Customer Reviews

Presto 3510 FlipSide Belgian Waffle Maker

5 star:		(431)
4 star:		(117)
3 star:		(36)
2 star:		(29)
1 star:		(43)

 

 

Length:: 4:09 Mins

I purchased this waffle maker during the spring, and have used it two or three times a week since. It is fantastic, and I can highly recommend it.

This waffle iron makes beautiful, fluffy waffles. I had a certain waffle iron from a company beginning with T that makes great toasters, but mediocre waffle irons. I didn't realize how bad it was till a friend of mine made some waffles with that popular eighty dollar waffle maker. I almost cried! They were so good, but I knew I could never afford it! So I decided to try this one based on the good reviews. I'm ecstatic that I did.

First, this machine is quick compared to my other waffle iron. Waffles using a basic recipe are done in less than 3.5 minutes.

Second, the timer is a great idea. Relying on the "steam stoppage" method cooks the waffles too long for some recipes. The beeping when the waffles are done is just enough to bring your attention away from the bacon. Do NOT be foolish enough to leave the room when you have a waffle iron plugged in, for goodness sake!

Third, cleaning is super-easy and storage is a breeze. I love that it folds and locks in an upright position. It fits right in my tiny, overcrowded kitchen.

Last, the waffles are wonderful. Fluffy and crisp on the outside.

Buy this waffle maker. It's worth it!

[updated January, 2011]

We bought the Presto FlipSide to replace a faux pro waffler made by the blender company who shares its name with Fred W's Glee Club. That one cost twice the price and lasted a mere three years before going to pieces. It was "Pro" in name only.

Presto took a simpler and possibly more durable approach: Engineer the hinge on a traditional counter-top Belgian waffle maker so it can flip 180 degrees and let gravity work its special magic. The entire weight of the baking platform is supported by the counter top, not by a pair of screws driven into failure-prone plastic.

When I unpacked the iron and set it on the counter, I noticed that the upper grid "floated" slightly when the grids were resting at the left side of the hinge. It might just be a mass-production variance but it was cause for concern because the iron has to close tightly for proper baking. When I flipped them to the right, the grids closed firmly, so the left side became the filling side and the right, the preheating and baking side. Do the same when yours arrives.

The nonstick grids are deep enough to fall into, with dimpled tapered studs that assist in releasing the baked waffle. The baking surface is surrounded by a fairly generous overflow rim. At 1350 watts, it bakes hotter than the 1200 watt pro-look model. The Presto lacks a browning control but you can compensate by adjusting the baking time. What's important is the initial temperature when the batter hits the grids, and if you turn a browning control too low, the grids are too cool to "fry" the outside. What you end up with is a textured pancake, not a real waffle.

The battery-powered timer is a nice feature but not really a necessity if your kitchen, like mine, has plenty of timers (the stove, the kitchen scale, the microwave oven).

The waffles come out about an inch and then some in height with a crisp, crackly exterior and a cloud-fluffy interior. We make our waffles from biscuit-and-baking mix but use the professional technique of separating the eggs and beating the egg whites before folding them into the batter. Baking time is 3 minutes for a waffle that would cost you at least a 10-spot plus tax and a tip on a hotel room service menu.

Time has proven that the Presto FlipSide, at half the price, is twice the waffle iron for the money.

Inspired by a recent stay at a hotel that provided a continental breaksfast w/Ready-Made Batter and a Waffle Maker, I decided to see what was available online. Reasonable Price and High Customer Review are the criteria I use when making any purchase. I was close to ordering a Waffle Maker that was priced approx. twice the price of this one and decided to go with the less expensive option (under $40) due to the great reviews so many people gave it. I ordered it with (3) cans of the Waffle Mix that came up by default.

Here are my findings...

1. When you set the timer for 3 mins & 30 seconds, even after a 3rd waffle-in-a-row was made, they were all golden brown and perfect!

