hand holding a white plate with a stack of belgian waffles with a blurred nature background

Best Belgian Waffle Maker for Home Brunch Lovers

/6 Comments/in , , /by Mary Hunt

Weekend brunch used to mean heading out, waiting for a table, and happily paying whatever the menu said. These days, one glance at the bill can take some of the fun out of it. The good news? Belgian waffles are surprisingly easy to make at home and often better than the ones you’d get at a restaurant. With a good Belgian waffle maker and a reliable batter, you can turn out thick, fluffy waffles with crisp golden edges in minutes. After plenty of experimenting (and a few kitchen misfires), we finally found the waffle makers that deliver beautiful results without the fancy price tag.

hand holding a white plate with a stack of belgian waffles with a blurred nature background

But I’ll admit something. For years I was convinced restaurants knew a waffle secret the rest of us didn’t. Their waffles always seemed crispier on the outside, fluffier inside, and somehow more “waffle-y” than mine ever turned out at home. I figured there had to be a trick. A special batter? A hotter waffle iron? Maybe both.

The Waffle Habit That Started It All

I doubt I would have ever become obsessed with making perfect Belgian waffles at home if it hadn’t been for the outrageous price hikes at what used to be our favorite waffle café.

It was a weekend tradition for my husband and me… until one Saturday not that long ago. We looked at each other, then at the tab (pushing $50 for two waffles, two coffees, tax, and tip) and decided that was it. Time to figure out how to do this ourselves.

So began the research phase: reading reviews, testing machines, experimenting with batter, failing, and trying again. Eventually we cracked the code.

Now we make restaurant-quality Belgian waffles at home for literal pennies compared with what we used to spend. And honestly? They’re better.

Belgian vs. Regular Waffles

belgian waffle with fresh berry topping vs regular waffle

A Belgian waffle is made with a lighter batter than regular American waffles. The waffles themselves are thicker, typically at least an inch tall, and the waffle irons that make them have deeper grids and larger pockets.

Those deep pockets are exactly what hold all the good stuff: butter, syrup, fruit, whipped cream…you name it.

A well-made Belgian waffle should be:

  • Light and fluffy inside
  • Golden brown on the outside
  • Crisp enough to hold toppings without going soggy

Once you get the right machine and batter combination, it becomes surprisingly easy to produce waffles like this at home.

Cost Comparison: Restaurant Waffles

It’s the rising cost of restaurant waffles that started all of this. Food prices have climbed dramatically in the last few years, and breakfast restaurants haven’t been immune.

Here are typical menu prices for a plain Belgian waffle at several familiar restaurants.

The first number is the menu price. The second reflects a realistic total after tax and a 20% tip.

  • Village Inn
  • Waffle House*
  • IHOP
  • First Watch
  • Broken Yolk Cafe
  • $10.79
  • $6.25
  • $10.99
  • $13.99
  • $12.49
  • $13.46
  • $7.80
  • $13.71
  • $17.45
  • $15.56

*Waffle House does not offer a Belgian-style option, but rather its iconic waffle.

Multiply that by two or four people, and suddenly homemade waffles start looking very appealing. You can often make them faster at home than it takes to drive to the restaurant, wait for a table, order, and pay the bill.

Homemade Waffles: Cheaper, Better, Faster

homemade waffle in electric waffle maker

For testing, I used Krusteaz Buttermilk Pancake & Waffle Mix. At my local supermarket, a 32-ounce box currently sells for about $4.69.

Following the waffle instructions on the back of the package produced four 8-inch waffles in the double-flip maker.

Ingredient breakdown:

  • 2 cups Krusteaz mix: $1.17
  • 1 egg: $0.25
  • 1½ cups water: free!
  • 2 tablespoons oil: $0.12

Total cost: $1.54 for four waffles That comes out to about 38 cents per waffle. Compare that to roughly $12 for a restaurant waffle.

