Side by Side Comparison of: Chef's Choice vs Nordic Ware

I love it. I can make whatever flavor and have enough to share. The batter is easier than I thought to make and it is quickly done in the Chef's Choice 835 Pizzelle Pro Express. I would recommend it to everyone who loves Pizzelle Cookies.

I had never made a Pizzelle before. I received my Chef's Choice and made my first Pizzelles. They turned out perfect and I was so proud! So easy to use but be very careful when latching. The iron is very hot so hold to the cool back part while latching the front. Perfect Pizzelles! I can hardly wait to make more. I will tell you that I had a tub of Coconut Pecan icing and I used it to sandwich my Pizzelles and they were soooo yummy. I bought this one because it does have the ready light and none of the others that I viewed had it. They give you a little plastic spoon but I found that 1/2 of a teaspoon in the center was perfect but even if you go over they come out great and you can just cut around the cookie to make it perfectly round. The design is perfect too. Oh, and it makes 3 cookies instead of 2. I paid for mine and did not get it free for a review so you know I am telling you the truth. I love mine! It cleaned up easily too.

came upon some pizzelle recipes and needed a pizzelle maker...after some research, decided on this one for a few reasons:1. small enough, won't take up much room2. like the red/green light system (just like my waffle maker by the same brand)3. makes multiple pizzelles at onceafter using it, here's what I find:pros - everything above except for #2cons - the red/green light doesn't help me that much; I find it goes from red to green too quick while the pizzelles are not yet "done" to my standard; so I ended up just watching for the smoke (as some people suggested); once there are no more smoke, it should be doneanother note is that the manual says to turn the color turner to about 3, but I find I had to turn mine up to 5 to get it to the right browness (and believe me, it wasn't a burned brown). When I left it at 3, my pizzelles took longer to brown, and also were very soft, not cruncy at all.Speaking of crunchy level, I still need to hunt for a recipe that would give me that extra crunch; some one told me to use rice flour instead of all purpose flour to achieve that. Will need to try that.The first batch turned out so horrible, but so glad I tested it out before making another batch for my party. I couldn't get the right amount on there to create perfect sized pizzelles; Using the spoon that came w/ it was too small...would only give me half of a pizzelle, scooping too much on it caused it to spill out AND resulted in pizzelles that were too THICK and were not cruncy at all.Finally after another entire test batch, I found the right amount, it is the size of my soup spoon...fills up the mold just right w/ barely any running down the sides and the thickness seems right. Now just need to work on getting it a bit more crunchier.

I love the smallness of this Pizelle Maker. My family was from France and they would make these too, for the holidays. So this year I thought I would pass on the tradition. I love how they are smaller, then original Pizelles. I made two batches, one formed a ball easy the other was kind of runny and had to had more flour. They do have recipes in the book. I got one on line. It does take some getting use to. Sprayed with a vegetable oil first. This does have a non stick coating. I scooped about 3/4 of a tablespoon, on the center of each circle. Kept temp about 3 1/2 and waited until no more steam(like waffles)I slid a spatula under them to transfer from the iron to the countertop. When I was done, I unplug it and and let it cool alittle, then I put some water on some paper towel and closed the lid and this actually steamed the iron clean. I did this a few times and wiped the iron down with the paper towels. Be careful not to let the wet towels burn you. I am sure with trial and error I will soon learn to perfect them. Still trying to roll them.... It was fun, easy and something I will pass along to my grandkids.

I purchased the Chef's Choice Pizzelle Pro Express Bake for my 87-yr old Italian Mother! She loves it! The smaller pizzelles are a perfect dessert size. She liked the #4 setting for a golden color, and they were the right thickness without being too doughy. Anise oil adds a marvelous aroma and flavor. For additional richness, a drop of Pure Vanilla is wonderful, or lemon zest! I have added Limoncello to my batter for a richer lemon flavor with a kick to it! The top of the chrome lid does get hot, like a wafflemaker--and the first batch she sprayed the grille with a non-stick spray to prime it. Each batch was perfect and "bellisimo!" It stores easily, and came packaged and boxed very sturdy with internal styrofoam boxing. And...arrived in 2 days!!! Now I am purchasing one for myself, since my current machine makes two large pizzelles and I love these smaller ones! The price is very reasonable, since I compare shopped a dozen stores and sites! Thank you Amazon, you made it happen! And my Mama says "Gracia!"

