Mainstays 4 Slice Waffle Maker with Removable Plates, Non-Stick, Black Matte Finish

The first 2 attempts were hit it miss. I didn't know how much batter to use. By the 3rd attempt, I figured that 1/3 cup was perfect! It's a little slower cooking than my single waffle maker, but I'm making 4 instead of 1. I do spray it lightly with cooking spray after each use. I haven't had an issue with them sticking.

Let me tell you about the two eras of waffle making in my household: before removable plates, and after. In the before times, making waffles was a hostage situation. You'd eat breakfast, feel great about yourself for approximately four minutes, and then spend the next fifteen hunched over a still-warm waffle maker with a wad of paper towels, trying to excavate batter from every crevice like some kind of breakfast archaeologist. You'd go through half a roll of paper towels. You'd question your choices. You'd swear off waffles entirely, only to repeat the cycle two weekends later because you are weak and waffles are good. The removable plates on this thing changed everything. You eat. You pop the plates out. You drop them in the dishwasher. You go do literally anything else with the time you just reclaimed. Read a book. Pet your cat. Stare at the wall. All of these are better uses of your Sunday morning than scrubbing waffle grid squares with a damp cloth. As for the actual waffle performance: the browning is even across all four squares, which is more than I can say for waffle makers that cost twice as much. You get a nice exterior crispness without turning the inside into a hockey puck. The grid pattern is deep enough to hold a responsible amount of syrup, or an irresponsible amount. I'm not here to judge your life. The plates also double as a flat griddle surface if you flip them, which I did not expect from a $35 appliance. It's not going to replace a dedicated griddle, but for a quick egg or some pancakes when you don't feel like pulling out another piece of equipment, it works fine. The matte black finish looks decent on a counter and doesn't immediately scream "I bought this at Walmart," which it turns out I did, and I'd do it again without hesitation. Do not buy a waffle maker without removable plates. I'm serious. Life is too short and paper towels are too expensive. Get this one.