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DASH No-Drip Belgian vs Hamilton Beach 26031 Side-by-Side Comparison
Our Verdict
- Performance (50%)6.7/10
- Design (20%)8.7/10
- Ease of Use (30%)9.6/10
- Performance (50%)6.9/10
- Design (20%)9.7/10
- Ease of Use (30%)9.7/10
These two waffle makers here have totally different uses. The DASH No-Drip Belgian is made for bulk cooking. Thanks to its large, segmented waffle plates, this model can cook four square waffles at the same time, each one measuring 4 inches across. This feature alone makes it an excellent choice for those who have to cook large batches of waffles regularly (like people with large families.)
Meanwhile, the Hamilton Beach 26031 can only cook one waffle at a time. However, it can cook a large 7-inch, Belgian-style waffle.
DASH No Drip Waffle Maker’s Performance
- Self-Mixed Recipe (50%)6.5/10
- Birch Benders Mix (50%)6.9/10
- Self-Mixed Recipe (50%)6.8/10
- Birch Benders Mix (50%)7.1/10
Self-Mixed Recipe
- Heat Level: N/A
- Cooking Time: 3 minutes
The coloration of the waffle wasn’t great but still passable. There were some prominent burnt spots on the crust that introduced a degree of bitterness and dryness to the waffle. The interior of the waffle was soft, which garnered a good score from us. However, it was still slightly mushy. And taste-wise, our chef judged the waffle to be flavorful, despite the bitter aftertaste that the burnt spots on the waffle produced.
Color (35%) — 5
- Color tone: Very dark brown (Both)
- Color distribution: Uneven
There were prominent dark spots on both faces of the waffle. They mainly concentrated inside the wells and on the right side. On the left side, the coloring was light.
The uneven color distribution and the burnt spots ruined the waffle’s aesthetic. But since the burnt spots weren’t charred black and the light spots weren’t so pale that they looked undercooked, the waffle still passed this part of the test.
Texture (25%) — 7
- Texture: Good
- Aeration level: Medium, small bubbles were filling the interior of the waffle, but large cavities hadn’t formed yet
The texture of the waffle was soft and spongy, which was a pleasant surprise considering the half-burnt state of the crust. Additionally, though not numerous, there were a lot of tiny air bubbles and cavities within the waffle, which explained its softness.
Unfortunately, the waffle's interior was still developing, so the consistency was slightly mushy.
Taste (40%) — 7.5
- Flavor: Sweet and rich, but with a hint of bitterness due to burnt spots on the crust
- Mouthfeel: Soft and pliant, dry at the burnt spots
Though it didn't look quite as appealing, our chef judged the waffle as flavorful. The mouthfeel was great (soft and pliant). But, as we mentioned earlier, the burnt spots were dry, tough, and bitter in the mouth. Due to the bitterness, we knocked a few points off for this section.
- Heat Level: Between 1 and 2
- Cooking Time: 5 minutes
Right away, we assessed the color of the waffle to be fairly disappointing. The color distribution was uneven, with light and dark spots mingling randomly on the crust. Texturally, the waffle was also unremarkable. The aeration rate was minimal, resulting in a rather dense waffle. But scoring picked up slightly in the taste department. Our chef rated the Hamilton Beach’s waffle sufficiently tasty for breakfasts and other light meals.
Color (35%) —6.3/10
- Color result: Dark brown (Both)
- Color distribution: Even
Both sides have roughly the same color shading. However, as a whole, both sides have uneven coloration. We noticed one side of the waffle tends to be more cooked than the rest of the waffle to the point of having a dark brown tone. Fortunately, this discolored patch wasn’t so cooked that it’s charred.
Dark spots tend to concentrate inside the wells of the waffle, too, giving the waffle a mottled appearance.
Texture (25%) — 7/10
- Texture: Excellent
- Aeration level: High, the interior was filled with large air cavities
The waffle’s interior doesn’t aerate well. Cutting it open, we observed the core to have a very dense structure with few air bubbles. The result is a sub-par waffle with a mushy texture rather than a soft, fluffy consistency like we hoped.
Taste (40%) — 7/10
- Flavor: Sweet with hints of bitterness at charred spots
- Mouthfeel: Soft, dry at charred spots
The taste was great, according to our chef. The Hamilton Beach 26031 was able to bring out the full flavor profile of the recipe. The waffle was buttery and sweet, with a hint of saltiness. Unfortunately, our chef assessed that it hadn't reached the point of being "restaurant-quality". Still, it will suffice for people wanting to cook quick breakfasts with this waffle maker.
