If you are searching for the best steam iron according to consumer reports in 2023 then this post is for you.
For a long time, I could not find the reason why my clothes were not as erecting, neater, and sharper than my colleagues.
I thought maybe it is because I don’t use softener.
Purchased expensive softeners, and even changed the detergent to one of the tops available in the locality.
No good happened.
That was after a long time when I paid a surprised visit to one of my colleagues and found him ironing his clothes with a different than mine iron.
That’s it, there it was I spot the difference, why my clothes use not to look as good as most of my colleagues.
The purpose of telling the story is, that traditional irons have gone obsolete.
If you compare the ironing performance of traditional irons with a steam iron, you can easily spot a huge difference.
In way less time, you can get crisper, neater, and wrinkle-free clothes without sprinkling water manually using a shower.
But, for the first-timer, it is hard to decide on the right product, especially in the presence of an overwhelming number of products with almost the same features.
This is where I am going to help you. In this guide, I have chosen the best steam irons after personal testing and reading consumer reports. So Without further ado let’s get started.
Best Overall: Professional Grade 1700-watts Steam Iron
Professional Grade 1700-watts is our best overall because of its uninterrupted performance, shares powerful 1700watts power, shares chromium finish, and all modern and advanced features to help enjoy steam ironing.
Its thermostat control, steam adjustability, self-cleaning and auto-turn-off features further elevate performance.
7 Best Steam Iron Consumer Reports
I have compiled a list of the 7 best steam iron based on consumer reports 2023.
1. Professional Grade 1700W Steam Iron
- 1700-watts power
- Auto turn off 30-seconds
- The auto-clean system removes contamination
- Stainless steel soleplate with axial steam hole
Ironing takes all the time. And the worst part is, you don’t get the desired results; erected, straighten clothes.
But with a professional-grade designed steam iron, you control almost every aspect. From the temperature to the steams flow, you get everything as per your requirement.
It’s not just the steam quality or steam-hole placement that makes this steam iron takes the first spot. It shares a smooth chromium finish and unparalleled gliding on your clothes, curtains, and quilting, to make it a smoother, error-free ride.
The Professionally designed steam iron comes with a thermostat to help control the temperature as well as axial steam holes system.
Now, you would not have the same amount of steams sprayed on every cloth, by turning the axial dial you can control the output. This axial dial helps you control the size of the steam, as well as speed and alignment.
It is a pretty powerful steam iron. With 1700-watts of power and rapid even heat technology integrated, helps distribute the heat evenly across the iron for ironing thick curtains, or for quilting.
It got safety features onboard too. I am pretty impressed with the way it offers a turning-off feature if the iron stays inattentive for 30-seconds, horizontal or vertically. Even if you haste to put it on your cloth, within 30-seconds the sensors will turn it off to prevent burning.
Here with a professionally designed iron, you don’t have to use special water. Yes, you can use tap water, if it is hard water, don’t worry the iron got a self-cleaning system to clean the stored contamination in the tank.
Just press the self-cleaning system and the system will remove the impurities inside the soleplate to render a smooth gliding again.
Pros
- Easy temperature control dial
- Axial dial for steam flow, size, and direction control
- Powerful 1700-watts iron with even heat distribution through the soleplate
- Tap water friendly water tank
Cons
- Small tank size leaves frequent tank filling
2. Rowenta Professional Steam Iron
- 400-holes in the soleplate
- 1750-Watts power
- Vertical ironing support
- Large water tank
Rowenta-designed professional steam iron is one of the affordable options and comes in handy at a cheaper price range.
Despite the cheaper price, the steam iron does not cut the corners and shares a superior construction with all premium features and nuts and bolts.
Not just the performance, from the looks and unique construction too, the iron stands out in the crowd. Its unique construction gives the iron permission to reach difficult-to-iron areas.
In my testing, I pay special attention to the vertical ironing feature. And this iron, if you talk particularly about vertical ironizing, stands out in the list.
It easily irons hanging cloths, with the same smoothness and performance as on regular ironing.
I would like to specially mention the tank size. In most of the irons, in our list too, you will see the tank size is small, which leads to frequent refilling.
This one got a pretty big tank size, that can easily make you iron clothes or curtains, with no re-filling.
The tank too is transparent, easily check the level of the water, and refill it on time.
Don’t forget the smooth, and error-free steam distribution system. It got 400 holes in the soleplate that perfectly distributes the steams and helps you get the desired results in no time.
