Philips Man Iron Product Test feedback thread - FINALQUESTIONS ADDED

[AnnMumsnet]

This thread is for the MNers who were selected to try out Philips new Man Iron with their DH/DP or DS.

We have two waves of feedback questions - below are the initial first impressions ones and we'll add some more at a later date once you've had the iron for a few weeks to see how you are getting on then (we'll email you a link).

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?

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??

Remember - everyone who takes part and who adds their feedback will be entered into a prize draw where one lucky winner will get £100

Thanks, MNHQ

it's heatproof? Is that official?

No, not official jasper I think we need to establish that. SparklyCloud tried it and it seems to be so, but I'm going to try to find out for certain.

and I have lost the wee booklet that came with the iron

Hope you haven't lost the two year guarantee book jasper.

One of my sons used it earlier - said it was 'very slidey' - which is good.

This isn't my only feedback - just an update!

I can confirm that it it definitely heatproof.

Yes solo I have

ManIron currently in use by Men.

Will provide full feedback later...

Oh dear jasper :( though I have to say, that my choice of iron has been from Philips over the last 20+ years and they've all lasted well and truly past 2 years, so fingers crossed for yours or you could just name drop MN if you need to

I used mine Ds's again today to iron pleats back into school skirts for my Dd (so small sizes) and it did a fantastic job. I'm very impressed indeed!

Is this a joke? am horrified at the concept of a "Man Iron" and that Mumsnet has been complicit in promoting/ testing such a nonsense

It's meant to appeal to men northernruth, but it is actually a very fine iron for either sex to use. I can see young men taking it off to their digs quite happily because it does look very sleek and we all know how superficial men can be over possessions . Think how they love a flash and masculine car/motorbike with lots of chrome and sleek lines. It's a man thing.

Northernruth, like it or not, SOME men are horrified at the thought of ironing. Like SOME women are at the thought of changing a tyre or using a saw. BUT that does not mean in any way that it is a sexist idea! It's just a fact.

Why are you horrified at the Man iron? I am horrified at things in the world every day and let me tell you, an iron that gets men using it, is not one of them.

Hear hear Sparkly.

Sorry,also late to the party as have been away on hols!,Anyway, iron has been used by both ds2 and me.We both found it easy to use,and it did a good job. Ds2 loved the case because of the way it looked,and I liked it because you can tidy it away without the cord getting tangled/damaged. I liked the long cord and the steam function worked well. Also loved the bath treats, thank you! I think my son was quite keen to use it because it was a prize and looked pretty cool, but neither of us liked the tutorial.

Sorry have been on holiday so not had a chance to try it out yet but dp shall be making great use of it this week with all the holiday washing to iron

First impressions were what a ridiculous gimmick to intice a man to iron, who would fall for a fancy box? My DH likes the box, not so impressed when he realised it contained an iron. I would never keep it in the box so it would be a waste of money paying extra for this feature. The iron itself looks fine, though is pretty heavy compared to my usual iron so I find it harder to use.

My DH isn't bothered by the weight, and likes the look of it, the 'power tool' hook impressed him for about a minute (simple creature), but not enough to make him actually want to iron. Have not watched the tutorial yet, he tends to just want to dive straight in and break figure things out himself so not sure this is a useful feature for him.

Will post again once it has been used more. But overall so far I would say that the gimmicks of this iron would not make me buy it, if it wasnt as heavy and was comparable in price to other irons I would consider then I may, but this would be despite the box/tutorial/colour etc rather than because of them.

A) First impressions of the iron - DP loved the box, but thought it was a bit gimmicky, the iron itself looks good, and I think it is suitable for male or female. Personally I like black electrical products, but I am very unfeminine. My old iron was a Phillips, so it is extremely similar, apart from the colour and it being slightly heavier. I don't think the "manly" differences in the iron would make any difference to him doing the ironing though, and he didn't rush to use it, it took a couple of days to get him to try it.

B) All in all,it is a very good iron, I have had other brands before, and this one glides better, has a better weight, and the steam actually works. Others I've had have ended up "sputtering" on the clothes.

I would buy this iron myself, but not with any intention of getting DP to iron, simply because I think it is a very good iron. I would not, however pay the RRP for it, as I don't think the gimmicks of it being a man iron make it worth the extra price tag.

Thank you for the iron - I love it!

A) First impressions were that the box is very manly indeed. DP liked it too. In fact he had three of his mates come over in the few days after recieving and got them to guess what was inside the box. Answers ranged from Airsoft kit (like paintball), Photography equipment and a tool box. All of them laughed when they opened and saw the Iron and said it's a good idea, and that the look of the Iron was very masculine. It took DP a couple of days to get it out and use it.

B) It was very easy to use, I like the way it moves so smoothly over the clothes. I hated ironing before as it took so long, but with this Iron I can see it becoming a much quicker job. DP loved using it too. He liked the way it looks, very sleek and much nicer looking than most irons on the shelves.

Thankyou Mumsnet for choosing me to test this out! Also thankyou Philips for the box of bath goodies. I enjoyed using those a lot!

Sorry feedback is so late, have been nagging DH to give me some comments! But here goes finally...

A) We thought the box looked quite cool - but was a bit useless. Couldn't get the iron to go back in, or only with lots of faffing which neither of us could be bothered with; we would just want to bung the iron in a cupboard as quickly as possible once it's cooled (or DH often just leaves it lying round the kitchen...). Think we will end up using the box for something else.

