Just so you understand my perspective, I am somewhat obsessed with kitchen appliances (waffle makers in particular). I make protein waffles in big batches for my kids every week or so, and freeze the extras. For many years I used a Vitantonio Premier Classic Waffler, but finally got tired of standing there for a really long time while cooking waffles one-by-one. The waffles also were never quite as crisp as I liked. So, then began my quest for the perfect waffle maker (which I define as having medium to large capacity, and the ability to quickly and consistently produce crispy and perfectly golden waffles). I purchased and tested many, many waffle makers over the span of 16 months, ultimately gathering an inventory of 13 waffle makers of various shapes and vintages. The Calphalon is the best I have found of the modern waffle makers. Here is why:
First I bought the Kitchenaid Pro Line Series Waffle Baker, which makes two big round Belgian waffles at a time. My kids decided the waffles were too big, and I decided the waffles weren't crispy enough, so I recently passed the Kitchenaid along to a friend. Fast forward past several other waffle makers . . . .
Then, hearing that retro waffle irons were better than modern wafflers (see, e.g., Frugal Gourmet among others), I obtained a vintage 1950's Sunbeam CG from a relative, and actually purchased a refurbished 1940's Sunbeam W-2 from Toaster Central. These beauties are from back in the day when products were built to last a lifetime, and non-stick coatings had not yet been invented. Both vintage waffle makers yielded superior results, much better than any of the modern waffle irons I had tried. I chalked it up to the cast aluminum cook surfaces (no non-stick coating) that must be appropriately seasoned and maintained. I was ready to give up on modern waffle makers.
Then . . . I read about the Calphalon "No Peek," with its "bronze" non-stick cooking surface. Well the Calphalon is the first modern waffle iron I have found that can match the crispy texture and consistently fabulous results of the vintage wafflers. I am thrilled that a modern producer has finally created a product to match the crispy and delicious results of the vintage wafflers. Thank you Calphalon -- I absolutely love this product!
(Also, I love the waffle recipes from King Arthur The King Arthur Flour 200th Anniversary Cookbook/Dedicated to the Pure Joy of Baking; for chat about vintage waffle makers and really good waffle batter and sourdough pancake/waffle batter see The Frugal Gourmet Cooks American; and my favorite book about the history of waffle makers see Antique Electric Waffle Irons 1900-1960: A History of the Appliance Industry in 20th Century America)
This waffle maker offers consistent service in the crafting of waffles. The unit sits authoritatively on your counter. It offers no nonsense crispness selection and rings politely when the waffles are done. There really is no need to peek, so the marketing is true. In the space of five minutes, you can have breakfast for two; or ten minutes for breakfast for four.
You may have to make a batch at each setting to get a feel for the degree of crispness offered. In any event, the inside texture remained moist and slightly chewy, regardless of the darkness/crispness chosen.
A nice feature is that the unit can stand on its side for storage. It cleans up very easily, as long as you do not over fill the squares. No more than 2 cups of batter, as recommended.
Although Calphalon describes this as a "Belgian" waffle maker, I believe this overstates the thickness of the waffles it prepares. They are certainly thicker than, say, Waffle House pancakes, but they are not true Belgian waffles, which should be closer to two inches thick. This unit offers a nice compromise between the two. The waffle cells are deep enough to hold little pools of partially melted butter and syrup in nice proportion to the amount of waffle in the average forkfull.
I am pretty picky when it comes to appliances and cookware. My wife and I wanted a waffle maker that would make more than one waffle, so that our family of three could all eat at the same time. Our old waffle maker made just one lousy waffle and then would take forever to make the next waffle for the next person. Not a fun way to eat a "family" breakfast on Sunday morning. Anyway, we finally sought out a replacement. This waffle maker meets all our expecations.
First, this waffle iron heats up very fast and evenly. I like the fact that I can dial in a predictable temperature (i.e., browning and crispness is controlled this way). I find it important to let the batter sit at room temperature a few minutes, so it is not so cold when it hits the waffle iron). Not to mention variations in ambient room temperature, an open window, etc. So, there is a lot of variability in cooking waffles and for consistent and predictable results you want to try to control the variability. Nuff said on that.
The waffle iron cooks the waffles evenly out to the corners, which is surprising considering how difficult it is to get even temperatures in square corners. The waffles cook almost evenly on top and bottom, but the bottom gets slightly darker than the top. A rotating waffle iron would take care of this very minor issue. This is my only reason for wishing I could give it a 4.9. Each waffle square takes about 1/2 cup of batter. Also, we always use a whole grain, hearty batter and tend to mix it on the thick side, and it handles this type of batter perfectly. Once closed it takes just about 90 seconds to get a near perfect waffle that is crispy and brown on the outside and fluffy on the inside. Also, the sliding lock on the side works great, as it keeps the waffle maker from opening as the waffles fluff up inside while cooking. We make extra and just freeze them to pop into a toaster and enjoy them in a hurry. The second batch of waffles cooks just as quickly and evenly, so no issues with variation in cooking cycle as found in some other waffle makers. Again, just try to keep the ingredients and cooking conditions consistent. The waffles do not stick at all, I mean they just lift out cleanly and easily - just perfect every time.
I was going to spend twice the amount of money but when I saw this waffle iron I thought I'd give it a whirl, and it has met my expectations. A rotating iron would perhaps eliminate the slight variation between top and bottom, as well as more evenly distribute the batter perfectly into each corner, and a round shape might cook slightly better. But not to the point where it would be worth spending any more money. The finish on this waffle maker also goes well with my high tech kitchen, which includes Wolf appliances, Sub-zero refrigerator, and quartz countertops. It has a certain bling factor, which I like, and appears to be well made. As far as "no-peek" goes, I think this is unnecessary marketing hype, and actually cheapens the high tech and quality image that Calphalon conjures up. You have to peek, at least until you figure out the cooking characterisics of this waffle iron. You wouldn't cook something in the oven without looking at it would you? I also like the consistency and thickness of the waffles that are produced (not quite restaurant thickness, but not too thin either) and the waffles reheat perfectly in a toaster (see my review of Breville toaster, which I also rate very highly).
Anyway, I am very satisfied with this waffle iron, as it cooks 4 high quality waffles evenly and quickly without sticking. And that is exactly what I expect a waffle iron to do! Buy it. - Calphalon - Waffle - Waffle Iron - Best Waffle Maker - Belgian Waffle Maker - Waffle Irons'
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