I don't have a waffle iron but here are Cooks Ilustrated recs

I have the all-clad 4 slice belgian and am pretty happy with it-- the single classic version is right at 100 on amazon.

prior to that, I had the classic villaware which was great-- far and away the best I've used. ! I thought it would be easily under a hundred but they are going for big bucks now-- even used! Not sure what's going on there. Maybe they aren't made anymore so now going for premium prices?

The thing I would look for is a cast iron plate.

Breville makes one. I have a Breville but it's the larger one, not this kind… It's good

We have waffles maybe two or three times a year and dh manages (he's the waffle-maker) with an old round Toastmaster. Last year WS was having a "big sale" on their Breville waffle makers and he bought one not realizing it was Belgian-style. It went back.

My mom had an old GE with removable plates that flipped to grill. That thing made the best grilled cheese sandwiches. An early version of a panini press.

I really like the breville products-- never tried the waffle maker but i have bought the panini press as a gift. I don't think the breville is on budget though

I miss getting my Cooks Illustrated magazine. I'm going to check those out.

I think Chef's Choice had one of the best reviews on Amazon. I'd like a double waffle maker, and one that doesn't take forever to cook a waffle.

Thanks for the suggestions.

The Breville is $129, even on sale..... looks like Cuisinart has a classic for 42.95

I used to have a Cuisinart waffle maker that worked great (it went with my ex). Searching online, all I saw was a round version for traditional waffles, which is smaller than the rectangular versions. I don't know what size you need.

Black and Decker has a rectangular traditional waffle maker. No personal experience, but it is rated 3 1/2 stars to the Cuisinart's 4 1/2.

I have the Black & Decker and it works fine. It feels a little "loosey goosey" for lack of a better term, I'm sure because the plates are removeable to flip from grill to waffle. And I'm not sure the light is the most accurate- I just time my waffles (4-5 min) and take them out rather than try to use the indicator light. Here is a link: http://www.amazon.com/Black-Decker-G48TD-Waffle-Griddle/dp/B000063XH7/ref=sr_1_cc_6?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1449935000&sr=1-6-catcorr&keywords=waffle+baker

Oh I thought the breville would be much more. I should have checked. Honestly, based on my experience with breville, I'd spend the extra 30 bucks and go with that.. of course, it's not my money I am spending so loosely! LOL

Jess, I have the Black and Decker, and it made a huge mess on me. It was probably me who made the mess. lol. I had to throw away my first waffle maker because the batter stuck so bad, no amount of scrubbing got it clean.

I'm thinking about getting the waffle brush to go with the maker when I find one.

I bought the smaller Chef's Choice, along with Stonewall Kitchens waffle/pancake mix and SWK maple syrup. Good to go! Done with Christmas shopping!

Thank you!

We have the Breville and use it about once a month. At our vacation home we have the Villaware which Alton Brown had recommended. I'd rather have a pancake for breakfast but we make waffles every now and then - I really don't care for Belgian waffles, it's just way more waffle than I need and of course then requires way more dark amber syrup than I need too.

Marie, same here ... much prefer pancakes ... made with buttermilk. I make the mix and dh does the flippin'.

Buttermilk is a must. The SWK mixes are surprisingly good, and I thought I'd never use a mix.

SWK pancake/waffle mix had excellent reviews on Amazon. I like both pancakes and waffles, but I really like a crispy waffle.

Over the last 40 years I've had a couple of different waffle irons (both really nice, expensive ones) but I could never get a good result - usually they would stick and pull apart. I had a house sitting gig a few years ago in a home where the owner was a professional chef. She had a very simple Cuisinart that worked so perfectly, I decided I had to have one. I don't make waffles much because I live alone, but just last month I decided to buy it because my grandson likes waffles and I was buying frozen organic ones for him. Figured I could pay for it in no time. I went to BBB and used a 20% off coupon. It works better than any other waffle iron I've had. It's fast, doesn't stick, etc. The only thing I would have liked (but know it could never be at this price) is removable plates for cleaning.

Cuisinart Waffle Maker

Oly, can you send me the link so I can get one for myself? I read today that we should always spray the plates with Pam, even if they're non-stick.

One of the problems with all the other irons is there never were good instructions and tips that came with them.

oakley - we always lightly spray the waffle maker with Pam - and it does make clean up easier.

I always read that you shouldn't spray with Pam because it gets gummy after awhile. But Alton Brown did a show on waffles and he uses Pam.

My GE waffle maker is 35 years old. I put oil on it with a pastry brush. The first waffle is always the crispiest because it soaks up the oil.

One tip is to let your batter sit for 5 minutes so the baking powder activates and forms bubbles, which lightens the waffle.

I don't like any of those spray oils. A pastry brush or paper towel dipped in oil does the same thing without any chance of overspray.

I must be CindyMac's mother because I have a 40 year old GE with removable plates that flip to grill. She's right: it makes the best grilled cheese sandwiches, and the waffles are good, too.

I have the Cuisinart waffle maker Olychick posted. Lucky me, though, I live near the Cuisinart warehouse which has a warehouse sale every December. Mine cost me $8 about 6 years ago. It still works like a charm.

I'm one of those who don't like fluffy pancakes. The flatter the better. So I always add a bit more liquid to the mix to get the texture I want.

The best pancake I ever had was by accident. I accidentally added too much oil to the pan and the pancake crisped up big time around the edges. So I kept adding oil to the rest of them, and they were the best I'd ever made!

BTW, I can't stand maple syrup. lol. I have to have a butter flavored pancake syrup. We keep both in the house, but there's just something about maple syrup I don't like.

Adding more melted butter to the batter also increases crispness.

CindyMac and Delilah, my mom had one too, only I think it might have been a Sunbeam. Besides grilled cheese, she made grilled jelly sandwiches. You had to be REAL careful not to sear your mouth with hot jelly, but it was like dessert for lunch.

Using Pam on your non-stick waffle iron plate will ruin it. Ask me how I know.

i now use a pastry brush and butter.

Love my Waring.

Red, I've always heard that too, but in most of the reviews I read the other day when people complained about their waffles sticking, just about everybody said to use Pam.

I'll be googling it pretty good before Christmas.

Doesn't the butter burn? I use oil on the cold plates.

Waffle maker was a success! This is the one I bought: Waffle Maker My son called a bit ago and he said they were the best waffles he's ever had. He didn't use oil, butter or anything on the pan and they came out perfectly.

I gave him the Stonewall Kitchen waffle & pancake mix, along with their maple syrup, and all of it was a hit.

What I like is this maker only took 45 seconds to make a perfectly crisp waffle. Less time if you like them soft.