Inexpensive waffle makers often use Teflon to create their non-stick surface, but Teflon isn’t a healthy cooking material. If the goal is to cook healthy waffles, a Teflon-free ceramic waffle maker or a cast iron waffle maker is your best bet.
Teflon was introduced by DuPont in 1946 and has a bit of an ugly history. It falls into the category of PFAS chemicals, which is short for per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances. PFAS have contaminated of water, soil and even the blood of people and animals over the last half century.
These forever chemicals are linked to cancer and do not break down in the environment. While some PFAS have phased out, the new PFAS that replaced them may be just as dangerous. Because of all this controversy, the safe route is to avoid all things related to Teflon especially when it comes to cooking.
Is Ceramic a Safe Cooking Material?
Ceramic is made from clay that is heated in a kiln. Ceramic in pure form is inert, meaning it is stable under most circumstances and doesn’t leach. The trouble is that most ceramic cookware isn’t made of pure ceramic. There is typically a glaze or coating of some kind.
If you are using ceramic in the kitchen, be sure to confirm the glaze is lead free. Old crockpots with the black glazed ceramic bowls, for example, will contain some lead. As for waffle makers, that the ceramic plates are coated with something.
I sent an email to Presto and Oster (the waffle makers listed below) for clarification on what their waffle plates are made of. Presto responded promptly and stated there was no coating—only ceramic plates.
I will update this post once I receive a response from Oster. All this is to say, ceramic is tricky and different products use different formulas, but I do believe ceramic waffle makers are safer than waffle makers that utilize Teflon.
Due to the unknown, I don’t use ceramic for day-to-day cooking. I use my ceramic waffle maker 1-2 timer per week and do my best not to overheat the waffle maker. My current Presto waffle maker does not have a temperature dial, so I can only be careful not to overcook and unplug it if I need to take a break between cooking waffles.
Let’s look at some Teflon-free, ceramic waffle makers as well as a cast iron option.
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Ceramic Waffle Maker Options
Oster Titanium-Infused DuraCeramic Waffle Maker
The Oster Titanium-Infused DuraCeramic Waffle Maker is inexpensive and makes a great waffle. This is the ceramic waffle maker I used until recently. It is made of ceramic, metal and plastic (the base) and is free of PFOA and PTFE.
The description describes the coating as titanium infused DuraCeramic nonstick. Again, I am waiting on further clarification from the company. I used this waffle maker for 5-6 years and never had an issue with the surface flaking or peeling.
You can keep the temperate just above medium and get crispy, firm waffles. Issues like leaching often arise when a cooking material becomes damaged or is over heated. This is the perfect Teflon-free waffle maker for those with kids or for those looking for the most affordable option.
Presto Ceramic FlipSide Belgian Waffle Maker
Presto Ceramic FlipSide Belgian Waffle Maker uses “ceramic nonstick plates” in their waffle maker. This is what I currently use. It’s a little more costly than the Oster, but still a great buy if you really love waffles. It has over 20,000 5-star reviews on Amazon, so I’d say most customers are happy with it.
The main differences I have noticed between the Presto and the Oster ceramic waffle makers is that the Presto makes a thicker waffle and offers the flip feature. The waffle thickness of the Presto is similar to what you get in a restaurant and the flip feature uses gravity to offer slightly more even cooking.
To my surprise and disappointment, the Presto came with a Prop 65 warning. This is not in the Amazon description, or I likely wouldn’t have ordered it. I was able to find out from the manufacturer, that the warning is due to ABS, a popular thermoplastic, in the timer and base of the waffle maker.
After some deliberation, I decided to keep it as the warning is not related to the cooking surface and many kitchen appliances come with Prop 65 warnings. Honestly, I also kept it for lack of better options.
I must say the Presto Flipside makes an amazing waffle. The waffles are thick, and it cooks very evenly on both sides, since you can flip it.
The bottom line is that waffle makers are tricky, and I don’t know of a perfect option. I even looked at some $200 waffle makers as part of my research for this post only to find that their cooking surfaces were no more reassuring.
Rome Industries Old Fashioned Waffle Cast Iron
If you are searching for the most non-toxic waffle maker on the market, there are several cast iron waffle iron options like the Rome Industries Old Fashioned Waffle Cast Iron. Most people who use these will tell you it takes some practice and some hard work.
This old-fashioned waffle iron allows you to cook waffles on the stovetop. It weighs four pounds to give an idea of how heavy it is. I haven’t tried this one, because I don’t feel like it fits with my current lifestyle.
We make waffles on school mornings, and I feel like the cast iron waffle iron is going to take a bit longer and require a bit more work. It may, however, be a great option for you!
Conclusion
So, is a ceramic waffle maker the best choice? Most likely, unless you are up for trying the cast iron option. If you use a stovetop cast iron waffle iron, please let me know how you like it and how it compares to the plug-in options.
We all have to do our own cost benefit analysis and decide when to put in extra work and when to press the easy button. I think we can say with a bit of certainty that any of the Teflon-free waffle makers in this post are safer than Teflon coated waffle makers.
Whatever waffle maker you decide on, be sure to test out my healthy blueberry waffles with oat flour recipe. These are 100% gluten free as long as you use gluten-free oats or oat flour. You can easily swap the blueberries out for chocolate chips.
As always, thanks for stopping by!