2. The Timer does not beep when you need to flip it over half-way throught the baking process. With the Presto Waffle Maker, you set the timer for the entire cooking duration and flip the Maker immediately after pouring in the batter. When the timer beeps, Eat!

3. I oiled the grids once prior to using and should not have to oil again. Cleaning was simple after the Maker cooled down after use.

4. I wish the timer used direct electricity as opposed to batteries. It's not a big deal, just disconnected from the overall coolness of the unit.

5. I don't think the timer turns off, but is an lcd screen so uses very little battery.

6. My children and I all ate (1) waffle each, two of us used syrup and one used butter only and ate nothing again until dinner time! We love the taste and will likely make waffles a Saturday or Sunday ritual.

7. The Mix I purchased requires (1) Egg per waffle.

8. It's compact and simple to store in a cabinet and if you want to show off, leave it on the counter.

9. I highly recommend the Presto Flipside Waffle Maker, but I must qualify and let you know, I bought it 2 weeks ago. (Aug 2008).

MikeV - Waffle Guy

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I thought I might mention that I have owned this waffle maker for over a year (NOV 2009 now) and we still love it and use it fairly often. Not weekly, more like monthly, but when we do the waffles come out perfect!

MikeV - Sr. Waffle Guy

I love this product. I got it at a great price compared to what I've seen in Kohl's, Bed, Bath and Beyond or Williams and Sonoma. I looked at all brands and all price ranges and I noticed spending more on a waffle maker doesn't get you a better product. Also, some of the stores had more expensive waffle makers that were not Belgian style which is our family favorite. My kids love using the timer and flipping over the waffle to start the process they feel like they are really helping and the timer let's me know when I have a perfectly crisp waffle.

To help balance some of the negative reviews,(do people read instructions before they use appliances, I wonder?) I'll add my 2 cents.

I made my first waffles (with this product) last night using Stonewall Farms Pancake and Waffle Mix. I doubled the recipe on the canister and got 3 perfectly browned, crispy, fluffy, delicious waffles. I used exactly 1 cup on the first 2 and a little shy on the 3rd. All 3 came out perfect.

As to the timer: it's handy. I, of course, have other timers in my kitchen, but it was convenient to (following the instructions) pour in the batter, set the timer, then flip the waffle. Just that small amount of time before flipping may make a difference, if not--oh, well. It's just a count-down timer. It does beep when the set amount of time is reached (four times, I think.) The thing is, when making waffles, you don't really go by the amount of time, you watch for the steaming to stop. What is convenient about the timer is, not only that it is conveniently right in front of you when you're pouring and flipping, but when it beeps it brings your attention back to the waffle maker in time for you to watch the steam. I thought it was kind of a nice little extra. I've never before seen a waffle maker with a timer. If you don't like it, don't use it. It has no affect on the on/off function--good thing because cooking time is going to vary according to several factors including what batter you are using.

This was the easiest waffle making experience I've ever had. I was very impressed. Really easy clean-up, too. You just wipe it out--if there is any thing to wipe out. The instructions tell you that if there is a little bit of cooked batter stuck somewhere, you just put a little cooking oil on it to soften it, then wipe it off. I didn't get to experiment with this. Nothing stuck. The waffles came out perfectly. I did, as instructed, brush the grids with cooking oil after it had first pre-heated. It is recommended, for even browning, to use oil rather than spray. I did not need to re-apply it and won't unless waffles begin to stick.

I'm usually kind of compulsive about hot soap and water, but in the case of the waffle iron, as long as there is no material in the grids, any germs will be killed during the initial heating up process.

With this kind of simplicity and success, we will be having waffles much more frequently than ever before.

If you have any of the problems I have read described here, and if you have read and followed the instructions, you must have a faulty product and should return it for a
replacement.

If mine develops problems or dies early, I will update my review. Until then, I highly recommend this product. I couldn't be more satisfied.

I was intrigued by the flip over waffle irons that you now see in many motels. Checking out the reviews, I found that a high price did not necessarily give you a better product. Many of the reviews of the pricier units described serious problems, often with the electrical "guts" of the
appliance. I figured that at the price of the Presto, I could take a chance.

