DASH No-Drip Belgian vs Nostalgia MWF5AQ Side-by-Side Comparison

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.

The crust’s coloration was decent, with an appealing light brown color throughout. Within the wells were some dark brown burnt spots. They weren’t charred, but they still introduced a slight bitterness to the waffle. The texture was soft and fluffy, thanks to a high aeration rate. And taste-wise, our chef rated it as flavorful but held back from giving it a higher score due to the bitterness from the burnt spots.

Color (35%) — 6.5/10

• Color tone: Light brown (Both)
• Color distribution: Even

On the whole, the waffle had good coloration. The outer crust was light brown, with most of the darker spots concentrated inside the wells. Though it had a slightly mottled appearance, we still considered the waffle’s coloration to be uniform.

Texture (25%) - 6/10

• Texture: Good
• Aeration level: High - air bubbles were plentiful and well-sized within the waffle

The interior of the waffle was fully developed and aerated, resulting in a soft, fluffy core. Large air bubbles and pockets could be seen throughout the waffle’s interior.

Taste (40%) - 7.5/10

• Flavor: Rich and sweet, slightly bitter
• Mouthfeel: Soft and fluffy

Our chef described it as having a rich, sweet taste. Although the burnt spots on the crust introduced a slight bitterness to the waffle’s flavor profile, it was still delicious. Hence, the waffle received a good score in this section.

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.

Though the pale coloration of the waffle didn't look great, the texture and taste were decent. It was soft and pliant with a taste that—while not gourmet—was good enough for breakfasts and light snacks.

Color (35%) — 5/10

• Color tone: Pale gold (Both)
• Color distribution: Even

The crust had a very light gold tone, with the pockets being slightly darker. Because the color was too light with the same tone as undercooked batter, we didn’t rate the waffle highly in this section.

Texture (25%) - 7/10

• Texture: Soft, but overly moist and mushy
• Aeration level: Medium

The overall texture was acceptable but certainly could have been better. We found several air bubbles throughout the cake's core when cutting the waffle open. They were small and had inconsistent distribution, resulting in a soft but spongy waffle.

Taste (40%) - 6/10

• Flavor: Sweet and slightly savory
• Mouthfeel: Soft, but mushy in certain spots

Our chef rated the Nostalgia’s performance in this test as “Good.” The full flavor of the Birch Benders mix was extracted: we got a sweet, slightly salty taste profile in this waffle. But where it fell short was in the mouthfeel. Though it was indeed soft, its mushiness affected the overall experience greatly.