1. The machine must be preheated until the green light turns off, which tells you that it has reached the correct temperature for cooking.

2. It should then be lightly sprayed, top and bottom, with a cooking oil spray.

3. Add a bit less than 1/2 cup of waffle mix to each section of the waffle maker. Be careful not to overfill - if the batter runs over the sides, this will make it more difficult to clean. A slight run over shouldn't be a problem, though, as it will come off when the waffle is removed after cooking.

4. After filling all the bins, close the waffle maker (do NOT latch the cover down!) and cook for 4:00 minutes (you can go over this by a few seconds for crispier waffles). Do not pay any attention to the lights while cooking - they have nothing to do with cooking time. One simply tells you that the power is on, and the other shows you when the cooking element cycles on and off to maintain temperature. (Yes, I agree that the lights are not very useful at this point.) Just use an accurate timer.

5. Open the lid and use a plastic spatula to remove the waffles.