Written by: Anna Carroll
I’m here to spill the tea on the Breville Smart Waffle Pro, the ultimate waffle iron. I’ve always been in the camp of “how often do I really need to make waffles?” As someone who loves a good waffle, once in a while, I would often pick up a waffle iron from a thrift store or garage sale thinking there wasn’t much that differentiated them. The waffles would come out a little flimsy, but fine. Nothing too exciting or overwhelming. I couldn't justify spending money on something that would be just fine. I didn’t think crispy, yet fluffy, restaurant waffles were possible at home until the Breville Smart Waffle Pro.
I didn’t know waffles could be like this. Thick, uniformly browned, and crisp, deep syrup pockets, with a fluffy interior - the platonic waffle house waffle. This is the ultimate waffle iron.
First impressions of the Breville Smart Waffle Pro:
- From the size of the box, I thought it was going to be much larger. It’s a compact and good size for a countertop and storage.
- It takes a little time to heat up, but it’s about the same amount of time a waffle batter should rest anyway.
- I love the “no mess moat”. No more do I struggle to clean the springs, nooks, and crannies (and countertop!) from overflowing crusted waffle batter.
- There’s no struggle to remove waffles from the non-stick cast aluminum cook plates. When I removed the waffles, they came out easily. However, this will be dependent on the waffle recipe, cook time, and proper pre-heating for even heat distribution.
- A chef’s kiss to the deep pockets for lots of syrup holding! This is a key consideration when searching for the perfect waffle maker.
- It includes a scoop, which allows you to measure the perfect batter amount every time.
- It’s straightforward to use. There are a few different selections for the type of waffles being made and you can control the “toastiness” with 12 different settings. Large countdown numbers take out the guesswork.
These waffles come out Perfect. Every. Time. Even the first one! The sacrificial-first-waffle-chef-snack comes out perfectly. I’ve never been so excited about a “single-use” appliance.
There are a few things to consider beyond the perfect waffle:
- Because it is a well-made, heavy-duty product, it takes some time to cool down. It can’t go away, right away, and would need some time to cool down before cleaning (but there isn’t much cleaning to do anyway!).
- Waffles take about 5-6 minutes to cook all the way through. When only cooking two at a time, it could take a while to produce for a crowd. (Thankfully Breville also makes a 4 slice version!).
- Although the Breville digital recipe book contains a nice balance of sweet and savoury recipes (available on their website), it doesn’t contain any recipes specific for dietary restrictions - gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, egg-free etc. But you can check out ours below!
- It’s still another single-use appliance, which can take up valuable counter and storage real estate, but with such a compact design, it takes up a lot less room than you think.
- Waffles are more than breakfast food (but there’s nothing wrong with breakfast food!). They can be bread or cookie substitutes in an ice cream sandwich, brunch classic chicken and waffles for a main or dessert!
If you love the perfect waffle and wish you could bring it home, upgrade your waffle game with the Breville Smart Waffle Pro!
Try these delicious waffle recipes:
Classic Waffles
Makes: 6 waffles
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups milk mixed with 1 tablespoon vinegar or 2 cups buttermilk
- 4 eggs
Equipment
- Waffle iron
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Liquid measure
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Wooden spoon
- Stand mixer, optional
- Spatula
- Baking sheet with a wire rack
- Platter
- Small pot
Directions
Melt butter in a small pot over medium-low heat. Set aside to cool slightly.
Mix the flour, starch, salt, and sugar together. In another bowl, whisk together the milk and eggs. Mix the dry and wet ingredients together and then whisk in the melted butter.
Preheat the waffle iron while the batter rests. Preheat the oven to 170-200F.
Follow the manufacturer's instructions to make the waffles. Transfer to a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven if desired.
Serve on a platter with butter, maple syrup, and fruit!
Gluten-Free Oat waffles
Makes: 4 waffles
These waffles are hearty with a light crisp and without dairy or gluten! Hot tip: you can make your own oat flour with oats and a high-powered blender.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup ground oats
- 1 tablespoon ground flax mixed with 2-3 tablespoons of water
- 6 tablespoons non-dairy milk with 1 teaspoon vinegar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ cup tablespoons potato starch, cornstarch, or tapioca starch
- 2 ½ tablespoons oil, or melted dairy-free butter
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Equipment
- Waffle iron
- Spatula
- Bowls
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Silicone or wooden spatulas
- Wooden spoon or whisk
- Liquid measure
Directions
Mix ground oats, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and starch together.
In a separate bowl, mix non-dairy milk with vinegar, flax egg, vanilla extract and oil.
Combine the wet and dry bowls and preheat the waffle iron.
Follow the directions of your waffle iron to determine how much batter to use and the cooking time.