Oster Belgian vs DASH No-Drip Belgian Side-by-Side Comparison
What to pick between the Oster Belgian waffle maker and the DASH No-Drip Belgian waffle maker? Here’s an analysis of the two!
Specifications
Design
The flimsy craftsmanship of the waffle maker became immediately evident, with exposed electrical wires and poorly put-together details.
Fortunately, the non-stick Teflon plates proved to be a saving grace. They worked very well and saved us quite some time and effort during the clean-up. We also like the clicky, tactile browning control dial on the Oster waffle maker’s control panel. It’s quite satisfying to use.
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.
Usability Comparison
The Oster waffle maker struggled greatly during our safety tests. After a couple of cooking sessions, we noticed that every surface of the machine became dangerously hot. This, combined with its mediocre build quality and many build quality issues like exposed wiring in the back, pushed us to give it a failing grade.
The control panel indicator lights were very hard to read under bright light, leaving us with an awkward handling experience.
Its only redeeming factor is cleanability. The plates are easy to clean off, thanks to their non-stick coating. The materials of the body also don’t grip onto the batter, so we were able to wipe it down just with some mild detergent and a soft cloth.
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.
Performance Test
The Oster waffle maker failed to impress in both waffle test recipes. All the waffles we baked with it were undercooked or burnt. Even after a dozen different test sessions, we still haven’t seen a waffle that’s right between these extremes baked by the Oster.
Taste is a game of chance with the Oster waffle maker, but it often disappoints more than pleases.
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.
Overall Scores
Pros & Cons
- Affordable
- Performs decently in our test with Birch Benders mix
- Fairly compact design makes for easier storage
- Responsive temperature control dial
- 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
- Unremarkable performance in our test with our self-mixed waffle batter
- Bad build quality
- Exposed electronics could be safety hazards
- Very dim indicator lights
- The unit’s appearance looks quite cheap
- Lacks a control panel
Conclusion
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.
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.
