Steam irons tested by Kassensturz: Nothing but hot air?

Raphael Knecht

11.9.2018

Translation: machine translated

Using plenty of steam to get rid of even stubborn creases - a superpower that makes steam irons heroes in everyday life. Kassensturz tested twelve models and found only a few to be good. Find out here which brand smoothes how well.

A few years ago, irons that used steam to iron laundry faster were the latest trend. Nowadays, almost every product is equipped with this function. Kassensturz took a close look at twelve of the most popular models and tested them in detail. The result: many steam irons produce too little steam on the lowest settings and therefore struggle to remove creases from delicate fabrics.

The trick

Steam irons ensure that the fabric swells due to the steam, while the pressure exerted from above makes the textiles wrinkle-free again. Over 40 years ago, clever minds discovered that you can smooth your clothes even more gently this way. While pressure used to be the measure of all things, today steam does a lot of the hard work for you.

The test

The Kassensturz experts thoroughly analysed each iron. The ironing quality, handling, some technical tests and robustness were included in the evaluation. Five different items of clothing were washed in a washer-dryer, dried and then ironed for a maximum of five minutes. These results determined the ironing quality. The temperature settings were taken from the information on the clothing labels in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations. From a cotton and linen kitchen towel to a cotton-polyester shirt and a satin pillowcase to a cotton-polyester shirt, various textiles were subjected to the endurance test.

In terms of handling, the laboratory staff measured how easy it was to set the ironing temperature and steam intensity and fill the water tank. It was also determined how comfortable the iron is to hold, whether the buttons can be operated without any obstacles and whether all the necessary control indicators are immediately visible. No less important were the tests regarding the risk of injury from heat and steam as well as the stability of the steam irons.

In the technical test, the testers looked at whether the soleplate has a uniform temperature, whether this fluctuates, how quickly the desired temperature is reached, the maximum amount of steam that can be emitted per minute and how much steam can be emitted per press of a button. Finally, the Kassensturz experts dropped the steam irons from a height of one metre - tip first - to see how robust the products are. They also tested whether the undersides were scratch-resistant.

The winners

The winner was the Azur GC 4527 from Philips. This steam iron performed well in all tests. Whether in terms of handling or ironing quality - the results were convincing in all areas. However, it is also the most expensive of all the appliances tested. It is closely followed by the Texstyle from Braun. This iron delivered good results both at low temperatures for delicate fabrics and at higher settings for less delicate fabrics. The price also plays a role here: it is the second most expensive appliance tested.

The midfield

Two thirds of all tested irons scored "sufficient" and therefore average. At high temperatures, they could easily keep up with the more expensive models, while they struggled to remove creases from more delicate materials, depending on the steam iron. Surprisingly, the cheapest appliance is not one of the losers, but can be found in the midfield - with a price of less than ten francs, the DB 705 from Primotecq still made it to ninth place.

The most expensive iron was the winner.

The losers

Trisa and Durabase did not manage to get the creases out of men's shirts with their irons using the correct settings. Both appliances performed poorly in terms of ironing quality, which at 65% had a comparatively large influence on the final result. According to experts, the Perfect Finish 2200 from Trisa only irons adequately from level 3, while the Durabase product also requires at least level 2. If you iron with these products at higher levels, they also produce reasonably acceptable results. However, you then run the risk of damaging your clothes. I therefore advise against buying one.

The ranking

Here you will find all the products tested, including their ratings. Five of the twelve steam irons tested in the Kassensturz test are available in our shop. You can find the entire range of steam irons at Galaxus here.
.

1. Philips Azur GC 4527

Verdict: "good", grade: 5.0

Clothes irons

Philips Azur Performer Plus GC4527/01

2400 W, 220 g/min

299

The model mentioned above is no longer available. Instead, Philips has introduced its successor: [[productlist:9699921]]

1. Braun Texstyle 7 TS 735

Verdict: "unsatisfactory", grade: 3.8 [[productlist:2584559]]

More details

You can view the detailed results of the Kassensturz test here. Don't want to miss any Kassensturz tests from the household sector? Then follow my author profile and you'll always be up to date.

Raphael Knecht

Senior Editor

raphael.knecht@digitecgalaxus.ch

When I'm not stuffing my face with sweets, you'll catch me running around in the gym hall. I’m a passionate floorball player and coach. On rainy days, I tinker with my homebuilt PCs, robots or other gadgets. Music is always my trusted companion. I also enjoy tackling hilly terrain on my road bike and criss-crossing the country on my cross-country skis. more

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