Frozen waffles are first and foremost a convenience food, so we limited our testing to nationally available brands that are sold at major supermarkets. We mainly focused our testing on plain waffles without any add-ins. If a brand offered buttermilk and homestyle versions, we included both.
Two major brands, Van’s and Kodiak, make mostly protein waffles — a growing trend — so that’s what we tried. For comparison’s sake, we included two protein waffles from brands we were already testing. (We found that most protein waffles don’t taste great, and some are skimpy on the protein.)
To test them, we kept it simple, toasting four waffles at a time in a toaster oven until golden. Our tasters tried each waffle plain, then with salted butter and maple syrup. We evaluated the waffles based on the following criteria:
Appearance: As a mass-produced food, most frozen waffles are similar in size and shape, which makes small variations more stark. We looked for waffles with a golden or deep brown color when toasted, a decent rise, and a uniform appearance.
Texture: Crunchy, chewy, fluffy — all acceptable waffle textures. Soggy, mushy, gritty — not so much. Our tasters noted the texture of each waffle, especially favoring those with a crisp exterior and yielding interior. The waffles should also be able to handle the extra moisture from syrup or butter without turning mushy.
Flavor: Frozen waffles are an on-the-go food, so we sought waffles that would taste delicious even when eaten plain, with satisfying flavors that balance savory and sweet.
