You have probably noticed fairly recently, if you've been shopping for a new pizzelle maker to replace an old one, that the ones with aluminum grids are harder to find. Instead, most of the irons now sport grids with a nonstick coating.

The irons are coated with this coating to ensure that the pizzelle doesn't stick to the grids and that cleanup is easy afterwards. While there are still some models available with both nonstick and uncoated options available for people who don't like nonstick coatings, most makers these days are coated.

Some people prefer to not use nonstick cookware. Whether or not it raises the risk of health problems later in life by releasing toxins during cooking, this topic has been the subject of much controversy in recent years. Some people are not comfortable with manufacturers' claims that no toxins are released into the air and food by using the cookware for normal daily use.

Also, there are some people who just don't like coated cookware in general. They prefer items they can place in the dishwasher or stack together, or something that doesn't run the risk of chipping, or they prefer using metal utensils when cooking. Yet others remember when their mothers and grandmothers made pizzelle using the makers with polished aluminum grids, and maintain a sense of nostalgia.

Lots of people who like to use nonstick pizzelle makers have no problems. Some people also have no idea that there is anything else available, or think that the coating is all that keeps the pizzelle from sticking to the maker. Luckily, neither of these assumptions are true. Before you heat the plates, rub them with a paper towel with a bit of cooking oil so they are coated well. Then ensure that the iron is heated to its proper cooking temperature before you start making any cookies. For the people who have sticking problems even with nonstick pizzelle makers, this will help them greatly.

If you want a pizzelle maker, but don't want to put your money towards ones with nonstick coated plates, then you'll find a few models still available uncoated. Established brands like Palmer and CucinaPro are some of your best bets. If you can't find a new one without the coating, or if you do not like the look of the ones you do find, then you can sometimes find old but still functioning pizzelle makers available at flea markets, yard sales, or secondhand stores. Many times, you can find really good deals on great brands of makers this way.