Best Donut Makers [Complete 2021 Buyers Guide]

Donut makers are a fun and delicious activity you can do every weekend to start your morning right.

With the right donut maker, you can have hot, fresh donuts in your hands in less than 20 minutes making it a great option for those in a hurry.

In this post we’ll explore the history of donuts, reasons to buy a donut maker, some of the best donut makers available, the differences between a donut maker and a donut machine, and more. Let’s get started!

The History of Donuts

Donuts have been around since the 1800s. It’s been claimed that the round shaped donut was first created in 1847 by Hanson Gregory when he was 16 years old. In 1920, the first donut machine was created by Adolph Levitt and used to sell donuts from his storefront. Donuts began to gain popularity in the 1930s and 40s as World War II transpired. Popular donut franchises Kripsy Kreme and Dunkin’ Donuts were birthed during this period. 

Today, donuts are a staple for many Americans and can be found on street-corners nationwide. There are a wide variety of donut styles and flavors including maple and bacon styles. 

What is a Donut Maker?

A donut maker is a pretty simple piece of kitchen equipment that cooks donuts. There are a wide variety of devices with different capacities, sizes, designs, and more. Donut makers run on electricity so you’ll need to place your appliance next to an electrical outlet. By picking the right donut maker you can easily make perfect donuts from the comfort of your home. Below we’ll explore the best donut maker for your needs!

Reasons to Buy a Donut Maker

Donut makers can be a fun and exciting way to make your own cakes to start your mornings right. Below are a few reasons to buy a donut maker for your home.

Great Tasting Donuts

There’s no better way to get consistent donuts with tremendous taste than using a donut maker or donut machine. These small appliances can put a smile on your kids face in a matter of minutes – something that’s worth well more than the price of your donut maker.

In addition to great taste, a donut maker gives you complete control of the type of donut, nutrition, and more. You can make your donuts however you desire to suit your preferences. Because most donut makes will bake your donuts, they are somewhat healthier than their deep-fried counterparts. 

Easy Clean Up

Purchasing a donut maker will make cleaning up your messes much easier than attempting to make donuts without a maker. Instead of having to cook donuts in the oven or getting a large pan of oil out to fry them, you can easily use your donut machine or maker to simplify the cleanup.

Many donut makers come with a non stick surface making cleanup a breeze with just the wipe of a cloth.

Donuts in a Hurry

Using a donut maker will help you to make donuts much quicker than making them traditionally. You can have hot donuts in less than 10 minutes with the right donut maker from start to finish.

Most donut makers are extremely simple to operate with just a few buttons.

Custom Size Donuts

Some donut makers will allow you to customize the size of your donuts. If you purchase a mini donut maker you can make smaller donuts with ease. This is much easier to do with the right donut maker. Some donut makers will also offer the versatility to make donut holes or muffins with multiple baking pans to suit your desires. 

Best Donut Maker – Quick Comparison

We crafted this easy to read table so you can easily choose the best donut maker for your needs. You can read more about each product below including the features, pros and cons, and more.

Best Donut Maker of 2021

Below are some of the best donut makers you can buy in 2021. These donut makers were rated based on a variety of factors including the design, price, versatility, and much more.

1. Babycakes Multi-Treat Donut Maker

This Babycakes Donut Maker is my best donut maker of 2021 for a multitude of reasons. It features a fair price, non stick baking plates, and the versatility to make donuts, cake pops, or muffins all with the same device.

This product weighs around 4 pounds and measures 8.35 x 10.5 x 4.65 inches making it easy to store and transport.

It gives you the capability to make either 7 mini donuts or 12 cake pops – whichever you desire. It also includes a baking plate to cook your favorite muffins. This donut maker is among the most versatile donut makers on the market. 

If you’re looking to wake up in the mornings and make a quick batch of fresh donuts in less than 10 minutes, I’d highly recommend the Babycakes Donut Maker. You can easily tell when your donuts are complete when the indicator light changes from red to green.

Because the Babycakes Donut Maker bakes donuts instead of less healthy options like frying, you can ensure your donuts are nutritious and delicious. 

