Philips Man Iron Product Test feedback thread - FINALQUESTIONS ADDED

YoungMotherTubby · 31/08/2011 13:04

Iron arrived in a black brief case style box with carry handle. Nice touch for someone going to Uni/leaving home - transportable and safe from damage.
Iron was 'manly' looking in that it was mostly black and I was impressed with the high wattage.
Son was excited when I told him he had a present and he saw the box - but tbh his face fell when he saw it was an iron (maybe I bigged it up too much!)

I've used it and encouraging sons to have a go. Have to say it's impressive - it feels lightweight and yet the result appears to be that of a 'heavier' iron. Lots of steam (6 steam settings) and a spray as well. Heats up really quickly.

Any gripes? Nope - though maybe the lead could be longer (same with all irons I've had though)

Casmama · 31/08/2011 14:24

First impressions were very good. My dh thought the box looked like a tool box and my ds (aged 2) has now comandeered it to carry around his toy tools. The flex on the iron is very thick and more reminicent of a power tool cable than a normal iron.It is dark grey and black with a touch of red.

I love it. It is a very effective iron and clothes rarely seem to need going over twice so it makes things much faster. It seems like it has quite a long narrow "nose" to it which makes it easy to get into the edges even if it is a pleated item. My dh has yet to use this iron unfortunately but as I have stopped ironing any of his clothes, I'm guessing he will experience it soon and be able to provide feedback then

phatcat · 31/08/2011 16:12

First impressions - I like the idea of the box, but the box itself feels a bit lightweight & plasticky and it wasn't easy to get the iron back into (isn't that always the way!) - felt like it wasn't quite big enough. If it was a tad bigger and more substantial feeling, like a toolbox, it would be great. The box is a neat idea though. Very impressed with the iron itself - quite substantial, feels nice and heavyweight, streamlined, good water capacity and a narrow nose for getting into the corners of things. Makes lots of steam. Produces excellent results - much better than my previous cheap iron which is now consigned to the garage. DP thought it looked a bit 'gimmicky' but conceded it was easy to use and produced good results. He didn't use it until Sunday night for his work clothes which is when he irons anyway. Haven't yet viewed the tutorial. I was surprised it wasn't branded as a 'Man Iron'.

5GoMadOnAZ650 · 31/08/2011 16:51

First impressions, dp liked the box the iron came and in and made the good point that it does make it easier and tidied to store rather than just sticking the iron up in a shelf with the flex liable to dangle. I was very pleased with the complimentary toiletries, so Thank you to Phillips for those. Look wise I think it looks much nicer than the traditional white of most irons.

Usage wise I haven't been near the ironing board to test it as dp has decided to take over the ironing completely which is rather lovely. Our original iron is a stem press which dp couldn't get the hang of and would take him hours to iron something whereas this he picks up and can crack on immediately. He has said that it makes ironing a lot easier as it feels like a heavy iron performance wise but is actually physically lightweight iyswim? A quick rub over and everything is crease free rather than having to put a lot of effort in.

Dp is at home for the foreseeable future due to his health and this has helped him feel more useful in the household.

2gorgeousboys · 31/08/2011 20:27

I presented GH the iron for his 40th birthday last Monday and his eyes lit up when he saw the tool box. He was most disappointed to discover the iron inside . I was very pleased however with the complimentary toiletries - Thank you Philips.

First impressions - both DH and liked the idea of the 'tool box' style storage box although as other posters have said it does feel a lot more lightweight than it looks and it is very difficult to get the iron back into the box.

Very impressed with results from the iron. I read the instructions and DH naturally did not. I'll never get DS1 to read them either. None of us have watched the tutorial.

Results have been very impressive. DH has volunteered to iron several times, although not because it's a manly iron but because he finds it quick and easy to use and apparently gives the best results he's ever had on the creases in his work trousers. Agree it gives results of a heavier iron whilst being easy and lightweight to handle. Going to teach DS1 to use it tomorrow in preperation for starting secondary school.

Like the design and the fact it has good water capacity, pointy nose for getting into corners and a nice long cord. My only gripe is that I constantly catch my fingers on the temperature dial and end up adjusting the temperature unintentionally when picking the iron up.

