Steam Irons Reviews

We found some thorough and exhaustive comparison reviews for steam irons at Consumer Reports, Good Housekeeping and Slate.com. Most of them, however, date from 2006, and the majority of tested irons, including some that are highly rated, have been discontinued. So for this update, we've turned to user reviews at Amazon.com and other sites, which offer much more current data on reliability and ironing performance.

Another problem with the professional reviews is that these publications, including Consumer Reports, tested 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 $140 Rowenta or a $30 Proctor-Silex iron, we found the same complaints of leaks and other breakage. 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. $140) 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. $95) 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 back in 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.

Our Consensus Report shows how many times products are top-ranked by reviewers included in our
All The Reviews Reviewed chart.

Although some 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.