Best Donut Maker
Who doesn’t love a delicious donut? The best donuts are those that are fresh, warm and sweet, coated with sugar or a flavorful glaze. Is your mouth watering yet? You can find donuts that are full of preservatives almost anywhere. Fresh donuts can be purchased at bakeries or specialty stores. But, you don’t even have to leave your house to enjoy fresh donuts right in the comfort of your very own home. Plus, you don’t have to worry about sneaky additives and dubious ingredients when you’re making your own doughnuts from scratch!
You might be intimidated at the thought of making donuts at home, but you would be surprised to learn that you do not need to be a master baker to make fresh donuts right in your own home kitchen! You can make your own donuts, using your own hand selected recipes using a donut maker press, a donut pan and/or with the aid of special cutters and batter dropping tools. Fresh, homemade donuts are a delicious treat! And, making donuts at home is a great option if you have food sensitivities, particular taste preferences, or if you just want to learn a new skill that has fun and tasty results! Making donuts can be fun, it is a great way to easily impress others, and making donuts as a family can be a delightful way to make positive memories.
Now that you are interested, you are probably wondering how to get started. All you need to start making donuts at home is a donut maker appliance or some specialty pans, utensils and tools. When you start searching for these tools to help you make donuts at home, you will find a lot of options, and sorting through all of the choices can take a lot of time and can even be confusing, making it hard to make a decision. But choosing a donut maker does not have to be difficult if you have the information you need. In this article you will find top picks compiled by our experts who have done the research for you!
Read through this article to get the information you need to purchase the supplies you need to start making the kind of donuts that are most appealing to you right in your home kitchen. You’ll also find a review of six different donut maker products that include highlighted features, pros and cons, as well as even more about making donuts and what you should specifically look for when purchasing supplies to make donuts at home.
Best Donut Maker Kit: Doughnuttery Do It Yourself Mini Donut Making Kit
If you are looking for a great all-in-one kit for making donuts, the Doughnuttery Do It Yourself Mini Donut making kit has everything you need to get started. Each kit comes with a one pound doughnut mix, four Doughnuttery doughnut sugars (Coco Loco, Lemon Pop, Speckled Strawberry, Cinnamon), a donut depositor and an instruction guide. This kit is perfect if you want to get started making donuts at home. This set also makes a great gift!
PROS:
- Makes a nice gift
- The mix & toppings are tasty
CONS:
- Additional supplies needed to make donuts (pan, oil and utensil for turning)
Best Mini Donut Maker: Babycakes Donut Maker
The babycakes mini donut maker is the perfect appliance for making a quick batch of mini donuts for a sweet treat, anytime! This donut maker features a non-stick baking surface, a power light, a convenient cord wrap, latching handle and non-skid rubber feet. Simply put your donut batter in the machine, close the lid and you will have tasty mini donuts in minutes. This donut maker is easy to clean, simply wipe down the non-stick baking surface and it is ready to store until your next use.
PROS:
- Simple operation
- Easy to clean
- Can be used with a variety of recipes
- Perfect for small batches
CONS:
- Low capacity
- Cannot control temperature
Best Commercial Quality: VBENLEM 110V Commercial Donut Machine
The VBENLEM donut maker is a great appliance if you are seeking a professional quality design and functionality. This unit is both durable and easy to clean, made from high quality stainless steel with an aluminum cast mold with a Teflon coating. It heats from both the top and bottom and can be set for a precise temperature, helping you perfect your donut recipes. It has a timer and comes with various accessories including a food clip, an egg beater and cleaning brushes and sponges. This product is built to last.
PROS:
- High quality
- Adjustable, precise temperature setting
- Timer with alarm
- Easy to clean
- Safe to use
CONS:
- Takes up a lot of counter/storage space
- Does not come with instruction booklet
Best SILICONE Donut Maker Pan Kit: Chefast Non-Stick Donut Pan Combo Kit
If you are looking for a great silicone donut maker pan kit be sure to consider the Chefast Non-Stick Donut Pan Combo Kit. This set includes one nine-hole traditional size donut pan, one twelve-hole mini donut pan, five disposable piping bags and a silicone spatula, everything you need to make a variety of home baked donuts from your favorite recipes. These pans are made from 100% food-grade silicone, which are both easy to clean and store. These pans are versatile and can be used for other purposes like baking bagels, cookies, frozen treats and more!
PROS:
- Comes with two pans for making mini and regular donuts
- Easy to clean
- Versatile
- Made from 100% silicone
CONS:
- Donuts/pans need to cool before removing from pan
- Silicone pans can be difficult to take in and out of the oven
Best Steel Donut Maker Pan: Wilton Perfect Results Non-Stick Donut Pan
The Wilton Perfect Results Donut Maker Pan is made from steel with a non-stick coating. This pan, which fits in standard size ovens, is extra large (21.5 in. x 15.5 in. x .8 in) and can make 20 (3.4 in. x .8) cake donuts at one time. This pan can be used for baking both donuts and bagels.
