After our former 'traditional' waffle iron no longer worked properly, we spent a lot of time searching for a similar replacement. We didn't want the 'Belgian' style waffle iron but this type seemed to dominate the market. Finally, we came upon the Cuisinart. It was the answer to our prayers. It was even better than our original waffle iron. It cooks to perfection; cleans up easily and looks good, too. We are entirely happy with our choice.