Waffles, pancakes, or French toast? Which do you prefer? I’m a waffle girl through and through. At every breakfast place, I order waffles. Now, this isn’t a new obsession. Ever since I was a kid, I’ve loved waffles, which prompted me to receive my first waffle maker at 13. But there isn’t always the time to make waffles at home or to go out to restaurants and order them. Sometimes the best way to soothe a waffle craving is a frozen waffle.
There are an assortment of frozen waffle brands out there. The challenge is to find the best ones. I tried 10 frozen waffle brands determined to do just that: find the best frozen waffle. I cooked my waffles with a toaster and tried each with and without syrup. As I tested each brand, I looked at two things that make a good waffle: texture and flavor. For texture, I was looking for a crispy outside and a fluffy inside, and for taste, I was looking for an elevated version of the traditional hot savory waffle flavor. I have ranked the following frozen waffle brands below from worst to best.
Vans
Vans is a gluten-free waffle brand, and it appears exactly like a traditional frozen waffle. However, looks can be deceiving as this brand is lacking in taste. Vans waffles have a very grainy texture that is less desirable than a fluffy waffle texture. Overall, I give Vans a 2/10 rating.
Kashi
I prefer my waffles to be on the sweeter side, and Kashi is not a sweet waffle. Kashi is labeled as a healthier pick. However, it contains more sugar (despite not being sweet) than the Eggo brand. Kashi is definitely not my favorite frozen waffle brand, so I give it a 3/10 rating.
Kodiak
With a growly bear depicted on the box as a mascot, Kodiak waffles are tough waffles. Kodiak frozen waffles contain a lot of protein and are often referred to as “power waffles,” at least according to Reddit. I liked Kodiak waffles. They had a great texture and didn’t taste super bready or dry (which I was afraid of — protein waffles often have this texture). If I have to complain, I will say that Kodiak waffles aren’t my favorite waffles in terms of flavor, and I would love to see a little more taste in them. For that reason, I rank Kodiak 5/10.
Premier Protein
A healthy option for frozen waffles, Premier Protein contains 15 grams of protein per serving, which makes them a great choice for breakfast as it gives you energy for the day. In terms of taste, Premier Protein reminds me of homemade waffles that you heat the day after. The taste is wonderful, but the texture is too bready for me, so I only give Premier Protein a 6/10 rating.
365 Whole Foods Market
The perfect run-of-the-mill waffle. It’s a simple and classic waffle with a crunchy toasted exterior and a warm soft interior. With its toasty brown exterior, this waffle pairs deliciously with some fruit and syrup, and it definitely hits the spot for a frozen waffle craving. 365 Whole Foods Market gets a rating of 7/10.
Banza
Banza waffles toast amazingly. The waffles were crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside. Banza is another gluten-free option, and it tastes like a classic frozen waffle. The waffles were good, in that they were normal, classic frozen waffles. Since it was a good waffle, I give Banza a 8/10 rating.
Nature’s Path
As a gluten-free option, it doesn’t get any better than Nature’s Path. Nature’s Path has many different flavors for waffles including pumpkin spice, buckwheat wildberry, dark chocolate chip, and more. Nature’s Path waffles are filled to the brim with flavor. In other words, these waffles are delicious. Nature’s Path waffles are traditional in size, but the meat of the waffle, all the dough inside the circle, appears concave instead of the usual convex waffle style. In my opinion, the concave center allows the waffle to cook better and for the inside of the waffle to be nice and warm. 8/10 for Nature’s Path.
Great Value
I had never heard of the Great Value brand before doing research, and to my surprise, it was one of my favorite waffles. It tasted exactly like an Eggo waffle. Great Value waffles have a light yellow color and have a great fluffy texture. The waffles are also on the sweeter side, which is a plus for me. The waffles are so sweet that you don’t even need syrup, which earned Great Value a 9/10 rating in my book.
Eggo
It tastes like childhood. Filled with a buttery flavor and a light silky texture, Eggo’s taste is nostalgic. Eggo’s will always be the classic waffle brand, and for good reason — they make great waffles. The only bad thing about Eggo’s is that it is not the healthiest brand, but it is hard for me to care about healthiness when waffles taste this good. Eggo is 10/10!
Private Selection
When I toasted these waffles, I immediately knew I was cooking a good waffle because the smell was intoxicating. Then, I tasted the waffles, and I was in heaven. Private Selection is a frozen waffle brand whose style is mainly Belgian. It is a flavorful, sweet waffle with a crispy crunch and a fluffy middle. It tasted exactly like the waffles they serve at fancy brunch places. 10/10 for Private Selection!