All in all very pleased so far and it will definately stay in use in our house. Previous iron has been consigned to the cellar.

jasper · 31/08/2011 20:28

When we first met, my husband once declared that men were better than women at ironing. I have been careful not to disabuse him of this ridiculous notion, thereby ensuring he does all the ironing.

Upon receiving The Man Iron last week, he texted me at work with the message "now that's what I call an iron"

He NEVER texts me at work.

He has declared it the best iron he has ever used.

I don't plan to break the "men only" ironing spell but can confirm it is the loveliest iron I have ever seen. It looks like a small mean fighter plane.

nickschick · 31/08/2011 21:52

I was very impressed,its very stylish,modern and sleek-the iron oozes quality and all the males were very pleased at its physical appearance ......Dh ironed 4 shirts in the time it usually takes to do 1 he's ex military and says its v good ds3 (18) has watched the iron in use but lacks confidence want to actually do it ds2 has ironed lots with it and he finds it great to use the steam helps greatly and if you need a t shirt ironing he's your man - t shirts are his only repartee at the moment ds3 (10) had a queue of children wanting me to iron 'hama bead' creations I declined so can give no comment on that aspect,ds3 also says his clothes have never been so smooth or flat not sure where thats come from ......

The man iron is exceptionally easy to use the results have been fab - didnt think an iron could make this much difference (please design a man hoover) - nobody showed the slightest inclination to watch the tutorial we are a family of know it alls .

Merrylegs · 31/08/2011 22:11

Well, after LOL-ing about this product and then realising it was an actual true thing, I am unashamedly adding my feedback (the nice bath stuff helped, thanks Philips!)

OK. The 'tutorial' is beyond awful. I am not sure DS (16) needs to know that women will have sex with you if you iron. And at some point the man (who is not v 'manly') says you should iron to stop your wife shouting at you. Lovely. I never shout. It's horrid. Anyway. DH thought the 'tutorial' was unwatchable. So he didn't. (Especially the bit where they interspersed the pub picture with the ironing. How he laughed. ).

The rest -

love the case for the iron (although mine was dented in transit).

The iron is REALLY HEAVY.

I liked the uniformity of the design although DH was disappointed. Don't think he got the point of it. He said 'it would have been good if they had revolutionized the design - like Apple have with computers. This is just a black iron.'

We both thought the orange dial markings didn't show up very well against the black finish and made the settings difficult to read.

We all (DS, 16, too) really liked the ultra pointy end - it really helped DS to guide his way around his shirts.

The steam was VERY manly and there was lots of it and it steamed in a very efficient and thrilling way and powered through the creases. This was our favourite bit. It got the Job Done. (DH did The Job).

(That sounds rather manly. "Man Iron. Job Done.')

FannyFifer · 31/08/2011 23:10

A - Was impressed with the packaging, Iron nice and sturdy, thick flex which should last longer than previous irons. DP thought it looked good, liked having the box to keep it in, he is a tidy freak!

B - DP liked the iron, lots of steam is good apparently, found the quite pointy bit good to do the small peoples clothes. I found it quite heavy to use.

The tutorial video was pretty bad to be honest, "WTF is this crap" I believe were DP's exact words. So no he didn't watch it all, Ironing is not exactly rocket science though.

Solo · 01/09/2011 00:40

a) Receiving the Man Iron - first impressions - what did you think when you received the product? What did you think of the appearance of the Man Iron? What did DH, DP or DS say? How long did it take DH, DP or DS to use it?

When I applied to trial the Man Iron, I immediately told Ds and he was quite excited, so when it arrived, he was very 'it's my iron' about it.
We loved the colouring of the iron and the carry case is an excellent idea!
We tried the iron out within a few days and I got a reluctant Ds (13) to iron his first ever school shirt under instruction and supervision, but he didn't hang around to do any more (no great surprise!).

b) Once the Man Iron has been used for the first time - was it easy to use? What did you think of the results? Did your DH/DP/DS use it - did they manage to get the ironing done?! Did the tutorial video help? What did DH, DP or DS think??

Really easy to use and lots of steam (I'm used to a steam generator), though I found that I was refilling with water far quicker than I expected. The sole plate is lovely! and just glides over the clothing.
My one criticism was the dial under the handle was not easy to see.
The video was a bit and I just kept staring at the man's huge nose trying to work out if it was real! and the flex on his iron was very thin and I actually wondered if he was really using the iron, plus there was no steam.

I let my Mum try it out too and she's going to buy one as she loved it!

