Russell Hobbs 15207 White and Purple Steamglide 2200 W Iron

well i suppose you get what you pay for, this iron is rubbish, so bad in fact that i just went back to using the old one it was meant to replace. the steam function on it is really poor, think it has to be turned right upto full to get any action from it-no good if your ironing a shirt then because that`d be too hot...

I'm not sure why there are some bad reviews for this iron. I found it to be very good and it does everything I ask. I generally avoid buying anything cheap and I've always had a rule of thumb of paying a realistic price for a quality product. However, there are some occasions when that rule can be excepted, and this is one.

Any steam iron - regardless of price - is generally a basic product consisting of an electric element and a hot plate. The only variables to consider are the wattage of the element, the size and composition of the hotplate, and the steaming features. When my old iron started to throw the mains fuse, I wandered round the shops chatting to store assistants about the irons on display. I asked several the reason for the differences in price, explaining that I was happy to pay a higher price if an iron was indeed worth the difference over a cheapie. Most of the assistants agreed with me that an iron is just an element and hotplate and several said the difference in price was simply down to paying for the style and name. When we checked the specifications on the shelves this Russell Hobbs didn't really differ from irons that cost four and five times the price.

I decided to buy this iron and I'm very impressed. It has a 2200w element, a large reservoir and several steam functions - including self-clean. It has a non-stick Teflon hotplate which also attracted me. When I first switched the iron on to cure the hotplate as recommended, I was really surprised at the speed it heated up. Despite setting the dial to maximum, the iron was ready in about 10 seconds! Not only that, the steam function is powerful and impressive. In fact, I had to turn the dial down as I had steam everywhere - including on my glasses!

My only criticisms of this Russell Hobbs is that there's no easy lead storage. The leads on most other irons can be wound safely around the heel but this iron doesn't provide for that, nor can the lead be wound around any other part. The lead has to be wound up and stored as best as possible next to the iron and I have yet to find a satisfactory method of storage. The lead's currently floating in the cupboard which is far from ideal.
My other critisism is the guarantee registration form. Although a purchaser has the statutory 12 months protection, Russell Hobbs recommend you register the purchase to activate their guarantee (?). This is in fact nothing more than a consumer survey which asks the most personal and detailed questions about your status, personal finances, insurance renewals etc. Quite obviously, Russell Hobbs are one of the many companies today who sell customers' personal details to interested parties. Perhaps they are recouping something from setting a low price for the product. The form has nothing really to do with registering the new iron! I filled out the few words relevant to the purchase but crossed through all the other sections as irrelevant and nothing to do with Russell Hobbs or my iron! Whether the 'guarantee' remains valid is anyone's guess.

Other than storage for the lead, this iron is good value for money. It's powerful and steams well with several steam functions and I would say it will more than satisfy the needs of the average household. It's a great price too!

Ordered this after reading the reviews and yes it is ok. I have a family of 4 and do lots or ironing ( work shirts, school uniform, jeans etc ). The iron does get the job done but it takes a bit of effort. It is a little on the light side and doesnt seem to have the power behind it to glide through lots of ironing. whilst I am not returning it to Amazon, i won't be using it but will be passing it onto my Mum who doesnt have a large pile of ironing to get through. I would say its ok for someone starting out or someone who doesnt have a lot or ironing on a regular basis.