Beldray Precision1 Single Temperature Steam Iron review: premium features at a bargain price

Price on writing: £43 | Buy now from Amazon

How we tested

Our resident ironing expert Alison tested the Beldray Precision1 Single Temperature Steam Iron for a total of three months in her home. Taking detailed notes on the iron's effectiveness against creases, performance on everyday fabrics and user-friendliness, she compared it to some of the best steam irons on the market. Alison put the iron up against crumpled cottons, viscose and jersey clothing straight from her tumble dryer, as well as keeping on top of bedding for her Airbnb guests.

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Beldray Precision1 Single Temperature Steam Iron: our verdict

"The Beldray Precision 1 was very easy to use, especially with the one temperature feature. Testing it on t-shirts, viscose, quilt covers and cotton, I loved not having to adjust the temperature for different fabrics. This is a feature I'd encountered only on much more expensive irons, like the Tefal Pro Express Vision and the Philips Azur 8000.

One temperature technology is very useful as I very rarely change the temperature settings on my iron, so this feature took away that thought process. It dealt well with the materials I gave it to iron, and there were no drips either - very impressive.

The anti-calc function deals with any limescale from hard water, which is always a plus - it can really make a mess of your clothes when an iron gets a calcium build up.

There were a few downsides to this iron, however. The large 320ml water tank makes it quite heavy when full, and apart from winding the flex around the iron when it is cold there was no storage mechanism for keeping the iron tidy. It's also a bit difficult to see how much water is on the tank."

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What's the Beldray Precision1 Single Temperature Steam Iron like to use day-to-day?

"The single temperature feature means there's no need to fiddle with a temperature dial and wait for the iron to warm up or cool down when you switch to a different fabric. This gives me peace of mind that I'm not going to damage any of my clothing with too-high temperatures.

It has an auto-shut off feature after 8 minutes idle, and there were no drips on my clothes - I can really trust this iron with my laundry!

The anti-calc filter means I don't need to worry too much about using distilled or even filtered water - although if you live in an area with very hard water, it's worth using your water filter to top up the iron, to be on the safe side.

I'd have liked a clip or hooks to wrap the cord around, this is a drawback when it comes to storing the iron. The only way to put it away neatly is to wait until it's cold and wind the cord round the iron itself."

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Does the Beldray Precison1 Single Temperature Steam Iron offer good value for money?

You'd usually find single-temperature technology in much pricier irons, so with an RRP of £43, this iron offers premium features for a bargain price. Its anti-calc feature and auto-shut off are also a cut above your average budget steam iron.

About the author

Poppy O'Neill is a Content Editor at Mumsnet and a mother of two. She researches and reviews the products Mumsnetters swear by, with a particular focus on home essentials, laundry and fans. From a highly-recommended retractable washing line to the best quiet fans money can buy, and Mumsnet's favourite dehumidifier to the steam generator iron that'll cut your ironing time in half, she loves to deep-dive into research and find the very best products on the market.

With an MA in Creative Writing and a PGCert in Lifestyle Journalism, Poppy's written about parenting topics for The Sunday Times, The Guardian, The Mirror and The Sun. She's a best-selling, award-winning author, and her books for children and parents have been translated into 12 languages.

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