Presto Flipside Belgian vs BELLA 13991 Rotating Side-by-Side Comparison
Can’t decide between the Presto Flipside Belgian and the Bella 13991 Rotating waffle maker? Our side-by-side comparison can help you pick!
Specifications
Design
Our first impression of the Presto 03510 waffle maker was that it’s a luxurious waffle maker. Unfortunately, upon closer inspection, many deficiencies were revealed. Its overall build quality isn’t very good, having many dents and gaps on various parts of its bodywork. This gave us the impression that its manufacture was done hastily.
The waffle plates were very well-built, but the non-stick finish could be further improved. During our cooking tests, we had to deal with several sticky waffles.
Lastly, the control panel itself does not have a browning control knob which some people may find slightly disappointing. But it’s not rare for waffle makers in this price range to lack a control function, like the BLACK+DECKER WMD200B or the DASH No-Drip.
With its glossy stainless steel exterior similar to pricier models like the Cuisinart WAF-F20P1 or the Hamilton Beach 26031, the Bella 13991 has all the hallmarks of a premium machine. But upon closer inspection, we found that the build quality isn’t very high, mainly due to the dangerously wobbly lid.
Apart from this glitch, other components of the Bella 13991, like the waffle plates, control panel, and power cord, are all up-to-par.
Usability Comparison
The Presto waffle maker is easy to use overall. You may initially feel slightly unfamiliar with its flipping function, but you'll get a grip on it in only a few minutes.
Safety is handled very well in the Presto waffle maker. We measured the surface temperatures of parts that the user regularly has to touch, such as the handle.
None of these parts get dangerously hot — they're uncomfortably warm at best.
It doesn't perform too impressively in our cleanability tests because its plastic exterior tends to grip dried batter.
The Bella 13991’s flimsy construction didn’t do very well in both our handling and safety tests, but it scored points for being very easy to clean. Overall, the waffle maker only squeaked past the test by a hair.
Performance Test
In our self-mixed recipe test, the Presto’s performance was lackluster at best. The waffles were disappointing, with a blackened, charred coloring and little to no flavor or texture.
The Presto performed much better with the new Birch Benders waffle mix in later test rounds. The coloration was great, and our chef judged the resulting waffles as being tasty. But it’s not perfect: the texture was deemed as needing improvement.
Although our first impression of the waffle maker wasn’t great due to some glaring design issues, the Bella waffle maker did fairly well across both waffle test recipes. The texture and flavor of its waffles were great — they’re not restaurant-level, but they aren’t bad for family breakfasts and light meals.
Overall Scores
Pros & Cons
- Unique ‘flip-side’ design
- Far more compact than other flip waffle makers
- Includes a timer with an audible alarm
- The safety rating is high
- Affordable
- Did a good job in both of our performance tests
- Overall design looks very premium
- The non-stick coating functions well
- Mediocre cooking performance with a tendency to char the waffle
- Poor build quality
- Certain spots on the waffle maker are difficult to clean
- Poor build quality
- The lid is dangerously loose
Conclusion
Although both the Presto Flipside and the Bella 13991 are flippable waffle makers, the way the Presto Flipside does it is pretty unique. Instead of rotating the baking chamber on a lifted frame, the baking chamber of the Presto is hinged, so you can physically flip it 180° from one side to the other on the table.
With this design, the Presto Flipside can be a lot more compact when it comes time to put it into storage. You can raise it vertically upward and fit it into a small cupboard.
The Bella 13991 has a more traditional design in comparison, with a lifted frame on which the baking chamber can rotate.
Performance-wise, both waffle makers did acceptably well in our cooking tests. However, the test score of the Presto was much lower since it didn’t do as well as the Bella in the test with our self-mixed waffle recipe.
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.
