For as long as I can remember, my mom has made Belgian waffles for every holiday brunch. As someone who is pretty passionate about waffles, I always wished we could have them more often ... but her Oster iron turned waffle breakfasts into a lengthy ordeal that just wasn't realistic for every day.

Don't get me wrong — this waffle iron, gifted to her more than two decades ago, turned out delicious waffles (crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside). But, it took forever! We had to wait for it to heat up, and since it was round, it only made one waffle at a time. (By the way, we're a family of four, and some of us like to enjoy more than one waffle.)

When I got old enough to realize how inefficient her waffle maker was, I asked (on more than one occasion) if she'd like a new one for Christmas. Maybe one that worked more quickly, or made more than one waffle at a time? The answer was always a firm, "no." This one worked perfectly fine, after all!

So, when mom's Oster abruptly stopped working on Thanksgiving morning, I was disappointed ... but also a little bit elated. With a few weeks to go before Christmas, I started researching different Belgian waffle makers.

I wanted something higher-capacity for the future — maybe her less-than-subtle hints about grandchildren finally got to me. After some initial shopping, I also thought something with adjustable browning settings could be cool. My sister prefers slightly underdone waffles, while I love extra-crispy edges.

I'd heard good things about this All-Clad model, but felt it was a bit pricey (my sensible mother gets testy if I spend too much on holiday gifts!). The under-$50 model I ended up purchasing was towards the top of many Best Waffle Maker lists, praised for both its affordability and golden-brown results. Hundreds of five-star reviews helped bolster my decision, too.

The Krups Belgian Waffle Maker promises to turn out waffles that are light and fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside, with extra-deep wells for fruit and maple syrup. This gadget is also equipped with five browning levels (from light to dark) and removable, dishwasher-safe plates.

One reviewer writes, "I was looking for the affordable but great waffle-maker that I felt I deserved after waiting for so long to get one ... this thing is fantastic. Waffles are outstanding, and clean-up is just plain cheat code easy. It's exactly what I wanted, which is weird, because I never find that."

Hopefully my mom feels the same way!

Related Links:

How to Pick the Best Waffle Maker

12 Recipes You Didn't Know You Could Make in a Waffle Iron

10 Seasonal Groceries to Stock Up on During the Holidays