CROWNFUL Mini Waffle Maker In-depth Review
Overall Verdict
The Crownful 4-inch Mini Waffle Maker has the same basic design. It has an almost similar cooking performance compared to other mini-sized waffle makers in the same price range. In particular, it was able to cook some decently-tasting waffles in our performance tests. They weren’t restaurant-grade by any means, but at least they were edible.
Where it distinguishes itself is the patterned exterior. The Crownful has a gorgeous outer shell with a patterned top.
The Crownful is easy to use, thanks to the lack of a control panel. You only need to plug it in. But its scoring suffers from having a bad safety profile. Many surfaces of the waffle maker get dangerously hot after one or two cooking sessions.
Things We Like
- Affordable
- Beautiful patterning on the lid
- Excellent build quality
- Easy to clean, thanks to the non-stick waffle plates and the smooth plastic outer shell
Things We Don’t Like
- Fairly mediocre performance in our performance tests
- Does not have a control panel
- Low safety rating
This 4-inch waffle maker is the only model in Crownful’s portfolio. It is available in four colors: white, green, black, and red. Although the box is relatively sparse, containing only the waffle maker and the manual, the unit has a distinctive design. Its textured lid and wooden handle allow it to visually stand out from other mini waffle makers in our database.
But does it fare well in performance tests against our list of front-lining waffle makers? Here is our full report after a week of testing the Crownful CF-WM01.
6.3 Performance: Great Scoring Throughout
In our cooking tests with the self-mixed recipe, the Crownful CF-WM01 waffle maker managed to achieve brilliant results across all three scoring criteria: color, texture, and taste. The waffles weren’t gourmet-grade, but they can still make for great breakfast treats for families and individuals.
However, in our test with the Birch Benders mix, the waffle maker notably failed the color test by producing a very pale, undercooked-looking waffle.
7.2 Self-Mixed Recipe
Our chef gave the CF-WM01's waffle a good score, citing the beautiful, lightly browned crust. The waffle's texture was soft, thanks to a decent aeration rate. But the waffle was still developing, and the air pockets hadn't expanded to their maximum size. Our chef also gave the waffle a good score in the taste section but didn't rate it highly as the waffle has a slightly cloying taste of the raw batter.
Color (35%) — 7.25/10
- Color tone: Dark brown (Top) — Light brown (Bottom)
- Color distribution: Uneven
The crust has an appealing shade of light golden brown. Within the deep wells on the waffle, the colors are darker, turning to a light golden brown.
We noticed the wells at the top of the waffle tend to be darker than the bottom. On some tests, the wells on the top side looked like they were charred, while the bottom remained lightly colored. This inconsistent heating pattern alludes to an unbalanced heating grid.
Texture (25%) - 7.5/10
- Texture: Soft in most parts, but mushy in certain spots
- Aeration level: Medium
The waffle’s interior has a medium aeration rate, and several air bubbles can be observed in its core. But since the bubbles were still developing, much of the waffle’s core was still solid and mushy. The mushy spots of under-developed batter stood out as an annoying contrast to the otherwise soft and spongy waffle.
Taste (40%) - 7/10
- Flavor: Sweet and savory
- Mouthfeel: Soft, but slightly mushy
Taste wise, our chef judged the waffle to have a good blend of flavors: sweet and savory. But the mushy mouthfeel was a turn-off that ultimately resulted in the Crownful getting only a Good score in this section.
5.3 Birch Benders Mix
The waffle was light colored and mushy when we picked it up from the plates. It was clear this test was a bust from the start. But surprisingly, while coloration and texture were discouraging, the waffle's flavor was decent. It saved the otherwise mediocre waffle from failing the test.
Color (35%) — 4.5/10
- Color tone: Pale gold (Both)
- Color distribution: Even
The waffle has the appearance of being undercooked with its pale gold crust. Some of the wells on the waffle were dark brown, slightly improving its look. But, as a whole, we still found the coloration not up to the mark.
Texture (25%) - 7/10
- Texture: Soft, but overly moist and mushy
- Aeration level: Medium
The waffle’s interior developed well. Slicing it in half, we saw prominent air bubbles and pockets inside. It should have resulted in a soft, fluffy waffle. Unfortunately, the waffle has a lot of moisture, making it limp and mushy. We let it rest for 5 minutes to see if it would get better, but the texture did not improve.
Taste (40%) - 5/10
- Flavor: Distinctly savory and sweet
- Mouthfeel: Very mushy
The waffle maker did a great job developing the waffle’s flavor profile. That was despite the lackluster color and texture. Our chef judged it tasty, with a distinct savory note, from the pre-made batter mix.