Main Features

• Interchangeable non stick baking plates
• Compact design
• Power and ready lights
• Recipe book included

2. Brentwood Mini Donut Maker Machine, Non-Stick, Pink

This Brentwood Mini Donut Maker is the perfect balance of quality and affordability.

It features a 750 watt construction with a non stick surface with the ability to cook 7 mini donuts within a few minutes.

It also contains cool-touch handles that eliminate the risk of burning your hands when opening the donut maker to remove your fresh doughnuts.

Weighing just 3 pounds, this donut maker can easily be stored or transported wherever you desire.

Main Features

• 7 Donut non stick baking plate
• Cool touch handles
• Power and pre heat indictor lights

3. Sunbeam Fpsbdml920 Full Size Donut Maker

This Sunbeam Full-Size Donut Maker is a great option for those looking to make full-size donuts with a quality product and design. The bright yellow exterior makes for a vibrant look and feel.

This product weighs around 7 pounds and measures 11.3 x 5.6 x 10.4 inches to fit any countertop.

This donut maker can produce 5 full-size donuts per batch – perfect for small families.

I love the easy indictor lights on this device making for safe and simple operation. You can easily tell when the donut maker is ready to cook and when your donuts are done.

The non stick plates make clean up a breeze and make getting your cakes out of the maker easy.

The Sunbeam Full-Size Donut Maker is the best donut maker in terms of quality and reliability. The lid latches nicely to the donut maker making it easy to store and transport. 

Features

• Warm up and ready lights for convenience
• Nonstick plates
• Latching hinged lid
• Compact design

4. Betty Crocker BC2938CO Mini Donut Maker

The Betty Crocker Mini Donut Maker is a great compact option for those looking to make mini donuts in a hurry. This device boasts a non stick stainless steel interior construction with a vibrant pink plastic exterior. 

With easy to read indicator lights and a cool-touch handle, this donut maker will make baking your donuts simple. It also includes a piping bag, spatula, and nozzles to decorate your donuts. 

This donut maker weighs less than 4 pounds and measures 10.75 x 8.58 x 5.43 inches making it extremely portable and easy to store

Features

• Non stick baking plate
• Cool-touch handle
• Indicator lights
• Lightweight

5. Chef Buddy 82-KIT1066 Mini Donut Maker

The Chef Buddy Mini Donut Maker is one the best donut makers with an affordable price-tag and simple design.

This donut maker can bake 7 mini donuts per batch and weighs less than 4 pounds. It measures 11 x 7.75 x 4.5 inches making it one of the larger devices on this list but still not overly large.  

It features a non stick surface and the ability to cook donuts in just a few minutes. It also has indictor lights and cool-touch handles to make cooking your donuts simple and safe. 

Features

• Non stick baking plate
• Cool-touch handle
• Indicator lights
• Makes mini donuts in minutes

6. Dash Automatic Shut Down Donut Maker

The Dash Mini Donut Maker is a great option for those looking for an appliance with an automatic shutoff feature. This feature provides an extra sense of safety knowing your device will shut down once your donuts are complete. It also features an alarm to let you know when your donuts are finished baking.

Similar to other donut makers, it features a non stick surface and cool touch handle. It weighs 3.4 pounds and measures 11.73 x 9.09 x 5.04 inches for easy storing and transportation.

This mini donut maker can produce 7 mini donuts per batch within a few minutes. 

Features

• Non stick baking plate
• Automatic shut off
• Cool-touch handle
• 1 year warranty

7. VonShef 12 Mini Donut Electric Maker

The VonShef 12 Mini Donut Maker is perfect for large capacity needs with the capability of making 12 mini donuts per batch. 

This donut maker features a non stick surface, cool-touch handle, and auto temperature control to bake the perfect donuts every time. It weighs 6.74 pounds and measures 15.3 x 12.9 x 5.9 inches making it larger and heavier than other appliances on this list – expected given the larger capacity. 

This device is very durable and has an attractive design for any kitchen. 

Features

• Non stick baking plate
• Cool-touch handle
• Large capacity

Best Donut Machines

Donut machines are slightly different than donut makers. These donut machines have the ability to produce large amounts of donuts that are deep-fried for an even better taste. Below are some of the best donut machines for 2021!

