A waffle maker is a small kitchen appliance used to make waffles, which are round, flat cakes made from batter. The device typically consists of two plates that are separated by a grid pattern and heated to cook both sides of the batter at once. Once the batter reaches the right temperature, it is poured into the center of the machine, where it spreads out evenly across the grids and forms the characteristic waffle shape. The finished product can then be served with syrup or other toppings as desired.