Chef's Choice 835 Pizzelle Pro Express BakeThe baker bakes 3 3" pizzelles at a time. Once the baker heats to the desired temperature there is no need to wait for the baker to reheat for the next batch. The recipes provided make 100 pizzelles. We have cut the recipe we use in half. We find the 3" pizzelle to be the perfect size for us. While quite tasty just out of the baker, they are even more delicious the next day - the anise flavor develops with a day of rest. The baker is easy to clean and the electric cord can be wrapped in a section underneath the baker making for easy storage. The instructions provided are easy to read, comprehensive, accurate and helpful.

Bought for wife... got me some cookies!

My mother has this item and has used it for years. I now own one, and it works great, just like moms!

It was just what my wife wanted. She is looking forward to using it in the near futher.

Had a great time with my daughter making these cookies. This iron is heavy duty and I would recommend it.

This was a perfect gift for my daughter to carry on the family tradition of making krumkake cookies! My grand daughter loved it as well.

I am very happy with this product. The first time I used it, it brought me right back to my childhood and making Krumkaka with my mother. Thank God they replaced the old metal roller with a wooden one. Wrapping the cookie around the wood, instead of metal, eliminated burns. I would recommend this product to anyone who wants to make cookies the old fashioned way.I used this product on a flat top range. It did require a longer warm up time than if I used a coil range.

I love making these but it takes a lot of tries to figure out how much batter to put on plate. I found it better to use more than less and just trim the cookies with a sharp knife. But you have to do it while they're hot or they break. My lights that indicate when it is heating and ready are not working right but I use my judgement and it's okay. I have made these for company and added colored nonparelles to the batter. I also have tried different flavors. At the end of the day, it's fun and I'm glad I bought it.

I have looked and looked for a pizzelle maker that bakes very think crispy pizzelles.Well, this one is baking NOT them very thin, like I like them to be. Not sure about how they usually are in USA, but in Europe we eat them very thin and the recipe we use for them is not a sweet one, but salty (we make them with flour, cheese, sour cream, butter and caraway seeds).Because they are NOT very thin, they are NOT very crisp either. In order to make them thinner (and crispier), I have found that I can use my two oven mittens and press really hard on the top of the baker (which is very annoying). If you do this, make sure you don't try without the mittens, as the top gets really hot and it will burn you.Also, some of the thicker pizzelles somehow get some air inside. It seems like it is creating a top and a bottom layer, and it gets like a bubble inside. It doesn't do it for all of them though and I noticed that if I press the top really hard it will eliminate this problem.The press doesn't bake evenly, the one in the back tends to be undercooked, while the ones in the front can get overcooked.Overall I am happy that I have it because I get to eat one of my favorite snacks, even if I am not 100% satisfied with it. For me the taste of the recipe I use is more important.I have had it for about 6 months now, and used it a few times. I am keeping it, and will keep using it again because I love to eat my pizzelles.

So many irons and so many recipes. Who knew? After a lot of research I went with this one. Once I got into the groove of preparing them and came to terms with the fact that the first half hour, 50 or so Pizzelle's, off the iron will be eaten immediately, and that it only seems like it takes forever... as they cook 3 at a time. It's the prep that can take as long or longer.I suggest - Try adding a tea spoon of frozen O.J. and Spiced Rum.AND a power hand mixer REALLY helps. Especially if you double the recipe like I do, as mixing can get difficult..

Gave this Pizzelle maker to my daughter for Christmas. Daughter wanted to start making pizzelles for her little girl and we hadn't had any since my mother-in-law passed away ten years ago. Daughter brought some pizzelles over New Years day and they were excellent! She said it took no time at all to make 20 of them so she kept going till she had a hundred. This product makes 4 at a time. I would call them medium in size and there is nothing better than a handful of pizzelles and a nice bottle of red wine at the end of the day under the old oak tree. I gave this item 4 stars 'cause my daughter has only had it less than a month, so we'll wait to see how it holds up. At the rate my daughter is using the Chef's Choice 835 Pizzelle Pro Express Bake, it is going to get a work out! So far so good. I can see 5 stars in the future!

