BLACK+DECKER WMB500 vs DASH No-Drip Belgian Side-by-Side Comparison
Wondering what to choose between the BLACK+DECKER WMB500 and the DASH No-Drip Belgian waffle maker? This comparison will help you with your decision.
Specifications
Design
The BLACK+DECKER WMB500 has a simplistic, blocky design—typical of an entry-level waffle maker. It looks quite similar to the Cuisinart WMR-CA, which is in the same price range.
However, its stainless steel baking chamber adds a shiny touch to the otherwise mundane look, making for a visually pleasing aesthetic overall.
Despite its low price point, the construction quality is great. The only downside is the noticeable absence of a control panel. Rather than buttons or the like, an indicator light at the top alerts you when your waffle is ready to eat.
Although the design of the DASH No-Drip Belgian Waffle Maker isn't very luxurious with its plain plastic housing, the build quality is excellent. The lid hinges are solid, the waffle plates are coated in an effective layer of non-stick.
Unfortunately, there is one issue: this model lacks a control panel. For the price point it’s at, this is a clear drawback.
Usability Comparison
It’s simple to start with the BLACK+DECKER WMB500, mostly because it doesn’t have a control panel. Most of BLACK+DECKER’s budget-friendly offerings don’t have a control panel (case in point, the BLACK+DECKER Double waffle maker.)
All you need to do is plug it in and wait for the power light to go off, signaling that it's ready for use. Pour in your batter, wait for the waffle to cook, then lift the lid and extract your waffle.
The waffle maker did excellently in both fields regarding cleanability and safety.
Using the DASH waffle maker is easy overall — plug it in, wait until the READY indicator lights up, and start pouring your batter!
The lack of a control system is troublesome, though. You can't adjust the browning or doneness to your liking. Instead, you'll have to time the cooking process to get your desired browning level.
On the plus side, safety and cleanability are both excellent for this model.
Performance Test
The BLACK+DECKER WMB500 displayed impressive cooking performance across both test recipes. The resulting waffles weren't restaurant-level quality, but certainly more than enough for a healthy homemade breakfast. It’ll be an ideal choice for families who simply need a reliably good option for breakfast.
The DASH No-Drip performed acceptably in both performance tests. However, it was found lacking in one key area: cooking a waffle's crust to a nice color tone. The waffle maker failed to make waffles with our desired golden-brown tone in both test recipes.
Fortunately, the texture and flavor were spot on. So, for breakfasts and snacks, the DASH No-Drip belgian waffle maker won’t disappoint.
Overall Scores
Pros & Cons
- Affordable pricing
- Decent cooking performance across both test recipes
- Good-looking stainless steel baking chamber
- The lid can dampen the force of a strong push, preventing the lid from accidentally snapping close to the user’s hand
- The non-stick coating on the waffle plates works very well
- Excellent safety rating
- Affordable
- Capable of bulk cooking (can make four waffles at once)
- Did an acceptable job in our test with the self-mixed recipe
- Solid build quality
- High safety rating
- Easy to clean
- Lacks control panel
- The stainless steel baking chamber needs regular cleaning to look its best
- The unit’s appearance looks quite cheap
- Lacks a control panel
Conclusion
The BLACK+DECKER WMB500 and the Dash No-Drip Belgian waffle makers are in different classes. The former is an entry-level model, while the latter is marketed toward people with a roomier budget.
Both waffle makers—as of right now—have the same performance score as one another. The BLACK+DECKER WMB500 produced waffles with decent coloration, but the texture could be improved. Meanwhile, the DASH No-Drip Belgian waffle maker is the opposite. The waffles it made didn’t look good, being too pale in color. Yet, the texture and flavor were highly rated by our chef.
But here’s the biggest differentiating point. The BLACK+DECKER WMB500 has a traditional design that can only cook one waffle at a time. That’s not the case for the DASH No-Drip Belgian waffle maker, which can cook four waffles at once.
So, if you can’t decide between the two, ask yourself if the bulk-cooking ability is important to you. If you need to cook a lot of waffles regularly, then the DASH No-Drip Belgian waffle maker makes more sense. Conversely, if you only need to make one or two waffles occasionally, choose the BLACK+DECKER WMB500.
Behind the Comparison
Matthew Lee is a writer and editor for HealthyKitchen101. With over 8 years working for various outlets and agencies, specializing in tech review and other subjects of note, such as current affairs.
Tuyet Pham is an award-winning Saigonese chef passionate about delicious and healthful foods. At HealthyKitchen101, she develops recipes and collaborates with our Research, Testing, and Review lab to evaluate the performance of cooking appliances. Her assessments add a strong authoritative voice to our product scoring process.
Lap is Head of the Research, Testing, and Review Team (RTR Team) at HealthyKitchen101.com, where he directs and supervises the testing of kitchen gadgets and appliances.
