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Choosing an iron that’s easy to use (view report contents)

Guide to test results

Most steam irons have similar basic features. There's a control to adjust the temperature to suit different fabrics. Most have a control to adjust the amount of steam or give an extra shot of steam for stubborn creases, and there's usually also a cold water spray to dampen the fabric. Water for the steam is usually poured in through a hole in the front.

The details below expand on the test result summaries for each model and follow the same order from top to bottom. You can read them straight through or, by clicking on a summary heading (such as easy to use temperature settings) you can jump straight to the relevant section of text below.

Prices

These are what you should expect to find by shopping around.

Weight

This is the weight of the iron when it is full of water. They varied from less than one kilogram (about two pounds) to almost two kilograms.

Temperature control

Size and shape

The main temperature control on all but one of the irons was a rotary dial. Most were big enough to hold without bending your fingers. Some needed more strength to turn. Grooved or serrated edges had better grip and were easier to turn than smooth, slippery edged dials.

The temperature control on the Tefal Ultraglide Filter-scale was a slider. It was wide and needed little force to slide it. However the different heat settings were quite close together, so the slider had to be moved precisely.

Position

Most temperature controls were below the handle. There was enough space between the handle and the control for most people. But if you have swollen joints check you can hold the handle without brushing against the control.

The dials on the two Philips Mistral irons were on top of the handle. While this meant there was plenty of space around the dials, they did not stick out far enough to make them easy to grip.

Ease of setting

Setting the right temperature was fairly easy on nearly all the irons because the settings were well spaced.

None clicked into position, which would have been helpful. None of the irons had raised markers that you could feel, so you need to see to set the temperature. Settings were marked alongside the controls.

Labelling of controls

Temperature markings were generally too small to be easily seen by anyone with a visual impairment. Colour contrast between the labels and their background varied - from dark blue (good) to light grey on white (bad).

Indicator lights

All the irons had a thermostat light that went out when the temperature you had set was reached. They also clicked at this point.

The Tefal Ultraglide Filter-scale had a mains-on light to show it was plugged in.

Filling with water

Most manufacturers recommend the use of distilled, demineralised or deionised water, with or instead of tap water. About half the irons came with their own small filling jug.

Most could be filled with one-hand, by letting the iron rest on its heel or base. If you have unsteady hands, go for an iron with a larger filling hole.

You could see how much water was left in the tank on most of the irons, although this would be difficult for visually impaired people on some irons. See test results for details.

Steam features

The controls for these were generally on the top or front of the iron.

Extra steam

With most irons you could deal with stubborn creases with a shot of extra steam. You had to press a button for this - most did not need to much strength.

Variable steam

Lighter fabrics may need less steam. Some of the irons on test had a control to adjust how much steam there was. Some of these were sliding controls. Other irons had a slider or rotary knob - these could be small and fiddly or stiff to adjust.

Vertical steaming

Some of the more expensive irons could be used vertically, on hanging curtains for example. You have to use the boost of steam button. But using an iron this way strains your hand and arm.

Water spray

All the irons had a button to spray cold water to dampen the fabric. Most could be pressed without force.

Overall ease of use

In the Summary the ratings for steam and spray controls covers all these features on each iron. They take into account how easy they are to reach, to grip and to press or turn. The summaries also give an overall rating for how easy the labelling is to see. They take into account the size and colour of any symbols and markings. But unlike temperature settings, which always need to be seen, bear in mind that you can remember how to set these controls by touch.

Handling

The handles were generally comfortable to grip. But if you do a lot of ironing, or if you get pain in your hands, go for an iron we have rated as being very comfortable.

The handles were not heavily moulded, so could be gripped in a number of ways. None of them were slippery and none became uncomfortably hot to hold.

Almost all the irons felt well-balanced, though some were better than others (view summary for details).

The Royal National Institute for the Blind sell an iron guard, to cover the edge of the hot soleplate to protect fingers - telephone them at 0345 023153 for details.

Descaling

If you live in a hard water area your iron can fur up unless you descale it. We followed the manufacturers' instructions on how to do this. Some of the irons had self-clean or anti-scale devices but some were fiddly to deal with - see summary for how easy this was. Methods varied from using the extra steam button to flush out loose scale, to flushing a vinegar and water solution through the tank or soaking parts of the iron in this solution.

Instructions

All the irons came with instructions. All had black type on white paper which is easier to read, but the type tended to be small. Some booklets had instructions in more than one language, which can be confusing. The easy to follow ratings in the Summaries take into account the simplicity of the instructions, layout and the clearness of diagrams.

Safety

Obviously the soleplate of any iron will get very hot in use. Two of the irons we tested (the Rowenta Professional and the Ufesa PV156 Vertinox 1500) had a deeper strip of metal round the bottom edge of the iron which also got hot. This could be a hazard if accidentally touched during ironing.

We didn't have any other safety concerns about the irons we tested.

 

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Report contents

Introduction
Finding an easy to use iron
If you have poor or painful grip or reduced strength
If you have poor sight
Guide to test results

Buying Guide
Manufacturers Addresses