Our recommendations are made independently through Research & Testing. We may receive commissions from purchases made via our links.

Oster Belgian vs DASH No-Drip Belgian Side-by-Side Comparison

Matthew Lee
Matthew Lee
Reviewer
Nguyen Ntk
Nguyen Ntk
Visual Specialist
Updated
Tested Using Methodology v1.1
Updated Mar 19, 2023
Tested Using Methodology v1.1
Updated Mar 19, 2023
The Oster waffle maker, with its metal lid and black plastic base, sits amidst its shipping box (left) and manual (right).
The Dash No-Drip waffle maker with its lid opened, revealing its black waffle plates. To either side are instruction manuals.

Our Verdict

5.7
Overall Score
  • Performance (50%)
    6.0/10
  • Design (20%)
    6.2/10
  • Ease of Use (30%)
    5.0/10
8.0
Overall Score
  • Performance (50%)
    6.7/10
  • Design (20%)
    8.7/10
  • Ease of Use (30%)
    9.6/10

The Oster Belgian waffle maker doesn’t come in very high in our listing. It has some of the lowest scores in our tests due to an unstable heating element. The coloring tends to be bad, while the texture is mushy and the taste is bland.

Fortunately, the test waffles were still palatable.

On the other hand, the DASH No-Drip Belgian waffle maker is a full-size model. It can make four square waffles at a time, each one measuring 4 inches across. The DASH No-Drip Belgian also does its job very well. In our tests, it received a fairly high score in coloration, texture, and taste.

The only drawback is that it’s fairly pricey compared to the Oster Belgian waffle maker.

If you’re working on a tight budget and can’t get the DASH No-Drip Belgian waffle maker, we recommend picking other alternatives rather than going with the Oster. The Chefman waffle maker and the Cuisinart WMR-CA are both great budget-friendly models.

Often Disappoint More than It Please

Oster Belgian Waffle Maker’s Performance

DASH No Drip Waffle Maker’s Performance: Great in All But One Thing
6.0
Performance Scores
  • Self-Mixed Recipe (50%)5.2/10
  • Birch Benders Mix (50%)6.8/10
6.7
Performance Scores
  • Self-Mixed Recipe (50%)6.5/10
  • Birch Benders Mix (50%)6.9/10
5.2

Self-Mixed Recipe

6.5
Color: 5
35% * 5 = 1.8
Texture: 5
25% * 5 = 1.3
Taste: 5.5
40% * 5.5 = 2.2
  • Heat Level: Max
  • Cooking Time: 5 minutes

The Oster didn’t do well in our performance test. The coloration of the waffle—with its blotchy, charred crust—was disappointing. Cutting it open, the waffle had a dense and under-developed interior. It translated to an underwhelming mouthfeel in the taste test. And because the batter was only half-cooked, the waffle still tasted like raw batter.

Color (35%) — 5/10

  • Color result: Very dark brown - Dark gold (Both sides)
  • Color distribution: Even

The waffle’s crust was darkly colored, especially within the wells of the waffle, which had dark brown to very dark brown coloring. Fortunately, while they may look charred, we didn’t see any carbonization when we closely looked at each well.

Outside the wells, the waffle was a rather beautiful dark gold. But it’s still not enough for us to give the waffle a higher score than a five.

Both sides have roughly the same color gradient.

Texture (25%) — 5/10

  • Texture: Wet, mushy
  • Aeration level: Low

Despite the burnt-looking crust, the interior of the waffle wasn’t as well-developed as we had hoped. Air bubbles were visible, but they were small and few. Furthermore, the waffle’s core was dense and slightly mushy.

Taste (50%) — 5.5/10

  • Taste: Bland, bitter at charred spots.
  • Mouthfeel: Dry on the outside, mushy on the inside

The contrast between the overcooked outside and the undercooked inside makes for a disappointing tasting experience. There was a hint of the batter’s sweetness and buttery taste. However, the tastiness was ruined by the bitterness of the burnt crust and the egg-like taste of the undercooked core.

Ultimately, our chef rated the Oster waffle maker 5 out of 10.

Color: 5
35% * 5 = 1.8
Texture: 7
25% * 7 = 1.8
Taste: 7.5
40% * 7.5 = 3.0
  • 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.

