Chefman Anti-Overflow Belgian Waffle Maker In-depth Review

Making waffles can be a messy business. The batter will bubble and spill out onto the table if you accidentally overfill the waffle irons. It is a problem Chefman said its "anti-overflow" waffle maker could fix, giving you a "mess-free waffle in minutes." 

It's a big claim; testing it and comparing it with other top-performing waffle makers is the only way to see if that's the truth. After putting the waffle maker through its paces in the lab, here are the test results.

Key Specs

Where to Buy Price at publication $31.27

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Compared to Other Waffle Makers

6.6 Performance: Great for the Price

The Chefman offers value well beyond its cost. All of the waffles it baked were good-looking and tasty during our performance tests. Even though the waffles may not be restaurant-grade, they could still serve up a wholesome breakfast for the family.

6.3 Self-Mixed Recipe

Scoring Components ↓

The coloration was decent but could be improved. But the texture, which was dense and very mushy, needs the most improvement. Despite all that, the texture of the waffle was good. The waffle would have received a perfect score if it wasn’t for the pulpy mouthfeel due to the mediocre texture.

Color (35%) — 6/10

• Color tone: Very dark brown (Both)
• Color distribution: Uneven

The overall coloring of the waffle was not impressive. The crust was a patchwork of golden brown and dark brown spots. Because of its blotchy appearance, the waffle doesn't get a high score in terms of color distribution.

Texture (25%) - 5/10

• Texture: Mediocre
• Aeration level: Low; next to no air bubbles present inside the waffle’s interior

The texture was mediocre. After 5 minutes, the core of the waffle still hasn’t been aerated. Cutting the waffle in half, we found very few air bubbles within. And sure enough, the low aeration rate resulted in a mushy waffle.

Taste (40%) - 7.5/10

• Flavor: Buttery and sweet, slightly salty
• Mouthfeel: Very mushy due to low aeration

The bad texture, fortunately, didn’t prevent the Chefman from receiving a good score from our chef. Its mushy mouthfeel was a turn-off, but the waffle maker did a great job developing the waffle. The final waffle has all the flavors we expected from the batter. The creamy butter, sweet sugar, and slight saltiness of the single teaspoon of salt came out nicely.

6.9 Birch Benders Mix

Scoring Components ↓

The waffle received a beautiful, light golden brown color throughout. But while it looked excellent, the waffle's interior hadn’t fully developed. Luckily, the waffle maker's heat still unlocked the full range of flavors that the batter had to offer. So, despite being a bit mushy, the waffle tasted excellent.

Color (35%) — 7.5/10

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

Coloring was good. Both the top and the bottom had a light, golden brown tone. We deducted a few points due to its undeveloped color. It almost appeared like the waffle wasn’t thoroughly cooked.

The color was distributed evenly across both sides of the waffle. It wasn’t perfect as there were still lightly seared spots within the wells. Nevertheless, the bottom and the top could be considered acceptably uniform.

Texture (25%) — 6/10

• Texture: Mediocre
• Aeration level: Low, air bubbles were few and inconsistent in size

The texture could be better. Although bubbles began to form within the batter, they were small and their numbers were few. It resulted in the core of the waffle being moist and less fluffy than it should be.

Taste (40%) — 7/10

• Flavor: Sweet and savory
• Mouthfeel: Mushy and moist

Despite the texture being less-than-ideal, the Chefman did its job. The machine extracted this batter's complete flavor profile: sweet and savory. The slight mushiness hampered our enjoyment, but overall, it was an acceptable Belgian-style waffle.

8.8 Design

Given the Chefman’s relatively budget-friendly tag, the quality of its design is very markable. The housing is made from sturdy plastic with a nifty rubber coating at the top of the lid.

If you're searching for an easy-to-use waffle maker, you'll be pleased to find that the control panel is easy to operate. The non-stick plates were also delivered as promised. We didn't have to deal with sticky waffles or lumpy batter residues at any point during our dozens of cooking tests.

In The Box

• Chefman waffle maker
• Instruction manual and quick-start guide
• A measuring cup

Besides the waffle maker itself, you will also get an instruction manual and a quick-start guide. A measuring cup is included to help you pour the correct amount of batter.

