Breville vs All-Clad Waffle Maker (2022): Which Makes Better Waffles?

Waking up to the sweet smell of waffles is a delight that’s only possible if you have a great waffle maker at home. You can treat your family and friends to delicious waffles with highly-rated cooking equipment from Breville and All-Clad. The Breville Smart Waffle Maker and the All-Clad Belgian Waffle Maker are premium stainless steel waffle makers guaranteed to deliver crisp golden brown waffles every time. But which one is better? Here’s our comparison.

Breville vs All-Clad Waffle Maker Comparison Chart

Design

The Breville Smart Waffle Maker looks more modern than the All-Clad Belgian Waffle Maker.

Size-wise, these Breville and All-Clad waffle makers are quite similar, though the former is slightly heavier. Both are housed in stainless steel, with Breville choosing a brushed finish while All-Clad went for the polished shine. Inside are cast-aluminum cooking plates with deep grooves and non-stick coating. Breville used a premium PFOA-free coating for the Smart Waffle Maker, which is deemed a safer non-stick solution than the Teflon coating of the All-Clad Belgian Waffle Maker.

The Smart Waffle Maker noticeably has more dials and indicators than its All-Clad competitor. It has separate knobs for power and browning control with text that describes each position. In comparison, the Belgian Waffle Maker doesn’t really indicate its settings, so you’ll have to refer to the manual and memorize the correct settings.

Another key difference between the Breville and All-Clad waffle makers is how they handle excess batter. Breville added a “No Mess Moat” around the cooking plates so that excess batter isn’t wasted. Instead, it gets cooked into waffle bites, too. In contrast, the All-Clad Belgian Waffle Maker simply has a removable drip tray at the back to collect the excess. The plastic tray itself can spill if the unit is moved about though, so care must be taken to prevent additional cleanup.

Features

The All-Clad Belgian Waffle Maker has more browning levels than the Breville Smart Waffle Maker.

With seven levels of shade/browning, All-Clad’s Belgian Waffle Maker allows for a bit more variety in how light or dark your waffles end up. Its advanced heating tech ensures a homogenous coloring while cooking, and its steam-release system prevents condensation so that the waffles remain crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. Two indicator lights and audible beeps work in tandem to let you know when the All-Clad is pre-heating, cooking, and done. 

Meanwhile, the Breville Smart Waffle Maker only has five darkness settings, but it has a manual option if you want to customize your waffles’ color. It uses a “Thermal Pro Even Heat” to evenly distribute heat across the cooking plates, so you end up with consistent looking and evenly cooked waffles. Breville uses what it calls Waffle IQ to precisely time how long it takes to cook your waffles to your desired style and color. Along with chime sounds, it has three indicator lights for each cooking stage so it’s also a bit clearer to use. 

Note that neither of these waffle makers have removable cooking plates, so it helps to prepare their surfaces with non-stick products to make washing and cleaning up much easier. You can also fill them with hot water to get rid of residues more easily.

Performance

The Breville Smart Waffle Maker cooks more consistently than the All-Clad Belgian Waffle Maker.

Overall, Breville and All-Clad’s waffle makers are amazing at what they do. The quality of the waffles they produce easily make their heftier price tags worth it, especially since they cook so fast, too. Both Smart Waffle Maker and Belgian Waffle Maker are capable of cooking four slices at ones, but the All-Clad makes slightly larger 4.5-inch square waffles than the Breville’s 4-inch squares. You get deep pockets on either one, though, so you can have your fill of toppings with every bite.

The Breville Smart Waffle Maker is a bit more consistent in delivering evenly cooked waffles over time, thanks to its Thermal Pro and Waffle IQ features. Moreover, the thoughtful moat surrounding its plates does double duty in ensuring you don’t waste any batter while making cleanup less of a hassle. In comparison, the plastic tray behind the All-Clad Belgian Waffle Maker doesn’t lock securely in place, so you’ll need to be extra careful in pouring batter.

Still, All-Clad’s waffle maker makes crispy waffles with easy-to-slice sections. They’re also easy to peel off from the cooking plates with the use of waffle tongs, though certain recipes might produce stickier results. You can be generous with your jam, fresh fruits, chocolate, and other toppings with its sizable indentations. 

Verdict

The Breville Smart Waffle Maker is easier to use and cook with than the All-Clad Belgian Waffle Maker.

The Smart Waffle Maker from Breville lives up to its name by making waffles easy to cook and enjoy. It has automatic and manual controls along with helpful indicators so you’re never second-guessing if your waffles are done or still need more time. Its no-mess moat ensures you don’t just waste precious waffle batter, and it’s more consistent in evenly heating up entire servings.

The All-Clad Belgian Waffle Maker is just as impressive, but it has simpler controls and a more traditional trough for excess batter. Cooking quick may require extra cleanup afterwards, but that’s probably worth it with the crispy waffles it produces.

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