Compare Waffle Makers
Breville Smart Waffle Pro 4-Slice BWM640XL scores higher on safety - here's why.
The most important dimensions, side by side.
Breville publishes a full chemical disclosure page that explicitly names PTFE as the coating base polymer. This is the most transparent approach among PTFE-coated products — you can make an informed decision rather than guessing.
Ninja only uses the 'NeverStick' brand name without naming PTFE anywhere. Third-party research confirms this is a PTFE-based coating. Without a disclosure page, buyers have no official source to verify what's on the cooking surface.
Expected to be UL 1083 certified as a premium US-retail appliance — Breville products at this price point routinely carry this electrical safety certification.
Carries UL 1083 certification as a mainstream US-retail appliance — covering thermal safety cutoffs and electrical wiring protection.
At 1,800 watts this is the highest-wattage model in the group — plates heat fast and recover quickly between batches, which is central to food testers consistently ranking it first for waffle quality.
1,000 watts is functional but on the lower end for Belgian waffle making. You may notice longer preheat times and some variability in browning when cooking multiple rounds.
Breville doesn't disclose the number of PTFE coating layers — consistent with the rest of the category. For PTFE coatings, durability depends more on application quality than a simple layer count.
Ninja doesn't publish coating layer count for NeverStick — consistent with the rest of the category where this information is universally undisclosed.
Twelve browning levels give you fine-grained control — food testers cite this as the key reason this model produces the most consistently repeatable results. One notch at a time to your exact preference.
Six browning settings cover a solid range from light to dark — more control than basic 4-setting models, though not as granular as premium options.
The plates are built into the unit and can't be removed. Cleanup is a wipe-down only — the drip moat helps by catching overflow, but grid surfaces require careful manual cleaning.
Fixed plates mean cleanup is limited to wiping the grid surfaces with a damp cloth. Combined with no drip moat, this is the most involved clean-up experience in the category.
The non-removable plates can't go in the dishwasher. A damp cloth or soft brush through the grid is the only cleaning option.
Fixed plates, no dishwasher cleaning possible. Hand wipe only — more labor-intensive given the deep Belgian waffle grid pattern.
The moat around the plate edges catches overflow batter. Even though cleanup is more involved with fixed plates, at least the overflow doesn't also run onto the counter.
No drip channel. If batter overflows the grid edges, it runs directly onto the counter or down the sides of the unit, adding to an already more involved cleanup.
Four waffle squares per batch means a family of four eats at the same time. The consistent temperature control makes every square come out evenly regardless of position.
Single-waffle output — right-sized for one or two people, but sequential batches are needed for any larger group.
The LCD countdown timer and audible alert let you step away completely during cooking — multiple timer presets match the different browning levels for a fully hands-off experience.
LED status light and audible beep signal preheat and cooking completion — you can step away from the kitchen and come back when you hear it.
At 6.7 lbs it's manageable but most users will keep it on the counter permanently rather than moving it in and out of storage each time.
At 5.7 lbs it's in the mid-range — storeable but slightly heavy if you're moving it in and out of a cabinet frequently.
At $300 you're paying top dollar for the best cooking precision. From a chemical safety standpoint, the performance premium doesn't offset the PTFE coating, but for performance-first buyers this is the benchmark investment.
At $70 the pricing is accessible, but comparable or better options exist at similar prices. Hamilton Beach offers 'Better' tier ceramic with removable plates for similar cost.
Everything you need to make the call - who each one is for, and who should skip it.
Go for it if you...
Cooking performance is your top priority and you accept PTFE as a trade-off
You want the waffle maker that food testing labs consistently rank first on waffles quality
You cook waffles frequently for groups and the 12-setting precision and 4-square output justify the premium
Chemical safety is not a factor in your purchasing decision
Budget is the primary consideration and you have no concerns about PTFE coating chemistry
You cook waffles for one person and don't need multi-waffle output
The light-and-beep doneness indicator is important to you and other options at this price don't offer it
The main thing to know
PTFE coating is confirmed via Breville's own disclosure page — this is the performance-first choice, but from a food-contact chemistry standpoint it's the lowest-scoring product in the group.
NeverStick coating is PTFE-based per third-party research, but Ninja doesn't disclose this anywhere in their materials — you can't verify the cooking surface chemistry from official product information.
Skip this if you...
PTFE or PFAS coatings are a concern for your household — this is the only confirmed-PTFE product in the comparison
You want removable dishwasher-safe plates — fixed plates limit cleanup to wiping
Budget is a constraint — $300 is a steep premium when similarly performing PFAS-free options exist
Chemical safety is any consideration — this is the only product with both undisclosed PTFE and no transparency page
Cleanup convenience matters — no drip moat plus fixed plates equals the most complex post-use routine in the group
You're comparing this to Hamilton Beach at a similar price — Hamilton Beach offers Better-tier ceramic with removable plates for comparable cost
Neither of these quite what you're looking for?
I've reviewed all Waffle Makers options at every price pointEvery Waffle Makers in our database is scored using R3's deterministic scoring system - the same inputs always produce the same score. For this comparison, we evaluated Breville and Ninja across 3 independent criteria: Safety (78%), Efficacy (16%), Usability (5%). No sponsored rankings. No paid placements.
Straight answers - no sponsored content, no filler.
I'd start with Breville Breville Smart Waffle Pro 4-Slice BWM640XL - it scored 4.7/10 overall in our scoring system. Safety is our top-weighted scoring pillar, followed by efficacy, and usability. Check which pillar matters most to your family and compare those specific scores.
R3 uses a deterministic scoring system - the same inputs always produce the same score. We evaluate each Waffle Makers across Safety, Efficacy, Usability using independently verified data. No sponsored rankings. No paid placements. Every score is fully reproducible.
Not necessarily. The overall score reflects our weighted rubric, but your priorities may differ. If you care most about safety, compare the safety scores directly. If budget drives your decision, the prices tell a clearer story. The "right" pick is the one that matches what matters most to your family.
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