PROS:
- Durable design
- Non-stick surface
- Easy to take in and out of the oven
- High capacity
- 10 year limited warranty
CONS:
- Large pan, takes up a lot of storage space
- Does not fit in most dishwashers
Best Donut Cutter Tool: Yamazi Donut Cake Mould with Dipping Plier
The Yamazi donut cutter tool aids in shaping traditional-size donuts easily, efficiently and uniformly. The package includes a yellow donut cake mold cutter and white plastic pliers for dipping, flipping and removing your donuts while frying. Made from high quality food-grade plastic, this product is safe, practical and easy to clean.
PROS:
- Easy to use and clean
- Ergonomic grip
- Reasonable price
- Satisfaction guarantee
CONS:
- Only comes in one size
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you make donuts?
Donuts can be made from cake-style mixes and poured and baked in heated, waffle-iron-style appliances that are heated on the top and bottom, baked in donut making pans, or fried in oil on the stove top. Fried donuts are formed from a batter-dropping donut maker utensil or formed with a donut cutting tool and then placed in the oil. Once the donuts are baked or fried, toppings like sugar or glazes are added for added sweetness.
Where can you find recipes for homemade donuts?
Some donut makers come with mixes or recipe booklets. You can find recipes to make donuts in general baking cookbooks, in donut specific cookbooks and also in abundance on the internet. The nice thing about making homemade donuts is that you can tailor your recipes to your individual needs or preferences. For example, you can find recipes for gluten-free donuts and recipes that do not contain other allergens like nuts, dairy or eggs.
How long do donuts last?
Donuts certainly taste best when they are fresh and hot, which is why making donuts at home is so appealing and such a special treat! Store bought donuts often have preservatives so they have a longer shelf life. While that’s convenient, many people try to steer clear of artificial ingredients in their food, so if you want a healthier alternative, be prepared that the shelf life will be shorter. Donuts purchased at a bakery or homemade donuts are best eaten within a day or two.
What are different kinds of donuts I can make with a donut maker?
Typically you will be making a cake-type donut that is either baked or fried. You can customize your donut with toppings (flavored sugars, glazes, and/or sprinkles). You can also inject your donuts with fillings after they are baked for even more variety of flavorings. The sky is your limit, and you can combine your favorite flavors and textures for a perfect doughnut.
Is there a difference between “donut” and “doughnut”?
No! There are just two variations of spelling. The word “donut” and “doughnut” are interchangeable on donut maker product descriptions and recipes.
What to look for in a donut maker
The main purpose of a donut maker is, well, to make donuts. However, there are still plenty of differences in the design of donut makers to which you’ll have to pay attention to ensure you’re getting the right fit for your preferences and needs. First of all, not all donut makers make the same type of donuts – there are those that bake and those that help fry them –, and the shape and size of the produced donuts will also vary. Next, there are other factors, such as ease of use and cleaning, capacity, and of course price, and you’ll need to consider all of them to get the best bang for your buck. To help you make your choice, we’ve rounded up the most important features to look for in a donut maker.
Design
There are a variety of products that can help you make donuts in your home kitchen. Some are electric appliances that have molds and heating irons that bake donuts. These donut makers have different capabilities and features by design. Some have adjustable temperatures and timers, some do not. Appliances with more features have higher price points.
Some donut makers are designed to help you make fried donuts on your stovetop. These utensils and/ or tools are made to cut uniform donut forms or to drop batter into oil.
Ease of Cleaning
It is always important to consider how easy your donut maker will be to clean. Seek out products that have non-stick surfaces that can be cleaned easily. The last thing you want is having to soak and scrape dough out of nooks and crevices – it’ll take you more to clean it than it took to make the donuts in the first place.
Storage
Making donuts is something that you are probably not going to be doing every day, so storing your donut maker appliance and/or utensils is an important thing to consider when you are making your purchase. Some donut maker appliances will take up a lot of storage space when not in use. Smaller appliances, pans or utensils will take up less space, but enough space that it is important to think about it.
Size
Read product descriptions carefully to determine what size of donut your donut maker is designed to produce. Some donut makers are specifically designed to make standard sized donuts and others are designed to make mini-donuts. Make sure the donut maker you pick accommodates your preference.
Capacity
When considering which donut maker will be the right one for you, be sure to think about how many donuts you will want to make at one time. Some donut makers make more donuts than others at one time. Pan or griddle style donut makers make a fixed number of donuts at one time. This is important to consider. Cutters and batter dropping donut makers will require a repetitive action to make your desired quantity of donuts per batch.
Versatility
Some donut makers are designed just for making donuts. Others can be used for a wider range of use ranging from baking bagels to frozen treats. If versatility is a priority for you may want to seek out a model that has multiple options for use.
Price
Last but not least, you should certainly consider price. Large donut maker appliances can make quick work of making a lot of donuts, but they also have a higher price tag. Donut maker appliances and utensils are not very expensive, but they require a bit more work and you will need to bake or fry the donuts on your stovetop or in your oven.