Salter Deep Fill Waffle Maker review: Big waffles, small price

While there are a plethora of fairly similar waffle makers on the market, the Salter Deep Fill Waffle Maker stands out from the crowd thanks to its deeper than average cooking plates. With the ability to make two thick waffles at a time, this budget-friendly model is a simple and effective operator and makes for a solid addition to any kitchen looking to make breakfast time more interesting.

It might not come with any extra bells and whistles, but this model does show a commendable amount of thought in its design relative to its low price and most importantly, impressed during our hands-on testing.

Salter Deep Fill Waffle Maker review: What do you get for the money?

The Salter Deep Fill waffle maker is a true budget option, usually retailing for somewhere between £25 and £30. In the box, you’ll find the waffle maker and a short instruction booklet and though this booklet doesn’t include any recipes, Salter does point users toward the solid range of waffle recipes available for free on its website.

Design-wise, the appliance has a stainless steel and black plastic exterior, measuring 29 x 15 x 29cm (WDH) and weighs just under 2kg. Fairly standard for budget waffle makers, the Deep Fill doesn’t have an on switch or temperature dial, instead using two lights on its exterior. The green one is to indicate it’s plugged in and the red light signals it has reached operating temperature.

The handle on the appliance can be locked in place and is also designed to be cool to the touch to prevent accidents. Opening it up, you’ll find the machine’s two large, non-stick aluminium waffle plates, which produce waffles 14 x 13cm in size.

Recommended waffle makers that sit in the same price bracket as this Salter model include the Giles and Posner Bubble Waffle Maker (£24), which is designed to make bubble waffles, a popular street food, and the VonShef Quad Waffle Maker (£35), a straightforward and effective model which can make four waffles at once. If you want to consider spending a bit more, the Lakeland No Mess Waffle Maker (£60) and the Sage No Mess Waffle Maker (£100) both include overflow channels to catch excess batter and minimise mess, with the Sage model offering premium features such as a temperature control dial.

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Salter Deep Fill Waffle Maker review: What’s good about it?

Unlike many models in its price bracket, which tend to look a bit cheap and plasticky, the Deep Fill looks fairly stylish. It’s also light and compact, meaning it can tuck away neatly in a cupboard or on a shelf when not in use.

In testing, the waffle maker heated up quickly, taking just over three minutes to reach temperature. After filling the plates about 2/3rds full, as helpfully indicated in the instructions, the Salter Deep Fill produced two well-browned waffles in seven minutes and 30 seconds. Though this is a good deal longer than most waffle makers, when taking into account the extra thickness of these waffles, it’s a reasonably quick cook. Furthermore, if you prefer your waffles on the bouncier side, a five minute cook time is sufficient to cook subsequent batches through, while still achieving a good colour on the outside.

When it came to the all-important taste-test, the waffles produced by the Salter Deep Fill proved to be more than just visually different to waffles made by similar models. While remaining nicely crisp on the outside, the waffles had a very pleasant fluffy interior texture and felt significant to bite into. The larger pockets on the waffles also proved to be great reservoirs for generous helpings of syrup, which is a strong positive if, like me, you like to load your waffles with toppings and sauces.

As far as clean-up goes, the Deep Fill proved similarly hassle-free to other models I’ve tested. It required a wipedown with a damp, soapy cloth to remove all residue, then a second wipedown to rinse off any cleaning product used. Overall, the Salter Deep Fill Waffle Maker was simple to set-up and operate and was easily cleaned-up and put away.

Salter Deep Fill Waffle Maker review: What could be better?

While operating smoothly for the most part, the Salter Deep Fill Waffle Maker did draw a few of my standard complaints for appliances of its ilk. First, the lack of an on/off button is frustrating. Having to directly plug and unplug an appliance to turn it on and off – especially one that gets as hot as a waffle maker – never sits quite right with me. Secondly, though the outside of the appliance was well put together, I did find the plates and the device’s hinge felt the smallest bit rickety.

Finally, outside of its deeper plates, the Salter Deep Fill doesn’t offer any additional features or functions. All that said, the very reasonable price of the waffle maker explains away most of its functional simplicity and instability.

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Salter Deep Fill Waffle Maker review: Should you buy it?

Ultimately, while it may not have the breadth of features and neat design touches of more expensive models, this waffle maker is a solid, budget-friendly buy for anyone looking to make tasty breakfast treats at home. For its price, the Salter Deep Fill Waffle Maker does its job well, operating simply, effectively and ultimately living up to its name, producing well-formed waffles that are noticeably thicker than those made by other waffle makers we’ve tested. If you’re looking to make waffles for larger groups, however, or just want something with a more luxury feel, I can also recommend the Lakeland No Mess Waffle Maker (£60) for its batch-cooking abilities and Sage’s The No Mess Waffle Maker (£100), my favourite waffle-making option overall.