Birch Benders Mix
- Heat Level: N/A
- Cooking Time: 5 minutes
The waffle was mediocre in all aspects: the coloration and texture were acceptable but weren’t outstanding. Taste-wise, according to our chef, it was palatable and relatively flavorful. The spongy mouthfeel, however, prevented it from getting a better score.
Color (35%) — 6.5/10
- Color tone: Very light gold (Both)
- Color distribution: Even
The waffle has the appearance of being undercooked with its pale gold crust. Some of the wells on the waffle were dark brown, slightly improving its look. But, as a whole, we still found the coloration to be poor.
Texture (25%) - 6.5/10
- Texture: Soft and pliant, lacks crispiness
- Aeration level: Medium
The waffle was nicely aerated but compared to some of the better waffles we have tested (like that of the Cuisinart WAF-F20P1), the air pockets were quite small few in number.
Still, despite the room for improvement, the waffle was soft and pliant. It was a bit limp and there was little to no crispiness but not to the point of being gooey.
Taste (40%) - 7.5/10
- Flavor: Sweet and slightly salty
- Mouthfeel: Fluffy and soft
Our chef gave the waffle a “Good” score. It was flavorful: the sweet and slightly salty flavor of the Birch Benders mix goes very well with the soft texture of the waffle. However, the waffle could use some crispiness in the crust, which would have improved its score significantly.
- Heat Level: Between 1 and 2
- Cooking Time: 5 minutes
The coloration of the waffle made using the Birch Benders mix was a very light gold tone, giving it an undercooked-looking appearance. And indeed, the interior wasn’t as developed as the last waffle made in the test with the self-made recipe. However, our chef rated this waffle to be tastier overall.
Color (35%) — 6.5/10
- Color result: Very light gold (Both)
- Color distribution: Uneven
At these optimal conditions, the pre-made mix gave us a more attractively colored waffle than did our self-made recipe. It had a nicer blonde tone that looked much more inviting. However, the color uniformity isn’t as good as we had hoped. The waffle maker was unable to maintain an even color throughout — one half looked lighter than the other.
Texture (25%) — 6.5/10
- Texture: Mediocre
- Aeration level: Medium, air bubbles could be seen, but haven’t fully bloomed to their full sizes
Texture was significantly improved compared to the waffle produced using our self-made batter. The inside of the waffle appeared well-developed, with air bubbles filling out the waffle’s structure. That resulted in a very soft and pliable waffle. However, it wasn’t aerated enough to hide the slight mushy texture.
Taste (40%) — 8/10
- Flavor: Sweet, no hint of bitterness
- Mouthfeel: Soft and pliant, slightly mushy
Our chef awarded the Hamilton Beach 26031 a good score for this category. The aesthetically-pleasing coloring and the soft texture made for a pleasant tasting experience. In terms of flavor, the waffle was sweet. Since it didn’t have any charred patches, that flavor profile was consistent and never bitter. Unfortunately, the slight mushiness of the waffle negatively impacted its scoring a little.
DASH Deluxe No-Drip Belgian Waffle Maker’s Design
- Build Quality (60%)9.5/10
- Waffle Plates (30%)10/10
- Control Panel (10%)0/10
- Build Quality (60%)9.5/10
- Waffle Plates (30%)10/10
- Control Panel (10%)10/10
What’s in the Box of the DASH No-Drip Waffle Maker
- DASH No-Drip Belgian waffle maker
- Instruction manuals and leaflets
The shipping box contained the waffle maker, instruction manuals, and leaflets. This waffle maker does not come with any accessories.
- Waffle maker’s body
- Two (2) Belgian-style grid plates
- One (1) removable drip tray
- User manual
Within the shipping box, you get the waffle maker itself, two (2) removable Belgian-style waffle plates, a drip tray, and the manual.
The waffle maker comes wrapped in a protective plastic bag with some thick foam blocks as padding. Other accessories are only wrapped in plastic without extra padding.
While simple plastic wrap is okay for the plastic drip tray and manual, we felt some concern for the waffle plates. Since they’re made from brittle ceramic, we would appreciate a little padding for them too.
