NOW CLOSED: Philips PerfectCare Xpress Iron Feedback review thread PLUS your chance to win your own one (RRP £120)

[AnnMumsnet]

This is the feedback thread for the 20 MNers recruited to take part in the product test for the new Philips PerfectCare Xpress - Philips say this is "the World's first pressurised steam iron, with "revolutionary OptimalTEMP technology and compact steam generator, it's built for powerful crease removal and is faster than any other steam iron, as tested by independent institute, DWI, June 2011".

"PerfectCare Xpress has no settings, just one perfect temperature that's safe on all ironable fabrics, even delicates. Iron from jeans to silk, to linen, to cotton, to cashmere...in any order, without having to adjust the temperature, it's 100% scorch proof! Plus with an automatic motion steam sensor inside ironing has never been easier. Compact and convenient for storage it's perfect for ironing small loads, every day"

Seeing as this was a very popular product test and so many of you applied - as well as it being nearly Christmas, we twisted the arm of the Philips team and are pleased to say we have another one up for grabs! if you're not a tester, all you need to do to be in with a chance of winning one is - on this thread - pass on your best ever ironing tip or share your worst ironing disaster. Everyone who does will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a PerfectCare Xpress iron of their own (RRP £120).

If you are a tester, please answer the following questions and share with the MN community your thoughts on the iron.
Please also add a review here.

~ Firstly - what is your general opinion of ironing?
~ First impressions - what did you think? How easy to follow were the instructions?
~ First use - what did you try it on? A mountain or did you ease it in slowly? How did it handle the first few items?
~ Did you have to adjust how you iron at all? How did you find not changing the settings?
~ Any comments on ease of use? Including size, weight, storage etc?
~ Any one else in the family used it? What did they think?
~ Is this an iron you think you'd recommend to other people (should the conversation arise)?
~ How would you rate the value for money?
~ Any other comments on the product?

thanks
MNHQ

worst thing, wonderwebbing the front of my trousers to the back

top tip have something good on telly!

I hate ironing!
The instructions were really simple loved the little strip to test the water hardness
Tried it on dh's work shirts and my uniforms it handled them all with ease
Found it very heavy initially but soon got used to it. Loved the size of it all the benefit of a steam generator iron but without the size of it. Not changing the settings felt a bit weird but quickly got used to it.
I would definatly recommend it to other well wortg the money

~ Firstly - what is your general opinion of ironing?
Its a necessary evil.

~ First impressions - what did you think? How easy to follow were the instructions?
Looks good. Intructions were easy to follow (tbh its an iron, fill with water and turn on and use!). I thought a lot of the coloured booklet was unnecessary but this is maybe because im a seasoned ironer (?) and a lot of it seemed like common sense. I read it first though and thought with all the emphasis on the water filter thing that you got one in the box. Was a bit sad to find out i was wrong!

~ First use - what did you try it on? A mountain or did you ease it in slowly? How did it handle the first few items?
Daily set of clothes. Mine, ds (12) ds (1.11) and dps. It handled fine, was disappointed though that it doesn't get the creases out of over tumbled dried clothes. Worked better than my old iron but not as well as i had hoped.

~ Did you have to adjust how you iron at all? How did you find not changing the settings?
Was a bit wary at first, but soon got very used to it, and now love it.

~ Any comments on ease of use? Including size, weight, storage etc?
I thinks its a good size and weight. In fact its on the heavy side but i prefer this, (might be psychological that i think a heavy iron will iron better for some strange reason). Did notice that the tank needed topped up quite often. I do ironing daily as needed and for 3-4 sets of clothes had to top up every day. Not that bothered but i thought if you did all your ironing in one sitting then it might be rather annoying having to top up so often. Also found having a larger base with the metal plate being higher up than my old iron handy, as can wrap cord round the base.

~ Any one else in the family used it? What did they think?
Mum used it and she liked it.

~ Is this an iron you think you'd recommend to other people (should the conversation arise)?
Yes, if they had no quabbles spending that kind of money then it would be a great iron to buy.

~ How would you rate the value for money?
TBH not that great, dont get me wrong its a lovely iron but I think £120 is a steep price tag, considering it doesn't do really anything more than my £6 Tesco iron can do.

~ Any other comments on the product?
There is no spray jet. I dont know if this was to prevent burning, but i really missed it. Its handy for stubborn creases and if there is a little bit of dirt on the likes of my ds school trousers.

My worse moment is after I ironed my daughters jeans, I ironed my new silk top and hadn't let it cool down enough and it burnt my new silk blouse. I now hate ironing and would like to find a new iron who could take the chore out of ironing.

Firstly - what is your general opinion of ironing?

I quite like ironing - with something good on TV I find it quite satisfying to work my way through a pile of ironing.

First impressions - what did you think? How easy to follow were the instructions?

My first impression was it seemed so much heavier than my old iron. The instructions were easy to follow and it was great to have such simple controls.

