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DASH DMW001AQ Mini vs BLACK+DECKER WMB500 Side-by-Side Comparison
Our Verdict
- Performance (50%)6.5/10
- Design (20%)6.0/10
- Ease of Use (30%)8.3/10
- Performance (50%)6.7/10
- Design (20%)8.7/10
- Ease of Use (30%)9.5/10
Both the DASH DMW001AQ Mini and the BLACK+DECKER WMB500 are in the budget-friendly range, but for entirely different reasons.
The DASH Mini, being a mini waffle maker that’s no larger than a softball, is cheap by design. The small form factor is less complicated and costly to manufacture. The DASH Mini cooks bite-sized waffles about 4 inches across, making it an excellent snack-making machine.
Meanwhile, the BLACK+DECKER WMB500 is a full-size waffle maker that’s purposely designed and built to be as cheap as possible. This is evidenced in the simplistic design that’s quite barebone in terms of features. Like most Belgian-style waffle makers, the WMB500 cooks 7-inch waffles that are ideal for breakfasts and other meals.
The cooking performances of both models are great. The waffles weren’t spectacularly delicious, but they weren’t bad or inedible, either. For breakfasts, light meals, and snacks, both models’ waffles will do just fine.
In the end, it mostly comes down to whether you would want a small and compact waffle maker (the DASH Mini) or a full-size model (BLACK+DECKER WMB500)!
DASH Mini Waffle Maker DMW001AQ’s Performance
- Self-Mixed Recipe (50%)6.0/10
- Birch Benders Mix (50%)7.0/10
- Self-Mixed Recipe (50%)6.8/10
- Birch Benders Mix (50%)6.5/10
Self-Mixed Recipe
- Heat Level: N/A
- Cooking Time: 5 minutes
In all three aspects (coloration, texture, and taste,) the DASH Mini still received mediocre scores. Nonetheless, compared to the test results in the first testing methodology (v1.0,) the DASH Mini still saw marked improvements.
Color (35%) — 6
- Color tone: Very dark brown (Both)
- Color distribution: Uneven
The waffle’s coloration was mediocre, and we assessed the waffle maker to have done a lousy job at cooking the waffle evenly. Inside some of the wells, the crust was cooked to a dark brown color, almost like they were charred. Upon closer inspection, it seems like they were only overcooked rather than burnt.
The crust was mixed between dark gold and light brown outside the wells.
Texture (25%) — 6
- Texture: Mediocre
- Aeration level: Low, air bubbles were small and weren’t well-distributed
The interior was decently aerated. Air bubbles have begun to form on the inside of the waffle. However, they were pretty small and weren’t distributed evenly. As a result, the waffle was still relatively chewy and didn’t have the spongy softness we were looking for.
Taste (40%) — 6
- Flavor: Sweet and savory with a hint of bitterness
- Mouthfeel: Dense and dry
The taste was also mediocre. Our chef did recognize the sweet and slightly savory taste of the batter in the waffle. Unfortunately, the haphazardly burnt crust introduced a somewhat bitter taste to the waffle’s flavor profile. Plus, the underwhelming mouthfeel of the waffle also contributed to the waffle’s relatively low taste score.
- Heat Level: N/A
- Cooking Time: 5 minutes
The coloration was decent despite the waffle’s wells looking slightly burnt, and some spots on the crust looked undercooked. It received only a passable grade due to having a low aeration rate. Fortunately, it picked up the slack with its tastiness.
Color (7) — 35%
- Color tone: Very dark brown - Light brown (both)
- Color distribution: Even
The crust has a very delectable light gold tone around the perimeter and on the raised lines of the waffle pattern. Inside the deep wells, the color has a darker brown color.
The color distribution is great for the waffle. Both sides have relatively similar color tones and gradients.
Texture (5.5) — 25%
- Texture: Mediocre
- Aeration level: Medium; air bubbles have begun filling the interior of the waffle. However, their sizes were small and their numbers were few
The concentration of air bubbles within the waffle’s core was way less than ideal. Most of the bubbles were concentrated near the crust, leaving the core dense with un-aerated batter. The result is a rather chewy waffle.