In other words, the restaurant version costs more than 30 times as much. At that rate, a good Belgian waffle maker can pay for itself surprisingly quickly. And according to my husband (the official household waffle judge), they’re every bit as good.

Our Top 3 Belgian Waffle Machines

BEST INEXPENSIVE
Cuisinart Round Flip Belgian Waffle Maker, 1" thick Belgian-style Waffle, WAF-F30NAS
BEST UPGRADE
Cuisinart Double Flip Belgian Waffle Maker, WAF-F40NAS, Stainless Steel, Grey and Black
BEST FOR STUFFED
Presto 03512 Stuffler Stuffed Waffle Maker, Belgian, Large, Black
Cuisinart Round Flip Belgian Waffle Maker, 1" thick Belgian-style Waffle, WAF-F30NAS
Cuisinart Double Flip Belgian Waffle Maker, WAF-F40NAS, Stainless Steel, Grey and Black
Presto 03512 Stuffler Stuffed Waffle Maker, Belgian, Large, Black
$74.95
$119.99
$49.99
Buy on Amazon
Buy on Amazon
Buy on Amazon
BEST INEXPENSIVE
Cuisinart Round Flip Belgian Waffle Maker, 1" thick Belgian-style Waffle, WAF-F30NAS
Cuisinart Round Flip Belgian Waffle Maker, 1" thick Belgian-style Waffle, WAF-F30NAS
$74.95
Buy on Amazon
BEST UPGRADE
Cuisinart Double Flip Belgian Waffle Maker, WAF-F40NAS, Stainless Steel, Grey and Black
Cuisinart Double Flip Belgian Waffle Maker, WAF-F40NAS, Stainless Steel, Grey and Black
$119.99
Buy on Amazon
BEST FOR STUFFED
Presto 03512 Stuffler Stuffed Waffle Maker, Belgian, Large, Black
Presto 03512 Stuffler Stuffed Waffle Maker, Belgian, Large, Black
$49.99
Buy on Amazon

Best Inexpensive

Cuisinart Single Flip Belgian Waffle Maker

Cuisinart WAF-F30 Single Flip Belgian Waffle Machine

This machine makes beautiful, thick Belgian waffles with deep pockets for holding syrup and toppings. And it simply works.

One feature I love is the flip design. Rotating the iron during cooking helps distribute the batter evenly so the waffles bake uniformly on both sides. The included measuring cup holds exactly the right amount of batter. That means no overflow and no sticky waffle batter running down the sides of the machine.

With 1000 watts of power, it heats quickly. A browning control knob lets you choose between five settings, from light to deeply golden. Indicator lights signal when it’s ready to cook and when the waffle is done.

While it isn’t the absolute cheapest waffle maker you can buy, it consistently delivers results that rival much more expensive machines. It also includes a surprisingly good instruction manual along with several Belgian waffle recipes.

Cuisinart Single Flip Belgian Waffle Machine
Cuisinart Single Flip Belgian Waffle Machine
    $74.95
    Buy on Amazon

    Best Upgrade

    Cuisinart Double Flip Belgian Waffle Maker 1400 wattsCuisinart WAF-F40 Double Flip Belgian Waffle Machine

    This is the double-flip version of the machine above and the model that now lives permanently in my kitchen.

    It makes two large 8-inch Belgian waffles at once. That means if guests are over, nobody has to wait around staring longingly at the waffle iron while the first batch disappears. Serving the waffles halved allows four people to eat immediately. By the time everyone finishes the first round, the next batch is ready.

    Both Cuisinart flip models feature a rotary design for even cooking on both sides. The handles stay cool, which I appreciate because waffle makers get surprisingly hot. This model also adds an audible alert along with the indicator lights.

    The browning control slider ranges from 1 to 5. After experimenting, I’ve found that setting 5 creates the crisp, golden waffle we like best. With 1400 watts of power, it heats quickly and stays hot between batches.