1. VBENLEM 110V Commercial Automatic Donut Making Machine

This commercial donut machine is the ultimate donut lovers purchase. It is constructed of a durable stainless steel that is built to last.

With a large capacity hopper, you can make enough donuts for your family, or customers.

This donut machine deep-frys your donuts for a superior taste and flavor. 

Features

• Large Capacity Hopper
• Adjustable thickness donuts
• Fully automatic
• Durable stainless steel
• Extra accessories for convenience

2. Kolice Commercial Automatic Donuts Machine

This Kolice Commercial Donut Machine is a great option for large families or donut shop operators looking to make deep-fried donuts. This machine features a durable stainless steel build. It automatically flips your donuts when frying – making your job easier. 

The device weighs 35.2 pounds and measures 40.55 x 15.35 x 21.65.

Features

• Large Capacity Hopper
• Fully automatic
• Durable stainless steel

Donut Maker Considerations

When buying a donut maker, you might want to consider some of these qualities.

Capacity

The number of donuts you can make per batch is one thing that sets some donut makers apart from others. Some of the best donut makers are capable of making a dozen donuts per batch while others might limit you to 6 or 8. Understand your needs before purchasing a donut maker. If you have a larger family, you might want to consider purchasing a donut maker like the VonShef 12 Mini Donut Electric Maker that makes 12 donuts per batch. 

Donut Size

The size of the donuts you want to make will help to determine what donut maker you should buy. Most of the donut makers on this list produce mini donuts but if you want a full-size donuts (just like the ones at your favorite donut shop!), you’ll need to purchase a full-size donut make like the Sunbeam Fpsbdml920 Full Size Donut Maker. 

Ease of Cleaning

Some donut makers are easier to clean than others. Those with a non stick surface are much easier to wipe down and keep clean than others. Cleaning your donut maker will consist of wiping your baking plates with a cloth.

Design

Do you want a donut maker that suits the decor of your kitchens interior? Picking a donut maker with the right design is important. Some donut makers come in an assortment of color options for whichever suits your needs. While many donut makers feature a simple design, there are some that are more advanced than others. 

Portability 

Some donut makers are much more portable than others. If you’re looking to take your donut maker on your next vacation or to your friends house, you’ll want to pick a donut make that is lightweight and compact. 

FAQs

Have some questions about making donuts? Get your answers below!

How Long do Donuts Stay Fresh?

The freshness of donuts deteriorates pretty quickly after cooking. If left out of an airtight containers you can expect your donut to go stale in less than 24 hours. To extend the life of your donuts, keep them in a refrigerator in an airtight container and it should stay fresh around 3 days.

Are Donuts in a Donut Maker Fried?

One of the keys to making great donuts is the use of oil. While using some donut makers will not completely fry the donuts, they often use some cooking oil to enhance the taste. If you want your donuts deep-fried, you’ll need to purchase a donut machine. These are typically more expensive but will offer a much better taste than using a traditional donut maker. 

What’s the Difference Between a Donut Maker and Donut Machine?

If you want donuts with an authentic taste just as you would buy at your favorite donut shop, purchasing a donut machine might be a better option. These machines are much more expensive and will deep fry your donuts for an authentic flavor.

Donut makers typically do not deep fry your donuts.

How Do You Clean a Donut Maker?

One of the things I love about donut makers is that many of them include a non stick baking pan making cleaning a breeze. Once your donuts are ready, remove them from the pan and wide the pan clean with a soapy clean rag and let dry. That’s it! Then your donut maker should be sparkling!

How Hard is Using a Donut Maker?

Using a donut maker is super simple. While you can make doughnuts without a doughnut maker, using a donut maker will make your life so much easier. Making donuts with a donut maker will require some basic ingredients and just a few minutes to complete. 

Related: The 5 Best Non-Stick Pans for Gas Stoves Reviews in 2021

What is the Best Donut Maker in 2021?

Overall, the best donut maker for 2021 is the Babycakes Multi-Treat Donut Maker. This is the best donut maker because of it’s affordability, versatility, and quality design.

When deciding between the best donut maker, you’ll want to consider a multitude of factors including the capacity, durability, design, and portability of your machine. There’s no doubt each donut maker on this list is a great option for your mornings. 

Forrest