Review: Sage by Heston Blumenthal No Mess Waffle Maker

I have to admit that until the Sage by Heston Blumenthal no mess waffle maker landed in my kitchen I was slightly skeptical about the need for a top notch waffle maker.  We do already have a very ordinary bargain waffle maker that makes very unremarkable waffles, but there is nothing I enjoy more than playing with a new gadget so was happy to be converted.

The machine is about the same size as a mini health grill – about 28 x 23cm standing about 15cm high, it is nicely solid weighing about 3kg.   To make the waffles simply switch it on choosing your heat setting, wait for the blue “ready” light to come on, pour in the batter, close the lid and wait for the waffle to cook then remove and eat.

Sage by Heston Blumenthal No Mess Waffle Maker – Key Features

• Makes a circular 17cm waffle which easily breaks into 4 quarters.
• Power rating between 750-900W
• There are 7 cooking settings which produce progressively darker and crisper waffles – we found level 4 was perfect
• Waffle batter expands when cooking so there is a handy moat around the edge of the machine to catch any drips
• Non stick plates with PFOA free coating mean absolutely no sticking, simply wipe clean after using
• Even heating means  evenly golden waffles
• The instruction books contains 4 recipes, we tried 2 (classic and Belgian-Style) and both worked perfectly
• Latch to lock the lid so you can store the machine on its side
• Two year guarantee

So what did we think?

After the first waffle I was smitten.   Perfect waffles on our first attempt – light, golden brown and with a crispy and crunchy exterior – so so much better than from the now defunct cheaper machine.   The waffle maker is super speedy taking a few minutes to both heat up, and to cook.  There is an audible beep once cooked so you can get on with other things and do not have to watch the machine.   Each quarter waffle is smaller than a traditional sized waffle making this machine very suitable for those with children, the machine can be used by a (supervised) 8 year old, and the handy drip moat will catch overflowing batter caused by over enthusiastic pouring.

I can see that we will be getting this machine out every couple of weeks, mainly for a leisurely weekend breakfast, or set up a waffle bar at a party or when we have friends staying and let them make their own. At £99 the machine is an investment, but it is so so much better than the cheaper models and makes amazingly good waffles, once you have one you will never buy a sad ready made waffle again.

Sage also make a Smart Waffle Maker at £170 – see Emily’s and Bintu’s reviews.

The rest of the Sage range is equally impressive and includes a centrifugal juicer, deep fat fryer and food processor (and one year on) and here – click the reviews from blogging colleagues.  Other items in the range include coffee machines, blenders, kettles, microwaves and stand mixers

We received a waffle maker for review – all opinions our own