Dimensions & Weight

The Chefman waffle maker is compact and lightweight and doesn't take up much space on our countertop or storage shelf. It can even be stored vertically with the aid of a convenient supporting foot at the back.

8.0 Build Quality

Depending on the version you selected, the build materials will be different. The one we chose has a top lid made from a matte plastic material. In pricier versions, the top is made from stainless steel. The matte plastic exterior looks less attractive than stainless steel, but it’s less likely to scratch or defaces.

Overall, the build quality is good. The matte outer coating has a smooth, high-quality feel. Other components of the waffle maker are built durably.

We initially liked the elaborate lid-locking system, but it turned out to create some problems which we’ll detail below.

10 Waffle Plates

This section gets a rare perfect score from us.

The non-stick coating works well. After it was cooked, the waffle fell off the plates easily and didn't stick. Additionally, we rarely found any debris stuck to the plates.

An "anti-spill" moat wraps around the bottom plate. The moat usually prevented the liquid batter from spilling onto the counter when the batter overflowed during our tests. 

This design isn’t unique to the Chefman Anti-Overflow, however. In our database, the DASH No-Drip waffle maker also has these exact moats to the side to prevent batter spills, too.

9.5 Control Panel

The control panel consists of two indicator lights and a browning control knob. The knob is tactile and makes a satisfying clicking sound as it turns.

This waffle maker would’ve gotten a perfect score if it had an audible alarm or a timer.

Power Cord

The power cord measures 18 inches long, which is shorter than average. You may find you need an extension cord.

The underside sports a pair of hooks that you can wrap the cord around and prep the waffle maker for storage.

Accessories: Measurement Cup

The Chefman waffle maker comes with a measuring cup. You will find two markings on the cup that tell you the amount of batter you need to make a thin or thick waffle. This cup is dishwasher-safe.

On the handle is a notch that can be used to hang the cup to the side of the batter bowl.

5.6 Ease of Use

Unfortunately, the Chefman lost the momentum it had built in the previous tests in this section. During our safety tests, we found numerous issues. The lid-lock, while well-built and engineered, is difficult to use and potentially dangerous. The waffle maker's surfaces also heat up to dangerous temperatures after a few cooking sessions, which we consider another hazard.

Besides these two grievances, the Chefman did okay in other tests like cleanability. The non-stick coating of the plates makes cleaning the waffle maker after cooking much easier.

7.5 Handling

Handling is acceptable. The waffle maker is easy to operate and the controls are simple. Most people can immediately get started using only the information on the one-page quick-start guide.

The lid opens and closes smoothly.

However, we deducted points due to the awkward locking system, which is integrated into the lid, facing downward. You have to bring your hand very close to the waffle maker's hot surfaces to unlock the lid. We burnt our fingers more than once trying to open it.

2.5 Safety

Besides the problem with the lid lock, the design of the bottom waffle plate makes it difficult to extract the waffle after cooking. The bottom plate is deep, so getting your tongs to the bottom is tricky. Sometimes, we had to use our hands to pry the waffle up, then pick it up with the tongs.

The top surface of the machine gets piping hot after several sessions, with a surface temperature of 202°F.

The bottom of the handle, where you need to put your hand to operate the lid lock, was dangerously hot at 190°F. This is hot enough to cause a burn injury. It is also why the Chefman waffle maker ultimately failed the performance test.

The front side, which most people will need to grip onto to transport the waffle maker, can get uncomfortably warm. We measured a surface temperature of 124°F. If you need to move the waffle maker, wait a few minutes for it to cool down.

7.0 Cleanability

• Machine-Washable: No

The anti-spill moat helps prevent spillage, but it is not infallible. Rather than relying on the moat, use the measuring cup to ensure that you pour in the correct amount.

Cleaning the waffle maker is difficult. The rubber outer coating can hold on to dried-out batter stubbornly. It took us several minutes of vigorous scrubbing with mild detergent to remove the worst of the dry, stuck-on batter. Even then, traces remained.

10 Indicator Light Visibility

The indicator lights are bright and can be seen even under harsh studio lighting.