Well, so far I am delighted with the unit. The waffles bake perfectly, even and brown, crispy on the outside, and soft on the inside. I like the concept of the unit being able to stand upright when not in use, thereby saving space.

I would have given the Presto five stars, except for one thing. The timer is not connected to an on/off switch, so that you need to pull out the plug from the socket to turn it off. The unit does "beep" when the waffle is ready, but I could visualize walking away, forgetting about the waffle, and ending up burning it, or worse.

This waffle maker works really well. It make thick waffles and stores with great ease as it folds and stores standing up. This is a great space saving feature. I am enjoying using it. I followed the recommendation that you prepare the surface for the first use and there was no sticking even when I used the last of the batter. I would recommend it especially if you are short on space.

Have been in possesion of this Waffle maker for almost 1 month. We surrendered a second generation waffle maker from the 60's (waffles were 1/2" thick) that began to melt the plug.
THIS IS THE WAFFLE MAKER TO BUY!! My teenage son told me this morning, "If I could eat these waffles every morning, I would." Waffles have become our Sunday Lunch staple. These are over 1" thick with deep wells to hold peanut butter, blueberries, strawberries, syrup, powdered sugar, banana chunks, and anything else we want to throw at them....oh yeah, whip cream (my daughter's favorite)

The timer on the waffle maker is a very nice feature. Each push of the "minute" button adds 1 minute to the timer. Each push of the "seconds" button adds 15 seconds to the timer. We cook for 2 min. and 30 sec. with our recipe. Preheat waffle iron by plugging in when you begin to mix the batter.
2 cups all purpose flour,
1/2 t. salt,
4 t. baking powder,
1 T. sugar,
4 T. of melted butter (or 1/4 cup oil).
2 eggs seperated,

Mix dry ingredients into mixing bowl.
Beat egg YOLKS and add milk.
Combine with flour mixture.
Add melted butter (or oil) and mix well by hand.
FOLD IN stiffly beaten egg whites until batter is light and airy.

This waffle iron will accept a "dripping full" one cup tupperware measuring cup dumped right in the middle. Set timer for 2:45 for darker waffles or 2:30 for light waffles. Flip iron after 15 seconds of closing.

Recommend spraying both griddles with cooking spray before first waffles each time. The tab that keeps this Waffle Iron upright when not in use is an especially great feature.

UPDATE:
Have now used for 7 months. Works flawlessly. Still devouring waffles. We even make extra on weekends to pop into the toaster during the week.

2nd UPDATE 11.22.2010. Has worked without fail. This is an excellent product! We now use it 2-3 times per month and love the large deep well waffles.

We bought this waffle iron due to the good reviews. It seemed a bit strange that the timer had it's own separate battery, but we figured we could live with that quirk.

After the iron arrived, we eagerly unpacked it and started cooking waffles! What a disappointment! Every waffle of every recipe we tried was either burnt to a crisp or not cooked enough. Cooking for the recommended 4 minutes resulted in charcoal. Cooking for less than 2.5 minutes resulted in overdone on the outside, uncooked on the inside.

After giving up for the night, we regrouped in the morning for another try. After getting the same results with yet more recipes, we were just about to give up, when we had the idea to unplug the iron 1 minute after putting in the batter, and leaving it unplugged for the duration of cooking the waffle (total cook time: 3.5 minutes). The brilliance of the dual power design of the waffle iron immediately became apparent! We could unplug the iron, but the timer would keep on going, telling us when the waffle was done! Reusing the power cord plug as a temperature control device is a simple and elegant solution - I'm surprised it has not been adopted by other manufacturers.

Despite being in awe of this marvel of engineering, we decided to return it.

UPDATE:

We decided to give this product another chance. When the new one arrived from Amazon, we had the same results. We returned it and purchased instead an UNO belgian waffle maker - work's like a charm.