My wife and I are delighted with this compact waffle maker! We prefer this 7" "medium" size over the 4" "minis" (okay for kids, but not very efficient for grown-ups) and the larger "full-size" ones (harder to handle).
Round "Belgian" waffle makers (hereafter called "WM") like this one are also much easier to use than rectangular ones, as you can ladle the right amount of batter right into the centre, rather than having to spread it around a squared shape to get it to cook to the WM's edges. (Whoever thought of a rectangular WM must've had square tires on their car!)
If you've never made waffles, you may get a few over-spills as you try to gauge how much batter to use at a time. You can improve your chances by ladling in a bit less batter, rather than more, until you get a feeling for the right amount.
This Starfrit WM performed beautifully. Unlike some of our previous WMs, we had no sticking problems, having "seasoned" it with a bit of oil the first time (see below), and being sure our recipes included a couple tablespoons of oil or melted butter.
Important things to remember:
• The first time you use your WM:
_ "Season" it by wiping a small amount of vegetable oil on its cooking surfaces.
_ Discard (don't eat) the very first waffle you make, as it may absorb a bit of the non-stick cooking surface. (It's sad, I know, but do it anyway.) This is necessary only the first time you use the WM. (The manual mentions this too, but it's not quite as clear.)
• Rather than using white sugar in your batter, or pouring sugar-added syrups on your waffles, consider pouring pure maple syrup. It costs more, and it still contains sugar—but being a natural product rather than a refined unnatural one, it takes longer to break down in your body, avoiding the sudden metabolic shock of white sugar.
• Before you ladle in a new waffle, always be sure the green "ready" like is on, indicating the WM is fully heated.
• Once you've added batter and closed the lid, nothing will happen for a while; then steam will start coming out. DON'T open the WM until ALL the steam has finished. You'll see stages of less and more steam; this is normal (something to do with how the waffle cooks). When ALL the steam is done, your patience will be rewarded as you remove your nice, crisp, properly-cooked waffle.
• When you remove a waffle and have more to go, close the WM's lid right away to keep it hot. If you leave it open, you may need to wait a while for the "ready" light to come on again.
• DON'T move or touch the WM while it's cooking. The steam that comes out of it is very hot, as are the areas around the cooking surfaces.
• Don't immerse your WM in water, or use soap or other cleaning solutions on it. Once it's cool, just wipe it down with a damp rag or paper towel to remove any waffle bits, and you'll be good to go next time.
| Brand | Starfrit |
|---|---|
| Model Number | 024422-004-0000 |
| Colour | Grey |
| Product Dimensions | 22.58 x 13.43 x 25.11 cm; 1.27 kg |
| Power/Wattage | 900 watts |
| Voltage | 1.1E+2 Volts |
| Material | Non-stick, Stainless Steel/Plastic |
| Special Features | Non Stick Coating, Cool Touch |
| Item Weight | 1.27 kg |