The iron shares an anti-drip feature, the feature helps you avoid stains on the fabrics.
It also comes with a self-cleaning feature. Yes, you can fill the tank with tap water, even hard water. So, the calcium contamination in the tank can accumulate in the tank, which can easily be washed out using the self-cleaning button.
In total, for an affordable range, you can’t get a better option than this. It got all the premium features and produces a smoother ironing experience.
Pros
- Error-free steam distribution system with 400-holes
- Anti-drip feature integrated
- A large-sized tank can be filled with tap water
- Supports vertical ironing
Cons
- Hard to refill the tank
3. Sunbeam Steammaster 1400 Watt steam Iron
- 1400-watts power
- Retractable cord feature
- Spray mist feature
- 30-Seconds auto turn off
If you often have to deal with stubborn wrinkles and looking for a steam iron that helps remove difficult wrinkles, go with Sunbeam Steammaster steam iron.
Keep in mind, that it is the steams that remove the creases or wrinkles, and this iron comes with a smooth spray mist feature that easily removes all the wrinkles in one go.
The iron in my view and testing saves you lots of time. Yes, its spray mist feature is way different and more advance than others, that’s why I particularly mentioned this iron for those who deal with hard wrinkling clothes.
Variable steam shots from the steam mist on the damp clothes give a new and refreshing and erecting look to the cloth.
Don’t forget that, the iron can function on vertically hanging clothes. As it got a vertical streaming feature as well, to help you iron clothes on hangers, drapes, and curtains.
If you are like me who can’t handle the long cord and still need a cord, its retractable cord feature is going to help a lot. It comes with an 8-foot cord, and the cord can easily be retracted for storage purposes.
The steam iron is equally safer and more powerful. It comes with an automatic turn-off feature which turns off the iron if you don’t touch it for 30-seconds horizontal placed iron.
Similarly, if it is untouched for 8-minutes vertically, the sensors send a signal and it turns off there too.
One more thing, for long hours of ironing sessions, it comes with a large water tank. That leads to no frequent water refilling.
In total, if you need a sturdy powerful, and stylish iron that supports vertically hung clothes, and removes hard-to-remove wrinkles, go with this model.
Pros
- Supports horizontal and vertical ironing
- Comes with a retractable cord feature
- Large sized tank
- The advanced steam mist feature
Cons
- Limited warranty
4. Sunbeam Anti-Drip Non-Stick Soleplate Iron
- 1200-watts
- Self-switching system
- Anti-drip and anti-calc
- Unique accurate precision tip
If you are on a budget and looking for an affordable-priced steam Iron, without compromising the quality and performance, go with the Sunbeam-designed Anti-drip steam iron.
The steam iron comes in hands under $40 and shares 1200 watts of power which is enough to help you remove the difficult creases from your shirts, curtains, and even for quilting too.
Again, the creases removing power are because of the steam performance. Here with the model, you see a powerful shot of steam that works horizontally as well as vertically.
It got a non-stick soleplate, it is a non-stick soleplate, just like you see with other premium models, to help glide over the clothes seamlessly to remove the creases in no time. I am particularly impressed with the unique tip design.
Yes, with traditional irons you see a thick tip that hardly gets between the buttons, and lapels around the collars
. But with the latest designed and modern features Integration steam iron this sleek, and accurate precision tip spills the magic and provides you error-free ironing, of a professional laundry scale.
Yes, even at this cheap price the model supports auto turning off. For 30-seconds if you don’t touch the iron, it turns off automatically, conserving not only energy but accidents too.
It is a 3-way motion smart auto-off feature that turns off the iron if you don’t touch it for 30-seconds horizontal, vertically, or ironing.
With an 8-foot long cord, self-clean button, anti-drip, and anti-calc technology, if you sum up this iron, I can safely say one of the affordable but super performing irons on the list.
Also Read: Best Ironing Boards
Pros
- Powerful 1200-watts iron
- Anti-drip and anti-calc technology integrated
- Auto turn-off feature
- Powerful mist feature even distribution of mist
Cons
- Not a durable construction at all
5. BEAUTURAL Steam Iron with Digital LCD Screen
- 1800-watts power
- Self-cleaning feature
- Turns off automatically in 30-sec
- LCD screen with preset modes
If you are looking for something that does it all for everyone around in your home, from beginners to experience, I don’t think anyone else than BEAUTURAL steam iron with a digital LCD screen.