I bought this pizzelle iron to make stroopwafels. The recommended heat setting is 3, but it comes out too gooey. I set it to 4-4.5 to get a nice golden color on the waffles. The pizzelle iron is coated with teflon, which makes it baking easy, mess-free (for the most part), and fast. I have a speck on the iron where the teflon coating either chipped off or flaked off during use. I've used it several times afterward and haven't noticed any more flaking. Cleaning the iron is a little tricky. Since it cannot be submerged in water, you can only clean it with a damp cloth/tissue, or a soft toothbrush. I recommend using a toothbrush to really get in the grooves to clean out the excess dough. Avoid using anything that will scratch the grill because it may cause the teflon coating to flake off. There's a dip around the iron (except the back) to collect excess liquid...usually butter! The lid is all metal, and the handle is a flat plastic tab with a latch that locks into place when the lid is closed. The plastic is rather flimsy and feels like will break off. You might have trouble locking the iron closed if the dough is too thick.Tips:=====- I found it easier to close the lid by pressing down on the metal lid slightly above the plastic handle (use an oven mitten or a towell!), then lock it in place by pushing in the latch.- For Stroopwafels: It's easier to slice waffles in half if you cut off the edges. A 2.5" or 3" circle cookie cutter works great!

This Pizelle Maker is great for a quick and easy cookie dessert. I had read many reviews of all the different types and brands. This one I like, as you can store it easy, there is no long handle which takes space away.Although used to the swiss pizelle iron which is a great material quality (and they cost here in the US around $300.00), this iron is just as good for once in a while pizelle baking. I used a swiss pizelle recipe which makes a thicker dough, you roll little balls and then just bake. I had abit a hard time with the timing, when exactly the cookies were done, so I just lifted the lid and checked. All in all I am happy with this pizelle maker. I am baking this year Valentines pizelles, Vanilla, Chocolate and Pink!

ok.

Got this for a relative for Christmas. They were happy with it.

It works perfect for me using different recipe! Only thing is I have to make the cover to put on the handler just in case i absentminded and touch the handler....

Nice krumkake iron, it took me a bit of time to learn how much batter to put on it, but once you get the hang of it, they look great when finished. The iron is well made and I will probably have it for years to come.

Good product. When in use after an hour, the heat causes expansion of the joint and it comes apart. Need to cool the joint down by dipping in cold water.

The iron works great. It's a tedious process but well worth it. Everyone was so impressed with the krumkake cookies at Christmas and it made me think of my grandma.

Handle broke almost 6 months after purchase. Useless now. I have had this pizzelle maker for almost 6 months and the handle that holds the lid down broke off. I had only used it about once a month. I loved the pizzelles and they came out great. Guess I should have gotten the extended warranty.

Quite messy, but tasted great.

It broke in 13 months. The handle broke. Prior to that I enjoyed using it but the red light/green light thing did not work well.

I got my Pizzelle Pro Express Bake in the mail a few days before Christmas - just in time to make pizzelles for the holidays. My mom and I made three batches. I like the iron okay, but did not realize that the pizzelles would be so small when I ordered the iron. They turned out only a fraction of the size that I have seen with other irons. There is a tiny spoon to put the pizzelle batter on the iron, but no tool for lifting the pizzelles off the iron. I found that several of my pizzelles ripped apart easily when I tried to remove them from the iron - even after cooking the recommended minute.

As far as the size, it is great for your cookie trays. I like the smaller size. As far as the machine itself , I made six batches of pizzelles and the plastic latch broke. My husband is going to try and make one out of metal. My other pizzelle machine that I had was a rival and it was constructed a lot better. I would never buy another machine with a plastic latch.

I was very exicted to get my pizzelle maker. I used it as per instructions. Never used anything but a plastic spoon in it...and never found the need for a oil spray. However on my second use I noticed the teflon was coming off on the very back disc...beyond the outline for the cookie. Was confused why it would be coming off there?? My cookie batch came out with teflon on it even!! I was so disappointed!!!! WASTED my money on a worthless product!!! The machine works perfectly , however none of us want to be eating teflon on our cookies. As much as I love this product I can't justify my family eating teflon!!!!!!! I have a picture of the teflon balding , and hope the company wishes to see it. DISAPPOINTED!!!!

