NordicWare 15040 Cast Aluminum Stovetop Belgium Waffle Iron

I've read over some of the negative reviews before making my final decisions on this item because I mostly saw a lot of potential and promise into what I could do with this product (saving money by whipping my own personal batter and possibly spiking the recipe with protein powder or some other supplements. This review will not cover this attempt as it's purpose was to simply make waffles without taking up too much space and to be incredibly easy to clean and maintain). What I didn't like about the electric waffle makers is the idea over how bulky and prone to being broken they are if they are either bumped or dropped from the counter. The folks that designed this product clearly had this in mind, they made their item from superior materials and it's what you're paying for here. It calls for vegetable oil to be painted as an optional choice; but I usually use whatever cooking oil that I have in the kitchen like canola oil that I would use for eggs or pancakes, and it turned out just fine for me (I initially thought my first batter was oily, and it didn't require the oil since the two pans are coated with a nonstick material and so easy to separate, and reassemble during cooking without oven mitts or gloves. I left a lot of room on the stovetop to work). With my first batter, I was able to whip up 16 waffles (some of them were not complete, while others overflowed when I put too much in; but these things come with practice); no problem and no fuss, and at a fraction of the price of buying commercial waffles buying the ingredients individually and mixing them into a thick batter. For a normal batter from the time that you start with the ingredients from scratch to the time you are done, you're looking at somewhere between 20 and 30 minutes (and if you're really efficient, you could also add the clean-up period to that timing also). Clean-up is virtually fuss free as the item is already coated with a non-stick material; but since it's aluminum, you wouldn't dare stick it in the dishwasher or the detergent will oxidize the Aluminum. The price seems a little high compared to the electric waffle makers; but you're paying for something that is very well made and efficient when it takes only 3-4 minutes per waffle, it's easy to stack your waffles on a nearby plate (does feel old fashioned), and repeat the process that is only limited by how much waffle batter you have. You can make some crazy good waffles with this item, and still be incredibly sanitary that nobody's going to get sick with the next batter when it's easy to disassemble (there's only two pieces) and thoroughly scrub & rinse out as necessary as you need too. This items is well worth the price compared to electric waffle makers. Now my folks want one after seeing this item in action and the results.

Love this waffle iron. My new favorite and I have vowed to use this every weekend for family breakfasts. I have not tried another iron before so I cannot compare. But with all the good things about this iron, why get another? I did much research and this is probably the best stovetop iron out there right now. PROS: Easy to use Easy to clean Flat, takes up no space when stored, can be tucked away Makes 4 thick waffles with very deep wells for topping Sturdy construction, should last unless plastic handles break off Plastic handles stay cool Great control over cooking temp on stove top Waffle release beautifully, no sticking Heavy iron cooks and browns evenly Releases beautifully, no sticking CONS: This could be a lifetime tool if it didn't have the non-stick surface and also if the cast aluminum ran the length of the handles. So even if the plastic comes off, there would be aluminum underneath. I wowed my family at the first use. I just followed the Belgium Waffle recipe that came with the packaging. It was so easy and tasty. If you don't have a recipe in mind, try that one first. I recommend doubling the sugar as it only calls for 1 tablespoon. And then experiment with how much batter to add. If you watched the video on Amazon, they instruct that you add one cup of batter in the center of the pan. And the batter is suppose do spread when you put the top piece down. That is not what happened for me no matter how I tried. I warned the two sides of the iron on separate burners on med-low. I increased the batter to 1 1/3 or 1 1/2 cup starting out in the center and the going out into filling most of the for squares. I put the top piece on and immediately flip. Cook for 2 or 3 minutes. Then flip and cook for 1 minute (up to 2 minutes if it didn't brown the first time because the speed of how I scoop and drop the batter changes). This ensures an evenly toasted crunch on both sides. You can check the browning as frequently as you want by slightly opening the iron while cooking. Make sure to only do this after the initial 2 minutes when the batter is almost completely cooked. If your batter overflows, but is not dripping, just let it cook. You can easily peel it off when it's cooked. You try to wipe it, you will smear it and the residue will be harder to clean off. Should you insist on cleaning it, just pick up the iron and take it over to the kitchen sink and wipe with a damp cloth and try to get it all off before returning to stove. Now that I've got the technique down, I'm going to try other recipes. Especially recreating the liege waffles of Belgium!

This is a fantastic waffle maker! After reading the reviews of assorted electric waffle makers, I decided to go with a simple waffle maker that I can use on top of the stove. The instructions are clear and easy to follow. Makes great waffles.

