KRUPS EXPERT: Belgian Waffle Maker

In the quest for the "perfect" waffle maker, we finally came across the Expert Waffle Maker by Krups, a stylish proposition that will put you back about $80, but after all you're paying for an "expert" right.? Well, my wife and I thought so and here is what we found out.


MAIN FEATURES

Design: Looks can be deceiving, but the Expert shows solid build quality in attractive stainless steel cladding and non-stick coated waffle plates. There is nothing flashy about the design, but that's basically the point.

Controls: There is basically only one dial on this unit to regulate temperature from level 1 to 6. There is also a warming setting, but no specific off position. The red light signals generally whether the unit is plugged in (= on) and the green one indicates that the target temperature has been reached.

Consistency: Making waffles is not rocket science, but it sure can turn into it if there is a specific way you like them (crisp). Since there is no timer or other way of measuring what you're doing, this is mostly up to you how it turns out. Hence the Expert makes you the real expert and only provides basic help in the quest for the perfect waffle.

Cleaning: The waffle "iron" can be removed for easy cleaning (i.e. in a dish washer). For us that was the single most important argument in favor of the Expert. It also leaves room for exchanging the plates for different shapes, in theory, though we have not found such "accessory" yet.

Safety: The mostly steel design of the Expert certainly looks great, but it also gets hot even within the first use. It's in fact too hot to touch anything but the stand or handle. Hence this unit is nothing to take easy with kids around, and even adults need to be careful.

Storage: The handle can be tilted 90 degree to allow for a slightly more space saving solution. This is rather significant, since it saves about 4 inches that otherwise would protrude of the already kind of bulky (tall) toaster.


USAGE

Upon the first use it appears somewhat strange that the dial does not have an off-position and requires to remove the plug from the outlet to turn it off. Further, there is no safety circuit that makes sure the waffle maker is turned off, should you forget to do so after a certain amount of time. Fortunately the stand is solid enough and well elevated from the counter surface that it may not be a fire hazard.

Beyond the safety and convenience concerns above, the Expert is fairly quick up to the desired temperature and ready to use. The non-stick surface made it so far unnecessary to use baking spray or any other media to make sure the waffles actually come out. Cleaning is also kept to a minimum that way. But it's just as easy to unsnap the waffle iron and put them into the dish washer. (Just make sure they're cooled down.)

The biggest trick is to find the right recipe for baking the waffles to the exact desired crispness, since there is no timer or other means to tell, other than your "instinct". In our case it works fine to fill, close, wait 10 seconds, turn and wait until no "steam" comes out anymore. But even with that, it still takes some wizzardry to get it perfect. And that's where the user becomes the real expert. Nevertheless, a timer of some sort would have been great.

The heat distribution in the waffle plates is relatively even and judging by the color, there are no hot spots to speak of. The thick plates apparently spread the heat very well from the somewhat located heating coils.

After everything is done, the parts come apart easily and cleaning it in the dish washer is no problem at all and quite a bit easier than the fixed designs. After it's clean just snap it back in and tilt the handle to save some space. However, when the handle points down, the lid is not locked (like when it's turned 180 degree). This is slightly aggravating since the lid might swing open during handling. If nothing else, this would be a good way to drop the "Expert". Turning the lid to the down position locks it, but also has the handle standing proud (vertically up) and defeats the tilting purpose.


SUMMARY

The Krups Expert Waffle Maker stands out for its design and the easily removable plates (for cleaning and repair). The flip design allows perfectly backed waffles on both sides, though there is no timer to assist finding the perfect spot. It's as close as you can get to professional strength in a consumer model.

The housing looks great, but gets very hot and needs to be kept out of reach of small children during use. It's also advisable to be careful as an adult as it stays hot for a while after use. (Make sure to unplug it too.) Other than that, this is a great basic waffle maker in a sturdy design and with a relatively even heat distribution and overall consistency.

It's a little bulky and storage may be an issue due to the height and the handling issues of the tilt handle. It's also relatively expensive when comparing it to the plastic clad models, but if you have the desire for style there are few other choices.

© 2005, theuerkorn