Taste (7.5) — 40%
- Flavor: Sweet with a buttery aftertaste
- Mouthfeel: Slightly mushy
The waffle tastes great, according to our chef. The BLACK+DECKER WMB500 was able to unlock the potential of the batter, releasing its sweetness and buttery aftertaste. But the mouthfeel was less than ideal due to the dense interior of the waffle. Its chewy texture ruined the tasting experience.
Birch Benders Mix
- Heat Level: N/A
- Cooking Time: 7 minutes
Compared to the results using the self-mixed recipe, the test results using the Birch Benders mix were significantly better. Coloration was still slightly messy, but it was smoother and more attractive. The texture was soft and spongy, but the interior was still too moist to garner a higher score though the waffle certainly was flavorful.
Color (35%) — 6.3
- Color tone: Very dark brown (Both)
- Color distribution: Uneven at the top, uniform at the bottom
The coloring on the top was still not great. The upper crust was still marked with seemingly random dark and light spots—the darker burnt areas being mainly concentrated within the waffle’s wells.
The underside was significantly better. It enjoyed a prettier color gradient that ranged from light gold to golden brown. The distribution of color was excellent.
Texture (25%) — 6.5
- Texture: Mediocre
- Aeration level: High, the interior was filled with sizable air bubbles
The aeration level was high, and large air bubbles could be seen within the interior of the waffle. This resulted in a decently soft and fluffy texture. However, our chef judged the inside to be still too moist to get a better score.
Taste (40%) — 8
- Flavor: Tasty, but a hint of raw batter is present
- Mouthfeel: Crunchy outer crust with slightly mushy interior
The Dash Mini was able to bring out the complete flavor profile of the batter. Sweet and savory, it was a great-tasting waffle. The well-developed crust gave the waffle a nice crunch. Sadly, the slight mushiness of the interior prevented us from giving it a perfect score.
- Heat Level: N/A
- Cooking Time: 7 minutes
The waffle has beautiful coloration thanks to its dark golden brown crust. In terms of texture and taste, the waffle was mediocre. It was mushy and chewy inside, and the waffle was a bit too bland. Nonetheless, the waffle should still be good if you're not picky and want a simple, classic breakfast waffle. This waffle maker certainly won't be able to make anything gourmet!
Color (7) — 35%
- Color tone: Very dark brown - Light brown (both)
- Color distribution: Even
The waffle looked great to the eyes. The crust had a beautiful light gold color on both sides of the waffle. Inside the wells, the coloring was slightly darker, but not by much. None of the wells were charred.
Texture (6) — 25%
- Texture: Mediocre
- Aeration level: Medium; air bubbles have begun filling the interior of the waffle. However, their sizes were small and their numbers were few
The aeration level was low. Very few air bubbles or pockets exist within the waffle, resulting in a very crumbly and mealy texture.
Taste (6.5) — 40%
- Flavor: Sweet with a buttery aftertaste
- Mouthfeel: Slightly mushy
Flavor-wise, the waffle was mediocre. The sweetness was there, and so was the signature salty taste of the Birch Benders mix. However, our chef assessed that the waffle's flavors didn’t seem fully developed. It’s still a bit too bland, possibly due to the underdeveloped core of the waffle.
Mini Dash Waffle Maker’s Design
- Build Quality (60%)5.0/10
- Waffle Plates (30%)10/10
- Control Panel (10%)0/10
- Build Quality (60%)9.5/10
- Waffle Plates (30%)10/10
- Control Panel (10%)0/10
In The Box
- Dash Mini waffle maker
- Instruction manuals and leaflets
The shipping box contained the waffle maker along with the instruction manuals and advertising leaflets. This waffle maker does not come with any accessories.
- BLACK+DECKER WMB500
- Instruction manual
The waffle maker itself and an instruction manual are the box’s only content.
