I was given this steam generator to try out by Phillips, for which i say thank you.
Firstly, I hate ironing, my usual method is to hang clothes in my wardrobe and let gravity work its magic.
However i end up having to do some ironing which i hate, it is a chore i wish had never been invented.
Since I hated ironing, I have a clunky old steam iron that spends most of its time lurking in the cupboard under the sink with only pots and pans for company.
When I learned I was going to be a guinea pig (I am neither cute nor fluffy) i wondered how I would feel knowing I would have to do some serious ironing and put it to the test.
When it arrived, it was well packaged and my thought was how big was this going to be looking at the size of the box, plus the fact I was not really aware of what steam generators were, what with my going temporarily blind when passing by the ironing department in stores
I was pleasantly surprised at how small the actual iron was and how light.
Prior to its arrival, i pondered how the steam got into the iron since the water was in a separate tank
I was still thinking like my old steam iron.
Once I unpacked it i saw how it was done and I wondered why I hadn't thought of this sooner (Doh!)
I had a read through the instruction manual which seemed to focus mainly on decalcifying as did the A4 sized pictures of the how to.
I braced myself and rescued my ironing board from its corner and set to.
It took me a minute or so to figure out how to get the water tank out but once it was out it was simple to fill, in my case using good old tap water.
The first thing I did was a decalcify since when some irons are tested prior to packaging for leak etc they sometimes leave a tiny residue of water inside.
I also wanted to make sure everything was nice and clean for my first foray with modern ironing technology.
Following the instructions provided, the process was fast and easy.
There is a container provided that you sit the iron on and as it steams the water falls into it.
Once that was done I sallied forth to do the blouses that I really hate to iron.
I was pleasantly surprised at how easy the ironing was.
I have arthritis in my hands and I have found that sometimes handles can be just a little to small for me, the handle size here was plenty thick enough for me to handle it easily.
As it glided (glid? )easily over the material I had no urge to push harder or apply pressure unlike a traditional iron.
The steam function was excellent, it handled the creases with no effort, it wasn't too little resulting in creases winning nor too much resulting in billows of steam akin to awaiting the arrival of the next steam train to Paddington.
Jeans were a doddle to it, even my blouse with the annoying roll up and button sleeves that are a pain to iron succumbed easily to its steamy charms
Me, being me and not having delicate fabrics that need a light hand, flowers and chocolates before letting anyone approach them with anything remotely iron shaped, I was lazy and I opted for a temperature somewhere between cotton and the next one down.
All the garments I ironed were left smoother than a Hollywood star forehead.
I love that the steam button is under the iron handle and fits naturally into my hand, needing only a gentle squeeze to get the desired steam amount.
Perfect for those of us with poor grip or weak fingers.
No need to press buttons with thumbs on top of the iron like the good old days meaning better steam control.
I even bit the bullet and ironed my first ever duvet cover rather than shoving it in the airing cupboard mostly folded.
If I am doing something I go all in.
It made even this daring challenge to my ironing dexterity pleasant.
The steam generator ticked all my boxes.
It did stuff.
It was shiny.
It was Bright.
It had buttons and a dial.
There are a couple of small suggestions I could make.
When decalcifying, the water going into the pot is boiling hot.
To empty the pot it would mean waiting for the water to cool down enough that any spillage would not result in a scald.
My concern is that someone with young children or energetic pets, might knock the pot and cause spillage or there could be spillage when emptying said pot.
Would it be better if a lid could be included that when the decalcifying was complete, it could go onto the top of the container, with a rubber seal perhaps (which could be replaced as applicable due to wear and tear)
A nice tight seal would mean a lesser risk of accidents and spillage. even when the water has cooled.
I also noticed that when decalcifying, it says to fill the tank half full.
Perhaps a nice bright line on the water tank would make it easier to see where half full is rather than over or under filling the water tank, especially those with not good eyesight.
I love the carry lock, it is secure and i didn't worry about the risk of the iron falling off either during ironing or storage.
I also didn't worry about the iron sole coming into contact with anything should it be knocked.
Safety first is always good.
The cords are also long enough that i didn't feel limited in ironing distance between iron and tank nor between tank and socket.
I actually enjoyed the ironing for the first time ever.
Had I known how easy a steam generator was, I would have gotten one years ago.
The iron was light and easy to control, it needed no pressure or force, it just needed a light touch to guide it whilst it did all the hard work.
I loved the idea of the storage ares for the cords, they could be safely tucked away rather than crammed into an untidy heap or wrapped around the iron/tank.
It looks heavy given the size but it isn't.
The water tank when full isn't overly heavy either.
It sat comfortably on my old ironing board though i now feel obliged to buy a new one since my current one is well into its dotage.
The tank is stable and when the iron is locked onto the tank, it stays secured with nary a wobble or slip.
I still have to try the steaming feature on clothes hanging up so i can't comment on that specific option as yet
I only gave it 4 stars for design simply because of the decalcify pot and the hot water risk of spillage or scald.
This iron does what it says, and, if it made me enjoy a chore that no one ever really likes, then it must be good.
When this one finally goes to iron heaven i will get another one of the same brand.
Roll on laundry day
