01.Introduction
Test results for 11 irons priced from $14 to $140
Here’s a statement you’ll never hear: “I love ironing!” OK, maybe some people enjoy it – perhaps as a meditative exercise – but for most it’s a chore. However, it’s often necessary, unless you’re prepared to pay a laundry service to do the job for you, and even the most ardent ironing hater will admit there’s a certain pleasure in putting on crisply pressed clothes.
We put 11 steam irons on test, looking at:
- ease of use
- performance on a variety of fabrics, including silk, wool, cotton and linen
- electrical safety.
Findings:
- You can spend well over $100 on an iron — but our best performer was priced at $70.
- Very cheap irons - $20 or less - tend to be the poorest performers.
You can also look at our 2008 results.
For more information on Laundry and cleaning, see Household.
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Brands tested
- Abode ETA-17A2
- Homemaker KB-166A2
- Kambrook SpeedSteam KI460KM (A)
- Kambrook Steamline KI730
- Philips GC2860
- Philips GC4420
- Russell Hobbs RHC903
- Sunbeam Verve 62 Platinum SR6200
- Sunbeam Verve 68 Resilium SR6800
- Tefal Aquaspeed Autoclean 275 FV5275
- Tefal Primaglide 31 FV2231
(A) Exclusive to Kmart; technically identical to the Kambrook KI400.
How we test
Performance Our testers, Peter Horvath and Fiona Pollard, each test every iron on all its temperature settings, from coolest to hottest, using a range of fabrics (synthetic organza, silk, wool, cotton shirt, denim jeans and linen). They assess how effective the iron is at removing creases; models that remove creases quickly without needing the water spray score best. Models that take several passes to remove creases or that need the water spray score lower, while models that leave creases or leak water score lowest.
Peter also checks the irons for electrical safety; all passed this test.
Ease of use They assess the irons for ease of filling the water tank (including how easy it is to see the water level); how comfortable the iron is to hold; ease of moving the iron over various fabrics; using the steam and spray functions; adjusting the temperature; and convenience of the cord, including storage.
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