Thank you for letting me (and Ds) trial this iron and for the surprise gift of bathroom pamper things! which I'm guessing us girls are supposed to relax with, whilst the 'owner' of the Man Iron actually irons!!!

onadifferentplanettoday · 01/09/2011 11:40

The iron was nicely packaged and the added goodies from Phillips were a thoughtful touch. The iron once removed from it's 'tool box' has remained on the work top and no attempt has yet been made to put it back in and I am sure it will soon disappear to the boys' room to store something or other. The Ds' immediately referred to it as their iron and were ready and willing to give it a try which was good as I had been saving up the ironing for over a week!
I watched the video but was unimpressed and decided against showing it to my 13 year old who doesn't need to be told if he irons he will be rewarded with sex!
The iron is easy to use and we got through the enormous pile of ironing quicker than with my old iron and the clothes certainly looked better (though as my old one is 16 years old not surprised!) The boys thought that the loud steam noise was 'pretty cool' but although I am confident that should they need to iron the odd thing they would do a reasonable job of it the call of the xbox was much stronger than the call to do the ironing and they soon lost interest.
Will get grown up Ds to try it and give his opinion next time he visits

LtEveDallas · 02/09/2011 06:59

a) Receiving the Man Iron - first impressions - what did you think when you received the product? What did you think of the appearance of the Man Iron? What did DH, DP or DS say? How long did it take DH, DP or DS to use it? DH was impressed with the packaging, rang me at work to tell me it had arrived and seemed quite excited (bless). However the iron then stayed in the box for a week...when I eventually lost my temper got him to get it out he liked the look of it but wanted to know where the 'go faster' stripes were. I think it looks good, but thought the dials were hard to read.

b) Once the Man Iron has been used for the first time - was it easy to use? What did you think of the results? Did your DH/DP/DS use it - did they manage to get the ironing done?! Did the tutorial video help? What did DH, DP or DS think?? impressed with the weight, much lighter but irons heavier IYSWIM. DH very happy with the amount of steam and thought it did a better job than our usual iron (not sure how he can tell mind). The tutorial was a pile of pap, who in their right mind would watch that? Not funny, not sexy, not good. When I used it I was impressed with the quality, liked the steam, liked the thicker lead but would have preferred a longer lead. An iron is an iron is an iron - I'm not convinced it was any different to my usual £40 iron except for the box, which I wouldn't use anyway. I do think it would be a useful 'gift' for a DS off to Uni or his own place, and might even persuade them to iron their clothes!

I usually do the ironing on Sundays, this week I'm going to suggest to DH that he irons whilst I cook dinner. I'll let you know the result!

CoffeeGoneColdAgain · 02/09/2011 10:46

First impressions were that it was heavy and not the easiest instruction booklet to go through (especially for a bloke). Looked nice but quite fiddely to put water in.
I used it before Dp, I found on the cotton setting it crumples up t shirts, pulling them and making more creases than my old one, also when finishing and lifting up the iron after every piece of clothing it makes an awful gurgling sound, quite a strange noise! Once turned down below cotton setting it didn't pull the clothing as much but still did.
Dp has used it and wasn't overly bothered, just said 'yea its alright init!'
Ds (11) had a try under supervision, he liked it and asked to do some more!

I do like the iron, its pretty much on a par with my old one, heats up just as quickly, I did find however the water needs filling frequently, more than my old one did, but I seem to get through clothing in less time!

slowlygoingbonkers · 02/09/2011 11:04

First impressions of the iron were great. Dps words were "wow, it looks like it will just scare the creases out!". The iron is extremely easy to use and does the Job well. Clothes need just the once over now instead of sometimes twice like before. The only bugbear is that our fingers keep catching the temperature control.

IfYouKnowYourHistory · 02/09/2011 11:24

a) Recieving the man iron - first impressions, what did you think when you recieved the product? What did you think of the appearance? What did dh,ds say? How long did it take for dh,ds to use it?

Very impressed with the box it came in and the lovely goodies. It looks sleek and expensive. Dh liked it and used it the day after we got it. I used it the first day!

b) Once the man iron was used for the first time was it easy to use? What did you think about the results? Did your dh,ds use it - did they manage to get the ironing done? Did the tutorial help?

