You may have heard of VillaWare if you own any small kitchen equipment such as waffle makers, panini presses, or food processors. However, it is equally conceivable that you have never heard of the VillaWare waffle maker (or any of their other products).
This is due to the fact that, although their goods were popular around the turn of the century due to the huge boom in tiny kitchen equipment, VillaWare has since vanished from the scene.
That is not to argue that their goods are substandard; nonetheless, internal business issues were the key causes to VillaWare’s demise.
In the following paragraphs, we will discuss what happened to VillaWare, some of their better goods, and our top pick replacements from other manufacturers.
Contents
- What Happened to VillaWare?
- Villaware Waffle Maker Alternatives
- Conclusion
- FAQs
- Does VillaWare still exist?
- How has the waffle maker changed over time?
- Which waffle maker does Belgian waffle use?
- Why did my waffle maker stop working?
- Is Villaware out of business?
- Who did the Queen buy a waffle maker for?
- What’s the difference between a waffle maker and a Belgian waffle maker?
- Is an expensive waffle maker worth it?
- What waffle maker does Bobby Flay use?
What Happened to VillaWare?
Several VillaWare culinary items, particularly their VillaWare waffle maker variants, are still available.
These goods, however, were manufactured in the early 2000s before Tilia, a vacuum-packaging business, purchased the firm. Some of them persist, albeit in small numbers.
VillaWare began in 1906, when CEO Bob Vitantonio’s great-grandfather introduced a patented hand-crank pasta maker. Since then, the Vitantonio family has continued to manufacture tiny kitchen equipment, particularly those for the Italian home kitchen.
This implies that new VillaWare goods are unlikely to appear unless you work in one of these speciality food chains or gourmet retailers. While it is unfortunate that they will no longer be providing their goods to consumers, it is comforting to know that Villaware is still working in the culinary sector.
VillaWare didn’t simply create waffle makers back in the day. VillaWare also produced its own panini presses, crepe makers, pizzelle makers, smoothie makers, food processors, and other kitchen appliances. At one point, they did offer an outstanding array of numerous sorts of VillaWare waffle iron cookers. Among these specialist waffle makers were:
- VillaWare Belgian waffle maker
- Mickey Mouse waffle maker (which VillaWare produced under a special deal with Disney)
- Krumkake baker
- Stick waffle maker
- Waffle boat maker
- Heart waffler
- Gravity waffle maker
- Disney princess waffle maker
- And many more
VillaWare, as you would expect, had a few unusual waffle maker choices back in the day that set them apart. One such example was their Disney-themed waffle machines, which not every firm is permitted to sell.
VillaWare also produced waffle makers in a variety of amusing shapes and themes, such as hearts and farm animals.
VillaWares Krumkake machine, or Scandinavian waffle maker, is one of their most distinctive products. Krumkake, often known as Scandinavian waffle cookies, are tiny, delicate sweets that vary much from our usual concept of waffles.
Villaware Waffle Maker Alternatives
If you want a waffle maker that compares to the classic VillaWare waffle maker models, you’re in luck! We’ve chosen a handful of our favorites to feature in this post for you. They are listed in the sections below.
1. Cuisinart Waffle Makers
Our top pick: WAF-F20 Cuisinart Double Belgian Waffle Iron
Cuisinart is a well-known and well-respected appliance manufacturer that produces anything from air fryers to food processors. If anything exists as a tiny kitchen appliance, chances are Cuisinart produces it (and it’s usually a good one).
While Cuisinart has hundreds of waffle makers, our favorite is the Double Belgian Waffle iron. This waffle maker is sturdy, with a stylish metal body that is simple to clean. It looks sleek and attractive in any kitchen, and most importantly, it serves its job perfectly.
What distinguishes the Cuisinart WAF-F20 from VillaWare waffle makers? While both are of comparable quality and style, the Cuisinart boasts contemporary features that the Villaware just cannot match. This waffle maker cooks one waffle on each side of the machine, allowing you to produce two entire waffles at once while still saving counter space.
Our favorite feature is a built-in browning dial that allows you to customize the texture of your finished waffles. Rather of having to choose between undercooked and overdone, you can manage the crispiness of the exterior while still assuring the doneness of the center.
However, you can’t go wrong with any of Cuisinart’s waffle maker options. They offer as many styles as VillaWare did in its prime, if not more, and they’re all packed with the practical quality-of-life features we’ve come to expect from Cuisinart.
2. Hamilton Beach Waffle Makers
Hamilton Beach 26030 Flip Belgian Waffle Maker is our top pick.
Hamilton Beach has been making tiny kitchen equipment for a long time. They, like Cuisinart, provide hundreds of goods in a variety of areas, but they excel in the morning meal category. Breakfast sandwich machines, coffee makers, and electric griddles are among their most popular products.
Hamilton Beach is a brand known for its convenience features. Some of their most popular items are their breakfast sandwich makers, which are meant to produce a whole meal for you in one go. Similarly, several of their goods, such as this Flip Belgian Waffle Maker, include detachable and washable plates.
Although this waffle maker can only cook one waffle at a time, the detachable, nonstick heat plates make it exceedingly simple to clean and maintain. When you’re done cooking your waffles, just remove the plates and place them in the dishwasher. This saves you time and effort, and it eliminates the need to scrape oil and dough from the crevices of your waffle maker.
Finally, this waffle maker has a browning dial to make it simple to prepare your favorite waffles. It’s also reasonably priced.
3. Black & Decker Waffle Makers
BLACK+DECKER 3-in-1 Waffle Maker with Reversible Plates is our top pick.
Reversible plates are one of the finest new technology developments in tiny kitchen equipment in recent years. Not only are most reversible plates totally detachable, making them simple to clean, but they also come in two different configurations for the price of one.
When it comes to this Black & Decker model, you really get three appliances in one. First and foremost, you receive the conventional waffle maker. This model allows you to prepare four waffles at once. However, the same waffle irons can be turned into a flat top surface, allowing you to cook eggs, bacon, pancakes, omelets, or anything else that can be cooked on a flat top.
Furthermore, when folded flat, this item transforms into two flat top surfaces, or you may use both flat tops together as a sandwich press. Finally, like with many waffle makers with detachable plates, you may purchase extra plate alternatives for this model. For example, if you wish to use your waffle maker as a panini press or grill, you can just purchase the appropriate plates.
This waffle maker, like the other two types mentioned above, features a temperature dial to adjust the doneness of your product. However, since it is intended to handle more than simply waffles, it also boasts a few additional convenience functions. For example, the flat plates contain specific grease grooves around the sides to facilitate cleaning.
Conclusion
In the end, although VillaWare is no longer very significant, it was one of the brands that contributed to the high quality of today’s waffle makers. Without the trustworthy technology that made VillaWare waffle makers other appliances dependable and successful, today’s offerings may fall short.
Some of VillaWare’s waffle maker models are still available today, which speaks something about the company’s quality. After all, without demand, there would be none on the market at all.
While we don’t advocate buying a VillaWare waffle maker until it’s on sale, the purpose of any waffle maker, new or old, is the same: to give you with a wonderful, golden, fluffy breakfast quickly and effectively every time.
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