DASH No-Drip Belgian vs Euro Cuisine WM520 Side-by-Side Comparison
Unable to decide between the DASH No-Drip Belgian and the Euro Cuisine WM520 waffle maker? Here’s our comparison.
Specifications
Design
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.
The Euro Cuisine WM520 has a luxe, chrome-plated housing. It gives the waffle maker a very luxurious appearance.
Though overall construction is sound, the flimsy lid hinges could do some refinement. Positioned on top of the lid is an intuitive control panel that pairs a dial for adjusting browning levels with two indicator lights (one for power, one for the ready status of the waffle maker).
Usability Comparison
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.
The Euro Cuisine WM520's sole control input is the browning control dial, which lets you set the desired browning level by tuning it. Two indicator lights at the top inform you how far along your food is in cooking. Once you're finished cooking, the non-stick coating on the plates helps simplify cleaning.
Unfortunately, it didn't fare well in our safety test due to an alarmingly hot handle. Still, that doesn't detract from its overall ease of use and convenience.
Performance Test
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.
Using the Euro Cuisine WM520, we were pleased with its consistent performance throughout our tests. Although not of five-star quality, the fluffy waffles would still be an ideal accompaniment to any breakfast table.
Overall Scores
Pros & Cons
- 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
- Did a passable job in our self-mixed recipe test
- Luxurious design with chrome lid
- Easy to use control panel with clicky, responsive browning level dial
- Eco-friendly PTFE and PFOA-free ceramic coating on the plates
- Excellent cleanability
- The unit’s appearance looks quite cheap
- Lacks a control panel
- Loose lid hinges
- The rubber screw protectors can be easily lost
- Many surfaces of the waffle maker became scorching hot after two-three cooking sessions
Conclusion
The key to choosing this pair is to ask yourself whether you want the ability to bulk cook or not.
The Dash No-Drip Belgian has a set of large waffle plates divided into four smaller quadrants. Each quadrant can make a 4-inch square waffle. So, when filled, this waffle maker can make four waffles.
On the other hand, the Euro Cuisine WM520 is a standard-size waffle maker. But the waffles it bakes are special: they have a heart-shaped pattern, bringing a bit more visual interest to the meal.
It can only make one at a time, though, unlike the DASH No-Drip Belgian.
So, in the end, if you have a large family and need to cook many waffles regularly, invest in the DASH No-Drip. But if you don’t need the bulk-cooking ability and like the heart-shaped patterning of the Euro Cuisine WM520, then go ahead and pick one up!
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.
