Cuisinart WMR-CA Classic vs BLACK+DECKER WMB500 Side-by-Side Comparison
Can’t decide on which one to choose between the Cuisinart WMR-CA Classic and the BLACK+DECKER WMB500 waffle makers? Here’s a short comparison.
Specifications
Design
The Cuisinart WMR-CA offers a great design and build quality, boasting a glossy metal top lid. The waffle plates are coated with a layer of Teflon non-stick, which has proven itself to work quite effectively during our cooking tests. We’ve never had to deal with sticky waffles or batter residues throughout the review phase.
Although simplistic, its control panel is very simple to use.
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.
Usability Comparison
Unlike its easy-to-use control panel, the control panel of the WMR-CA can be difficult to deal with for some people due to the dim indicator lights. They can be very hard to see under bright lighting.
The Cuisinart WMR-CA did decently well during safety tests. Most of the surfaces on the waffle maker are cool to the touch, even after several cooking sessions.
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.
Performance Test
The WMR-CA mostly fell short of expectations, struggling to produce anything but unsatisfyingly burnt and flavorless waffles in our tests with the self-mixed waffle recipe. Its performance ratings were thankfully redeemed in later tests with pre-mixed Birch Benders mix, where it pulled out all the stops and amazed us with surprisingly tasty results.
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.
Overall Scores
Pros & Cons
- Affordable
- Did a great job in our test with Birch Benders mix
- Fast cooking time
- Compact and lightweight design makes it easy to store
- 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
- Poor performance on self-mixed recipe
- Heating element is too strong and can easily burn waffles
- Dim indicator lights
- Lacks control panel
- The stainless steel baking chamber needs regular cleaning to look its best
Conclusion
The Cuisinart WMR-CA Classic is the waffle maker to pick if you’re looking for something to help you bake diner-style breakfast waffles. This model comes with waffle plates imprinted with a classic-style patterning (also known as “American-style”). Compared to Belgian waffles, classic-style waffles are thinner and have smaller pockets.
The portion is less, but the cooking speed is faster. In our tests, the Cuisinart WMR-CA took only 3 minutes to produce a cooked waffle.
The WMB500 is positioned as an affordable waffle maker in BLACK+DECKER’s portfolio. It cooks Belgian-style 7-inch waffles that are thicker and have wider pockets than the classic-style waffles made by the Cuisinart WMR-CA.
Aside from the difference in waffle plate patterning, they also differ in cooking performance. The Cuisinart WMR-CA did much better than the BLACK+DECKER WMB500 in our performance tests.
Design-wise, they aren't lookers, since both models are meant for the entry-level market. These waffle makers have very simple designs. Fortunately, their build quality is decent.
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.
