Steam Iron Reviews; Best Steam Irons

Best steam iron, but expensive

*Est. $130 Compare Prices

In both expert and consumer reviews, the Rowenta Advancer beats other irons when it comes to superior steam output. The downside is its heavy weight of nearly five pounds when full of water. The trick behind its superior… steam distribution is its series of 400 tiny steam holes (most irons have about twenty large holes). The Rowenta Advancer has vertical steam, burst of steam, an auto shut-off and an anti-calcium feature. While Rowenta irons are favorites of ironing enthusiasts, historical data shows that pricey Rowenta irons break down about as often as other brands.

See more photos, specs, and reviews

expand

collapse

Expert & User Review Sources:

Slate.com: Tom Bartlett calls the Rowenta Advancer DZ9080 a "top-notch" iron that "can't be beat" for steam. He gives it the second-highest ...

Amazon.com: More than 100 owners give the Rowenta Advancer DZ9080 an overall score of four out of five stars, with many claiming it is the ...

Epinions.com: There aren't a lot of reviews at Epinions.com for the Rowenta Advancer DZ9080, and those who have posted seem to be split over it.

Where to buy:

See All Stores

Best blend of price and performance

Sunbeam Professional 4238

*Est. $50 Compare Prices

Although Rowenta steam irons get the best reviews for producing lots of steam, professional and user reviews say the Sunbeam 4238 is a good value, producing good steam. Its non-stick soleplate glides well over fabric and… its three-way auto shut-off is especially safe. However, we also read reports of leaks and that the digital controls can fail, so this iron doesn't appear to be any more reliable in the long run than others. It can't steam vertically, but there is a 'burst of steam' feature.

See more photos, specs, and reviews

expand

collapse

Expert & User Review Sources:

Amazon.com: About two dozen owners at Amazon.com give the Sunbeam Professional 4238 an average score of four stars out of five, praising its ...

Good Housekeeping: The Sunbeam Professional 4239 Iron is tested and rated, along with three other steam irons. The Sunbeam is chosen as the "easiest ...

Where to buy:

See All Stores

Basic steam iron

Proctor-Silex 17610

*Est. $30 Compare Prices

If you only need to iron occasionally, this Proctor-Silex steam iron gets a good rating from Good Housekeeping magazine. However, be aware that we read contrasting user ratings for this and other irons in its price range.… While some owners are perfectly happy, others say cheap irons are a waste of money.

See more photos, specs, and reviews

expand

collapse

Expert & User Review Sources:

Good Housekeeping: In tests at Good Housekeeping, the Proctor-Silex 17610 is named the "top value." Editors also note that it works as well as more ...

Where to buy:

See All Stores

Cordless steam iron

Panasonic Cordless NI-L46NR

*Est. $60 Compare Prices

Experts recommend avoiding cordless irons, but owners do like the models made by Panasonic. The well-liked NI-L45NR has been replaced by the similar NI-L46NR. The cordless Panasonic iron comes with a base unit that stays… plugged in and reheats the iron between passes. This iron has jets of steam, an auto shut-off and is self-cleaning. Because some of the electronics are in the separate base unit, the iron itself is lighter than most (2.25 pounds).

See more photos, specs, and reviews

expand

collapse

Expert & User Review Sources:

Amazon.com: More than a dozen consumers at Amazon.com give the Panasonic Cordless NI-L46NR an average rating of 4.5 stars out of five. They ...

Epinions.com: Contributors love the cordless feature of the Panasonic NI-L45NR, but some claim that it doesn't produce a lot of steam and loses ...

Where to buy:

See All Stores

Amazon Marketplace

for $60.01

UnbeatableS- ale, Inc.