Best Steam Irons

Pricier steam irons have the most features

Rowenta irons have the most features, though they are generally more expensive than others. They also tend to outperform other steam irons in reviews, particularly when it comes to steam production. Keep in mind that we saw just as many, if not more, complaints about eventual leaks with Rowenta irons as we did for less expensive irons. Overall, however, Rowenta irons steam far better than others.

The Rowenta Advancer DZ9080 (*Est. $120) gets excellent evaluations in professional reviews. This 1,800-watt iron has all the bells and whistles, including vertical steam (which allows you to steam curtains or hanging garments), burst of steam (for particularly tough wrinkles), variable steam, anti-calcium control (to prevent buildup) and auto shutoff. The steam-advance system releases pressurized steam, which the manufacturer says helps remove wrinkles more effectively, and an LED display indicates the iron's current temperature. The Advancer also scores especially high marks for copious amounts of steam. According to Slate magazine's Tom Bartlett, the Rowenta Advancer "produces a burst of steam powerful enough to terrify my dog."

One feature that sets this model apart from other irons is its use of 400 tiny holes in the silicate-coated, stainless-steel soleplate, whereas most irons have between 10 and 20 holes. This helps the Rowenta distribute steam evenly, especially up at the tip where irons typically have a hard time getting enough steam. The downside is this model's weight. It weighs 4 pounds when empty and close to 5 pounds when its 13-ounce water tank is full. While some reviewers complain that this iron is heavy, its heft is actually preferred by some, especially those who iron a lot of heavy fabrics, as well as by quilters and others who sew. Owner reviews at Amazon.com for this model are above average, though we did see quite a few durability complaints. Most of these refer to problems with the auto-shutoff feature, which users say sometimes fails to shut the iron off when it's not in use.

The Advancer, however, costs over twice as much as some other steam irons. Like most irons these days, you don't need to use distilled water in the Advancer -- in fact, distilled water may actually damage the iron, according to Rowenta's website, and you shouldn't use softened water either. Some owner reviews note that using very hard tap water can lead to eventual leaks and recommend filling the iron with bottled drinking water.

Another Rowenta iron, the Focus DZ5080 (*Est. $80), isn't one of the models reviewed by Good Housekeeping, but more than 150 owner reviews at Amazon.com and Buzzillions.com for this model are largely positive. Like the Rowenta Advancer, the Focus has 400 steam vents in the soleplate, a tapered tip to make ironing around buttons easier, vertical steaming, burst of steam, anti-calcium control, variable steam and auto shutoff. It doesn't include the LED temperature indicator or the steam-advance system (which is supposed to increase steam power), but owners say it gets wrinkles out in a single pass. There are a few other subtle differences between the two models; the Focus has slightly lower wattage (1,700 watts versus the Advancer's 1,800 watts) and a slightly smaller water tank that holds 10 ounces rather than 13. The Focus is also about a pound lighter when filled.

Those who enjoy sewing, crafting and quilting may prefer a more heavy-duty iron, such as the Rowenta DX8900 Professional Iron (*Est. $140). Those who enjoy these hobbies often need to work on a project on a table or sewing machine, returning to the iron periodically rather than constantly using the iron. So nothing is more annoying than finding that your iron's auto shutoff has kicked in, forcing you to wait for the iron to heat up again. The Rowenta Professional does not have an auto-shutoff feature and provides all the steaming power that Rowenta is famous for. Many of the two dozen or so user reviews for this model at Amazon.com are extremely positive, but almost one-third of owners report leaking.

Aside from Rowenta, we didn't find much support for other steam irons. The Reliable Digital Velocity V95 (*Est. $100) is one of the top three models in the test at Good Housekeeping, but this iron so far only has four user ratings at Amazon.com. Their third top pick, the Black & Decker All-Temp Steam Digital D6500, has already been discontinued even though the Good Housekeeping review was only published in April.