KITCHEN GADGET FACE-OFF
Dash Mini Waffle Maker vs Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 (6Qt). Only one can reign supreme. Both will be purchased.
Dash Mini Waffle Maker
by Dash
$11
One tiny waffle. Eleven dollars. It's called self-care.
PROS
- +Eleven dollars for a kitchen appliance that actually works
- +Makes perfect tiny waffles in under three minutes
- +So small it fits in a dorm room, a desk drawer, or the glove compartment
CONS
- -One waffle at a time means feeding two people requires actual patience
- -You will eat way more waffles than you planned
Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 (6Qt)
by Instant Pot
$80
Seven appliances for the price of one. You'll use two of them.
PROS
- +Replaces seven kitchen gadgets gathering dust
- +Makes pulled pork in 90 minutes instead of 12 hours
- +The subreddit alone is worth the price of admission
CONS
- -You will use it three times then forget it exists
- -The steam release valve is a jump scare every time
THE NUMBERS
SCORE BREAKDOWN
THE VERDICT
The Instant Pot wins on capability. The Waffle Maker wins on joy. The Instant Pot is seven appliances pretending to be one, and you will use approximately two of those seven functions before it becomes a counter decoration. The Dash Mini makes one tiny waffle at a time, which is either a limitation or a meditative practice depending on your philosophy. Eleven dollars and it does exactly one thing perfectly. Eighty dollars and the Instant Pot does seven things with varying degrees of 'oh no the pressure valve.' For sheer kitchen utility the Pot wins. For the ratio of smiles-per-dollar, the tiny waffle machine is undefeated.