Best Inexpensive Belgian Waffle Machines
Who says you have to wait for a fancy brunch to enjoy light, fluffy Belgian waffles? With the right inexpensive Belgian waffle machine and excellent recipes, you can whip up beautiful Belgian waffles right in your own kitchen. No need to venture out when you can create the perfect waffle experience at home!
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 Belgian waffle-serving cafe. 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’s it. We gotta figure out how to do this ourselves.
After a lot of research, review-reading, testing machines and recipes, failing, and trying again—we finally got it! We’re making Belgian waffles for pennies (literally!) where we used to spend dollars.
Belgian vs. Regular Waffles
A Belgian waffle is made with a lighter batter than regular American waffles. Belgian waffles are thicker in size (at least 1 inch) and often larger than regular waffles because they are made in a specific type of waffle maker that creates a thicker waffle with larger grids and deeper pockets. A perfectly crafted Belgian waffle is super fluffy and light inside, with a golden brown and crisp exterior.
Our Top 3 Belgian Waffle Machines
- Best Inexpensive: Cuisinart WAF-F30 Single Flip Belgian Waffle Machine
- Best Upgrade: Cuisinart WAF-F40 Double Flip Belgian Waffle Machine
- Best Budget: BLACK+DECKER Flip Waffle Machine
Best Inexpensive
Cuisinart WAF-F30 Single Flip Belgian Waffle Machine
This Cuisinart waffle machine makes beautiful, thick, crisp waffles with deep grid pockets for holding syrup and other toppings. It just works—and does everything right! And it’s fun to use because it flips!
It comes with a measuring cup that holds exactly the right amount of batter so that not even a drop of batter drips out and down the sides of the machine. And waffles lift out easily and come out evenly baked on the top and bottom. Amazing!
With its 1000 watts of power, this machine takes only a few minutes to get up to full heat. The browning control knob adjusts to 5-settings for custom cooking from light to dark, and a green indicator light illuminates when the unit is ready-to-cook and when cook time is done.
While not the cheapest option on the market, it is far and away priced lower than any competitor in its class in terms of value, quality, and performance.
It comes with an excellent instruction manual and a number of Belgian waffle recipes.
Best Upgrade
Cuisinart WAF-F40 Double Flip Belgian Waffle Machine
Check it out! This is the double-flip version of the Best Inexpensive model above, and the model that has settled into its new home in my kitchen. This baby can make two 8-inch Belgian waffles at a time. That means I can serve multiple guests with no waiting. Serving the waffles halved allows 4 people to eat at once. By the time we finish the first ones, the next batch is ready.
Both the Cuisinart single-flip (above) and double-flip options have an easy-to-handle rotary flip feature for even baking on top and bottom. The handles do not get hot, which I really appreciate because there’s nothing quite like burning yourself on a hot waffle maker handle.
This double-flip model has an audible alert in addition to ready-to-bake and ready-to-eat green indicator lights. It comes with an instruction manual and an extensive collection of recipes, including a gluten-free option and the recipe for authentic Liége Waffles!
A simple slider has browning settings from 1 to 5. The manual suggests starting with setting 4 and then adjusting as needed to achieve the desired color. I’ve determined that setting 5 creates the best crisp, perfectly baked Belgian-style waffle every time. With 1400 watts of power, this machine heats up fast and stays hot.
Best Budget
BLACK+DECKER Flip Waffle Machine
This budget-friendly, smaller basic Belgian waffle maker turns out consistently thick, fluffy 7-inch waffles. Its compact design is perfect for small spaces. The rotate-and-cook system makes well-formed waffles with just a flip of the handle.
At 800 watts, it takes longer to come to full heat, and cook time is also a bit longer than the Cuisinart models above. The nonstick waffle plates are quite easy to clean. I can’t promise this machine is stick-proof, but oiling the grid after it has come to full heat did help the waffles to release easily.
