Breville BWM520XL No Mess is made out of stainless steel which is a heavier gauge than the materials used to make Cuisinart and Krups waffle makers. It has a brushed or dull polished finish which will require less care and maintenance than a polished finish because it can hide fingerprints and scratches.

How does the No Mess moat work?

The No Mess moat is a shallow, narrow channel that surrounds the entire outer area of the bottom cooking plate. Any excess batter that is overflowing from the waffle plate will end up in the moat instead of dripping down the sides of the waffle maker. This appliance will also cook the excess batter in the moat and turn them into tasty waffle bites. This will leave less of a mess afterward and make it much easier to clean up.

How many waffle color settings does the Breville BWM520XL No Mess have?

There is a Power/Darkness control dial located right in the middle of the front panel. It has 7 different waffle color or browning settings. This dial has an ‘OFF’ setting that works like the off setting on a ON/OFF switch that shuts off the power to the appliance. The rest of the settings for the dial include the numbers 1,2,3,4,5,6 and the abbreviation for the word ‘maximum’, ‘MAX’. The ‘MAX’ setting is the hottest temperature for this device and it will give your waffle the darkest color and the crispest exterior. The ‘1’ setting is the lowest temperature and it will give your waffle the lightest color and a fluffy and moist interior.

Does this appliance use audible beeps to alert of the status of your appliance?

Yes this appliance uses a sequence of three audible beeps for two different situations. The first situation is to alert you that the cooking plates have reached the selected temperature and is finished with the preheating phase. The second situation is to alert you that your waffles are finished baking and ready to eat.

What are the ‘POWER’ and ‘READY’ indicator lights for?

The ‘POWER’ and ‘READY’ indicator lights are located to the right of the Power/Darkness control dial. The ‘POWER’ light is the topmost button. When it turns orange, it means that the power cord is plugged in and it signifies the start of the preheating process. When the ‘READY’ indicator light turns blue and you hear a sequence of three audible beeps during the preheating process, the cooking plates have reached a hot enough temperature to being baking your waffle batter. When the ‘READY’ indicator light turns blue and you hear a sequence of three audible beeps during the baking process, your waffles have finished baking.

Preheating Phase

Like other waffle makers, the Breville BWM520XL No Mess Classic Waffle Maker must preheat the cooking plates until they get hot enough to begin baking the batter. The preheating phase begins right after you plug in the power cord so you should turn the temperature control dial to the desired temperature that you want the cooking plates to reach. The ‘MAX’ setting will give you the crispiest exterior possible while the ‘1’ setting will give you the most moist exterior.

Once you select the desired setting, you must plug in the power cord to power on the device which will cause the ‘POWER’ light to turn orange. The plates will start heating up and reach the desired temperature in about 5 minutes.

How can you tell if the cooking plates are hot enough to being baking your batter?

According to the manual, the cooking plates will get hot enough once you see the ‘READY’ indicator light turn blue and after you hear a few loud audible beeps. However, this does not necessarily mean that the entire surface of both cooking plates have reached the optimal temperature. If you want to make certain that both cooking plates have achieved the optimal temperature, then you should let the waffle maker heat up the plates for a few more minutes. Then you should add a few drops of water to the bottom plate. If the water sizzles and then evaporates, then that means the cooking plates are hot enough.

Once the plates are hot enough, you should ladle 1/2 cup of waffle batter evenly on the center peaks of the bottom cooking plate and then close the lid. The ‘READY’ indicator light will then turn off and only turn back on once the waffle is finished baking.

What happens while the waffle iron is baking the batter?

While the waffle iron is baking your batter, you will hear the batter sizzling and you will see steam coming out of sides of the appliance. Also the upper waffle plate will begin moving upwards so that the waffle batter can expand into the spaces of the upper waffle plate.

How will I know if the waffle is finished baking?

There are three different indicators that the waffle is finished baking and ready to serve. The most obvious indicator is when you don’t see anymore steam coming out of the sides of waffle iron indicating that the cooking cycle is complete and the heating elements are no longer powered on. Another indicator is the ‘READY’ light lighting up orange. The last indicator is hearing a sequence of three audible beeps. The baking time will take about 5 minutes.

How do you remove the waffle so that there is no damage to the nonstick coating on the cooking plates?

The handle does not get hot during the baking process so it will be safe to lift the lid up. Do not use a metal utensil to remove the waffle because it can scratch up the nonstick coating which will cause it to start flaking off and make any subsequent waffles stick even more to the cooking plates. Using plastic tongs will not scratch the coating so that is the better option.

What should you do if your waffles are not brown enough?

You should shut the lid and let the waffle machine bake your waffle for an extra minute or two to give it a little extra browning.

Do you have to wait to bake another waffle?

As long as you immediately pour some more batter into the center of the bottom plate and close the lid after you remove the finished waffle, you will not have to wait for the machine to reheat.

If I leave the room for several minutes after removing the finished waffle, should I add some more batter to make the next waffle?

No you should not because the cooking plates will be cooling off and will not be hot enough to properly cook your waffle batter. In this situation, you should close the lid and let the cooking plates heat back up to the selected temperature. After you shut the lid, the ‘READY’ light will turn off. After the cooking plates reach the proper temperature, the ‘READY’ light will turn back on and you will hear three audible beeps to signify that the plates have reached the proper temperature.

Will the lid lock shut?

Yes there is a locking latch on the bottom of the left side of the handle that uses an opening on the left side of the bottom cooking plate to lock the lid shut.

Is there a cord wrap area at the bottom of the device?

Yes there is a cord wrap area located on the bottom that you can wrap the power cord around to keep the power cord nice and tidy.

Are there any Breville waffle makers that use non-Teflon coated plates?

Yes there is one that uses ceramic-coated plates. It is the Breville Ceramic Waffle Maker (model number: VST072) and it has a ceramic coating with no Teflon. However, only websites and stores in the United Kingdom sell it.