This is a gorgeous durable self-contained waffle iron.

In April of 2004, I was looking to buy a quality waffle iron that would give me predictable results with easy clean up. As such, I bought a Waring WMK300 Professional Belgian Waffle Maker. This waffle maker is a very professional-looking self-contained unit that allows you to rotate the waffle iron 180 degrees to get a fully cooked waffle. There is stainless steal tray below the actual waffle iron to catch any batter overflow. I paid $63.99 at Bed Bath and Beyond, using their 20% discount coupon.

The waffle maker comes fully assembled with a measuring cup, instruction book and recipes. After cleaning the waffle maker, you are good to go. There is a browning control knob on the unit that has settings from 1 to 6 depending on how dark you want the waffle to be cooked.

To make waffles, you should prepare a batch of batter. Then turn on the waffle maker and preheat the unit until the green light goes on with a beep. Place the browning control knob at the desired setting. Waring recommends setting the knob at 4. It is a good idea to spray the inside of the waffle iron with canola oil (or Pam) before adding the batter. Add the batter, using the measuring cup that came with the unit. Use a spatula to move the batter to any bare spots if necessary. Close the lid. Rotate the unit 180 degrees and wait for the beep. Rotate the unit back 180 degrees, open the unit, and remove your waffle.

Clean up is a snap. Let the waffle maker cool off. The removable overflow tray can be washed in the sink. The rest of the unit is easily wiped down with a moist sponge. The ease of clean up easily sets this waffle maker apart from just about any other product on the market.

I think this waffle maker is a great product; However, it takes a little getting used to. I first used the recipe for classic Belgian waffles that came with the unit. The recipe requires yeast, a 1 hour proofing period, and "folding in" whipped egg whites. For me, this was a bit too involved and the waffles came out a bit more soft and fluffy than what I was looking for. Okay, I will be the first to admit it, I wouldn't know a Belgian waffle from a Belgian donut. I was really looking for that good old American crispy waffle.

As such, I went to my cookbooks and came up with a basic recipe for buttermilk pancakes. I then used that batter in the waffle maker, taking special care to ensure that the batter wasn't too soupy. I have found that the browning control settings do not let the waffle cook long enough to get as dark and crispy as I would like it to be. Accordingly, I like to use the highest setting. I also let the waffle maker sit about 30 seconds before I rotate the unit and another 30 seconds after I hear the beep. The result is a great waffle that is crispy and brown on both sides and still moist on the inside.

I will usually make a full batch of pancake batter. This will yield about six waffles. I will set aside the first five waffles and let them cool individually to room temperature. In the mean time, I eat the sixth waffle immediately, while it is still hot and crispy. I then stack the five cooled pancakes in a 1 gallon zip lock bag and throw them in the freezer. On following days, I simply pull one of the frozen waffles out of the freezer and throw it in an oven that was pre-heated to 350 degrees. In about five minutes I have another hot crispy waffle. Sometimes I think the frozen waffles are even better than the fresh ones because they are even a bit more crispy, but still moist on the inside.

My favorite way to serve waffles is with powdered sugar, sliced strawberries and whipped cream. For this, I will mix ½ cup of sliced strawberries with 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar about an hour before I make my waffles. On my lazy days, I simply spread some butter on the waffles and cover them with maple syrup.

All in all, I am very pleased with the Waring Pro waffle maker. This waffle maker is very attractive, very durable, easy to clean, and a great tool to make great, hot, crispy waffles every time. I have used my waffle maker a lot over the past year. Nothing has broken on it and it looks like it did the day it came out of the box. I highly recommend this product.