Smart Planet WM-3 Circus Waffle Shape Maker

There are better made, higher quality waffle makers on the market, of course. What you should know right off the bat is that this isn't a high end waffle maker, nor does it really claim to be. But, for approximately $24.00 (I've seen it as low as $19.99 during the holidays), it's a perfectly good, small, relatively easy to use waffle maker with the added benefit that it allows you to make animal shapes. And who doesn't like animal shaped waffles?

Well, me, for one, but that's completely unimportant. My kids love them.

This is a "plug and play" device. Plug it in, let it heat up, and then make some waffles. It's that easy......assuming you maximize your success potential with a few tips.

Tip #1 Let the waffle maker heat up thoroughly before using. I don't use water splash tests or anything like that... just give it at lest 5-7 minutes before you start pouring batter on the thing. This gives you the best chance of evenly cooked waffles.

Tip #2 Use a batter bottle or some other easy to pour batter delivery system instead of just a big bowl and a spoon. We've got one of those plastic bottles with a small nozzle on the end that makes battering the waffle maker EASY because you can control the amount going onto the surface very easily with minimal mess. Trying to just pour or spoon batter lessens your chance of an evenly cooked waffle.

Tip #3 Don't overfill the animal spaces. Overfill leads to a difficult time cleaning the item.

Tip #5 Ignore lights indicating that the waffles are done. Lift the lid and look yourself.

Tip #6 Use cooking spray. A light misting before you add the batter will virtually guarantee that the batter won't stick.

We found that one small section of the lion area did not appear to be cooking "evenly." So, we returned the item and got a replacement. The problem is resolved completely. But, I do want to point out that if you find soft spots in one of the waffles, consistantly, make sure you don't have a defective unit.

Cleaning this item is a relative pain. Yes, I know, nonstick, blah blah blah.... look, you sill have to wipe this thing down well. It's not dishwasher safe and the elements are not removeable. We can clean it reasonably well, but for the difficulty in cleaning, I remove at least 1/2 a star. The other 1/2 or 1/4 of a star reduction is because I find the lights on the unit completely useless.

The unit is relatively compact. There's no cord storage, so be prepared for cord storage issues if you're one of those people who can't stand random cords spilling out inside your cabinets. It doesn't take up all that much space like the larger better built units do.

Finally, I note that the waffles are on the thin side. We like them. The kids pick them up and dip them in syrup. Because the end product is fairly small, it makes waffles as finger food a cinch. But don't expect thick, Belgian style animals from this unit.

Nice product. Good value. If it lasts 18 months, the $24 is probably worth it. Our replacement unit has functioned well so far for 6 months with no evidence of chipping or malfunction.

By the way, Tip #4 was going to have something to do with being careful with the lid when you open it because it can get hot, and the steam rising can be very hot, and if you're an idiot like I am, and you position the waffle maker too far back on the counter so that when you lift the lid, and it's hot, but not hot enough to hurt you, but hot enough to surprise you, and you move your hand too fast so that you smack the underside of the cabinets, which does hurt, and the impact then forces your hand downward so that you then hit the exposed waffle iron and burn yourself.....but I decided that you probably don't need that tip.

We got a great price on ours, which is why we took a chance. But the first bake was somewhat of a disappointment. The animal spaces are small, so getting the lion's legs and tail adn the elephant trunk filled with batter is a challenge.

By the time we were able to fill the shapes, some areas were already getting done... even before closing the thing. Then we tried filling it faster adn not worrying about getting the shapes filled perfectly. EVERY waffle came out partially burned and partially uncooked.

I'm not a novice at baking waffles, I own three other irons. With a toddler at home, this seemed like a fun way to make smaller waffles. I'll stick to a real waffle iron. This one is just a toy that doesn't really work very well.

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I called this a thankyoumachine because as a grandparent who bought this I got the usual "thank you for the gift Gpa." however it seems that two or three times a week I get a text saying "the circus was at our house again today THANKS SO MUCH". I did not think it would be such a big hit but it is so I say to you Thank You.

DanT

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This is wonderful, the waffles don't stick when using an olive oil spritzer, and not that bad to clean. It's a little more light weight than I expected, but so far no problems with the quality. Tip for anyone who is afraid that cleaning will be a problem.....hold the base and lean sideways over the sink while washing/rinsing with a sprayer. Clean up is very quick this way.

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The waffle iron only lasted about about 3 months. We used it maybe 10 times or so before the non-stick coating started to peel off on to our waffles. The kids loved the fun waffles, but we had to throw the thing away. I would go with a more expensive option.

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