The Oster Flip is sturdy, the non-stick griddles are non-stick and thick, it cooks thoroughly, the operation is straigthforward, and the waffles are thick, light and crisp on the outside.I made a batch of waffle mix using the standard recipe on Hungry Jack Complete Pancake mix, which adds oil and an egg to the "complete" mix, poured it into the Oster, flipped and watched for the Ready light to come back on and Voila! perfect Belgian waffle. It came out whole with no gymnastics (or fork) and it was ready for the next one. Much less stress than making pancakes!
Note: if you are on the market and want to spend more money, two features to look for are an audible alarm when it's time to open (so you can safely wander around the kitchen) and clip-in removable griddles that can go into the dishwasher.Neither interfere with making perfect waffles on the Oster, but would improve the experience further.
At $30 this is as good as any other waffle maker you can find for triple the price or more. It has three temperature levels (low, medium, high). You plug in the device and it automatically turns on (with a red power light to let you know), it takes 2 or so minutes to heat up from a cold start. You then let it heat up until the green light turns on (there is a green light on each side of the device) and then add your waffle mix. Immediately after adding the mix you close the device and flip it over. The green light then goes off and comes back on when your perfect waffle is ready. If need be you can leave it in a few extra seconds to darken up. It takes about 2 minutes to cook.
I have found that the best heat setting is about 1/3 to 1/2 of the way up between the medium and high dots. They truly are perfect waffles every time. It is amazing. Just as good as the hotel breakfast bar where I first used a waffle maker. If you like waffles you need this device. I chose this device over the Presto 03510 Flip-side because this one had adjustable heat and didn't require a separate battery to operate the timer. Plus it is made by Oster (I'm sure you have their blenders in your kitchen like I do) and the flip function seemed more durable. You can't go wrong with this waffle maker. You will be very happy with it. One tip is to use tinfoil underneath for an easy clean up and be sure to oil the inside waffle plates before the first use. Other than that the rest is all self explanatory. Stay tuned for durability updates.
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We tried a pair of other similarly priced waffle makers out before settling on this particular model.The first brand we tried had poor construction quality -the lid clip snapped while we unpacked it!The other device we tried made shallow waffles and didn't seem to cook all the way through.We had to let them sit for double the recommended time just to get something edible.
The Oster flip allows us to make Belgian waffles just like the ones we've enjoyed at restaurants.These aren't like the tiny Kellogg waffles you buy at Walmart, these are deep large waffles that you can make a meal of. The flip allows the batter to settle evenly, flowing into the deep grooves to make perfect waffles every time.The construction is solid and the cook time is accurate.As a bonus, you can turn the flip sideways so the waffle maker requires less storage space!
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Looked at 6 or 8 waffle makers and bought this one just to try it.It was an affordable flip style, and had better temperature control and monitoring lights than some similar priced, like the Presto.I really preferred the simplicity of the Presto flip mechanism, but wanted more control over the cooking temperature for different batters.Besides, no one had a Presto for the same price locally to try.Based just on performance this waffle iron would get 5 stars, but the quality is only 3-stars, so I'm giving it a 4 overall.It feels light and has some loose fittings, but it does the job very well.Time will tell if the reliability matches the performance.The 1000 watt element is nice for quick heating and getting the waffle cooked in 3 to 4 minutes.I have not timed it, so it could be faster.Speed was not an issue for the me and the wife.
Based on the construction this is not a unit that can be roughly handled.I think it could be easy to break if you are prone to force things or don't take your time.There is plenty of leverage in the handle to force the flip in the wrong direction and break the plastic fittings.The temperature control knob does feel loose or flimsy, but the control works well for regulating browning and how done the waffle is.The lights are very helpful for guiding the cooking time.Red light indicates unit is plugged in.Green light indicates unit has reached cooking temperature.Normal cooking cycle is to heat unit till green light comes on, open waffle iron, hit the grids with some oil spray if first waffle, lay on the batter, close and flip, green light will go out as iron starts to heat and cook.When the green light comes on again the waffle is done.If not, close and let cook longer, and turn up the heat for the next one.There is a whole wheat recipe in the owner's guide that is very good.I substitute apple sauce for the oil (still don't understand why that works!) but still can cook 2 or 3 waffles with one spritz of oil.Yummy guilt-free food, if you lay off the whipped cream, butter, and chocolate sauce (those were the days).Don't overdo the amount of batter; less is more.So I can't tell you how easy it is to clean up an overflow, and hope I never can.
Also looked at the $80 flip brands and found they were no better at twice the price, and less convenient to store due to their size.Turn the Oster sideways and it slips into the cabinet with no problem.
So it is good so far.If it is still working a year from now will be the real test.
UPDATE 12/8/2009:Still performing very well.Does not get a lot of use, but very consistent and prompt waffle making.The sideways storage option is an unexpected benefit.Really wish I had a second one for large breakfast crowds.The recipes that come with it are great.Would buy again, and might actually do so if I can get the second one for a good discount :).
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The lid seemed a little loose when it arrived but we used it and it works just fine. Our first waffles turned out perfectly. We didn't have a non-stick spray to use so we just applied cooking oil with a cloth the best we could and it worked. The appliance does seem a little "cheap" but if we take care of it, it should last a while. I would prefer if the plates were removable to clean, but honestly, there was little to clean anyway.
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