6.8

Birch Benders Mix

6.9
Color: 6.3
35% * 6.3 = 2.2
Texture: 6.5
25% * 6.5 = 1.6
Taste: 7.5
40% * 7.5 = 3.0
  • Heat Level: Max
  • Cooking Time: 3 minutes

Although color distribution is uneven, the brighter and more palatable color tones are a big step up. The interior has developed this time, resulting in a soft and fluffy waffle. Our chef also rated the waffle’s taste highly, appreciating its sweetness and velvety texture.

Color (35%) — 6.3/10

  • Color result: Very light gold and dark brown (Both)
  • Color distribution: Uneven

Coloration is slightly better this time around with the pre-made mix. Unfortunately, the difference between this one and the earlier sample made from our self-mixed batter isn’t drastic enough to give it a significant score boost.

The color tone is better with a nice golden brown shade at the center of the waffle. Surrounding the center is a noticeable “ring” of burnt batter that ruins the aesthetic of the waffle. Out along the edges, the crust there has a light gold of undercooked batter.

It’s because of this unequal distribution of colors is the reason why it doesn’t get a higher score in this segment.

Texture (25%) — 6.5/10

  • Texture: Mediocre
  • Aeration level: Medium; air bubbles were beginning to form, but their sizes were still small

Texture is acceptable. Despite the unattractive coloring, the inside of the waffle has nicely developed. The aeration process has formed a lot of tiny air bubbles on the inside, creating a soft, fluffy texture. Although it is not excellent, the texture of this one is at least acceptable.

Taste (50%) — 7.5/10

  • Flavor: Sweet
  • Mouthfeel: Soft, no excessively dry spots

Taste is the best part of this test. Compared to the earlier test done with self-mixed batter, the sample produced with the pre-made mix tastes better, according to our chef. Because there’s very minimal burnt spots, the flavor is sweet without any hint of bitterness. This, combined with the fluffy texture, creates a decently-tasting waffle that comes closer to the “restaurant-quality waffle” slogan that Oster has placed in its advertisements.

Color: 6.5
35% * 6.5 = 2.3
Texture: 6.5
25% * 6.5 = 1.6
Taste: 7.5
40% * 7.5 = 3.0
  • 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.

Oster CKSTWF2000 Belgian Waffle Maker’s Design

DASH Deluxe No-Drip Belgian Waffle Maker’s Design
6.2
design Scores
  • Build Quality (60%)4.5/10
  • Waffle Plates (30%)8.5/10
  • Control Panel (10%)9.0/10
8.7
design Scores
  • Build Quality (60%)9.5/10
  • Waffle Plates (30%)10/10
  • Control Panel (10%)0/10

What’s In the Box of the Oster Belgian Stainless Steel Waffle Maker?

What’s in the Box of the DASH No-Drip Waffle Maker
  • Oster waffle maker
  • User manual

In the box, you get the waffle maker and a simple user manual. There are no extra accessories. This is not surprising considering the budget price point of this 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.

Dimensions

  • Length:
    10.0" (25.4 cm)
  • Width:
    8.0" (20.3 cm)
  • Height:
    4.0" (10.2 cm)
  • Weight:
    3.2 lbs (1.5 kg)

The Oster waffle maker is quite compact. Thanks to its size, it won’t take up much space on the countertop, and storage is easy. Notably, you can also store the waffle maker standing upright (vertical).

  • 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.

4.5

Build Quality

9.5

The stainless steel housing gives the Oster waffle maker a sharper, pricier look. However, the waffle maker’s rough edges are clearly revealed when you scrutinize it up close. Fingerprints can easily smudge the stainless steel surface. Even when you lightly scrape the surface with your fingernails, ugly scratches can appear on the metal.

After a couple of days in the lab, the top surface of the waffle maker lost its original shine. We couldn’t restore it even after several attempts at wiping it down and polishing it.

Like most affordable waffle makers, detailing like the handle, base, and control panel section are made from plastic. They look and feel cheap.

Build quality is poor on the review unit we received. The lid’s hinges are loose and rattle even when lightly tugged. On the backside, we found poorly tooled parts with rough edges, scrapes, and dents. Worse still, the backside of the waffle maker has gaps that reveal its guts, exposing its internal wiring and circuits.

For these reasons, we assess the Oster’s construction quality as mediocre at best and sub-par at worst.

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.

