According to "Kassensturz", these are the best irons for letting off steam
13.3.2024
Translation: machine translated
Steam irons are the object of desire in the latest "Kassensturz" product test. I compared the results with the ratings from our customers - and discovered a few surprises along the way.
I have absolutely nothing to do with ironing. I can count on one hand the number of times I've held an iron. My wardrobe is organised accordingly. I only wear a suit and shirt when the occasion demands it. Unlike me, there are people who can't get enough of ironing. I know people for whom even socks end up on the ironing board. For them, among others, it might be interesting to see how the steam irons that "Kassensturz" has scrutinised fare.
The test criteria
"A good steam output, it must glide well and the heat distribution on the soleplate must be even," says the laboratory technician when asked by "Kassensturz" what makes a good steam iron. The SRF consumer magazine had ten appliances from different suppliers tested according to these and other criteria. You can find more than half of them here (contrary to the information provided by "Kassensturz").
In order to determine the ironing quality, items of clothing made of different materials were ironed. The handling of the steam irons was also included in the overall rating, as was their robustness. To simulate a fall from the ironing board, all appliances were dropped from a height of around 90 centimetres onto the hard floor der Realität.
Lusterless winners
To put it bluntly: None of the steam irons tested seemed to have really knocked the lab's socks off. The test winner from Tefal received a score of 4.9, followed by the Braun model with a score of 4.8. The maximum possible score would be 6, giving both the overall rating of "good", without really standing out from the competition, let alone clearly.
Solid midfield
Most of the test devices landed in the midfield. Two steam irons from Philips and one from Trisa were rated "sufficient" with scores of 4.7 to 4.4. The latter in particular shone with the top score for temperature distribution. It is the only 6 in the entire test.
Bomann, the bogeyman?
"Unsatisfactory" according to "Kassensturz" are the two steam irons that were the cheapest, at least at the time of testing. The drop test was decisive for the overall score of just under 4 in each case. In addition, the test loser from Bomann does not release enough steam.
Our Community is much more favourable. Based on the almost 100 product ratings so far, the Bomann model receives 4.3 out of 5 possible stars. The reviews include the following: "Good for everyday use", "Perfect" or "Does what it's supposed to", my favourite predicate. Not. Still, not too bad for a loser. Just never drop the steam iron. But who does that on purpose? Exactly.
What our customers think
Our customers disagree with "Kassensturz", and not just when it comes to the test winner. The test winner from Tefal, for example, received just 3.9 stars out of nine product ratings. One criticism is that the fill level is difficult to see and the appliance is leaky.
One of the Philips appliances that landed in the midfield in the "Kassensturz" test can be found on rank 1 of the irons sold. With an average of 4.6 stars, the Community is largely very satisfied with it.
What does that tell us? As objective as product tests and test criteria may be, the subjective feelings of every user are ultimately decisive. Only individual everyday use can show whether a steam iron proves its worth or not. A test under laboratory conditions may point you in the right direction, but it is not a blind recommendation to buy.
For my part, I'm going to take a closer look at the mini steam iron that my editorial colleague Stephanie Vinzens recently tested. This is said to be a perfectly suitable alternative for people who hardly ever iron. For me, that is.
You can find the detailed steam iron test by "Kassensturz" here.
Header image: SRF / Kassensturz
I'm a full-blooded dad and husband, part-time nerd and chicken farmer, cat tamer and animal lover. I would like to know everything and yet I know nothing. I know even less, but I learn something new every day. What I am good at is dealing with words, spoken and written. And I get to prove that here.
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