This BLACK+DECKER option, with its basic design and functionality, is definitely a solid deal.
Cost Comparison
Restaurant Waffles
It’s the outrageously high cost of our favorite Belgian waffles that started all of this. You’d have to be living under a rock for the past three years to have not noticed how the cost of food—especially restaurant food—has skyrocketed. A single, plain, a la carte, Belgian waffle is a great example.
Here are the current menu prices for popular restaurants you may be familiar with. The first amount for each is the menu price; the second includes 20% gratuity and 4% tax to make sure we’re looking at real costs.
- Village Inn
- Waffle House*
- IHOP
- First Watch
- Broken Yolk Cafe
- $9.89
- $12.85
- $12.19
- $13.39
- $10.45
- $12.34
- $16.03
- $15.21
- $16.71
- $13.04
*Waffle House does not offer a Belgian-style option, but rather its iconic waffle.
Multiply by the number of people in your party, and suddenly, the idea of making Belgian waffles at home gets really interesting. I promise you can make them just as well  (maybe better) and in less time than it takes to get to the restaurant, wait to be seated, wait to be served, and then pay dearly for the privilege.
Homemade Waffles: Cheaper, Better, Faster!
I chose Krusteaz Buttermilk Pancake & Waffle Mix for my control (purchased at my local supermarket, 32 oz., $3.49; Â also available online). I Â followed the waffle option recipe on the back of the package, which for the Cuisine Double-Flip Maker (above) yields four 8-inch waffles:
- 2 cups Krusteaz Mix ($0.88)
- 1 egg ($0.23)
- 1 1/2 cups cold water
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil ($0.10)
In sum, $1.21 divided by four comes out to thirty cents for one 8-inch Belgian Waffle—that’s $0.30 at home versus about $12 in a restaurant. That makes a single plain restaurant Belgian waffle about 40 times more expensive than a Belgian waffle made at home. It seems impossible, I know, but it’s true. At that rate, a proper Belgian waffle maker could pay for itself in money, not at restaurants, in no time at all!
My husband and taste tester is a connoisseur of a good waffle. Without prompting or hesitation, he was two thumbs up—perfectly crisp on the outside, light and soft in the center.
From start to finish, I made four 8-inch Belgian waffles in my Cuisinart double-flip in exactly 14 minutes. That definitely checks the “faster” box for me.
Recipes & Ideas
There are multiple ways to use a Belgian waffle machine. Just recently I made French toast in my double-flip! That turned out great, and what a fun surprise. You’re about to discover that while we may assume waffles are always sweet, it’s not always so!
Consider the following recipes and ideas.
- Basic Belgian Waffles
- Apple Fritter Waffle Donuts—Inexpensive and Sinfully Delicious!
- From Brussels with Love: How to Make Authentic Liège Waffles at Home
- Savory Buttermilk Cheddar Belgian Waffles
- Savory Belgian Waffles with Spinach, Ham, Cheese
- Ham and Cheese Hashbrown Waffles
- CookBook: Will It Waffle?
Question: What’s your favorite topping or flavor combination for Belgian waffles? Share your creative ideas with me down below in the comments.
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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.
Yes, Liege Waffles are made with yeast. Did you miss the link to the recipe for authentic Liege Waffles in the post? Here is it again: From Brussels with Love: How to Make Authentic Liège Waffles at Home. The trick is to make sure the pearl sugar is well embedded in the batter, then remove the cooked waffle just before the sugar carmelizes.
I can’t seem to find an old fashioned thin waffle maker; I do not like Belgian waffles due to their thickness. Any suggestions?
Take a look at this Dash Deluxe No-Drip Waffle Iron Maker Machine. It turns out waffle thin, American-style waffles; cooks evenly, it’s easy-to-clean and gets thousands of 5-star reviews. Priced well, too.
I add 8 ounces of cooked and crumbled sausage/bacon and 1/2 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese. It makes a savory waffle.
Yum! Sounds fabulous.