Q. When I saw your article about the Wirsh espresso machine I was going to write and suggest you look at Breville, as we have a Bambino and love the espresso it makes. I was delighted when a few weeks later you reviewed a Breville espresso maker! You really should try out their smart waffle maker, too. I have one, and it makes the best waffles.

—K.R., Milwaukee

A. I recently hinted I was testing a bunch of waffle makers, and this is the message that kicked it off. I absolutely love waffles and make them often, either at home or in hotels when I travel. Among my very many cooking gadgets is a pristine Sunbeam W-2 waffle maker. The W-2 was made from the mid-1940s to mid-1950s and sold for $20, the equivalent of over $285 today. The W-2 is legendary and still sought after by waffle aficionados, who love the cooking speed and delicious waffles it makes, especially when using the original, quite complicated Sunbeam recipe. I also have a Cuisinart Belgian waffle maker but it definitely lacks something compared to the Sunbeam. This, as well as your message, led me to the Breville Smart Waffle Pro.

The Breville Smart Waffle Pro makes four square waffles at a time and is even heavier and more solid than the vintage Sunbeam, which is saying a lot. It sells for $299.95, practically identical to the inflation-adjusted Sunbeam price. It was the perfect place to start my testing.

The Smart Waffle Pro effortlessly took my waffle making to the next level. The extremely even heating, precise temperature control and heavy-duty nonstick grates make it a waffle-making superstar. When I first served waffles from it everyone immediately noticed the difference and raved about them. Like the Breville espresso machine, you can crank them out over and over and the end results are always just right, which helped when I made and froze a huge bunch of waffles for a sick friend. The consistency and smart features made it easy, and I didn't throw out a single waffle. It has a clear illuminated display for setting the type of waffle and the darkness, and it beeps when preheated and when the waffles are ready. There is a very large trough around the grates that captures batter overflow and cooks it so it can be removed easily. Between the quality of the end product and completely satisfying user experience, it is one of the best, and now most frequently used, cooking devices I own. I'll have some more affordable waffle makers in the weeks to come, but if you have the budget for the four-waffle Smart Waffle Pro (or its two-waffle sibling) your search stops here. breville.com

Q. I might buy the EarFun Clip 2 earbuds you wrote about. I have small ear canals and need an over-the-ear type of earbuds. That's why I bought the Sbode wireless earbuds in 2018. The battery now only lasts four to five hours, so I'm tempted to buy new ones.

—T.E., Milwaukee

A. If you have small ear canals the EarFun Clip 2 will be even more appropriate and comfortable for you, and you get an amazing 40 hours of battery life with the case charger. I have started receiving emails from readers who purchased the Clip 2, and so far it is all raves. If you are truly tempted, please note the $30 discount code CLIP30 on myearfun.com (reducing them from $79.99 to $49.99) expires in July. EarFun typically has some kind of sale, but the $30 off is an introductory offer not likely to be repeated.

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