Today I’m reviewing the Bella Classic Rotating non-stick Belgian waffle maker, which was listed as the #4 waffle iron on Amazon in August 2022. I tested it alongside three other waffle makers from Amazon.
Where to Purchase
You can buy the Bella waffle maker from Amazon for $27-$40. I paid the upper end of that range, although the price does seem to fluctuate from day to day.
Claims & Features
- Makes 1″ thick Belgian waffles
- PFOA-free
- Variable browning control
- Rotating feature
- Indicator light
- Dishwasher safe drip tray
Bella Waffle Maker Review
I first encountered the Bella (usually stylized in all caps “BELLA”) waffle maker while planning a video comparison of the Top 4 waffle irons on Amazon. The Amazon charts change regularly, but at the time that I ordered the Bella, it was ranked #4 with over 15,000 ratings. The other waffle makers I reviewed were the Dash Mini Waffle Maker, the Oster Belgian Waffle Maker, and the Waffle Wow Cars & Trucks.
Before the Bella even arrived, I wanted to peruse Amazon comments to see what users were saying about it, paying particular attention to any negative reviews. While the reviews were mostly positive, a few complained that it was hard to time or that achieving crispy waffles was difficult.
For my first test, I used a standard waffle mix and followed the instructions. After plugging it in, I set the temperature control right in the middle, and waited for it to preheat. That process took several minutes, which was perhaps the longest of all the waffles makers I tested. After preheating, I opened the lid and applied a light coating of vegetable oil. I prefer to use vegetable oil over lower smoke point oils. The instructions clearly stated not to use cooking spray, which they claim can negatively affect the nonstick surface.
The instructions didn’t give an amount of batter to use, which is fair because the type and consistency of batter can greatly affect the final product. I went with one cup, as that was the amount listed in one of the recipes in the instructions guide. After pouring it in a circular motion, closing the lid, and rotating the handle, I waited only two minutes before the indicator light turned on. To my surprise, not only was the waffle done, but it was brown and crispy. There was very little residue, thus not much to clean. I wiped it down with a soapy sponge, then wiped it again with a damp sponge, and the overall cleanup was quick and easy.
Looking at the heated unit with my thermal imager showed that it had the hottest surface of all the waffle irons I tried, peaking around 450 degrees F.
Some viewers will say that the waffle I made in Round 1 was overcooked, however it was just right to me. When I went back for Round 2, all I did was increase the amount of batter slightly and repeat the process from the first round. A small amount of batter came out of the side, but it was not enough to fall onto the drip tray below. Once again, I had a brown, crispy waffle.
In the end, I chose the Bella as my favorite of the bunch, although they all performed well. Some consumers have complained that the unit did not last over time, although that was a small number of users. I’ll keep an eye on it and will update this space if anything changes.
If you’ve used the Bella waffle maker, let me know what you think in the comments below.
I use a different Bella model and found it does not make a crispy waffle at.the highest setting. Does this unit really make a crispy waffle and at what setting?
Thks
Mike