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Steam Irons Reviews
Updated October 2007
We found some thorough, exhaustive and even funny professional reviews for steam irons. Consumer Reports covers the most irons with a total of 13 models tested for its latest report. Each iron is tested for over 250 hours of ironing linen, cotton and a polyester/wool blend. While Consumer Reports' article is suitably thorough, we found more interesting reviews at The Wall Street Journal and Slate magazine. Wall Street Journal testers took five models for a test drive, using three different testers. Each iron is considered not only for its ironing ability, but also for ease of use and weight. Tom Bartlett covers seven steam irons for Slate magazine, saying "I ironed until my wrist became tired, my back achy, my soul deadened." We also found good coverage at UK-based Which? and Australia's Choice magazines. Both test a large sampling of irons according to a strict set of criteria, but most of the tested steam irons aren't available in the United States. The big problem with professional reviews is that these publications, including Consumer Reports, are testing brand-new steam irons. No professional testing on new irons can predict whether an iron will still be working in a year or two. The unfortunate fact, supported by the hundreds of lackluster reviews on Amazon.com and Epinions, is that every iron will break or leak at some point. The typical lifespan seems to be two or three years. Whether it's a $130 Rowenta or a $20 Proctor Silex iron, we found the same complaints of leaks and other breakage. We wish we could report that spending over $100 on an iron would get you an appliance that will last for ten years of regular use, but that simply doesn't appear to be the case. Sadly, therefore, it's safe to assume you'll get about two or three years out of an iron -- a stipulation that could affect how much you ultimately want to spend. While pricier irons like the Rowenta Advancer (*est. $130) offer better control, more steam and a greater number of convenience features, they probably won't last much longer than cheaper irons. A few steam irons are trying to offer some innovations. The
Oliso Touch & Glide
(*est. $90)
has small retractable feet that pop out whenever it senses you've
taken your hand away from the iron. The idea is that your garment is always
protected, and you don't have to prop the iron up on its end. Time Magazine
named it one of the best inventions of 2006, and testers at Real Simple magazine
also think it's cool. Slate magazine's Tom Bartlett calls the feature "nifty." However,
while Bartlett likes the Oliso iron's features, he
says it doesn't glide as well as others and notes a big problem with leakage. "When
you turn the steam on, water drips everywhere. A lot of water," writes Bartlett. This conclusion is supported by the
many reports of leaks from owners posting comments to Amazon.com. We found one interesting iron that gets upgraded in one review and downgraded in another for the same feature. Slate Magazine's Bartlett gives the T-Fal Aquaspeed (*est. $65) his highest rating, partly because, "the soleplate is coated with enamel and it glides like a dream, better than any of the other irons." Ironically, The Wall Street Journal's Roberta Bernstein dislikes this model for the same reason. Bernstein and testers felt that the glide of the enamel soleplate was like "operating a race car." She does like the stable triangular base and the ability to fill the water hole straight from the tap, another feature appreciated by Slate's Bartlett. The handful of reviews we found at Amazon.com for the T-Fal Aquaspeed are excellent, but only a small number of owners have left comments. The T-Fal steam iron weighs about three pounds when empty. ... Continued
Our Consensus Report shows how many times products are top-ranked by reviewers included in our
Although several reviews rate the more expensive T-Fal Aquaspeed or Rowenta Advancer a bit higher, we found excellent reviews for the Black & Decker Digital Advantage steam iron, especially when you factor value into the equation. This model also weighs less than the heavy Rowenta Advancer, though it's a bit heavier than the T-Fal Aquaspeed. A couple of older reviews recommend the Rowenta Professional DX8800 as well. Keep in mind that although Rowenta, T-Fal and Black & Decker get slightly better reviews overall, we found complaints about durability and leaks for every iron, regardless of brand. Advertisement
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Steam Irons Reviews |
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© 2008. ConsumerSearch, Inc. A service from 
, a part of The New York Times Company. All Rights Reserved.
ConsumerSearch and ConsumerSearch.com are registered trademarks of ConsumerSearch, Inc. Other trademarks or service marks on this site are the property of their respective owners. ConsumerSearch is not sponsored by any source reviewed, and we accept no consideration or payment for including, excluding, or ranking any reviews, products or services in our reports.
* Pricing information is approximate as of the time this report was written and is based on observed market selling prices and/or list prices. Actual selling prices may differ.