Baby DASH Waffle Maker’s Dimensions & Weight
- Length:1.3" (3.3 cm)
- Width:6.3" (16.0 cm)
- Height:5.0" (12.7 cm)
- Weight:2.5 lbs (1.1 kg)
The Dash Mini has a very compact form factor. All three of its dimensions measure less than 10 inches taking up very little space on the kitchen countertop. You can also easily fit the waffle maker into a cupboard when it’s not in use.
- Length:13.1" (33.3 cm)
- Width:10.0" (25.4 cm)
- Height:4.7" (11.9 cm)
- Weight:4.0 lbs (1.8 kg)
The WMB500 has roughly the same dimensions as your average Belgian waffle maker. At 4 pounds, it’s not much heavier, as well.
But the special part is that BLACK+DECKER has used a smart trick to make it more compact and easier to store for the user. The rear of the machine is flat so that you can stand the waffle maker up vertically, making storage easier.
Build Quality
Build quality is not good. The waffle maker’s outer body is made entirely from plastic with a very thin layer of paint sprayed on the top. During our tests, we noticed that the paint flaked off very easily. In fact, the layer of paint was so flimsy that fingernails could scrape it off.
The BLACK+DECKER WMB500’s baking chamber is made from stainless steel. While the metallic shine improves its look somewhat, we noticed that the metal is highly prone to fingerprints and smudges. So, to maintain the look, you must scrub down the waffle maker daily.
Except for the baking chamber, every other part of the waffle maker is made from plastic. That includes the handle, the back foot, and the lid hinges. All the components are well-built, and we didn’t find any obvious flaws during our inspection.
Waffle Plates
- Number of Plates:2
- Grid Pattern:Classic-style
- Plate Area:12.57 inch2
- Plate Length:4.0" (10.2 cm)
- Plate Width:4.0" (10.2 cm)
- Material:Cast aluminum
- Non Stick Coating:Yes
- Removable:No
- Dishwasher Safe:No
The waffle plates, however, are excellent and are coated with a layer of PFOA-free non-stick. As a result, cleaning the plates is effortless. We only needed to give them a cursory wipe with paper towels to clean off crumbs and other small pieces of food debris. We never had to deal with a sticky waffle throughout our week-long test.
- Number of Plates:2
- Grid Pattern:Belgian-style
- Plate Area:50.27 inch2
- Plate Length:8.0" (20.3 cm)
- Plate Width:8.0" (20.3 cm)
- Material:Cast aluminum
- Non Stick Coating:Yes
- Removable:No
- Dishwasher Safe:No
The thing that stood out most to us was the coating on the plates of the WMB500. While most models we have tested have a matte, rough non-stick coating, the ones found on the WMB500’s plates are glossy and smooth. Unfortunately, BLACK+DECKER doesn’t disclose the formula of non-stick it uses for the WMB500.
But while we can’t tell for certain what the coating is made of, we know that it works very well. We have never once had to deal with a sticky waffle during our performance tests.
Control Panel
- Indicator Lights:Yes
- Audible Alarm:No
- Timer:No
- Browning Control:No
The Dash Mini doesn’t have a control panel. The only feature is the indicator light at the top, which turns on when the waffle maker is plugged in. Once the plates are heated and ready for use, the light will turn off.
With no controls, it gets a zero in this section.
- Indicator Lights:Yes
- Audible Alarm:No
- Timer:No
- Browning Control:No
The BLACK+DECKER WMB500 doesn’t have any control feature except an indicator light at the top.
DASH Mini Waffle Machine’s Power Cord
- Plug Style:Type A (Flat Blade Attachment Plug)
- Length:2.5 ft (0.8 m)
- Cable Management:No
The Dash Mini has a very long power cord measuring 30 inches. Though it gives the waffle maker greater usability, the long cord can be an issue when it comes to storage. We had to loop the cord around the waffle maker’s body to store it.
- Plug Style:Type A (Flat Blade Attachment Plug)
- Length:1.9 ft (0.6 m)
- Cable Management:No
The BLACK+DECKER WMB500 comes with a power cord measuring about 23 inches long. It’s quite short, so having an extension cord close at hand.
