Historically, waffle irons were first used in the Low Countries, maybe around the 14th century. A pair of hinged iron plates attached to two long wooden handles formed the basis of this design. Not until 1911 did General Electric build a prototype electric waffle iron, after which the company began mass-producing them in the early 1920s.
In the early days of cast iron waffle irons, the plates frequently included intricate patterns, almost like etchings, that left imprints on the waffles as they were cooked. As time went on, and people began to add delicious toppings to their waffles, the waffle iron began to take on more of the grid pattern that we know today, leaving gaps in the cooked product for syrup, fruit, and other stomach-pleasing delights to fill in the spaces.
The problem was that the ancient cast iron waffle irons were difficult to work with. They were heavy and bulky, and the user was frequently burnt as a result of their use. The wooden handles were prone to scorching, as was the waffle, which couldn’t really be examined to see if it was fully cooked until it was too late.
Around 1920 the invention of the electric waffle maker appeared. These waffle iron would not need to be cooked over an open fire or woodstove. They were lighter and cooked faster than the old cast iron waffler makers.
The invention of the electric waffle maker spelled the end of cast iron waffle makers. There are still plenty of them around in antique stores around the country and at reasonable prices. They are still very cumbersome to cook with but provide a great waffle once you learn the trick of cooking with a cast iron waffle maker which includes proper temperature and timing of when to turn the waffle to make it cook even and crispy…
More information about waffle makers check out Cast Iron Collector
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