Which doughnut makers are best?
There are few better smells than the aroma of fresh, hot doughnuts, but the ones you pick up at the bakery have usually cooled off before you get them home. The only sure way to get great-smelling hot doughnuts is to mix your own batter, pour it into your doughnut maker and press the button. You get to bite into a hot, fresh one in just minutes, all the while filling your kitchen with that great doughnut smell.
What is a doughnut maker?
A doughnut maker is a small countertop home appliance that looks like a cross between a waffle maker, sandwich toaster and a clamshell with a handle. Home chefs pour liquid batter into the molds on the base plate and close the top to bake small doughnuts complete with the hole in the middle. The doughnuts you make with one of these clever gadgets are baked, so they are healthier than deep-fried doughnuts from the store.
How many doughnuts do they make at once?
Some machines make as few as three doughnuts, while others make a dozen at one time. Most models make six or seven at once.
How big are the doughnuts?
Small countertop machines are designed to make mini doughnuts that usually range from 2 to 4 inches in diameter. Their small size is why they bake so quickly.
Do all doughnut makers make only doughnuts?
The machine’s hinged clamshell design means you can bake any sweet or savory batter that pours between the cooking plates to make waffles, eggs and more.
What is a griddle plate?
Every doughnut maker has two griddle plates. These are metal cooking surfaces that bake both sides of your doughnut at once. The best ones have nonstick coatings and are easily removable for serving and cleaning.
Are doughnut makers hot to the touch?
Most doughnut makers wrap their interior heating elements in insulation to keep exteriors cool to the touch. Plastic shells are cooler than metal ones.
Do doughnut makers have adjustable times and temperatures?
Some doughnut makers are simple plug-and-play appliances with preset cooking times and temperatures for consistent no-fuss baking. A few include controls so you can fine-tune your cooking process.
What you need to buy for your doughnut maker
Checkered Chef Set of Two 8-inch by 11-inch Stainless Steel Cooling Racks
The grid squares are ideally spaced for cooling, and the raised feet hold the rack just above the counter so the air flows underneath. They’re safe to run through the dishwasher too.
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KitchenAid Ribbed Soft Silicone Oven Mitt Set
Choose from 15 different colors of these waterproof, slip-resistant and generously sized oven mitts with insulated polyester linings and 100% cotton cuffs.
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Hotec Silicone Pastry Brushes Set of 5
Buy these premium food-grade silicone brushes to lightly baste the griddle plates of your doughnut machine, and you can use them when grilling and baking too. This set of five brushes has stainless steel cores inside for support and durability.
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Little Big Farm Apple Cider Donut Mix
This 1.1-pound packet is filled with batter mix that has no artificial ingredients, flavors or colors. Just add your own egg, butter and milk.
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You get a syringe that holds a half-cup of icing or frosting. You can use the eight frosting tips to create special effects on the outside and add fillings on the inside. All you need to do is press the plunger and the icing comes out.
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Miss Jones Organic Buttercream Frosting
This container with a resealable lid contains 11 ounces of sweet, creamy frosting whipped without oils, trans fats or artificial colors or flavors.
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Manvscakes Rainbow Sprinkle Mix
You get 8 ounces of colorful and festive sprinkles in a mix of shapes perfect for decorating your doughnuts and other pastries.
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Doughnut makers under $25
This little 760-watt machine has a circular grid that makes seven 3-inch doughnuts at once, and it comes with a recipe guide. The nonstick surface makes for easy release and cleanup, and the light tells you when your machine is ready to bake.
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Sometimes you want only a few doughnuts. This bright yellow doughnut maker makes four hot, fresh doughnuts at a time. It has nonstick baking plates, a latching handle, nonskid rubber feet and a convenient cord wrap.
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Make seven doughnuts at once in one to two minutes. This machine is 10.6 inches wide, and it has a nonstick cooking surface, housing that’s cool to the touch and skid-resistant feet. It has 750 watts of power and a ready light too.
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Doughnut makers $25-$40
Betty Crocker Non-Stick Mini Donut Maker
This hot pink doughnut maker will stand out on your kitchen counter. It comes with a spatula and piping bag with assorted nozzles for all your doughnut decorating needs. This 1-pound, 1,000-watt machine bakes seven small doughnuts at once on nonstick surfaces.
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Health and Home 3 with Interchangeable Baking Plates for Donuts, Waffles and Eggettes
You can make six doughnuts per batch, or you can swap out the griddle plates and make waffles and eggettes (egg waffles). The nonstick coating is easy to clean and dishwasher-safe, and the anti-scald handles make it safe to carry and store.
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Vonshef Electric Mini Donut Snack Machine
The ultra-fast heating process on this machine lets you make 12 doughnuts quickly. The handle stays cool to the touch, and the automatic temperature control delivers a dozen perfect mini doughnuts every time.
Sold by Wayfair
Special doughnut makers
If you love doughnut holes and cake pops, this is the machine for you. You can make 12 doughnut holes in just four minutes with this little 3-pound machine that has cool-touch handles and nonstick cooking surfaces.
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Kunghei Commercial Electric Donut Maker
If you have a large household or are preparing a big batch of doughnuts for school, church or the soccer team, this stainless steel and aluminum machine bakes from both sides with an adjustable temperature switch and timer. The drip pan makes for easy cleaning, and the side air vents dissipate the heat.
Sold by Amazon
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