This iron takes loads of work and even helps the professionals who run a small ironing business.
This iron too, like our above-reviewed SUNBEAM iron, comes at an affordable price of under $40.
Despite the affordable price range, the iron boasts incredible power and offers great value.
It heats fast due to the fast heating mechanism integrated, takes only 10-seconds to reach the temperature for ironing linen and satin fabrics.
In our testing, we checked it dry as well as steam ironing, and it stands out in its wrinkles removing power and performance. It adds elegance to the dress, erects the fabrics, and makes your dress looks fresh.
It got double-plated ceramic soleplates covering the large bottom area of it along with lots of holes that push steam showers out to sprinkle on the dress.
The steam bursts are even and powerful and can be customized as desired. Above all, the water tank is large and won’t force you to refill frequently.
Its stand apart feature is its LCD screen. The LCD screen not only shows the temperature but allows you to shuffle between nine pre-set models for different types of fabrics.
In our testing too, it was really easy to iron a variety of clothes, from linen to shirts and jeans.
The Safety and maintenance feature requires your consideration. The iron turns off automatically after 8-minutes or tipped over for more than 30-seconds.
Its self-cleaning function is amazing, with just a push of a button the calcium contamination stored in the water tank can easily be cleaned.
The only drawback in my view is the limited cord and no retractable cord feature. The cord is of 5-foot, which limits the functionality, like many other models, it should have been at least 8-foot.
Pros
- Affordably priced model
- Shares an LCD screen with nine preset modes to shuffle between
- Double plated ceramic soleplates cover
- Turns off automatically when tipped over 30-seconds
Cons
- The cord is limited, 5-foot
6. Conair EZ Handheld Steam Iron
- 800-watts power
- 8-Foot long cord
- Reach temperature in 30-sec
- 50-Millimeter tank size
For those looking for an insanely cheap steam iron, the Conair-designed EZ handheld steam iron is the way to go.
This iron although not as powerful as others listed, only 800 watts of power, seamlessly removes all the wrinkles in one or two goes.
In our testing, the iron performs remarkably considering its compactness and size of it. In both dry and steam tests it renders commendable performance and removes the wrinkles in one or two goes on any type of fabric.
As long as heating and temperature are concerned, we are awestruck at looking its fast reaching.
Within 30-seconds it reached the temperature and comes with an LED light that shows the right temperature.
Keep in mind, that it is a small-sized iron. It can easily be taken in your suitcase for ironing on the go.
The small size also makes it a perfect partner for sewing, you can easily take it off and cover the small area stitched.
One more thing, it comes with a dual voltage switch that comes in handy using it out of the States.
Its 8-foot-long cord is also amazing, helps you do ironing with no limitation of small cord.
The only issue we faced using the model is its small water tank. The brand though did not mention the size, but in our testing, it is around 50 millimeters which are pretty small and requires frequent refilling if you are ironing many pieces in one go.
Pros
- Small, compact, and lightweight iron
- Cheap price possible
- Reaches the highest temperature in 30-sec
- 8-foot long cord
Cons
- No extra bells or whistles integrated
- Limited tank size
7. Philips Azur Elite Steam Iron
- Optimal temperature
- Intelligent steam control
- Steam Glide Plus soleplate
- 2400watts power
On the number 2 spot, there comes the iron from one of the biggest electronics and electrical products producing brands; Philips.
This iron is as good as our first product and packs an excellent range of premium features to help in easy, smooth, and error-free ironing.
The iron makes it simple as possible and convenient to iron clothes and fabrics without going through a complex or hard-to-pass process.
With just one press of the button, and setting the amount of steam release, there you are with smooth, and error-free iron right away.
Its steam control technology is pretty commendable. The Azure Elite can easily produce 55g/minute of continuous steam that can go up to 240g/min with a steam boost that is enough to remove the stubborn creases, and curtain ironing.
If you compare the power of this iron steamer with our first contender, this one exceeds. It comes with 2400Watts of power with even heat distribution technology to quickly heat up to give powerful and even performance.
The Azure-designed iron looks stylish too. It is compactly designed, and lightweight making it easier for anyone to handle.
In my testing, I found this iron very smooth to glide with a Steam Glide Plus soleplate to improve the gliding without not catching the fabric.
Plus, if you compare the price of this iron, I can easily say that it is one of the affordable options with ultra-premium features.
