Proctor Silex 17610

In general, reviewers don't recommend cheap steam irons. Good Housekeeping magazine recommended the Proctor Silex 17610 as a budget pick in a roundup of steam irons from 2005, however, noting that it worked as well as some more expensive irons. This iron has a non-stick soleplate and retractable cord. Other features include auto shutoff and adjustable steam volume. Another inexpensive steam iron, the Panasonic NI-S300TR (*Est. $25), isn't included in professional tests, but it does receive strong recommendations from owners posting reviews to retailer websites.

We found only one credible evaluation of the Proctor Silex 17610 -- in Good Housekeeping, where editors subject steam irons to hands-on tests. Unfortunately, we found only one user review of this iron, so long-term owner satisfaction is a question mark.