I have made 6 batches of pizzelles....the locking arm broke. It is a bad design. It is too easy to birn yourself and for it to have broken already is just a huge disappointment.

I guess I didn't realize there were 3 little ones instead of 1 regular size one. Have tried several times and just made a mess. Not impressed with maker but I should researched more.

Don't always have uniform pizzelles. They are round on one side and rough on the other.

Don't know how this cheaply made item gets all the good reviews ??I must have purchased a "lemon". From the first time I used it,the lid has always been loose, with no access to screws to tighten it. This requires pushing down on lid (with a pot holder)to get the back pizzelle to bake along with the front ones. I bought this 5 years ago and now the heating elements must be failing because it bakes very unevenly, with many sticking, even after re-seasoning the grids. I have been making pizzelles since I was a child, helping my grandma and mom make them on an old-fashioned, hand held stove-top iron. I've had two other electric ones over the years, one with cast iron grids and one aluminum, and they are still usable, but cook slowly. I had hoped to purchase a newer, faster model, but this one is just a big disappointment. I will probably buy yet another one, but it will not be a Chef's Choice brand. Don't buy it !!

I bought this as a Christmas present for my wife. She made pizzelles years ago and was initially thrilled. But when she saw the small size of the cookies, her disappointment was clear. We never even plugged it in. I don't disputed the performance other reviewers claimed. But, we got the Villaware pizzelle iron instead and found this traditional size better suited to both standard cookies as well as filled cookies, ice cream cups, etc. that my wife likes to make. It also cooks faster than the Chef's Choice literature claims.Before you buy, be sure you realize how small the cookies this iron makes are. They just aren't suitable for some traditional pizzelle uses

I hate to sound like an old lady, but these are not made as they once were. The aluminum is brittle, it doesn't hold the heat like the older irons once did and it cracked. I looked for an old iron and am very happy again.

Only got the pizzell maker. The description stated that a spoon, canoli roller and recipe book was included. Well it wasn't there. Thus was bought as a gift and I just learned that t not everything was included. Very dissapointed

iI used this for 2 months and it broke today. Can't recommend

Handle broke after 3 months ordered a new one. That broke also. Poor quality

Product does not get hot enough to cook. Waste of money.

It worked well the first few times, but now no matter how much Pam I spray on it, it sticks too much to remove the food. Unfortunately, it is headed for the trash.

really didn't like it.. I'm sending it back.. makes the pizzelles too thick. you can't squeeze it to thin out the cookies.

I have return ít . Can you rèun money is a gifl . And i can buy another one

Very disappointed! Got the wrong item. It was a timely thing for me needed it for a family reunion.

I bought one and used it two times. The ball hinge at the top of the unit broke off. Very cheaply made especially compared to the old cast iron Jotul irons.

I was very disappointed to find the iron broken. So I have no idea if it worked well. Now I have the expense of sending it back, plus I won't be able to use it for my holiday parties.

I bought this unit a few years back. Worthless at best! I wish someone - even the mfg could come up with some kind of solution to retain the heat with these units. I called their customer service - who said, "Good Luck" as their best solution. The problem is - Aluminum cools off too fast. It will NOT retain heat. I wish I could locate a Cast Iron Krumkake! Do they make them anymore? eBay - HELP!!!

I had an old Krumkake Cast Iron that our hinges finally broke off and thought I would try this unit. Very disappointing! Ever cooked with aluminum foil in the oven? Within seconds from removing it from the hot oven you can touch the aluminum; right? I found this Cast Aluminum Krumkake Iron to be the same way. I couldn't control the heat. I constantly had to adjust the heat on my stove. How frustrating is that?I then purchased an electric unit. Thinking that was the way to go. Neat concept or so I thought. You can cook twice as fast - and two at a time to boot. However I couldn't control the thickness. If you don't mind the bits of Teflon (we called them, "Black spec surprises") and a cookie that is twice the thickness of an ice cream cone - the electric unit is definitely for you![...]