The iron looks quite cool but apart from a bit more black/red, is very similar to a previous (mostly black) Phillips iron we had. So not necessarily much more "manly". We also noticed there was nothing on the packaging about being a "man iron". DH commented it didn't seem much different from a standard iron. He did try it fairly soon after it arrived (but only on his shirts, couldn't get him to take on any of my stuff!).

B) The iron was easy to use and gave good results, though again not spectacularly different from our old Phillips iron. DH found it good and could use it fine, but didn't read the instructions (never does!) or watch the tutorial. Personally I liked the long and tangle-free cord as that was one big difference from our old iron. It steamed well and was fairly quick to use, but the first few times it was used it was very noisy when stood upright (a pain when ironing in front of the telly!). We haven't noticed that so much lately though, not sure whether it's got quieter or we have just got used to it.

DH's overall view so far is "It's just an iron", quite a good one so he would be happy to use it when he has to, but not enough to make ironing exciting. I think for that it would have to have an automatic summoning device for the little water jug (which we've already lost) or remote-control ironing function or something!

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?

The appearance of the box was good and DP commented it would be useful if travelling and a good iron was needed.As he doesnt travel much I dont think he realises that most hotels have irons/presses. The box when opened was top heavy so fell as soon as iron removed. It wasnt easy to get back into the box I liked the goodies box for me especially as Im heavily pregnant. Liked the black finish, very mascueline and stylish. Iron was light but sturdy

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??

DP thought the iron was good but prefered our steam generator! This really surprised me as I fine the generator a real faff to set up/fill/empty- hence why i dont iron

The dial was a but cheap looking and didnt click nicely into relevant settings.

The finish on the clothes was good and there was enough steam. The lead could have been longer.

We don't iron unless absolutely necessary or if i'm doing some sewing and need to do my seams. I don't get excited about ironing and neither does DH.

I'm not sure which came first, the fact that our iron is crap and therefore we don't use it, or whether we haven't invested in a decent iron because it wouldn't get the use. Either way I've learned to hate ironing, and saw it as pointless, especially as my iron didn't actually do a good enough job to warrant the effort.

On top of all those reasons, ironing makes me feel like my mum, or any other mother devoted to housework and childcare. It makes me wonder what happened to my life. Shouldn't I be trekking in the andes or living with gorillas in the jungle? I do not want to spend my money kitsch peg bags or floral ironing board covers.

The phillips man iron appeals to me though. It's clearly a quality iron. It's got some weight behind it (heaps better than my last one), it gets hot and quickly, and it makes lots of steam (grrr). It actually flattens clothes! (sorry if that seems an obvious statement but it is so much better than our previous iron). And it doesn't piss water everywhere (surprised again).

Design wise, I love it. Ok the tool box is a bit gimmicky, but why not. Infact why don't all irons have a box to keep them safe. It's a good idea. I love the black colour too. Makes it feel much more like equipment or a tool than a mothers aid. The cable is substantial and has a lovely wiggly rotating design where it attaches to the iron that works well too. The colour of the iron and cable also means it doesn't show the grime which suggests the looks have longevity.

All in all, I'm very grateful for my new iron which most definitely takes the mumsy edge off ironing and tempting me to give more ironing a go. (we'll see). Unfortunately we don't wear a lot of clothes that need ironing and we dry everything flat. If phillips want to replace my wardrobe with sharp shirts and slacks however...

DH hasn't shown any interest at all. He's still wondering where the catch is. I'll work on that before the next update.

Ok firstly mumsnet, sorry for being late although I did get mine a good week later than everyone else I think, due to delivery issues ( I wasn't home the first time they delivered etc). Ok, so my first impressions were wow! What a stylish looking box...I actually had doubts whether it had an iron or I had been sent something more luxurious by mistake . Excellent presentation, would make a good gift as a weddingy/house warming pressy?

First time when I used it, it got hot very quickly and doesn't need smoothing over clothes as much as my last iron (tefal, now relegated to the store cupboard). Fantastic pointy nose bit to get into every nook and cranny. I also like how easily and clearly you change the setting dial, with the hand holding the iron, without having to stop and waste time.

DH has used it but hasn't given me feedback yet. So will add that soon. He did comment on the appearance though, saying it looked good. I

And thank you for such lovely goodies, in particular the eye mask! Love love love it!

Man iron what the.......

you better believe it!

Thanks for taking part in the Philips Man Iron product test - please find below the final questions we'd like your feedback on....please ask your DH/DP/DS their views too! You don't have to answer each question just use them as a basis for telling us what you think.

Remember - everyone who takes part and who adds their feedback will be entered into a prize draw where one lucky winner will get £100

How often is DH, DP or DS using it? Any reasons for use/ non use? Do you wish you'd had one years ago? What does your DH, DP or DS think? Would you recommend the Man Iron to your friends and family?

Any consequences of having the Man Iron - have you had more time to yourself? If so, what have you been doing with your spare time?

Has the Man Iron helped reduce the ironing pile in your house? Are shirts, trousers, t-shirts etc, now perfectly ironed by DH, DP or DS? Does DH, DP or DS now ?own? the ironing? Have you used it? Are you finding fewer arguments related to household chores as a result?

Thanks

MNHQ