First use - what did you try it on? A mountain or did you ease it in slowly? How did it handle the first few items?

I started with a mini mountain - about an hours worth. I have used it for two more one hour sessions since then.

I soon got used to the heavier weight and I really like the ways it works. The amount of steam generated really helps to get rid of the creases.

Did you have to adjust how you iron at all? How did you find not changing the settings?

I did have adjust to the heavier weight and felt a little bit concerned that it was going to wobble over when I put it down to rest on its heel.

I love not having to change the settings. My last iron was never at the right temperature and often ended up with melted gunge on the sole plate. This seems to adjust automatically whatever the fabric and it just never sticks. It also seems quite protective of the fabric because the steam does the work. I did end up with wet patches a couple of times although they soon disappeared.

Any comments on ease of use? Including size, weight, storage etc?

Ease of use is great. It irons very well but it drinks water like crazy. I found it will needed to be filled with water three times in an hour. I think that will soon annoy me. Also the steam is so loud I kept having to turn the tv up!

Any one else in the family used it? What did they think?

No one but me - I have had three one hour ironing sessions now

Is this an iron you think you'd recommend to other people (should the conversation arise)?

Yes - I do really like it and I think I would recommend it based on results so far. But honestly I am not sure I would feel the same if I had paid £120. It has not made the ironing task any faster so far but it is a little easier.

How would you rate the value for money?

As above - it seems a bit expensive to me. Although I also think this very much depends on whether it continues to perform well over time. I often find that a new iron is great for the first two or three months and then they start to go downhill.

Any other comments on the product?

I would like it to have a wider bottom so that it feels less precarious when I stand it up during ironing. I would like to fill it up with water less often. But I really like the way it irons and I love the fact that it handles different fabrics with no need to change anything on the controls.

Best ironing tip- deal with it while clothes are still slightly damp from being laundered. I use an "ironing dry" setting on my tumble dryer. If they've sat completely dry in a crumpled mess after being fully dried in the tumble dryer it's too much work and takes too long.
Also, have a decent ironing board and cover.

Worst ironing disaster- getting brown marks on clothes from dirty iron water spurting out of the sole plate. What's that all about, when the water in the reservoir seems clear?

When i was younger I put the full palm of my hand onto the iron to check if it was hot.. even though my mother told me it was, I had to check for myself... Trip to the hospital for me!

I had an ironing disaster last year - I dropped the iron on to my vinyl floor in my kitchen after the cord got tangled.. Now I have a lovely iron mark which is VERY noticeable in the middle of my floor

worst tip first...i always ,mostly always i burn something,i know but i have rubish one and never find the right temperature ,plus i iron for six ,so makes me so tired

best tip...keep music close to you and dance while iron ,change the mood for good

best ironing tip is to put a good film on tv to watch while you get on with it

worst mistake there have been a few;

burning my leg while trying to iron trousers that I had on at the time another followed a washing disaster had washed new partners expensive italian designer suit trousers and then tried to iron them, I burnt a hole in them and just couldnt get them looking tidy but that was because they were dry clean only I did what anyone would and blamed his ex

I like to do ironing when everybody is asleep,late at night.I turn the radio on slightly with a nice music background,have a cold drink,and start ironing.the music takes me old times I had,remember stories and people.it is the only time I can think properly without anyone disturbing me,any phone calls,anyone at the door,anywhere to go,anything else to do.also I put everything ironed around me and put them places when all finished.to see how much I did makes me feel good.so I love ironing :) the only downside is I feel so sleepy sometimes I had to go to sleep much earlier the next day

I always iron whilst watching TV, it really helps pass the time and makes it feel less like a chore. A heavy iron for me is a must, I like my iron to have some weight to it. Personally I feel this makes a big different to the ease of ironing. Also a handy tip is to line the ironing board with foil, just your typical kitchen foil that we all have handy at home. It helps reflect the heat of the iron back up and can drastically cut the length of time spent ironing. Try it :)

My worst ironing disaster....well, not really a disaster, but when I was a student, my boyfriend at the time took one look at the shirts I'd ironed (can't remember for the life of me why I was ironing shirts as a student!) and said "I don't m ean to be rude, but you do know you've got to plug the iron in don't you?"

Best ironing tip for shirts is to spray them with water frommm one of those plant spray bottles before trying to iron. Oh, and to get rid of your old iron before using the steam setting shorts the entire house and involves flipping an extra special fuse in the box which of course isn't immediately visible!

Best ironing tip is get my 16 year old son to do it. His the only one in the house that does... And if I do I'll always start with the sleeves..
So Im sure my son would love a new iron as ours is a heavy dated one.
:-)
Viv and my happy ironing boy

My tip is for people who iron themselves a last-minute outfit before going out and then spend the day in torment that the iron is left on and burning down their house.
When you unplug the iron, say out loud 'iron unplugged'. It really stops you wondering - honestly. You'll sound batty but it'll actually improve your sanity.

best ironing tip - get your husband to send his shirts to the drycleaners or get the cleaner to do them (and don't iron anything else)

Ironing disasters - melting the hama beads to the ironing board and flattening the little hama bead template! grrr....

