How to Fix a Waffle Iron

Waffle irons work by using two cooking surfaces heated by two elements, regulated by a thermostat. Troubleshooting and repairing your waffle irons is moderately complex but only requires a few steps. Follow the steps below and you will be enjoying a waffle breakfast in no time.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Screwdriver
• Volt-ohm meter
• Twine
• Eye protection

1. Unplug your waffle iron, let it cool, and use a screwdriver to remove the screws that secure the housing.

2. Remove the lower cooking plate by removing the screw in the underside of the housing and pulling off the control knob. The plate then lifts up.

3. Test the heating element on your waffle iron by using a volt-ohm meter set on RX1. Clip the probes to each terminal. Your elements are fine if they read about 15 ohms. If they don't, replace the elements.

4. Replace any open elements by measuring the coils around the heating element and routing twine through the element and measuring the length of the twine. Evenly stretch the replacement coil to the length of the twine, and install the stretched element by carefully looping coil through element supports.

5. Check the internal wiring of your waffle iron. Look for broken wiring and any loose connections on the internal parts of your iron. Pay particularly close attention to the wiring near the hinges. Replace the wiring if it needs it.

6. Set your volt-ohm meter on the highest resistance scale and remove the element leads to ground the fault in the thermostat. Touch one test probe to the metal housing of the appliance and the other to each thermostat. If your meter reading moves around toward zero ohms, your thermostat is properly grounded.

Tips & Warnings

• Wear eye protection when working with electronic elements on your waffle iron.
• Do not use your waffle iron if it is not working properly.