"Few breakfast-altering experiences outrival a freshly made waffle at a top-of-the-line resort hotel buffet. Kudos to parents who still whip up luscious homemade waffles, but instant frozen products have despoiled too many palates.

Once one tastes the ethereal textured goodness of a real waffle, there's no going back. Bless Waring, then, for letting even rank beginners recreate just a little magic at the homestead. The nonstick iron makes the Belgian sort with a twist -- or rather, a handle that rotates the iron around to let the batter puff and toast evenly. Three beeps tell the cook when the waffle is done to the preset browning levels. Also, everyone at the table gets it hot, since the waffles crank out in minutes.

In the old days, irons had to be "seasoned," and Waring touts its product as non-stick. Still, given today's healthier lower-fat recipes, brushing on a bit of oil at least the first time out might make popping out the finished product and cleaning that much easier. (A removable tray catches spillovers, which don't happen very often, thanks to the measuring cup included.) You'd have to pay in the high hundreds for a commercial one to get the same quality. Plus, Waring has a pretty good attitude about fixing or replacing defects.

The manual includes recipes, although grocery store mixes and home concoctions should work fine as well. "