The only downside, maybe I could not handle, was the steam control. Sometimes, it pumps out a humongous amount of steam, undesired.
Pros
- Compact, stylish, and lightweight iron
- Produces 55/g minutes up to 240/g steam
- 2400-Watts power
- Steam Glide Plus soleplate improved the smooth gliding
Cons
- Sometimes out of no-way produce huge steam
Steam Iron Buying Guide
Before you move on and buy a steam iron it is important to learn what to look for in a steam iron. Not every steam iron will be good for every user, it depends on your personal preference.
So, it is you who can decide the right feature and specs that suits your needs. We can just mention the use of importance of different features or aspects.
Effectiveness
The most important and worth taking notice of feature is the effectiveness of the iron.
It’s the effectiveness of the iron that makes or breaks its usability.
Like, you buy an iron, but it does not remove wrinkles from the cotton clothes, or linen or satin?
So, have notice of its performance on different varieties of clothes before giving it a final shot.
And in our guide too, we took notice of all three fabrics’ wrinkles removing the power of the iron before giving space to our list.
Portability
Not just the iron, but everything around us is getting compact, short, and sleek in its shape.
From smartphones to laptops, from furniture to power tools, people prefer buying smart-looking compact products.
The same falls true in an iron case too.
Gone are the days when we uses to take the weight an edge of the product and would think more the weight more material is used in the making.
Compact and lightweight iron help take around as well. You can take the iron around with you if you are a student or professional who moves a lot.
Plus, people suffering from arthritis or many other joints disease can find it hard to lift a heavy iron and do the ironing for hours.
Cord length
This feature might look not so important but in practice, it is one of the most important aspects. Limited or short-sized cords make it hard to iron clothes without any issue. You will always be changing your piece position to make it possible for the iron to reach it.
So, consider at least sss8-feet cord length for buying any iron. And if it got a retractable feature for the cord, you will be fussing less time in pulling the cord for storage purposes.
Heating time
Heating time determines the time the iron takes to reach the maximum set temperature. A high wattage iron will take less time in comparison to low wattage.
In other words, if you want to go out after freshen up, in haste, a higher wattage iron that has a faster heating time can help.
Keep in mind, that the heating time also gets impacted by the settings, and the fabric you are ironing.
Steam control
Steam gauge or steam control too is important and helps you get the best out of your iron. With the feature integrated on a steam iron, you can change the amount of power of steam, flow as well as setting.
Not all steam iron comes with an adjustable steam control feature, but the one you buy should have this feature.
Vertical steaming
Vertical steaming allows you to steam your clothes on a hanger or in a vertical position. For that you would not have to take out clothes from your wardrobe, you can get their wrinkles removed right away.
Not just for the clothes, the vertical steaming power helps you iron your curtains and many other things like that.
Self-cleaning system
Stem irons come with a water tank, that tank is filled with tap water sooner or later has calcium contamination stored in it.
With time that build-up can take up all the space, as well as can mix in the water and put stains on the clothes you are ironing.
To help prevent such messes, irons come with a self-cleaning system. This system with a push of a button leans the calcium contaminations or stored in the tank.
Auto shut off
About all irons designed today come with this feature unless you get your hands on a traditional iron.
Auto shutoff or auto turn-off features turn the iron off if it is not touched in 30-seconds. In different irons this time can be different, the thing is, and this feature should be there in the iron.
Wrap Up
Choosing the best steam iron from the overwhelming number of options available is a daunting task. It not only requires lots of time but expertise.
With this guide, we tried to help you pick the right option by mentioning the advantage and disadvantages.
We also put an in-depth buying guide to help the first timers to learn what makes a steam iron stands out, and to get the most out of their purchase, what should they take care of in an iron.
We can hope that this guide helps you, and make you pick the right steam iron, that fits your budget and requirements.
FAQs
Are more watts better?
Generally, it is considered that the more the wattage power in iron, the more powerful it will be, and the faster it will be ready for ironing. It affects your ironing time, and you can get the job done quickly in no time.
But, it is not just the wattage power that makes the iron efficient, we have listed many features above in the buying guide section. To get the most out of your iron, look for the features mentioned.
Can I use tap water to fill the reservoir?
It depends on the iron you got. In some, the brand can mention in the description the tank should be filled with special or mineral water.
But, in most of the irons, above mentioned too, tap water can be used, and okay for steaming. But, also look like the auto clean feature that removes all the calcium built stored in the reservoir.
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