Very easy to use, feels quite heavy but not overly so. Results were very impressive,really liked the narrow bit at the top of the iron, makes it very easy to get into harder to reach areas without having to faff about moving the clothing.
Dh used it the next day to iron his and dd's karate uniform which was a nightmare with our old iron, he loved it, very little effort needed to get the horrendous creases out of it.
He has also used it to iron his work shirts and has said when the children go back to school that he will sort the ironibg of their uniforms - Result!
The tutorial frankly was rubbish, I watched all of it but would not recommend you use this in your marketing - really it was bad.
(have namechanged btw used to be ChickChicken)

maddiemostmerry · 02/09/2011 20:28

Ok, first response from ds2 15,
The black casing had a 'manly' touch to it with its appearance of a tool box, which also protected it the iron whenever it was bashed about. The iron itself being black in colour made little difference to my desire of using it, but admittedly seemed more simple than expected.
It was easy to change the settings of the iron, and came with clear instructions. It is also simple to use the calc clean feature. The outcome of the iron's work was good seeing as I have had little experience with ironing, and the sole plate was smooth and allowed the iron to easily slide along. The steam and water spraying features made a clear difference in the number of creases in some clothing and was key in successfully completing the piles of ironing without creases.

Now Dh,
Not fooled by the box, just adds to the cost and is a waste of space unless you're going to store it in the box on a work surface instead of in a cupboard. Ironing shirts and t-shirts - the results were very good, no repeated going over, and I didn't feel I needed to change the settings. Steam sputtered quite a bit when standing the iron upright, and I found it difficult to see when it needed refilling, so I shook it. Plenty of steam when ironing, but needed frequent refills. On the whole one of the best irons I've used, but suggest making the tank more transparent, doing away with the box and reducing the cost.

Finally ds1, 18

maddiemostmerry · 02/09/2011 20:57

Sorry ds1 pressed send by mistake
The box the iron came in seemed a bit over the top but for the price of it I suppose something special is needed.
The iron itself was very good quality and always ironed out any creases without needed to re-iron the item again.
The stream and water spray were both very good. The heat settings were also very helpful.
I believe the only major downside of iron is the water tank, I found it very hard to see how much water was in the tank.

Now me,
I actually like the box. If I needed to put the iron away it would be useful. The iron looked fine. I don't think the colour of it was important to anyone.
The iron is much heavier than my usual iron.

The tutorial was dire. Total sexist claptrap. The men found it cringeworthy and not very helpful. The iron is easy to use. It heats up very quickly and I burned a top on it as it is much hotter than my usual iron. It ironed fast but I also found it a bit gurgly. We live in a hard water area and ds2 did the calc clean no problem.
Only ds2 read the instructions.

Camerondiazepam · 03/09/2011 20:53

Firstly, thanks for the iron, and the surprise pamper goodies, v unexpected but much appreciated!
In terms of feedback, my first impression was, to be honest, amusement (or bemusement?) at the power-tool-style casing - if I were buying an iron, it would put me off as my thought would be "I'm paying for that and it's just not necessary". However, DH liked it as the wire can be easily tidied away along with the water thingy (the fact it was difficult to get back in the box didn't faze him, he was all "let's just rip the packing stuff out and it'll all go in easily"). The iron itself is clearly bigger than the standard which I think should be a selling point - easier for bigger hands and all that. Obviously the instruction booklet is entirely redundant and can be dispensed with!
In terms of use, I haven't lifted it and have no intention of doing so but DH was v pleased with his first batch of shirts - I asked him for feedback and he said "well, good heat, good steam, what else do you need?". He liked that you don't have to refill it that often. He had no comment except a really scathing one to my questions about the shape of it. After prompting he said you agreed you couldn't read the dial easily but had no issue with seeing the amount of water in it.

My DH does all most of the ironing in our house anyway and has to date had no struggle with a bog-standard unisex iron. We therefore didn't watch the tutorial as the feedback sounded absolutely awful so I'm afraid I can't add much to that. But he did seem genuinely pleased with the product. Can you please invent an automatic one that hangs them in the wardrobe afterwards next time?!

insanityscatching · 03/09/2011 22:25

a) Receiving the Man Iron - first impressions - what did you think when you received the product? What did you think of the appearance of the Man Iron? What did DH, DP or DS say? How long did it take DH, DP or DS to use it?