Dimensions
- Length:6.3" (16.0 cm)
- Width:5.0" (12.7 cm)
- Height:2.5" (6.4 cm)
- Weight:8.0 lbs (3.6 kg)
Due to its bulky frame, the DASH DNMWM400AQ takes up a lot of room on the countertop. It is heavy to boot at 8 pounds. Unless you just leave the waffle maker on the countertop, finding somewhere to store it could be a problem.
- Length:16.5" (41.9 cm)
- Width:8.0" (20.3 cm)
- Height:8.7" (22.1 cm)
- Weight:3.1 lbs (1.4 kg)
Because the Hamilton Beach 26031 is a flip-style waffle maker, it is taller than your average non-flip model. At just over 9 inches tall, there’s ample clearance for the plates to smoothly turn.
The machine weighs 3.06 pounds, which is about average for a waffle maker.
For easier storage, it comes with a foldable handle.
Build Quality
Overall build quality is good despite the cheap-looking design. The unit was spotless when first taken out of the box (no scratches, scrapes, or dents). Every detail is well-built and solid. The hinges have very little travel, so the lid doesn’t wobble when we shake it.
The housing of the Hamilton Beach 26031 is made from brushed stainless steel. All other parts, including the control panel, handle, and raised base, are black plastic. There are rubber feet at the bottom to keep the waffle maker from slipping.
The numerous plastic parts in the 26031’s design are a drawback in terms of durability. The important components like the handle lock, spin lock, and waffle plate latches are made of simple molded plastic. They may not last as long as metal or metal-reinforced parts and are more prone to breakage or cracking.
Waffle Plates
- Number of Plates:2
- Grid Pattern:Belgian-style
- Plate Area:69.6 inch2
- Plate Length:8.7" (22.1 cm)
- Plate Width:8.0" (20.3 cm)
- Material:Aluminum
- Non Stick Coating:Yes
- Removable:No
- Dishwasher Safe:No
The plates are the most impressive part of this waffle maker. They are made from aluminum and coated with a Teflon non-stick layer. During our performance tests, the coating worked very well. It didn't take much effort to coax a cooked waffle off the plates.
The plates are divided into four equal quadrants, each measuring around 4 inches.
DASH have built large gaps onto the lines that divvy up the plates to form "links" between the four waffles. You can shear off these links with your hands and separate the waffles. However, these gaps are troublesome if you want to pour enough batter to fill one section and cook a single waffle. The waffle will form stubby lumps that you must cut off if you want a symmetric waffle.
Attached to either side of the waffle plates are large trenches. In the event of a batter spill, the trenches will catch the excess and stop them from flowing out of the machine. The plates are smartly designed with four "ventilation holes'' on each side to discourage the liquid batter from flowing through the machine's front or back.
- 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:Yes
- Dishwasher Safe:Yes
The set of waffle plates is made from cast aluminum and is coated in a layer of ceramic non-stick (Durathon®). The non-stick layer works excellently. We’ve never had to deal with a stick in all of our tests. Even the batch that came out undercooked and was still semi-liquid didn’t stick to the plates.
With the 26031 model, the two plates are copper-colored. If you get the 26030 model, the plates will be black. The difference between them is purely aesthetic. Both have the same design and identical performance.
Both plates are removable and are dishwasher-safe. You can remove the plates by working the yellow latches at the front of the waffle maker.
Control Panel
- Indicator Lights:Yes
- Audible Alarm:No
- Timer:No
- Browning Control:No
The DASH No-Drip Belgian waffle maker does not come with any control feature. It has a pair of indicator lights at the top so that you can monitor the cooking process, but that’s it.
- Indicator Lights:Yes
- Audible Alarm:No
- Timer:No
- Browning Control:Yes
For such a nice waffle maker, the control panel is very simplistic.
There are two indicator lights: a red POWER light and a green READY light. The POWER indicator turns on when the waffle maker is plugged in. Once it reaches the optimal cooking temperature, the READY light will illuminate. The latter will continuously cycle on and off during cooking as temperature fluctuates.
A second READY button can be found on the underside of the housing. It’s there for when you flip the waffle maker.
Underneath the indicator lights is the browning control dial. There are four settings: MIN, 1, 2, and 3. Each corresponds to a browning level, with MIN being the lightest and 3 being the darkest.
DASH No-Drip Waffle Maker’s Power Cord
- Plug Style:Type A (Flat Blade Attachment Plug)
- Length:2.3 ft (0.7 m)
- Cable Management:Yes
The power cable of the unit is fairly long, at 31.5 inches. You most likely won’t need an extension cord for it.