    It includes a large collection of recipes, including a gluten-free option and instructions for authentic Liège waffles.

    Save $29.96
    Cuisinart Double Flip Belgian Waffle Machine
    Cuisinart Double Flip Belgian Waffle Machine
      $149.95 $119.99
      Buy on Amazon

      Best for Stuffed Waffles

      Product Image - Presto 03512 Stuffler Stuffed Waffle Maker

      Presto 03512 Stuffler Stuffed Waffle Maker

      If you love the idea of taking your waffle game to the next level, this machine is a lot of fun. The Presto Stuffler allows you to bake fillings directly inside a waffle. Think fruit, chocolate, cheese, eggs, or even savory fillings like ham. Just pour in the batter, add your filling, top with more batter, close, and let it do its thing. Kids love it, adults love it… everyone wins.

      The rotating 180° flip spreads batter evenly so the waffle cooks crisp outside and tender inside. Built-in tongs make lifting the finished waffle easy, and the nonstick grids divide each waffle into four sections for easy serving. It also stores vertically with the cord tucked neatly into the base, which is helpful if cabinet space is tight.

      Use any pancake, waffle, cake, or muffin mix as your base, and the included recipes give you ideas for quick meals, indulgent sweets, or even low-carb, keto-friendly waffles stuffed with eggs, cheese, or veggies.

      Save $5.00
      Presto Stuffler Stuffed Waffle Maker, Belgian, Large, Black
      Presto Stuffler Stuffed Waffle Maker, Belgian, Large, Black
        $54.99 $49.99
        Buy on Amazon

        (Disclosure: This post includes an Amazon Creator Connections product. I may earn a small commission if you purchase through the link, at no additional cost to you.)

        Getting Restaurant-Quality Waffles at Home

        plate with freshly cooked homemade belgian waffle

        A few small habits make a noticeable difference when making Belgian waffles.

        • Preheat fully. Most waffle irons need several minutes to reach the right temperature. Starting too soon usually leads to pale waffles.
        • Don’t overfill the batter. Too much batter causes messy overflow and uneven cooking. Most machines include a measuring cup for a reason.
        • Let the waffle finish cooking. Opening the lid too early can tear the waffle apart. When steam slows down, it’s usually ready.
        • Use a cooling rack. If you’re making several batches, place finished waffles on a rack instead of stacking them. Air circulation keeps them crisp.

        Once you get the rhythm down, the process becomes almost automatic.

        And once you have a waffle maker, the fun really begins. A Belgian waffle iron works just as well for savory recipes as it does for sweet ones. You might enjoy trying:

        If you enjoy brunch foods but don’t enjoy brunch prices, a good Belgian waffle maker quickly earns its place in the kitchen. Once you start making them at home, it’s surprisingly hard to justify paying restaurant prices again.

        But the real benefit isn’t just saving money. It’s the relaxed weekend breakfast at home. No crowded dining room. No waiting for a table. No rushing through a meal so the next group can sit down.

        Just good coffee, hot waffles, and a quiet morning in your own kitchen. And honestly, that might be the best upgrade of all.

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        6 replies
        1. Lisa Godfrey says:

          Love your recommendations and have followed you for many years. I have the first one and love it. I will say that real Belgian (or liege) waffles are not made like this. We visited Belgium years ago and fell in love with their waffles. They are made with yeast and the machines used to make them are more expensive. It seems to be due to the need to regulate temperature for sugar and also for easier clean. I have used the cuisinart to make them since I don’t want to spend for a new machine and it’s just challenging to clean it up.

          Reply
        2. GrrannyH says:

          I can’t seem to find an old fashioned thin waffle maker; I do not like Belgian waffles due to their thickness. Any suggestions?

          Reply
        3. Lydia Warden says:

          I add 8 ounces of cooked and crumbled sausage/bacon and 1/2 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese. It makes a savory waffle.

          Reply

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