But while the taste was great, the mouthfeel was subpar due to the mushy texture of the waffle.
8.8 Design
The Crownful is visually striking compared to other mini-sized waffle makers in our database. Featuring a raised circular pattern on the lid and finished off with a light wooden handle, its aesthetic is the most remarkable part. The build quality is decent for the price point. A pair of solid hinges on the lid and the waffle plates are coated with a layer of functional non-stick coating.
Our only complaint is that, like many other mini-sized waffle makers, the Crownful lacks a control panel.
In the Box
- Crownful CF-WM01 waffle maker
- Instruction manual
- Warranty card
Dimensions
The Crownful lives up to expectations when it comes to compactness. You can easily fit the waffle maker inside a cupboard or a traveler’s backpack or duffel bag.
10 Build Quality
Since it is such a cheap waffle maker, we didn’t have high expectations of its build quality when we first received it in the lab. It was a pleasant surprise when we unboxed the waffle maker and found its build quality to be so good.
The top lid is made from textured plastic and has a pattern of raised, concentric circles. Contrasting the black paint of our unit is the light-colored wooden handle at the front, inscribed with the company’s name.
The build quality of the unit’s interior is also good. The lid hinges are solid, and the waffle plates are immaculate.
9.5 Waffle Plates
The cooking area of the plates is nestled inside a raised moat, which acts as an anti-spill channel. It is slightly offset from the moat, creating a fascinating “Hawaiian earring” pattern.
Although the anti-spill channel is meant to catch excess batter and prevent it from spilling out of the machine while cooking, it doesn't work well in practice. The channel is very shallow, so it has very little value unless the spill is minor.
The plates are coated with a layer of non-stick, which works well enough. We have never had trouble scooping out a finished waffle during our tests.
0.0 Control Panel
The waffle maker doesn’t come with any control feature. There is an indicator light at the top, which lights up when it’s plugged in, then turns off once the plates have been heated and are ready for use.
Power Cord
The power cable is very long at 31.5 inches, making it an even more attractive option for travelers who may not always have convenient access to power outlets. For those at home, the longer cord means you’ll most likely be able to skip using an extension cord (unless your kitchen has very odd outlet placement.)
But the longer cord can be a problem when it comes to storing the waffle maker, especially when it doesn’t have any cable management feature.
Accessories: N/A
The Crownful waffle maker doesn't come with any accessory.
6.6 Ease of Use
The lack of a control panel doesn’t mean the Crownful is hard to use. The opposite, in fact. Plug it in, wait for the signal light to go off, and pour your batter. Getting the perfect browning level can be tricky, but you’ll get the feel of it after some time using the waffle maker.
Cleaning up is a breeze due to its non-stick coating plates. Like most mini waffle makers we’ve tested, safety is an issue since the entire waffle maker heats up after a few cooking sessions.
8.5 Handling
As it doesn’t have any control features, all you have to do is plug it in. The waffle maker will handle the rest. Once the waffle plates are heated up, the indicator light at the top will turn off. That’s the signal to pour in the batter. Wait out the cooking time for however long you want, then lift the lid and extract the finished waffle.
The opening and closing motion of the lid is smooth, thanks to the solid lid hinges.
2.5 Safety
The Crownful has an abysmal safety score. But it’s worth noting that the faults don’t lie with the manufacturer. Like most mini-sized waffle makers, the whole unit has bad insulation because of its small size. After one or two cooking sessions, every surface on the machine will become piping hot: It is unavoidable. Unfortunately, since this is what we measure to determine a waffle maker’s safety score, the Crownful failed miserably in this test portion.
Using a thermometer, we measured the temperature of the waffle maker’s top side, which was 187.9°F.
The bottom side was warm, measuring 129.6°F. It’s still safe to the touch. However, it’s better to wear oven mitts while handling the waffle maker.
The handle was scorching hot at 188.4°F. The hot handle, combined with the hot steam surging from the plates, makes wearing oven mitts a must. The heat is intense enough to instantly cause a burn injury.
10 Cleanability
The Crownful is easy to clean, both from within and outside. The non-stick coated plates only need a few scrubs with a clean, dry cloth to remove batter residues or waffle debris.
The exterior of the waffle maker, made from a type of smooth plastic, doesn’t grip onto the dried batter. We left spilled batter to dry on the exterior of the waffle maker for a day. We were able to scour it off with a few spritzes of detergent and a cloth without any difficulty when we cleaned it the next day.
10 Indicator Light Visibility
The indicator light at the top was decently bright. We could see it even under studio lighting.