I've been making waffles for years - well, maybe even decades when it comes down to it, and this is absolutely The Best waffle maker I've worked with in a long time!!! I read through reviews before ordering, and decided to give it a try despite what some folks were reporting. After making crisp, brown, delicious waffles for supper this evening, I have a few thoughts on those reviews. First - I don't think some folks take the time to read the instructions that come with the machine. Not only do you have to close the lid, but you have to snap it down if you want the top of the waffle to brown. If you don't, and the waffle doesn't cook properly, it's Not the machine's fault. The instruction book also tells you how much batter to put on each square - 1/2 cup. That worked well for me - no empty corners, no spill over. If you overfill or under fill and the waffle doesn't turn out square, it's Not the machine's fault. Okay, when you set the dial for the amount of browning you want and the beep sounds that it's done, if it doesn't look quite the way you'd like it to, close the lid and cook it for another minute or two. No big deal. I learned way back when that when a waffle stopped steaming it was done. Nothing has changed. That still holds true. And finally, it doesn't take long at all to heat the waffle machine, Or to cook the waffle. If you want instant waffles, but an Eggo in the toaster. This Krups heats very quickly, and cooks the waffle at least as quickly as most other machines I've had. Clean up is the reason I got a waffle maker with removable plates. You let them cool, pop them out and a little hot soapy water in the sink gets them clean and ready to go next time. This machine is built Very well, and I expect it will last for quite a few years. BTW - my old flip waffle maker with stationary plates took a trip to the recycle bin today. Long live the Krups and crispy, delicious waffles! :-) Oh, one more thing - the waffles I made were gluten free. Not a problem at all.

We are just two in the house and when this Waffle Iron arrived I was tempted to send it back because of its size. However it was the Holidays, the weather turned ugly, we wanted waffles and so I used it. What a great Waffle Iron. Sine we got it we have made so much more often waffles then in the last decade with the other one. the size is still two large for us, but who cares that you have to store it in the spare room when you get waffles like that. Not impressed with the provided waffles recipes, I recommend the Belgian Style Yeast Waffles on the king Arthur Flour site. The average commercial box waffle mix recipe will fill three of the four compartment nicely. The "beep" is audible :) and the waffles release nicely.

After only 3 months the beep that is supposed to alert you that the waffle is ready started beeping all the time, a very high pitched (and terribly annoying) sound- it now sounds like a smoke detector alarm. There is no apparent way to shut it off and use the iron without it. My last Krups waffle iron lasted 14 years without problem which is why I decided to buy a Krups again. Terribly disappointed. This waffle iron feels flimsy and not well made, as evidenced by the malfunctioning alarm sound. I give it 2 stars because I like the depth and size of the waffles it makes and it is convenient to be able to remove the pans in order to wash them.

We like this waffle maker ... it's just SUPER bulky and a bit heavy. The plates come off and can be popped into the dishwasher or hand-washed in the sink, which is very convenient. The stainless steel cleans up very easily with just a wipe of water/vinegar. I pre-make waffle batter and keep it in the fridge; When my kids wake up before school, they just go pour the batter in and make their own waffles. Also, if you don't mind them being waffle shaped, we take ground sausage, roll them into balls (about 1/4-1/2 cup of meat) and just cook them in the waffle maker. They press down into waffle size, cook evenly, and leave less dishes!

I think we must have gotten a dud. We were really excited about this waffle maker, having had a smaller Krups machine for the past 17 years. Seeing this one's great reviews and Good Housekeeping Seal, we decided to upgrade to this model. Sadly, the machine we got did not in any way meet our expectations. First, I tried it using my regular recipe. The bottoms of the waffles browned slightly (on setting 5, the highest setting), but the tops remained light. The waffles never got crisp but remained soggy. Disappointed, I decided to try the recipe for "Traditional Waffles" that came with the waffle maker. This was even worse. The waffles were cooked through but heavy and dry, and came out very pale (even on level 5), hard and tasteless. I had to throw the batter away. I followed all the instructions, but the waffles were truly awful. My 17-year-old waffle machine does a better job. I think there must be something wrong with the machine we received, considering the glowing reviews from other customers. If I can figure out how to send this back, I will do so.