There is no “official” cable management feature on the waffle maker. You can wrap the cord around the back foot of the machine, but only while it’s staying flat. However, the cord will prevent the waffle maker from standing upright and makes it even more problematic to put into storage. A solution we have found is to simply wrap the cord around the baking chamber.
Accessories
- Material:N/A
- Removable:N/A
- Dishwasher Safe:N/A
The Dash Mini waffle maker does not come with any kind of accessory.
- Material:N/A
- Removable:N/A
- Dishwasher Safe:N/A
The BLACK+DECKER WMB500 doesn’t come with any extra accessory.
Dash Mini Waffle Maker Review
- Handling (25%)8.0/10
- Safety (40%)8.0/10
- Cleanability (25%)10/10
- Indicator Light Visibility (10%)6.0/10
- Handling (25%)10/10
- Safety (40%)9.9/10
- Cleanability (25%)8.0/10
- Indicator Light Visibility (10%)10/10
Handling
Handling is adequate. As previously mentioned, there aren’t any manual controls on this waffle maker, so it functions as a ‘plug-and-play’ device. You only need to plug in the power cord, wait until the top light turns off, then pour in the batter.
The lid opens and closes smoothly. When pushed back, the lid leans backward at an angle. This effectively prevents the top from snapping closed unexpectedly.
The handling experience of the WMB500 is easy. The lid doesn’t wobble when lifted, like many other models we have tested in this price range.
Notably, when the lid is pushed all the way back, the hinges have a slight dampening force. It can protect you from a recoiling lid when you’re in a hurry and accidentally use too much force to open it.
Safety
- Top Side Temperature:191°F
- Bottom Side Temperature:120°F
- Handle Temperature:98°F
Due to its small size, the entire waffle maker heats up after just one cooking session. We had to pick up the waffle maker by the power cord and let the machine dangle by the end to move it off the countertop after testing.
Additionally, upon opening the lid after a waffle has finished cooking, you could be subjected to a startling plume of hot air from the waffle plates. The hot air isn’t dangerous, but the flash of considerable heat can still feel extremely uncomfortable.
The top surface reached a temperature of 191°F.
It is only slightly warm at the handle, measuring 98°F. However, like we mentioned earlier, beware of the plume of hot air when you open up the lid.
The base of the waffle maker is uncomfortably warm at 120°F.
- Top Side Temperature:156.7°F
- Bottom Side Temperature:104.2°F
- Handle Temperature:111°F
The BLACK+DECKER WMB500 did excellently in this respect, achieving a near-perfect score. Measuring temperatures at three critical points on the waffle maker—the top side, the bottom, and the handle—the figures are all within acceptable limits.
At the top, above the back foot, and near the indicator light, we measured a temperature of 156.7°F.
The bottom is where most people will hold onto when they need to pick up the waffle maker. Here, we measured a cool temperature of 104.2°F, which is merely warm.
The handle’s temperature was warm, but not uncomfortably so at 111°F.
Cleanability
The waffle maker is easy to clean. We only needed to wipe down the non-stick waffle plates once in a while to scoop up leftover debris.
Dried-out waffle batter doesn’t stick hard to the smooth plastic body when a spill happens. Cooking residues can be dealt with using mild detergent and a few scrubs with a cloth.
Cleaning up after a cooking session is fast and easy. Spilled batter can be quickly scraped off from the exterior of the machine. And since the non-stick coating already works pretty well, we only had to pick stray crumbs and pieces of debris off the plates from time to time.
The stainless steel baking chamber is the real issue in this part. As we said earlier, it’s prone to smudges and fingerprints. You will need to clean it regularly if you want to maintain a pristine look for it. Else, it’s going to lose its luster in a week or two and look very worn.
Indicator Light Visibility
The waffle maker has a large indicator light at the top. It’s difficult to see under harsh studio lighting and daylight. Under normal lighting conditions, however, the light should be clear.
The light is decently bright and is visible even under studio lighting.