This waffle maker works quite well, but there are several issues to point out: 1. The cast aluminum loses heat VERY quickly. My IR thermometer has shown the temp of whichever side is not against the heating element to drop as much as 250 degrees in just a minute or two, the effect of this is once you flip the waffler on the burner that side will stop cooking earlier than you might expect. 2. We have a gas stove, so the heat is all in one spot and the waffler will cook very unevenly if you just leave it in one spot. I've remedied this moving it around the burner, giving each square 30-45 seconds. I would imagine this may not be as much of a problem on an electric stove where the size of the heating element is larger. 3. It makes BIG waffles! Your batter recipe that claims to make 8 waffles may only yield 4-5 in this thing! Obviously not a big deal but good to know going in. Personally I think the advantages of this waffle maker outweigh the drawbacks (hotter temperature, compact, easy to clean etc) but it is touchier and more difficult to use than an electric waffle maker. You can't pour in some batter and walk away until it beeps, but if you tinker with it and get used to its quirks you can turn out some great waffles. Enjoy.

I purchased this iron to replace an old, sad, incompetent Hamilton Beech Belgian waffle iron which, thankfully, passed away last week. Lights, buttons, a too-short cord, impossible to clean, flaccid performance. There was nothing to like about that thing, except that fact that it made fart noises if you overfilled it and it oozed out the back. So when I plugged it in and it did nothing, I rejoiced. My first requirement for a new waffle iron was that I be able to clean it. Not wipe it off, not scrape it with a paper-towel wrapped knife, not dig in the grooves with a toothpick -- actually clean it with soap and water. After looking at my options - removable plate models - I was pretty disappointed. They either cost more than I wanted to spend for a few waffle breakfasts each month, or they didn't perform. Then I spotted this stovetop model. At first, I was like "NONSENSE!!!!". But then I remembered my grandfather using a cast-iron waffle pan when I was kid, and those were the waffles by which all other waffles shall be judged. So I looked, hoping for a Lodge one, but nothing - but this NordicWare came up in my search. I like NordicWare, and have had good luck with their products, so I pulled the trigger. I have just made my 3rd batch of waffles, by request, in the 9 days I've had this puppy. It is the EASIEST waffle iron ever, and turns out gorgeous, perfect, crispy super-model waffles every time - perfectly even color, crispy, deeeeeeeep pockets. I mean, it's as easy as making a grilled cheese sandwich. No sticking, no mess, easy to clean, and takes up very little space in the cabinet. I could not be happier with this product. Buy it. Now. Do it.

First things first, let's get one thing straight: I love waffles. When I had a properly functioning waffle iron, I was making waffles 3 times a week or more and had earned a reputation among my peers as a waffle enthusiast. Then, my Cuisinart Belgian Waffle Maker died. The waffling stopped and I began my search for a replacement, selecting this NordicWare waffle iron. As a result of my purchase, I have become known among my peer as a crepe enthusiast now. Why? This waffle iron's non-stick simply sucks. Store-bought mixes, homemade mixes, even the recipes on the card that came with the iron all stick terribly. Despite my best efforts to coat the waffle iron's working surfaces in copious amounts of oil, and to vary cooking temperatures and times, every waffle I make sticks. I've tried following the directions on preparation and cleaning, as well as the hints for making perfect waffles listed on the instructions, to the letter; I'm not some renegade wafflist, making his own rules for waffles and writing a one-star review on Amazon to stick it to The Man. I have given this waffle iron more than a fair amount of time here to straight up and fly right: I purchased this product back in September of 2011 and have been attempting to get it to work well ever since. Not one episode of waffle making didn't result in a catastrophic sticking that ended the process abruptly. I guess until I acquire another waffler I will have to be happy to be known as a crepe enthusiast.

Buy the NordicWare Cast Aluminum Stovetop Belgium Waffle Maker. Clean up is a dream! I have no sticking issues because I brush the machine with melted butter. I have been reading Cooks Illustrated Magazine kitchen product reviews since I was 19 and their product ratings have never disappointed me yet! I love my NordicWare 15040 Cast Aluminum Stovetop Belgium Waffle maker! I simply brush melted butter on both sides of the maker and I heat both sides for 2 minutes each over medium heat on my electric stove. Then I flip the side that was in contact with the burner over and pour in 1 cup of waffle batter. I cook it for 2 minutes on each side and I get nice crispy waffles. I used to own a Warning Pro Waffle Belgian Waffle Maker another highly recommended waffle maker from Cooks Illustrated test kitchen reviews. But my husband dropped it and broke it. I was upset because it was so very expensive. But that is life and it was time to buy another. I don't have a lot of cupboard space or counter top space in my house so I decided to try the Nordic Ware Cast Aluminum Stovetop Belgium Waffle maker. I am so glad I did. It is so affordable and I love that it performs just as well as my old model. I also love how sleek and easy to store the NordicWare is. It is such a space saver! And it is so easy to clean! This makes 4 large waffles. I eat one and my husband eats one. I don't need to fill the whole iron with batter. I leave 2 squares empty. This will be great for larger families or those who eat more waffles! I kept my waffles in the oven on warm until it was time for breakfast and they were still crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. I love this waffle maker and I will absolutely repurchase it in the future if I need to.

I live this. We’ve taken it camping twice and it made perfect waffles. Everyone was so impressed. Be sure to use spray oil on it before you put in your waffle batter. I had no problem with sticking at all.