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Simply delicious: Fresh Belgian waffles with vanilla ice cream and pickled cherries
Photo: Jens Radü / DER SPIEGEL
The following recipe was in the instructions for use of the Rowenta waffle machine, which my mother always took out of the formica cupboard when visitors came with children:
Simple waffles with baking soda
125 grams of butter (soft)
3 eggs 150 grams of sugar
stir until frothy
250 grams of flour
1 teaspoon of baking powder 1 teaspoon of vanilla sugar 1 grated lemon peel
add and work into a smooth batter for about three minutes
This recipe has accompanied me through my childhood.
When I was eight I was allowed to work alone for the first time, and since then I have been the waffle officer in the family.
Later I took the Rowenta iron with me to the student flat.
Whenever there was urgent chores to research, study for exams, or cleaning the hallway, I let them steam.
Then we invited a few friends over on Sundays and drank red wine with a waffle and powdered sugar.
How did I love this thing!
But at some point the old waffle machine could no longer be cleaned properly, and dough leftovers always got stuck somewhere.
And so the question finally arose: what would be a worthy replacement?
That's exactly what I tried to find out with this test.
I tested these devices
🛒 Cloer Brussels waffle machine
🛒 Emerio rotating waffle maker
🛒 Krups double waffle iron
🛒 Domo design waffle iron
🛒 Aicook waffle iron, rotatable
This is how I do the test
Belgian confectioners use yeast and granulated sugar for their waffles.
But I am an incorrigible fan of the Rowenta recipe and today, for once, I mix double the amount.
Every device is inspected, cleaned and tested with at least three waffles (the first one is never anything).
My very personal test categories are the processing, the quality of the wafers and how easy it is to clean.
Because dough always overflows with me, even 30 years of experience with the iron doesn't help.
Cloer 1445 Brussels waffle machine
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Yes, I know, clearly too much dough ...
Photo:
Jens Radü / DER SPIEGEL
To start with, I unpack the iron from Cloer, one of the classic wafer maker manufacturers.
Founder Caspar Cloer shaped the heart shape in the 19th century.
So a lot of history, but the iron is not really convincing when it comes to processing: The continuously adjustable from 1 to 5 plastic regulator is a bit wobbly, making the adjustment less precise.
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Cloer 1445 Brussels waffle machine for traditional Belgian waffles, 930 W, baking light, matt stainless steel case
Manufacturer: Cloer
Manufacturer: Cloer
From € 55.55
Price query time
11/08/2020 8:19 p.m.
No guarantee
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However, this does not bother you when baking, the waffles can be easily removed from the heating plate.
Even after several attempts I don't get a uniform tan.
Maybe it's the dough, maybe it's the iron.
However, the Cloer waffles pass the taste test: light and tasty, if a little dry.
The biggest minus is cleaning.
Of course I spilled too much dough on the plate during the first run, and it promptly oozed out of all the cracks.
The controller and the guide rail are glued, as are the sides.
I wipe as much as I can, which doesn't save me from scratching and scrubbing.
I would have expected more dough bowl pragmatism in product design from Cloer's company history.
👍🏻
Delicious waffles (if a little dry)
👎
Shaky processing, difficult to clean
Emerio WM-110984 rotatable waffle iron
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Will the rotation help?
Photo: Jens Radü / DER SPIEGEL
The rotary waffle iron from Emerio.
If you are now wondering why a waffle iron should be turned 180 degrees at all: The dough spreads better, the waffle becomes fluffier and not as firm, as much as the rotation aficionados promise.
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Rotatable waffle iron Emerio WM-110984 with 1000 watt for Belgian waffles
Manufacturer: Emerio
Manufacturer: Emerio
From € 30.84
Price query time
11/08/2020 8:19 p.m.
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More information here
I am excited and open the heating plates - a small plastic part breaks off at the closure.
Not reducing the function, but of course it does not make a particularly good impression during processing.
At least the rest is okay: the dial clicks clicks when turning, a feeling like cracking the safe.
The 180 degree rotation literally runs in no time at all, which increases baking fun even before the finished waffle.
I have to wait a long time for this, at least longer than with the predecessor, but it's worth it: The waffles are browned quite evenly and are even looser than with the conventional folding device.
There is a drip tray for overflowing dough, but the side edges and heating plates will still be greasy.
Scouring, scratching, you know it.