Ds was really excited when I told him he'd got a parcel although less so when he looked inside Have to say I love the case but I wouldn't buy because of the case purely because I'd expect that the cost would be added and it's a nice though unnecessary extra. I thought the iron looked sleek and classy Ds thought it looked like an iron but in black I forced ds to use it within a day or two (he doesn't iron unless forced tbh) but then I went away leaving him home alone and so he used it throughout the week as he needed to pack for his own holiday before I got back

b) Once the Man Iron has been used for the first time - was it easy to use? What did you think of the results? Did your DH/DP/DS use it - did they manage to get the ironing done?! Did the tutorial video help? What did DH, DP or DS think??

Ds got me to sort the settings (playing helpless usually gets me or his sister to do things for him) but then I left him to it. He ironed a few of his own things including a shirt that he's never managed before (followed the tutorial) The speed he goes it would take him a month to do a weeks worth of ironing here though. He thought the iron was superior to the iron at home (it undoubtedly is) but felt to make it a man iron it should have a remote control so he could sit and watch the football and control it from afar or a woman included happy to do it for him.

SparklyCloud · 03/09/2011 22:43

First impressions of the iron are great. It has a bigger ironing surface than my old iron which makes the job much quicker. I like the look of it, it looks like it is well made and will last a long time.
I LOVE the long cord..the amount of times I have accidentally pulled my old one over due to the short cord! Also I like the flexibility of the cord, no tangling due to the way it meets the body of the iron.
The box is great, although I was a little unsure of if it was safe or not to put the hot iron back in straight away.. but needn't have worried as it seems the material is heat proof and does not stick to the iron. The box could have been a little taller as you have to fiddle about tucking the cord in neatly so the lid can shut.
Like others, I don't think the video is appropriate for pre-teen boys!
The iron is quite manly looking, considering my last one was pink.
In use it is easy and effective, and does not take much to get the creases out. The steam settings are effective.
I feel this iron is great for boys and men to use. Why does it not say Man Iron anywhere on the iron or the case?

TheLimeFairy · 03/09/2011 23:11

I've been away a few days and just got back so will post properly tomorrow. Didn't want you to think I had forgotten my new shiny iron .

nickschick · 03/09/2011 23:35

Its featured in this months (oct edition) of 'your home' mag .

TheLimeFairy · 03/09/2011 23:47

Ok, I've now had iron discussion with DH!

He really liked the box it came in at first but then decided that it was a bit flimsy when the clasp broke (just how sturdy an iron box needs to be for him I'm not sure!). DH also liked the weight of the ronas it felt heavy and liked the width of the iron as he thought he could do his shirts quicker. DH also mentioned that it looked like "a proper iron" should and wasn't "a silly colour" .

DH has used the iron to do his shirts for work and likes it. He prefers it to the iron we currently have as it is heavier and wider and seems to be quicker at the job and heated up better. DH did not read any instructions or watch a tutorial video (this is not uncommon, instructions are for girls apparently!).

I think he will be wanting a matching ironning board next .

jasper · 04/09/2011 00:35

I'v just realised i am supposed to give structured feedback. My apologies and here goes.

Receiving the Man Iron - first impressions - what did you think when you received the product? I was quite excited and as a result, aware I needed to get out more

What did you think of the appearance of the Man Iron? I thought it looked beautiful, and so did the strong manly attache case it came in

What did DH, DP or DS say? "is that for me? Nice"

How long did it take DH, DP or DS to use it? Badly worded question. It took dh about an hour to get it out and start ironing, and about 15 minutes to iron a small pile of crinkly clothes

Once the Man Iron has been used for the first time - was it easy to use? very

What did you think of the results? Excellent

Did your DH/DP/DS use it - did they manage to get the ironing done?! Yes, and yes , he always gets the ironing done but he loved the man iron and said it is the best iron he has ever used.

Did the tutorial video help? What did DH, DP or DS think?? None of them watched it, but I did. It was quite funny but I did think that it would not go down at all well with many women are probably more highly evolved than me

One small fault - the dial is stylish, but difficult to read.

Thank you so much for sending me this iron, it is really appreciated. i gave the "lady gifts" to my daughter, and she was delighted, and used the shredded paper as bedding for her mouse

Solo · 04/09/2011 00:39

The storage box is heatproof? I didn't dare try it...it ought to say it is or isn't so that it doesn't melt if it's not!