Indicators

• Most waffle irons have some sort of indicator to notify you when the waffle is cooked, such as a light that turns off when the waffle is done or an alarm that beeps.

Timing

• If your waffle iron doesn't have an alarm or light, check the owner's manual--which should contain guidelines for how long to cook waffles--and use a timer.

Appearance

• If you don't have a light, alarm or owner's manual, cook a test waffle until the batter stops steaming, timing the cooking with a stopwatch. This waffle will probably be well-done, but now that you know the cooking time, you can adjust it for later waffles.

Problems

• If you try to lift the waffle maker's lid before the waffle is done, the waffle might stick and rip. You may need a few test waffles to figure out the best cooking time.