July Review #2: Cuisinart Waffle Iron vs Snoopy

Many years ago while in college, I bought a "fun" Salton Snoopy waffle iron for less than $10.  I used it until 2007, when I was given an expensive Cuisinart Waffle Iron. 

The Cuisinart worked as expected for the first 5 years, but during year 6, some plastic trim came off.  Then this year, the handle
came off.  I had to open it with a butter knife and close it with an oven mitt.  Recently, the back hinge has broken, but it still works so now I use oven mitts to open and close the waffle maker...yes, I am still using it in this condition.  The plates are still wonderfully non-stick and look like new.  The outside looks terrible, but it cooks.  I think Cuisinart has done okay for our family, but I did not pay over $70 for it.  Remember it was a gift and a truly great gift is one that you would never splurge on for yourself!  So this was a great gift!  I have appreciated the convenience of making waffles faster, but I had hoped that with a name and price like Cuisinart that it would last forever, like Snoopy who is still with us in the farm kitchen to make our visits special! (But as you can imagine, it takes a long time to make enough Snoopy waffles for my crew!)