8.5

Waffle Plates

10
  • Number of Plates:
    2
  • Grid Pattern:
    Belgian-style
  • Plate Area:
    7.8 inch2
  • Plate Length:
    7.1" (18.0 cm)
  • Plate Width:
    7.1" (18.0 cm)
  • Material:
    Die-cast aluminum
  • Non Stick Coating:
    Yes
  • Removable:
    No
  • Dishwasher Safe:
    No

The waffle plates are made from die-cast aluminum. It is imprinted with the classic Belgian-style grid pattern. The total diameter of the waffle plate (with the outer anti-spill moat included) is 7.8 inches. It is able to produce a 7-inch waffle.

According to Oster, the non-stick coating is food-grade polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE — also known as Teflon), and has been approved by the USDA.

The inclusion of PTFE can be a deal-breaker for many. However, note that, unlike PFOA, PTFE is inert and relatively harmless at temperatures under 400°F. Only when the temperature exceeds 400°F can the PTFE coating become a problem by releasing toxic gasses. During normal operation, the waffle maker isn’t going to come even close to this threshold. Thus, the waffle plates are still classed as safe for use.

The waffle plates are not removable.

  • 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.

9.0

Control Panel

0.0
  • Indicator Lights:
    Yes
  • Audible Alarm:
    No
  • Timer:
    No
  • Browning Control:
    Yes

Though the control interface is barebones, that is to be expected for such an affordable waffle maker. There are two indicator lights. One will glow red when you plug it in (POWER light), and the other green light will light up when the waffle maker is heated to the correct temperature.

Above the indicator lights is a temperature control knob. The knob takes some force to turn and makes a distinct clicking sound as it does so.

  • 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.

Oster CKSTWF2000 Belgian Waffle Maker’s Power Cord

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 unit’s power cord is short. You will either have to move the waffle maker very close to a power outlet or use an extension cord.

The back foot of the waffle maker has a grommet. You can wrap the power cord around it for easier management and storage. However, since there’s no lock or notch to hold the cord in place, it can unravel easily.

  • 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.

N/A

Accessories

N/A
  • Material:
    N/A
  • Removable:
    N/A
  • Dishwasher Safe:
    N/A

The Oster waffle maker doesn’t come with any extra accessories. Once again, at this price point, that’s what we expected.

  • Material:
    N/A
  • Removable:
    N/A
  • Dishwasher Safe:
    N/A

The DASH waffle maker does not come with any accessories.

Ease of Use

Oster Belgian Waffle Maker Review

DASH No Drip Belgian Waffle Maker Review: Ease of Use
5.0
usability Scores
  • Handling (25%)6.5/10
  • Safety (40%)1.7/10
  • Cleanability (25%)9.0/10
  • Indicator Light Visibility (10%)4.5/10
9.6
usability Scores
  • Handling (25%)9.5/10
  • Safety (40%)9.2/10
  • Cleanability (25%)10/10
  • Indicator Light Visibility (10%)10/10
6.5

Handling

9.5

Generally speaking, the Oster waffle maker is easy to handle. Even when it’s heated up, the large plastic handle at the front remains cool to the touch. However, the lid’s hinges are shaky. They make the closing and opening motion a bit awkward.

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.

1.7

Safety

9.2
  • Top Side Temperature:
    176°F
  • Bottom Side Temperature:
    143°F
  • Handle Temperature:
    189°F

Using a thermometer, we checked the temperature of the waffle maker’s various parts.

The handle was dangerously hot, with a temperature of 189°F. After several cooking sessions, the heat from the heating element and the hot steam raised the handle’s temperature to the point that it could easily cause a burn injury. This is the most serious safety problem of the Oster.

Not just the handle, the control panel area was also piping hot at 176°F.

On the underside of the waffle maker, the front plastic “leg” got quite toasty at 143°F.

So, be careful if you pick up the waffle maker by grabbing the bottom legs. The front part may be quite hot.

The exposed electronics and wiring on the backside could turn the machine into an electrical hazard. A point was further deducted from the overall score.

  • 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.

9.0

Cleanability

10

The Oster receives a good score in cleanability. Although it doesn't have a drip tray for spilled batter, it can be dealt with fairly easily when a batter spill does happen. Even when the batter dries out and settles on the waffle maker’s body, all surfaces can be scrubbed down easily with a dash of mild detergent.

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.

4.5

Indicator Light Visibility

10

The unit we received has very dim indicator lights. Under normal lighting conditions, the two lights are hardly visible.

It’s only when we cupped our hands above the lights to shade them from the ceiling lights that the indicators became clear. The lights aren't visible in harsh daylight and studio lights.

The indicator lights are bright enough to be clearly visible under studio lighting.