American Originals flip over waffle maker review
4.0
Like waffles but don't make them often enough to justify buying an expensive machine? This budget-friendly waffle maker from American Originals comes in at under £30 – read our expert review.
Pros
- Good looking, slim, well priced
Cons
- Difficult to clean if you overfill it.
American Originals flip over waffle maker summary
Like most of the other machines we tested, this American Originals model produced two waffles at a time – but unlike them, the waffle plates sit one in front of the other rather than side by side. It’s a long and narrow machine rather than being wide like most of its competitors.
Its snazzy red colour also marked it out, and while its small footprint means it's perfect for small kitchens, it’s stylish enough to leave on the worktop. The machine also wouldn’t take up much space in the cupboard if you prefer to keep it out of the way.
- Read our round-up of the best waffle makers
What is the USP of the American Originals waffle maker?
The main talking point of this maker is that you flip it 80 degrees halfway through cooking – or in other words, turn it upside down. The idea is that you will get waffles that are evenly browned on both sides.
We still found one side was browner, with the other slightly uneven in colour, but that only contributed to the rustic look. They looked particularly appetising, with good indents.
The waffles had the perfect crispy-on-the-outside-fluffy-on-the-inside texture. They were a decent thickness and a good size, too.
How is the American Originals waffle maker to use?
Heating the machine took around 3 minutes, and the indicator lights are clear enough. The instructions advise cooking for 5-10 minutes, which was a little vague. After some trial and error, we found that 6 or 7 minutes – around three on each side – was perfect.
The machine has a simple clasp and is easy to open to check on waffle progress, but it does need to be the right way up to do this. We enjoyed the slightly squelchy noise this made as it cooked happily away.
This has non-removable plates and a decent instruction/recipe book with clear steps setting out how to use the machine. There are three recipes to get you started – basic, apple & cinnamon and sticky banana.
Once you’re done, the plates are easy to wipe clean, but if you over-fill it – which is all too easy to do when you are getting used to a new machine – then cleaning was a little awkward. There are a number of crevices and some elbow grease was required.
American Originals waffle maker specifications
Removable plates: no
Multifunctional: no
Size: 8.9 x 32.9 x 12.4cm
Weight: 1.4kg
Indicator lights: yes
Dishwasher safe parts: no
Wattage: 700W
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This review was last updated in January 2021. If you have any questions, suggestions for future reviews or spot anything that has changed in price or availability, please get in touch at goodfoodwebsite@immediate.co.uk.