Buying guide for best waffle bowl makers
Breakfast is one of those meals that tastes even better when you eat it at the wrong time of day. Eggs, bacon, and waffles for dinner is always a winner. If you get a waffle bowl maker, you can easily have breakfast any time, and because you can eat the bowl, you don't even need to do the dishes!
When buying a waffle bowl maker, you want one that has a nonstick cooking surface and heats evenly so you can make perfectly golden waffle bowls every time. If you really like waffle bowls, look for a model that makes two at a time. It's also important to purchase a waffle bowl maker that has a safety latch to help prevent spills.
If you'd like to learn more about these handy kitchen appliances, including the variety of meals you can make with one, keep reading. If you're ready to purchase a waffle bowl maker, consider one of the highly rated models we've listed in this article.
Key considerations
How a waffle bowl maker works
There are two types of waffle bowl maker: pour and mold.
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Pour: For the most part, waffle bowl makers are appliances that look like tiny slow cookers. You mix up the batter, pour it in up to the fill line, close the lid, and wait. After a few minutes you open the lid to find a perfect, golden waffle bowl. These waffle bowl makers are conveniently sized and work very well, but they only do one thing – make waffle bowls.
- Mold: The other type of waffle bowl maker uses a two-step process. You make a waffle the same way you would make a regular waffle, by using a waffle iron. When it’s done, you quickly take out the hot waffle and place it on a mold until it cools. The cooled waffle retains its bowl shape. Typically, these models come with a bowl mold and a cone mold, so you can make regular waffles, waffle cones, or waffle bowls. The downside is that you’re handling hot waffles, so you must be careful.
Waffle bowl maker features
Most waffle bowl makers are simple in design and have many features in common. To be sure you’re getting the best, consider the following:
Nonstick coating: Your waffle bowl maker needs to feature a nonstick cooking surface. If it doesn't, the hot waffle bowls will rip and tear when you try to remove them from the unit.
Even heating: The cooking surfaces need to heat evenly so parts of your waffle bowl don’t burn.
Easy to clean: A waffle bowl maker can’t be immersed in water, so the outside needs to be easy to clean, preferably only requiring you to wipe it with a damp cloth.
Number of bowls: Most of these appliances only make one four-inch bowl at a time. However, there are a few models that allow you to make two at a time. Just remember that these models cost approximately twice as much.
Texture: Some waffle bowl makers create bowls that have a smooth inner surface, while others create the traditional waffle pattern. If you have a preference, make sure the model you’re considering meets your needs.
Preheat light: Before you cook your waffle bowl, the waffle bowl maker must reach a suitable temperature. Look for a model with a preheat light that alerts you when your unit is hot enough to use.
Safety latch: Look for a waffle bowl maker with a safety latch to keep the unit closed so the hot batter won’t spill out.
Size: Most waffle bowl makers are small and lightweight. This is important because it allows you to easily store the unit in a small space. If you purchase a model that makes two bowls at a time, look for one that can be stored on its side so it takes up less room in the cabinet.
Recipes: Yes, you can find waffle bowl recipes online. However, it’s often more convenient to have a booklet that you can store with the unit and place on the counter while you cook. You don't want to accidentally spill hot batter on your laptop or tablet!
Additional controls: Most waffle bowl makers are designed to be easy to use so they only have two status options: on and off. If you’re using a waffle iron and a mold, you might find additional controls like an automatic shutoff or a setting for browning.
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Waffle bowl maker prices
The price breakdown for waffle bowl makers is pretty straightforward, making it easy to know what you can expect for your money.
Inexpensive: At the lower end of the price spectrum, for around $20, you can get a compact waffle bowl maker that excels at doing that one thing. These bowls are typically four inches in diameter.
Mid-range: If you want to make larger waffle bowls, as well as cones and regular waffles, for around $35 you can purchase a versatile model that does all three. These appliances make regular waffles that you can shape into cones or bowls while the waffle is still warm.
Expensive: For about $40, you can find larger appliances that make two waffle bowls at a time. These models typically have the same features as the $20 models, but you can make the waffle bowls twice as fast.
What can you eat in a waffle bowl?
There's no arguing that waffles are a breakfast staple. It's hard to say the word "waffle" without picturing hot, fluffy creations slathered in butter and glistening in a coating of maple syrup. However, waffles aren't just for breakfast anymore, especially if they’re in the shape of a bowl. Here are a few ideas that could have you using your waffle bowl maker for every meal:
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Breakfast bowl: Fill your waffle bowl with your favorite breakfast foods, such as scrambled eggs, bits of bacon, cheese, and whatever else you like in the morning.
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Ice cream bowls: Waffle bowls make the perfect container for dessert. Fill them with your favorite ice cream or frozen yogurt and add a few toppings.
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Cake bowls: Don't just add ice cream to a waffle bowl, make a bowl out of cake batter if you want to make a real impression at your next dinner party.
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Fruit bowls: If you prefer a more healthful snack, add fresh fruit to your waffle bowl.
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Dinner bowls: For a heartier meal, add chicken or other meat, potatoes, vegetables, and some gravy and enjoy an entire meal in one little bowl.
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Shredded potato bowls: Instead of waffle batter, make a bowl out of tater tots or hash browns.
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Taco bowls: If you prefer Mexican food, remold tortillas into a more convenient shape and add shredded cheese, lettuce, ground beef, and sour cream.
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Bread bowls: Instead of waffle batter, add bread dough to your waffle bowl maker for a whole new experience.
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Cornbread bowls: If you've never tried a cornbread chili bowl, you don't know what you're missing.
- Get creative: Make your waffle batter from scratch so you can tweak it. Try chocolate chip waffle bowls, pumpkin pie waffle bowls, or falafel waffle bowls. You’re only limited by your imagination!
Other products we considered
There isn’t a huge variety of high-quality waffle bowl makers. Elsewhere in this guide we’ve presented you with our top picks. However, if you’re looking for something a little bit different, there are a few more models that we’d like to bring to your attention. The red BELLA Waffle Bowl Maker allows you to make two bowls at a time. Additionally, the inside of the bowl is smooth, which some people prefer. If you’re a fan of the DASH Waffle Bowl Maker but aqua isn’t your first color choice, for a few dollars more you can get the same great design in pastel pink. Or if you prefer a bolder color choice, you can get the same model in red.
FAQ
Q. How long does it take to cook a waffle bowl?
A. In general, depending on your desired level of crispiness, it takes about three to five minutes to make a waffle bowl.
Q. If the lid is closed, how do I know when my waffle is done?
A. You can open the lid to check on your waffle bowl. The first sign of doneness is that the lid lifts easily. If the lid isn’t easy to open, chances are you haven't let it cook long enough. After opening the lid, check the surface of your bowl – you want it to be golden brown. The longer you let your waffle bowl cook, the crispier it will get.
Q. How do I get my waffle bowl out of the waffle bowl maker?
A. Since your waffle bowl maker has nonstick cooking plates, you don’t want to use anything metal to remove the waffle bowl. Silicone or nylon tongs work best. Alternatively, you could use a silicone or nylon spatula. Never use your fingers because the waffle bowl and the waffle bowl maker will be very hot.