👍🏻 Very loose waffles, good handling of temperature
setting
and rotation
👎
Unsatisfactory processing, difficult to clean
Krups waffle iron FDK251
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Delicious in a double pack
Photo: Jens Radü / DER SPIEGEL
Krups, a top dog among household appliances, founded in Solingen in 1846, is now a brand of the French Groupe SEB.
The waffle iron comes in a very reduced design, there is no temperature controller, just an on / off switch and two lights in green and red.
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Krups waffle iron FDK251 |
Double waffle maker |
2 Belgian waffles at the same time |
Non-stick coated panels (easy cleaning) |
For rectangular waffles |
Safe thanks to the insulated handle |
850W
Manufacturer: Krups
Manufacturer: Krups
From € 32.16
Price query time
11/08/2020 8:19 p.m.
No guarantee
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More information here
Sure, you can control the baking time, but is that enough?
Yes, I notice after the first waffle that comes out of the iron perfectly browned: slightly crispy on the outside, light and tender on the inside.
You don't really need a topping anymore - although powdered sugar, cherries and vanilla ice cream are of course never wrong.
Well thought-out: A small protective wall arches towards the function switches in front of the heating plates, which prevents overflowing dough from dripping onto the control elements.
The Krups device is correspondingly easy to clean.
👍🏻
Very good waffles, reduced and practical design, very easy to clean
👎
No temperature
controller
DOMO DO9047W
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Square and gray, but the waffles are good
Photo: Jens Radü / DER SPIEGEL
"Design waffle iron", Domo advertises for the following device.
Well, it's square and gray, the handle looks like it has been planted, it doesn't really suit my taste.
But with a waffle iron, a different concept of taste is important.
After all, the Domo model is small and space-saving, especially in contrast to the rotary competitors.
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Design waffle iron for fresh Belgian waffles / Brussels waffles |
with and without timer |
adjustable browning levels |
practical baking light |
DOMO DO9047W and DO9149W (without timer)
Manufacturer: Domo
Manufacturer: Domo
From € 38.65
Price query time
11/08/2020 8:19 p.m.
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The lid hangs a bit wobbly in the hinge and immediately after unpacking I discover small paint damage.
To do this, the adjusting wheel for the degree of browning makes a nice click-click again.
But will we be good at the waffles?
A more piebald variant this time, but that doesn't harm the taste.
Solid, if not exceptionally airy, rather a bit firm.
The cleaning turns out to be smeary - despite or perhaps because of the advertised "trendy & compact" design and takes longer than the three waffle baking cycles.
👍🏻
Good waffles
👎
No flawless workmanship, cleaning inconvenient
Aicook
waffle iron Belgian rotatable
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Another rotation candidate
Photo: Jens Radü / DER SPIEGEL
This rotary waffle iron comes from the Chinese company Aicook.
The umbrella brand specializes in tablets and smartphones, but kitchen machines, from coffeemakers to juicers, have also been on offer since 2014.
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Belgian rotating waffle maker Aicook ™ |
1000W |
Stainless steel waffle maker with temperature control |
180 ° rotatable |
Non-stick plates |
Signal lights |
Anti-leakage |
Double-sided heating |
Drip tray
From € 46.99
Price query time
11/08/2020 8:19 p.m.
No guarantee
Icon: Info
Order at AmazonIcon: amazon
Product reviews are purely editorial and independent.
Via the so-called affiliate links above, we usually receive a commission from the dealer when making a purchase.
More information here
The workmanship is okay, at least nothing has broken off.
The heating plates are covered with stainless steel, only the handle has a little too much play for my taste.
Can it withstand 1000 rotations?
In my test, however, I have nothing to complain about.
The waffles are good and again much more airy than in a folding device, so the rotation actually brings something.
However, the excess dough also runs out here.
The drip tray catches most of it, but even this waffle run ends with scrubbing and scraping.
👍🏻
Airy waffles, processing
ok 👎
Comparatively expensive
My conclusion:
Sure, the five devices had a hard time compared to my historic Rowenta: Nothing tastes as good as memories.
But after 40 waffles I have a clear favorite, the Krups waffle machine.
He delivered almost perfect waffles, has a pleasantly reduced design and the workmanship gives the impression that I could give the device to my eldest in the student flat.
Maybe he'll invite me over for a waffle on Sunday afternoon.
With red wine.
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