I'm one of the strange people that doesn't mind ironing if there's something decent on TV!

Best ironing tip: hang things out to dry carefully and fold them carefully once they're dry. That way you minimise the amount of ironing you need to do - even of things that still need ironed.

Worst ironing disaster: MIL (or rather, dp-at-the-time's-mother) deciding to iron my favourite "dressy" sweatshirt (black with floral swirls it was the 90s ). Only problem was, even though the sweatshirt itself was cotton, it needed to be ironed on the wrong side. Because she ironed it on the right side, the pretty patterns on it melted onto the iron :(

Best ironing tip is to turn a garment inside out when ironing pleats

Worst ironing tip is to ironing something whilst still wearing it ouch!

Best Ironing Tip: Pay a little extra for non-iron shirts and blouses (the M&S ones are good) then drip dry them when damp on hooks on the back of the children's bedroom doors and in the morning put them away. So, smart shirts, no creases - and positively NO ironing!

Firstly - what is your general opinion of ironing?
I like ironing. Give me a warm kitchen, with Radio 4 and a glass of wine and I'll happily iron for a couple of hours.
~ First impressions - what did you think? How easy to follow were the instructions?
Honestly? Big and heavy. Instructions were fine.
~ First use - what did you try it on? A mountain or did you ease it in slowly? How did it handle the first few items?
I ironed a hillock rather than a mountain (most of our laundry gets folded and put straight away). The iron behaved how I'd expect any iron to behave I guess. It made the clothes warm and flat.
~ Did you have to adjust how you iron at all? How did you find not changing the settings?
Didn't adjust my ironing "style" at all. Not having to change settings is great though and is a bit of a time-saver.
~ Any comments on ease of use? Including size, weight, storage etc?
It was as easy to use as any other iron. However, the weight of the thing is an issue for me. I have a bit of arthritis in my fingers and thumbs, and it was rather less than comfortable to use for me. Storage also was an issue - slightly too tall for my iron shelf.
~ Any one else in the family used it? What did they think?
DH loves a gadget so he tried it out. He thought it looked great but was not impressed that he still had to put some effort in.
~ Is this an iron you think you'd recommend to other people (should the conversation arise)?
I think as an iron, it's fine. It does the job. However, there are other irons which do the same job and cost far less, so I probably wouldn't recommend it.
~ How would you rate the value for money?
£120 is big bucks for an iron. I was expecting miracles from something that costs that much, but I'm sad to say it performed no better than my 15 year old (also Phillips) steam iron.

~ Any other comments on the product?
Well there was an awful lot of steam! I know that that's the whole point of it really, but I'm not sure my kitchen (or my frizz-prone hair) can cope with that amount of steam each week. After just a small tuffet of ironing this morning, the house was like a sauna.
Also, not sure whether mine is faulty as noone else seems to have mentioned this, but after ironing, a lot of my clothes were wetter than they were just after coming out of the machine. Not a big problem, but it just made my ironing experience that little bit less satisfactory.

Anyway, thanks very much Phillips for allowing me to test this product.

I have tried on numerous occasions to iron efficiently, failed every time, I throw everything into the dryer now and cross my fingers!

My daft husband decided to save time by ironing his shirt whilst wearing it. He burnt his tummy and rather hoped I would take on his ironing pile to save him further injury...readers, I divorced him.

My best ironing tip is 'If the shirt you are trying to iron has been in your ironing pile too long and is near impossible to iron. Spray with water to dampen and roll up and put on end of ironing board for five minutes whilst you iron something else. When you iron the shirt it will be much easier to iron.'

My worst ironing disaster was trying to iron a top to go out in as a student and having no ironing board decided to do the ironing on the floor with a teacloth spread out of it. I went out, luckily forgot something and when I nipped back found the 'turned off but still hot' iron had melted through the teacloth and burnt the carpet ! I was very lucky not to have burnt the house down.

I had another session last night. I tried to iron fast as I did not want to steam up my lounge again.

I ironed for about 30 minutes; the iron needed filling twice with water during the session. I know I am getting a bit paranoid about this but when I touched the walls at the end, they were pretty humid again.

I would be interested in finding out whether there is an option of producing a bit less steam.

I also have a question: is it an issue if the iron runs out of water and you keep on ironing? It does make a lot of hissing sounds then but I don't know if it is an issue for the appliance or if it just makes it less effective...

Amongst other things, I ironed a blouse (100% cotton) and I thought the iron (or I ) did a great job. It was done a lot more quickly than with my previous iron.

The weight of the iron bothered me less than the first time so I may be getting used to it.

The little plastic thing that covers the hole for the water seems a bit flimsy to me and I fear it may break away at some stage.

Thanks for giving me the opportunity to try it (and for the scarf and chocolates too).