There is a grommet built onto the back foot of the waffle maker. The cord can be wrapped around it for easier storage.
- Plug Style:Type A (Flat Blade Attachment Plug)
- Length:2.2 ft (0.7 m)
- Cable Management:No
The power cord is quite short. It may be inconvenient if your kitchen doesn’t have many power outlets. In that case, an extension cord will prove useful.
Accessories
- Material:N/A
- Removable:N/A
- Dishwasher Safe:N/A
The DASH waffle maker does not come with any accessories.
- Material:Plastic
- Removable:Yes
- Dishwasher Safe:Yes
The drip tray is removable and goes into a slot directly under the waffle maker’s body. It is made from a lightweight, heat-resistant plastic. The tray is dishwasher-safe.
DASH No Drip Belgian Waffle Maker Review
- Handling (25%)9.5/10
- Safety (40%)9.2/10
- Cleanability (25%)10/10
- Indicator Light Visibility (10%)10/10
- Handling (25%)9.5/10
- Safety (40%)10/10
- Cleanability (25%)9.5/10
- Indicator Light Visibility (10%)9.0/10
Handling
The DASH waffle maker is easy to handle. As we said earlier, the lack of a control panel makes using it as straightforward as can be. You can start using it without having to read the user’s manual at all.
The lid can be opened and closed via the large handle at the front, which doesn’t heat up at all despite being made from plastic.
The Hamilton Beach 26031 handles well. Opening the waffle maker is simple, and the baking chamber's turning motion is smooth.
The only problem we encountered while testing this model was the lid-locking mechanism. When you flip the waffle maker back and forth, there’s a lock to prevent you from opening the lid during the turn or while it’s upside-down. Sometimes, the lid would remain locked in place even when we flipped the waffle maker upright and returned it to its original position.
Luckily, it’s not a difficult problem to solve. Just jiggle the lid a little, and the lock will disengage.
Safety
- Top Side Temperature:202.3°F
- Bottom Side Temperature:151.5°F
- Handle Temperature:120°F
Safety is great for this particular model. After several continuous cooking sessions, using a thermometer, we found that most of the waffle maker’s surfaces were still at acceptable levels. Especially the handle, which was only warm to the touch, not scorching hot.
Top side temperature was recorded at 202°F.
The temperature at the bottom, around the front foot of the unit, was at 151°F.
In the areas surrounding the handle, we recorded a relatively cool temperature of 120°F, which was merely warm.
- Top Side Temperature:142°F
- Bottom Side Temperature:90°F
- Handle Temperature:88°F
We assessed the safety level of this waffle maker to be high. The top side doesn’t get too hot during or after cooking. Thanks to the elongated handle, you can open and close the lid without heat from the waffle plates radiating onto your hand the way many other models do.
After a few cooking sessions, we recorded a temperature of 152.2°F in the control panel section. It’s merely warm, not hot.
The other parts, like the base and the handle, remained at room temperature. They were perfectly safe to touch.
Cleanability
The large anti-spill channels to the side of the waffle maker are very effective at catching excess batter. We noticed that these channels are easier to clean than the add-on drip tray that many waffle makers use these days.
The non-stick coating of the waffle plates further improves cleanability. We never encountered one sticky waffle throughout the performance test phase.
In terms of cleanability, the Hamilton Beach 26031 gets a rare near-perfect score.
The included drip tray does a great job at catching spilled waffle batter. Since it is made from smooth plastic, dried batter doesn’t stick to the tray. It can be washed off easily with water alone — no soap required.
You can remove the waffle plates and put them into a dishwasher. If you don’t have a dishwasher, just rinse them with tap water. The non-stick layer should prevent dried batter and debris from collecting, so a cursory wash is usually all that’s needed to get them spick and span again.
We were able to clean the waffle maker’s body and most of its parts with only tissues and a dry cloth. The only section that was a challenge to clean was the space around the waffle-plate latches. Dried batter can infiltrate deep into the tiny details surrounding the latches, making it very hard to clean thoroughly.
Indicator Light Visibility
The indicator lights are bright enough to be clearly visible under studio lighting.
All three indicator lights (two on top and one on the bottom) are bright. In low-light or normal lighting conditions, the bulbs can be seen clearly. Even under harsh studio lighting, we still didn’t have any issue with them.