I should preface this review with the fact that I absolutely LOVE waffles, and that I've never had a waffle maker before- In fact, for my entire adult life, I've walked past waffle makers in the store and never considered buying one. I felt that wafflers were for "other" people. People with money and great kitchens and Saturday brunches. Surely not for me. But, one day several months ago, we were wandering down the waffler aisle and I told my men- Husband & 2 boys- that I wanted a waffle maker for Mother's Day. Now, my husband is not a fan of waffles or shopping. So, Mother's Day arrived and I was presented with instructions to "Pick out any waffle maker [I] want!" But I'm pretty cheap, so I picked this one. My waffler arrived exactly on time, which was awesome- but the FedEx man seemed oddly disturbed by my outward display of appreciation. (I know I'm not the only one who does the Amazon Delivery Happy Dance while the delivery guy's still on the porch.) I opened the box and immediately read the instructions, which seemed pretty straightforward. I cleaned the hotplates with a damp cloth and then wiped them with a bit of vegetable oil on a napkin. Then, I made waffles. And I haven't stopped making waffles. I'm eating one right now. Here are some specks: -The waffle maker gets hot. Be careful. -Some reviews say that the lid is loose- OF COURSE it's loose; it needs to be able to slightly rise as the batter slightly rises. Come on. -The instructions call for 3/4 cup of batter, but I found that just over 1/2 cup works best for minimal seepage. Maybe 2/3 cup. -The instructions also call for a 3-5 minute bake time, I've found this to be true. Also watch for when steam stops billowing out & there's just a thin stream of steam. (You can open the lid to check after about a minute, when the top crust is sealed. You can stick a fork into a thick of the waffle to check for doneness.) - When the temp is set right in the middle, the inside of the waffle is done just in time for the outside to be slightly crispy. -The waffles aren't Belgians, but they're not toaster-waffle-thin, either. Right in the middle. -The cinnamon roll thing works. We had them for breakfast. OM to the G. -If your waffler begins to get sticky, clean it well, make sure it's dry, and re-wipe with a bit of oil. (Re-season it) ****I'm sure this waffle maker won't last for years and years. Maybe I'll upgrade to a sturdier, more expensive model eventually. But the price was right for this one. I recommend it. Here's a recipe: Preheat waffler to middle setting. Sift together: 2 cups flour 3 tsp baking POWDER 1/4 tsp salt 1-2 tsp cinnamon (Optional, of course, but come on.) In a different bowl, mix: 2 whole eggs 1/4 cup oil 1 1/2 cup milk (anything heavier than whole milk, like cream, will make a heavier waffle) 3 Tbsp sugar (I use 1 white & 2 brown) Vanilla to taste (I use 1 tsp) add the wet ingredients to the dry slowly while mixing with a fork. Pour 1/2- 2/3 cups batter in the middle of the waffle and bake 2-4 minutes. Easiest removal of waffles is with a fork poked into the side & with a slight twisting motion. Throw some chocolate chips on that bad boy & cover him with maple syrup. Enjoy
