Steam Generators

Steam generators reduce heavy-duty ironing time

For people who do a lot of ironing -- or for seamstresses and quilters who need to iron for long periods -- steam iron generator systems offer more power than traditional steam irons made for home use. The basic difference is that steam generator irons have a larger water reservoir (located in a separate base unit), from which a continuous level of steam is pumped through a hose to the iron. On the downside, steam generators take up more space and, because of the larger water tank, it takes a bit longer for water to heat up. They're also more expensive than standard irons.

The Rowenta Pro Iron Steam Station DG5030 (*Est. $170) , touted as the official iron of the television show "Project Runway," holds 33 ounces of water in its base unit for about 90 minutes of continuous steam. The iron connects to the base with a 6-foot hose. One of the most reputable subscription-only sites picks this as a best buy, giving it a score of "excellent" in steaming rate, ease of use and effectiveness on a variety of fabrics. User reviews on this website agree; one poster says the results are well worth the 10 minutes it takes for this iron to heat up. However, one disappointed user says on ConsumerReports.org that the reservoir cap blew off on her model, causing steam to spew out for at least 10 minutes.

Amazon.com has about 200 owner reviews for the Rowenta Steam Station; about half give it a perfect 5-star score while the other half is mixed. Some users say the iron spits water when it first starts up, and the fact that the water tank doesn't have a level indicator is a big complaint. Some owners say their steam generators konked out after about two years. The newer Rowenta Expert Steam Station DG8030 (*Est. $300) has a transparent tank so you can see how much water is left, and the tank can be topped off whenever you like rather than having to wait for the steam to completely run out. The Rowenta DG8030 gets great reviews at Amazon.com but costs almost twice as much as the DG5030.

With features similar to the Rowenta Pro Iron Steam Station, the DeLonghi Stiromeglio Compact Pro 300 (*Est.  $155) also has similar drawbacks -- no transparent water tank, and you must wait for the tank to empty and for the iron to cool down before refilling. While we found no professional reviews, the DeLonghi garners 120 comments on Amazon.com where users praise its powerful steam output, and quite a few are impressed by how quickly the steam generator takes care of wrinkles. However, a number of owners say they have to refill the water tank (which doesn't have a level indicator) more often than they'd like, that the iron spits too much, that it doesn't have as much steam as they thought it would, and that it leaves shiny marks on clothing and doesn't glide as smoothly as other steam irons. Several users have tried both the DeLonghi and the Rowenta, but opinion is split on which one they prefer.