PROS 1. It makes adorable, Mickey waffles, just like you find at Disney parks and resorts. 2. This compact waffle iron is attractive and fits easily on a crowded countertop or inside a kitchen cabinet for easy storage. 3. It comes with an excellent manual, which includes waffle recipes. 4. It is simple to use. 5. It makes mini waffles which are a perfect size for young children. CONS 1. Even though there are indentations in the waffle iron itself on both the top and the bottom of the waffle iron, the top side of the waffles do not cook with indentations, which results in indentations on only one side. I think this is a flaw with how the lid fits. I am not happy about that, but this problem did not bother me enough to return the waffle iron. Mainly because, when eating a waffle, only one side is visible, so I place the non-waffled side downward. 2. You can only make one mini-waffle at a time, and it takes 6 minutes per waffle to bake. In one sitting, both my husband and I can easily consume 6 of these little waffles (which is the same as 3 regular-sized waffles). This means it takes me about 45 minutes to cook 12 of them, compared to only about 15 minutes to make the equivalent of 6 waffles in a regular-sized waffle iron (which is only 2 batches vs 12 batches). Thus, in order to have 12 of these mini waffles ready to go at mealtime, I have to bake them ahead of time and keep them on 200F in the toaster oven. GENERAL SUGGESTIONS 1. It is recommended to brush oil this waffle iron even though it has a non-stick surface. This helps make crispier waffles. It also allows them to pop out more easily. 2. It is important to note that there is no ON/OFF switch on this waffle iron (which is a standard feature on basically any waffle iron you buy). When you plug it in, it starts heating, and it is essential to unplug it when not in use. 3. Similar to my toaster oven, bread maker, and air fryer, I place a silicone mat under this waffle iron when cooking with it to protect my countertops. 4. I’ve included below my vegan recipe for waffles, for any fellow vegans who might find it useful. VEGAN BUTTERMILK WAFFLES Yield: 18 waffles @ 88 calories/each Ingredients 2 tablespoons coconut milk powder 2-1/4 cups water 2 teaspoons lemon juice 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/3 cup melted coconut oil 2 cups unbleached white flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 2 teaspoons cream of tartar 2 tablespoons tapioca starch 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon stevia (optional) 1/2 teaspoon monk fruit powder (optional) 1 tablespoon raw OR coconut OR brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon Instructions 1. Vegan buttermilk: whisk together the coconut milk powder, vanilla extract, lemon juice and water in a small bowl and set aside. 2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, tapioca starch, salt, stevia, monk fruit powder and sugar. Sift two more times. Extra sifting is Secret #1 for fluffy waffles. 3. Pour the oil and the vegan buttermilk mixture on top of the dry ingredients. Use a spatula to gently mix the batter until all ingredients are wet. Do not overmix! The batter should be thick and lumpy. Lumpy batter is Secret #2 for fluffy waffles. 4. Lightly grease the Mickey waffle iron with coconut oil. Shut the lid and plug it in to turn it on. Let it preheat for 5 minutes. 5. Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, scoop out exactly 1/4 cup of batter and pour it into the middle of Mickey’s head in the waffle iron, then gently spread batter into his ears. Close the lid and cook for 6-7 minutes. 6. Remove the waffle quickly, loosening it gently with a non-metal implement, and picking it up with non-metal tongs. Close the lid immediately to keep the waffle iron hot. Place the waffle in the toaster oven on 200F to keep it warm until you have cooked all the batter. 7. Leftover waffles freeze well. Reheat them in the toaster oven. VEGAN SUBSTITIONS EXPLAINED 2 tablespoons coconut milk powder + 1 cup & 6 tablespoons water (equals 1.4 cups milk) 2 tablespoons tapioca starch + 6 tablespoons water (equals 2 eggs) 1 teaspoon baking soda + 2 teaspoons cream of tartar (equals 1 tablespoon baking powder—COT offers additional, egg-like texture to baked goods).
