KitchenAid KPWB100OB Pro Line Waffle Iron Review

Are you ready to get serious about making waffles? The KitchenAid Pro Line Waffle Iron is not your common everyday product. This is a waffle maker designed to satisfy the toughest critics and the largest families. This KitchenAid KPWB100OB 7.5-inch waffle maker cost just a little more than many other waffle makers but as you will see below it is worth every penny. As with any product, there are a couple minor little issues you need to be aware of, but overall this is the waffle maker for people who want the best for their home.

 

Is Speed A Waffle Maker Feature?

 

Let’s face it. When you have two or three hungry kids waiting for breakfast, your husband looking like a starving wolf and your stomach is growling you want a waffle maker which produces waffles fast. The KitchenAid KPWB100OB Pro Line waffle maker may be the fastest Belgian waffle maker designed for home use. This is a dual sided waffle maker which means you can cook two waffles at the same time. Each side takes approximately 3 to 4 minutes to cook compared to over 5 minutes on most comparable waffle makers.

There is one other item which makes this waffle maker the true speed champion on the market. These waffles are huge. Each waffle is 7.5 inches in diameter and 1 1/4 inch thick. One waffle may be enough to take that dangerous hungry glare out of a man’s eyes. Since you are always cooking waffles 2 at a time, you can conceivably be pulling a waffle out of the iron every 2 minutes. In 15 minutes you can create a towering platter of waffles ready to serve the entire family breakfast. Compare that to a single sided waffle maker which takes over 5 minutes per cooking cycle.

 

Constant Heat for Consistent Waffles

 

KitchenAid took a slightly different approach to cooking waffles than some other companies. Changing your brownness level does not affect the heat of the waffle iron at all. Their research shows cooking waffles at a precise and consistent temperature produce the best waffle possible. When you adjust for lighter or darker waffles you are actually just changing the cooking time. This is where things get really interesting with the KitchenAid KPWB100OB Double Sided Waffle Maker.

KitchenAid provides you with a countdown timer which allows you to see exactly how much longer you need to wait for the next batch of waffles to be finished. What if they are not brown enough? You can then monitor the count-up timer and when you are satisfied with the brownness, make a simple adjustment to make sure all of your other waffles are perfectly cooked.

The electronic timing system of waffle maker remembers the time you set for your last batch of waffles even when you unplug it from power. Once you have determined the time which produces waffles which are perfect for your family you never need to mess with the timing dial again.

You do not need to worry about watching the timer. The waffle maker uses an audible alarm to let you know the time has finished and your waffles are ready to remove. You can keep working around the kitchen preparing other parts of your breakfast while the waffles cook.

 

Better Feedback Helps Produce Better Waffles

 

How do you know when your waffle maker is at the perfect temperature? On most waffle makers this is a challenge. They usually have a preheat alarm which tells you when you can start cooking but do not keep you informed if the waffle iron cools down too far while you are cooking breakfast.

This feature of the KitchenAid Pro Line Dual Waffle Maker may surprise you. Instead of going with a fancy digital system or using beeping tones which work for one cycle, KitchenAid went with a time-tested method of making sure your waffle maker is ready. They installed a dial thermometer in the lid of the waffle maker on each side. The dial is marked with cool, preheating, and ready markings to give you instant feedback if the waffle maker is ready.

Do not worry about losing time while you wait for this waffle maker to preheat. It heats to a ready temperature at a rate faster than almost every competitor. You are usually ready to cook waffles within 4 minutes of turning the power on.

 

The Solid Durable Construction of the KitchenAid Waffle Maker

 

The KitchenAid KPWB100OB is built tough. You can see the powerful construction in the die-cast metal base. The base is heavy, solid, and creates a very steady platform for creating waffles. The strong construction can also be seen in the brushed stainless steel lids on both waffle irons.

KitchenAid chose to go with thermoset phenolic lid handles which stay cool even when the waffle iron is being used for a long marathon cooking session, but more importantly, they stay strong.

 

Physical Specifications for the KitchenAid Pro Line KWB100OB Waffle Maker

 

This top quality waffle maker is not going to win any points for being the most compact or easy to move waffle maker you could select. This is a heavyweight waffle maker designed to make huge 7.5” waffle two at a time. Following are the dimensions and weight for the waffle iron:

• Height: 13.5 Inches
• Width: 11.5 Inches
• Depth: 18.9 Inches
• Weight: 25 Pounds

Yes, you read that correctly. This KitchenAid waffle maker is a full 25 pounds in weight. The combination of the die-cast base, dual waffle irons, and stainless steel casing makes for a very heavy appliance. You should not take this as a bad fact. The weight adds to stability as your rotate the waffle maker to switch between cooking surfaces. The heavy duty construction of the waffle irons allows them to retain their heat and maintain the consistent heat necessary to produce superior waffles.

The waffle maker comes in only one color combination which is a metallic glint of the die-cast base, brushed stainless steel casemated with the black front control panel, handles, and retaining ring circling the waffle maker.

 

Additional Information

 

There is one feature which must be highlighted to help you understand the high-quality of this waffle maker. It is the 2-year hassle free replacement warranty from KitchenAid. Their reputation of excellent customer service and standing behind their products takes another leap forward with this product. If your waffle maker fails during the first two years KitchenAid promptly ships you a free replacement and arranges to have your old waffle maker returned to them. You do not have to send your waffle maker in and wait. You do not pay a single cent to get the replacement.

Another fun feature you are going to find in the box is the instruction manual. Read it to familiarize you with the waffle maker, but keep it out because of the recipes. KitchenAid has included a handful of delicious waffle recipe and topping ideas for you to try.

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Pros of the KPWB100OB Dual Waffle Maker from KitchenAid

 

As you can probably guess this waffle maker is packed with positive features. Let us highlight a few of the items again:

• Heavy duty construction with die-cast base and brushed stainless steel casing.
• Fast heating and cooking times. Waffles done in less than 4 minutes.
• Unique timing system which helps guarantees perfect waffles.
• 2-year hassle free replacement warranty.
• Easy to understand temperature monitor.

 

Cons of the KitchenAid Pro Line Waffle Maker

 

There are very few negative points on this waffle maker but we did uncover one annoying item. With many commercial two-sided waffle makers, you get a solid click or landing when you rotate the waffle maker between the two waffle irons. With the KPWB100OB you have no problem locating the right position but you do not get that satisfying tactile feedback and slight locking action. There is one other issue we will discuss briefly in the consumer rating section.

 

Consumer Ratings

 

Sometimes being a slightly higher product causes ratings to drop due to expectations going higher. The KitchenAid Pro Line waffle maker still scores excellent scores with nearly zero complaints. The few minor complaints concern two issues. The first one is caused by lack of reading the manual and the second one is a very rare occurrence. The common theme in reviews is overwhelming satisfaction with the waffle maker with most people expressing how happy they are they spent the extra money.

The first issue is the first waffles out of the waffle maker do not taste great. Yes, just the very first set. KitchenAid warns you of this fact in the user guide and recommends throwing out the first pair of waffles you cook. This is due to a slight burn off of residue from storage and the manufacturing process. You will never experience the issue again.

The second issue which was reported by only one or two buyers is a faulty power switch. Even when the power switch was turned off and all the lights out the waffle maker continued to heat. KitchenAid immediately replaced the unit with a perfectly working one.

 

Conclusion

 

If you want a waffle maker designed to last and keep you happy for years your search is over. The KitchenAid 7.5 Inch Pro Line Waffle Iron is a little more expensive but the features, speed, quality, and support make it one of the biggest bargains in the waffle maker industry.

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