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Russell Hobbs Powersteam Ultra review: a powerful steam iron for a pocket-friendly price
A quality steam iron doesn’t have to cost the earth, as proved by this Mumsnetters’ favourite.
By Laura Cooke | Last updated Mar 7, 2024
Overall star rating: 4.5/5
Price on writing: £40 | Buy now from Amazon
Key specs
Type: Steam Iron | Weight of iron: 2.04kg | Tank capacity: 350ml | Continuous steam: 70g/min | Steam shot: 210g | Soleplate: Ceramic | Wattage: 3100W | Cord length: 3m
What we like
Powerful
Easy to operate with user-friendly controls
Affordable price
Large water tank
What we don’t like
Heavy
No colour choice
What Mumsnet users say
"Russell Hobbs 20630. Honestly, the best iron I've ever used. And I've been through many" - tried and trusted by Mumsnetter Justmuddlingalong
Our verdict
Some may try to convince you that the best steam iron will cost you an arm and a leg. But the Russell Hobbs Powersteam Ultra is here to prove them all wrong.
This sturdy 3100W iron means business and with a powerful 210g steam shot and 70g of continuous steam it will quickly blast away creases and help you to power through your ironing pile in no time. All for just £40. Little wonder, then, why the Powersteam Ultra is rated so highly by Mumsnet users. And from what I’ve seen, I’m inclined to agree - this is an excellent iron.
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What’s the Russell Hobbs Powersteam Ultra like to set up?
The Powersteam Ultra comes with a handy plastic jug to help measure out the correct amount of water to put into the iron. The well-designed spout means there is no mess when the water is poured into the water inlet.
Once the lid had clicked shut, I had to set the temperature on the dial to the lowest setting and slide the control to the ‘no steam’ setting. Then it was just a case of plugging it in, turning the temperature to the correct setting and waiting for the orange indicator light to switch off to show that the iron had reached the desired temperature. And that was really all there was to it.
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How does it feel to hold?
The Russell Hobbs Powersteam Ultra is heavier than both the cordless Morphy Richards Easy Charge Power+ and lightweight Tefal Easygliss Eco, but the Russell Hobbs benefits from having a longer cord, so despite its weight, it feels less restrictive than the Easygliss Eco.
As with other steam irons, the Powersteam Ultra is controlled by a temperature dial underneath the handle. On the top of the handle, there are the spray buttons and steam shot buttons, with a slider in between the two to adjust the steam setting. The buttons are chunky and the slide moves smoothly from top to bottom, so the whole thing feels very user-friendly. The Powersteam Ultra has a soft touch, easy grip handle, which means it is comfortable to hold.
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What is the Russell Hobbs Powersteam Ultra like to use day-to-day?
The Russell Hobbs Powersteam Ultra is a great all-rounder and tackles more heavy-duty fabrics, like denim, with the same efficiency as it does school shirts. The iron also boasts a large 350ml water tank, meaning I could power through my ironing pile without having to keep filling up. This is a godsend if you have a large family and a seemingly never-ending conveyor belt of laundry to process.
Just one touch of those chunky buttons delivers a powerful 210g steam shot, and the iron provides 70g continuous steam. The Russell Hobbs Powersteam Ultra can also be used for vertical steaming - great for blasting out wrinkles from hanging clothes, hanging curtains and furnishing fabrics.
The auto shut-off is an excellent safety feature. You won't have to worry about accidentally leaving it idle or if it falls over as it will automatically shut off to protect furniture, carpets and curious hands.
As mentioned above, the iron comes with a handy easy-pour jug, which makes it easier than lugging the whole iron to the tap. But the instructions recommend that you use distilled water if you live in a hard water area, rather than chemically descaled or softened water, which is rather a pain.
There is an anti-scale agent incorporated into the iron itself, so there is no need to use a descaling solution, but Russell Hobbs recommends giving the whole thing a good clean at least once a month (or more often if you live in a hard water area) using the Powersteam Ultra’s handy self-clean button. Just fill the reservoir up to the max level, turn the steam function off, set the temperature on low, plug in and press the self-clean button to wash the water through the soleplate. Don’t forget to do this over a basin or washing up bowl, or things will get messy.
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Does the Russell Hobbs Powersteam Ultra have any special features?
There are no fancy gimmicks with the Russell Hobbs Powersteam Ultra. What you get is a high-performance, powerful steam iron, for an affordable price. And that’s exactly why it is a firm favourite among Mumsnetters.
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Does the Russell Hobbs Powersteam Ultra offer value for money?
Yes! Selling on Amazon for just £40 at the time of writing (September 28th) the Russell Hobbs Powersteam Ultra steam iron offers great value for money. It’s £9 cheaper than the cordless Morphy Richards Easy Charge Power+ Steam Iron and £15 cheaper than the Tefal Easygliss Eco.
If you are looking for a solid, easy-to-use, high-performance iron for a budget price, I can wholeheartedly recommend the Powersteam Ultra.
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How we tested
Reviewer Laura lives in Sussex with her husband and two kids, aged four and six.
The Russell Hobbs Powersteam Ultra iron was tested on various fabrics, including heavy denim, and clothing, including school uniforms. Laura used a Minky Ergo Ironing Board during testing.
Laura started writing Swears By articles for Mumsnet in 2021 and now has responsibility for laundry content. She writes buyers guides, cleaning articles, including how to care for jumpers and knitwear, and tests products, including the Wilton London laundry range, to help Mumsnetters make informed choices when it comes to parting with their pennies.
Laura is a freelance journalist and has written for a range of titles, including the Daily Mirror, the i, Metro, Stylist and Happiful magazine.
About Mumsnet Reviews
All Mumsnet product reviews are written by real parents after weeks of research and testing. We work hard to provide honest and independent advice you can trust. Sometimes, we earn revenue through affiliate (click-to-buy) links in our articles. However, we never allow this to influence our coverage.