Euro Cuisine WM520 vs Hamilton Beach 26031 Side-by-Side Comparison
Here is our comparison of the Euro Cuisine WM520 Norwegian-style waffle maker and the Hamilton Beach 26031 Belgian waffle maker.
Specifications
Design
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).
The Hamilton Beach 26031 boasts a sleek, luxurious design crafted from stainless steel. We’re quite impressed with the build quality of the ceramic waffle plates. The smooth coating and solid feel of the plates in hand leave no doubt that Hamilton Beach has paid close attention to its construction.
We also liked the control panel. It’s highly intuitive and easy to use, consisting of a single dial for controlling the browning level and two indicator lights.
Usability Comparison
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.
The Hamilton Beach 26031 has been given a high ease of use score thanks to the simple controls and effortless operation.
Our trials revealed that the lid and flipping mechanism worked wonders. Safety tests also showed that the Hamilton Beach 26031 is generally safe for most people to use — no excessive hot spots or structural flaws.
To make things even better, the waffle maker already included a drip tray and removable plates, making it a breeze to clean.
Performance Test
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.
The Hamilton Beach 26031 did excellently in all of our cooking test sessions. The texture and taste of the waffles were impressive, according to our chef. However, the coloration of the waffles could still be improved. Most of the waffles we made had dark colorings, which wasn’t ideal.
Overall Scores
Pros & Cons
- 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
- Luxurious aesthetic by incorporating premium materials (stainless steel and ceramic)
- Does a great job in all of our performance tests
- Removable and washable waffle plates
- Easy to clean thanks to the included drip tray
- 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
- The spin-lock mechanism at the handle is finicky
Conclusion
In most aspects, the Euro Cuisine WM520 and the Hamilton Beach 26031 are the same.
Both are mid-range models and share the same polished design. Regarding cooking performance, the Hamilton Beach 26031 has the edge over the Euro Cuisine WM520. Nonetheless, we assessed both models to be capable of making decent-quality waffles for breakfasts and daily meals.
Where they differ is in the patterning of their waffle plates. The Hamilton Beach 26031 is a Belgian waffle maker. Meanwhile, the Euro Cuisine WM520 comes with Norwegian-style, heart-shaped waffle plates.
Most people are familiar with (and prefer) the thick, classic-looking Belgian waffles. But heart-shaped waffles can be a fun addition to the table for festive times like Christmas or Thanksgiving. There’s also nothing stopping you from eating heart-shaped waffles every day!
So, the choice between these two is simple: do you prefer Belgian waffles (Hamilton Beach 26031) or some unique-looking heart-shaped waffles (Euro Cuisine WM520)?
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.
