When we think of the words "waffle maker," we instinctively know this is an appliance used to make waffles. The basic model has two plates that are hinged together with two relatively long handles. The plates are made of iron in most instances, and the waffle battered is poured on one side and flipped over to make a single waffle. One thing that you may not be aware of is that waffle makers are varied in both style and type. A waffle maker that is becoming more and more popular is the Belgian style maker. Belgian waffles are known for being bigger, thicker and lighter than the typical breakfast waffle.
History of Waffle maker
Belgian Waffle Makers originated in The Low Countries (now Belgium, The Netherlands, Luxembourg, and parts of Germany and France) in the fourteenth century. They originally consisted of two iron plates with long wooden handles attached to each other with a hinge. The iron plates gave rise to a name that you sometimes still hear today, waffle irons. Batter was poured onto the lower plate, as it still is today, however once the plates were closed they would be heated over the hearth or an open fire.
At the time, it was very common for the iron plates to be imprinted with elaborate patterns like the family's coat of arms, local landscapes, and even religious or national symbols. These designs would then be baked right into the waffles.
Dutch Pilgrims are credited with bringing Belgian Waffle Makers to "The New World" when they settled in America in the 1620′s. By 1869 Cornelius Swarthout had patented the first American version of the Belgian Waffle Maker. It was constructed of two hinged cast iron plates and it was designed to sit atop wood or gas stoves.
The biggest revolution in the design of Belgian Waffle Makers came in 1911 when General Electric produced its first electric waffle iron. Electric waffle makers made waffle making much more convenient and their creation can be credited with greatly increasing the popularity of Belgian Waffle Makers around the world. These first electric countertop models gave rise to the sleek waffle makers we use today.
Types of waffle maker
Waffle makers come in both single and double models with unique features to suit your needs.
Single waffle makers are straightforward, as they have one top and one bottom grid that fit together to form a single waffle at a time. These are great for low volume use and will typically produce anywhere.
Double Belgian Waffle Maker with Timers - 120VOn the other hand, double waffle makers come in two different configurations and have an output of 40-60 waffles per hour. The first type has two single waffle irons side by side. Ideal for high volume self-service because two different people can use them at once, these units generally offer independent temperature settings and/or timers for each waffle iron so customers can customize their waffles to their specific tastes.
Stacked double waffle makers are also an option. These units feature two waffle irons, one on top of the other, and they can be flipped to allow access to one waffle at a time. Due to their single temperature control and less-accessible design, these units are better suited to low volume self-service areas or back-of-the-house applications.