Are flip waffle makers better than regular waffle makers?

Author: Tosh Lubek Published: 24th March 2021

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Waffle makers are extremely popular kitchen gadgets and can be surprisingly versatile. They can quickly cook many diverse types of food, other than waffles. They’re also good fun and can engage your kids with cooking. However, if you’re looking to buy a waffle maker, you might find it’s more complicated than you expected. As you start doing research, you’re going to come across flip waffle makers, but are flip waffle makers better than regular waffle makers? The simple answer is yes, they are.

Flip waffle makers are better than regular waffle makers. They cook faster and produce better quality waffles, which are evenly crisp and golden brown on the outside but deliciously soft and fluffy on the inside. With a little practice, most people get consistently better results by using a flipping waffle maker. 

What is a Flip Waffle Maker?

A flip waffle maker is a kind of waffle maker which is specially designed to flip or rotate. Flip waffle makers usually have a stand that lifts them off the countertop, and this is designed to ensure that you can flip and move the cooking pan around easily, rotating it 180 degrees while you’re cooking your waffle.

Most have indicator lights to let you know when it’s time to turn it, meaning you don’t have to do the calculation work yourself, but can depend on the machine to help you get the perfect waffles every time.

Why Do You Flip a Waffle Maker?

Well, the simplest explanation of why you flip a waffle maker is that it helps the waffles to cook faster. It also allows the batter to be more evenly distributed into the grids of the waffle maker, ensuring you get nice, tidy waffles. Having an even spread of batter also helps the waffle iron to cook the batter evenly throughout, creating a better texture.

One of the biggest drawbacks of a regular waffle maker is that the tendency to cook the waffle unevenly. The underside gets more golden brown and crispier, while the top is a lighter shade and less crisp, even almost chewy.

Turning your waffles makes more of a difference if you’re cooking light, fluffy ones; doughy waffles will get less of a benefit. However, it’s still worth doing for both kinds.

Another advantage of rotating the waffle iron is that you’ll tip the batter against the hot grid on both the top and bottom grid plates. Tipping the dough against the hot grid, rather than leaving it to rise up to the top helps to “sear” the outside of the waffle on both sides. This ensures you get a lovely crispy shell all over your waffle, with a gently steamed inside that’s light and fluffy.

If you find your regular, non-flipping waffle maker, is only cooking properly on the underside then a flip waffle iron is definitely worth considering. It’s an ideal way to improve the distribution of batter and create even Instagram-worthy waffles that are perfect for breakfast, lunch, or supper!

When to Flip a Waffle Maker? 

Flip waffle makers are flipped twice. When up to heat ladle in the batter, close and secure the lid, then flip the waffle through 180 degrees for the first time. Wait until the green ready light comes on (usually 2-3 minutes), then flip the waffle maker upright again. Now open the waffle maker lid and serve the baked waffles. 

These instructions apply to many flip waffle makers, such as the Bella, Hamilton Beach, and Oster flip Belgian waffle makers. However, check the instruction manual that came with your waffle maker for specific instructions.

I’ll go through fuller instructions of how to use a flip waffle maker next.

How to Use a Waffle Maker That Flips?

So, if you’ve chosen a waffle maker that flips, you might now be asking how you know when to flip it – especially if you’re familiar with the kind that doesn’t rotate.

You should always refer to the manufacturer’s instructions before using an electrical appliance, but many waffle makers are quite similar in terms of their operation, so here’s a rough guide on
how to use a waffle maker which flips, including when to flip waffle maker.

• Shut the waffle maker, set it on a clear countertop, and plug it in.
• Set the temperature to the desired setting and then wait for the light indicator which will tell you it has heated to that temperature. This usually takes around 4-10 minutes, depending on the kind of iron you have. Don’t worry; it won’t take so long for them to cook!
• Pour the batter into the bottom grid, filling it up to the peak area of the grid. Don’t let it overflow! If necessary, use a spoon or spatula to push the batter into the corners of your waffle grid, and make sure the batter is evenly distributed.
• Close the waffle maker lid and make sure it is properly shut before you start rotating it.
• Turn the waffle maker 180 degrees. This will pour the batter into the other half of the waffle maker, creating a lovely crispy shell. Do not open the waffle maker; until the batter has cooked, doing so could cause the waffle to split in half and make a real mess!
• When the light indicates that the waffles are cooked, turn the waffle maker 180 degrees again and open the lid. If you want darker waffles, set them to cook for a bit longer; you shouldn’t need to flip them again as the batter is already cooked.
• Assuming the waffle maker’s grid plates have non-stick coatings, use a heat-resistant plastic or silicone kitchen utensil to lift the waffles off the cooking plate and serve hot – perfect!

