Oster® Belgian Waffle Maker

I wanted to wait a while before posting a review, so that I had time to use this multiple times. Well, it has been 10 months now, and I absolutely love this little unit. Simple to use, makes great waffles, easy to clean. And inexpensive! What more could you ask for?After reading a bunch of reviews of various wafflers, I got this unit and from the get-go had great waffles. I had to experiment a bit with the dial on it and the timing, but once I got the setting and the timing right, everything was perfect.I use coconut oil spray (from the grocery store where everyone wears Hawaiian shirts and rings bells for the manager to come over) every time I use the unit. A bonus is the great smell you get when the coconut oil spray hits the hot waffler! I wipe it down with a damp cloth every time I use it. Then put it away; it stores very compactly.I have had no problems with waffles sticking, and I have made plenty of waffles. I use 3/4 cup of batter and cook them for 4 minutes. Your mileage may vary. By the way, I make vegan waffles with no eggs, and they are excellent. I freeze the extra waffles and then, oh, joy! I can have waffles any time I want. Mmm. I am sitting here eating a waffle right now.My one complaint is that the red light is always on when the unit is plugged in. That started happening in the second or third month of use. Fortunately, the green light works properly, so I still know when the waffle iron is hot enough. (It heats up very quickly, by the way.)If you are hesitant, like I was (I remember Mom's original Teflon-coated waffle-maker that she cursed at all the time), take a chance. This is a compact, easy to use unit that will have you making waffles in no time. And you cannot beat the price! It is still under 18 bucks as of the date I am writing this. Ask for it as a Christmas gift if you don't want to spend your own money! I was considering buying a much more expensive waffle iron and this was going to be my "test run" waffler. Guess what? I have no desire to spend more money on an expensive one. This little gem does it and does it well.Recently, I stayed at a hotel where they had a free breakfast every morning. They had a commercial waffler that was heavy and you had to flip the unit over at a certain time. Ah, I said, I am now going to have "real" waffles. I was sorely disappointed! I said to my companions, "My 18 dollar waffler makes better, crisper waffles than this!".

As I write this review, I just received my third Oster waffle maker. #2 is still working but it's well used and they were on Lightning sales today for $14.This is a very basic unit with a bit of a learning curve. There is no ON/OFF button, no timer, it's somewhat shallow and doesn't flip. The lightweight material used for the plates (guessing aluminum and Teflon) doesn't make the greatest waffles as compared to cast iron plates. The thermostat is cheap with proximal sensors only.However, it is cheap, can be stored vertically and does a decent job (if you learn how to work it).---------There are a few tricks that will lead to better waffles:1. Ignore the READY light. Preheat this Oster so that the plates get fully hot before using it. I usually turn mine on HIGH, wait a while, test the distal edge with a small drop of water and watch for a sizzle. No sizzle, wait some more. When those plates are fully hot, pour the batter (edges first, middle last) then reduce the temp to your desired setting. I can't stress -GET IT HOT- enough.2. I oil the plates just once before pouring the first batter (not before preheat or oil may burn). Just before I pour the batter, I give both plates a good quick spray of non-stick. The waffles will be less likely to stick and it helps gives the outsides a much better crisp. I treat my Oster like it has cast iron plates -- but that's just my preference because I like very crispy outsides and soft insides.3. Use a real waffle mix or make your own. Waffle mixes have a higher fat and sugar content which makes better waffle texture. Combo pancake/waffle mixes or just plain pancake mixes are going to be more like waffle shaped pancakes.4. Cold batter cooks differently than room temp batter. Cold takes longer for the fats to break down and for the sugars to caramelize. So, you will need to adjust your times and heat.5. Don't put the top plate down immediately. I let a little steam escape then lower the top. If your oiled plates trap steam, your middles will be a different texture than the edges. Because the batter lowers the temp of the bottom plate and not the top plate, the top plate will be hotter and hit hotter batter. So, the waffles will still cook evenly. I never time how long I wait but it's maybe 10 or so seconds.6. If your first couple of batches aren't great,be patient. You will need to experiment and practice. It took me a while before my waffle and cornbread results were perfected for my preference. For example, when my waffles weren't fully cooked in the middle and the outsides weren't crisping, I changed from 2% cold milk to 4% room temp milk, decreased milk content and replaced with room temp sour cream, added more sugar, changed to salted, room temp butter and replaced one whole egg with powdered whole egg. I kept notes using exact measurements and weights with changes (I worked in a bakery for 5 years).Upgraded from 4 stars to 5. Anything device that gives me years of good service and only costs $15 deserves 5 stars.--------------Update2/23/19 Units 2 and 3 still work fine, both are well seasoned and the non-stick is fully intact on both.