It's powerful but also energy-efficient with an ECO mode and automatic switch-off, so it won’t double your energy bills. Don't be deceived by its design, either. Although it might look unwieldy, the steam generator unit can fit perfectly on your ironing board, and the iron is lightweight and comfortable to hold (so no sore wrists). COILING CABLE - This is a little annoying - there is nowhere to coil the cable around the iron after use - having said that I often leave mine out in a spare room.. but not great if you need the space and want to keep it out the way - also think irons left out are extremely dangerous re small kids or pets .. so ability to coil the cable would be useful.

If you live in a hard water area, anti-calc and anti-scale features are a big plus, and many irons also have automatic cleaning systems. All this helps to prevent drips onto your clothes and, more importantly, prevents limescale build-up in your iron. It’s also worth considering the size of the water tank since the smaller it is, the more you’ll need to refill it. If you often need to do a lot of ironing in one go, look for a tank capacity of at least 300ml. According to Which?, descaling your iron should happen anywhere between one to three months. However, this can be required every two weeks if you live in a particularly hard water area. We recommend reading the manual for your particular iron, as your model might require specific steps. Generally, the best way is to: If the brand you buy is important to you, our best advice is to spend some time writing up your own list of ideal brands. That way when you come to the point where you’re comparing product options you can filter to only show the products from brands in your list. Steam generator irons have become much more mainstream over the last few years, with many deciding to invest. And they are a very expensive investment, with prices going into the hundreds of pounds.

Key specs

Buyers mentioned that this iron has a powerful 210 g burst of steam that is very handy for dealing with creases in denim or linen

HANDLE - While this is ok I did find the steam buttons at the front of the handle got in the way a little - not to the point where it was a real problem, but it just made the handle a little less comfortable than it could have been We were really impressed with the huge amounts of steam, which was consistent and easily controlled with an on/off button. There are three settings for steam on the iron and a concentrated steam zone at the front of the iron to make it easier to remove creases. It also works as a vertical steamer, although you’ll probably still need to iron the fiddlier parts of a garment flat.How long your steam iron will last depends on how much you use it and whether you take care of it. A good steam iron should last around ten years, but many last much longer. The average lifespan is anywhere between 10-20 years. How can I make my steam iron last? With a no-burn guarantee, the Phillips PerfectCare Elite steam generator iron does everything from vertically steaming curtains, just like the best clothes steamer, to gently de-wrinkling delicate items using its intuitive OptimalTemp technology to adjust the temperature for maximum efficiency.