Waffle Baking Tips

Here are a few other tips which might help you out when it comes to making great waffles:

• If you have to pause while making waffles, close the lid to keep the heat in.
• Always make sure the waffle maker indicates it’s hot enough before you add batter; not doing so will result in soggy waffles and may cause them to stick. A waffle maker usually has a green light to indicate it’s ready.
• Try different temperatures until you find the one which is perfect for you. If you use different mixes, you might have to vary the temperature. It’s always best to go for a light-middle setting, and then bake for longer if necessary.
• Avoid over-mixing your batters, as this can make the waffles tough; just mix them enough to combine all the ingredients, and this will help them stay fluffy.
• Put cooling waffles on a wire baking rack so that the steam can escape and doesn’t make them soggy on the bottom.
• Some people use non-stick spray, while others prefer not to. You should test out both and see which method works best for you.
• When using a flipping waffle maker, you may get better results if you make a batter of a slightly thinner consistency and cook for about 5 minutes.
• If you need to keep waffles warm while you wait for others to finish cooking, put them in the oven at around 200 degrees F. They may crisp up a little more, but this will help them retain their taste and texture, and ensure they are piping hot when they hit the table.
• Allow your waffle maker to cool down a little before you start to clean it, but don’t let it go cold or the batter will have stuck and it will be harder to clean. Cleaning it when it’s too hot might result in you burning yourself, so find a balance.

Do I Need A Waffle Maker That Flips?

So, are flipping waffle makers just a fancy gadget that costs a bit more and adds an extra step to the waffle-creation-process?

Not really, no.

But if you have a large brood to feed at breakfast you may want to get a larger regular waffle maker. Flip waffle machines normally make one waffle at a time, making them fine for a small family but not so good when you need to feed a large group in a hurry. In that case, a standard waffle machine may be a better choice.

But flip waffle irons do have an advantage over regular waffle makers. Once you’ve got the hang of it, you’ll easily be producing perfect waffles every time. So, if you have the extra space and budget, I would go for it and get a waffle maker that flips.

Flip Waffle Maker Pros and Cons

Flip Waffle Maker Pros

Firstly, flip waffle makers cook the batter more evenly. This is a major thing that many traditional waffle makers struggle with. In a regular waffle maker, the batter is in contact with the hot bottom grid from the start of the baking process and only comes into contact with the hot top grid once it has begun to rise. This can mean that the bottom of the waffle cooks a little more than the top.

If your waffles don’t rise properly, or you haven’t ladled in enough batter, the waffle may never touch the top grid in a regular waffle iron. That would mean the waffle would be anemic and pale on top, even when the bottom of the waffle is at risk of burning. Not ideal! With a flip waffle maker, the batter comes into contact with the top grid very soon after the waffle maker is closed-up, making for a shell that is crispy all over. It allows the center of the waffle to steam nicely within this shell and perfects the cooking process.

Flip waffle makers also tend to offer a much faster cooking process; because the batter is immediately in contact with the two heat sources, it can start cooking throughout straight away. If you’re wanting a quicker breakfast, flip waffle makers are the way to go.

Flip Waffle Maker Cons

Because they need to rotate or flip-over, these irons are limited in diameter, otherwise, the machine would need to be much higher off the countertop. The consequence of this is that flip waffle makers can’t be as large as the biggest regular waffle makers. Meaning that you will be limited to how many waffles you can make in one go. That means that if you want to make big batches of waffles, a standard waffle maker may be the way to go.

If you invest in a good quality one and ensure your baking powder is always fresh, you should be able to overcome the uneven cooking issue, so if you want to make lots of waffles at once, a regular waffle maker may be the way to go. However, you may find that the top of the waffle is still not as crispy as the bottom.

A flip waffle maker is also a bit of a space hog. The waffle iron sits within a support cradle that sometimes includes a wide drip tray. The gadget also takes up much more height on the countertop. If your kitchen is small and cupboard space is tight, you might find the flip ones annoying to store. Regular waffle makers take up less space and will fit better when tucked into a cupboard.

Conclusion

Overall, the quality which flip waffle makers produce is better. Most professionals would choose them, which makes them a great option for anyone who is passionate about their waffles.
A good flip waffle maker overcomes the one drawback of a standard waffle maker, that it tends to cook the waffle unevenly. You may find that the underside becomes browner than the topside, resulting in dark, crispy bottoms and lighter tops.

The flip waffle maker, on the other hand, allows the batter to spread evenly and produces waffles that are evenly crisp and brown outside and soft and fluffy inside.

However, with a flip waffle maker, you may find that the space commitment, the fact that you can’t make large batches quickly, and the higher cost are factors that might make you think twice before buying this type of waffle maker. So, you might prefer to invest in a regular waffle iron.

Whichever you choose, at least you will be able to enjoy hot, fresh waffles whenever it takes your fancy!
The advantages of a flip waffle maker are greater than those of a regular one. There’s less chance of your waffles failing when using a flip waffle maker. So, a kitchen appliance that makes making breakfast easier and is more likely to produce perfect results is definitely a product worth buying.

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Sources: 1, 2, 3