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

[stephgr]

my best tip is to hang crumpled clothes on the door of the bathroom then run a hot bath to relax in whilst the steam from the hot bath helps remove the creases in the clothes.

[SarahStratton]

My best ironing tip is to add a drop of your favourite perfume to the water. Your clothes smell lovely, and it makes ironing a marginally more pleasant experience. Iron whilst watching a film.

Who am I kidding, I don't even know where the iron IS

[Finbar]

Firstly - what is your general opinion of ironing?
A Necessary evil - though in recent years I have seriously cut back the amount I do and have used quicker hanging up of clothes instead

~ First impressions - what did you think? How easy to follow were the instructions?
Modern design Nice sleek shape - looked promising. The instruction were simple - almost too simple - I kept trying to look for extra instructions and steps to follow!
Rather miffed at the whole hard water issue. Whilst I understand totally how it affects appliances like irons - I resented having to buy a 'special' filter at £25. Instead I decided to buy a cheaper Brita filter jug. I would have been doubly annoyed if I had bought this iron to find I needed to shell out another £25 because of the hard water area we live in. I did the water test and although our water wasn't as hard I had thought - I still felt we should get a filter so as not to ruin this expensive iron and to get the best from it.

~ 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?
Got stuck in and tried it on a basket of clothes- some freshly laundered and a couple of things that had been in the basket a while ( in the 'too difficult' pile!). It worked particularly well on these older things from the basket

~ Did you have to adjust how you iron at all? How did you find not changing the settings?
Instinct is to sort the clothes into batches of similar fabrics, but once I had got over this mental hurdle I found the lack of settings needed was a delight.
Also feel I need to stop myself going over the fabric as much as I usually do - there really is no need with this iron.

~ Any comments on ease of use? Including size, weight, storage etc?
It's a whopper weight-wise and this was quite a shock. Whilst it's true you don't have to move the iron over the clothes so many times- I did find manoeuvring it tiring
It drinks water and I had to fill it up a few times.
The bit I liked least was the plumes of steam every time I stood it up after ironing something. I know you can leave it face down for a while - but that's a big habit to break.
The steam made a hell of a noise- sending our 2 cats running for cover and ensuring I missed key bits of TV dialogue ( yes I know they mumble a lot on Homeland - but even so!)

~ Any one else in the family used it? What did they think?
DH used it for all his shirts and thinks it does much better job than any iron we've had before - a really good smooth result on the shirts and trousers. Is very happy with it indeed! He says it will be hard to go back to an ordinary one

~ Is this an iron you think you'd recommend to other people (should the conversation arise)?
Mmm..not sure. I would definitely say the end result is very good and the lack of having to adjust setting is a clear advantage. But it is heavy and that noisy steam plume was irritating in the end.

~ How would you rate the value for money?
£120 plus £25 for water filter is a lot of money. I know you get what you pay for and there is a lot of technology in this iron - but it's not quite perfect yet and therefore not quite worth that.

~ Any other comments on the product?
Really delighted to have been given this opportunity -thank you. Hope the feedback is useful. Its very good, but not quite amazing yet.

[moonbells]

Best ironing tips

1. buy clothes that don't need it so you don't have to!
   
2. Linen's a git so iron as wet as you can on as high a heat as you dare
   
3. use a wet and wrung-out old muslin square while ironing things that could burn/go shiny, eg school trousers
   
4. Always iron the yoke first on shirts especially tiny ones...
   
   Worst disaster (looks at hands with current crop of burn scars) DH says that me just getting hold of an iron is one! Bless him he ironed all DS's uniform last weekend.

[moonbells]

Best ironing tips

1. buy clothes that don't need it so you don't have to!
   
2. Linen's a git so iron as wet as you can on as high a heat as you dare
   
3. use a wet and wrung-out old muslin square while ironing things that could burn/go shiny, eg school trousers
   
4. Always iron the yoke first on shirts especially tiny ones...
   
   Worst disaster (looks at hands with current crop of burn scars) DH says that me just getting hold of an iron is one! Bless him he ironed all DS's uniform last weekend.

[moonbells]

! dunno what happened there... I just refreshed the page to see if there were any more tips!

[chrisrobin]

My best ironing tip is to hang clothes on clothes hangers to dry which helps stop them creasing too badly. When we are away for a function and the clothes have creased in the suitcase I put them in the bathroom when showering to help the creases drop out, then iron them while slightly damp from the steam.

[SuzysZoo]

Best ever ironing tip - never buy anything linen as it will be very tricky to iron! Other than that - iron it damp!

[maximum4]

Best Ironing Tip - A light spray of starch always helps in rush situations. Spray it on to the garment, and smooth away your wrinkles. It works better with cotton-blend shirts.

[Belmo]

I don't have any ironing tips as I'm rubbish at it! My worst ironing disaster - DP had a job interview, he was practicing the night before so said I'd iron his clothes for him (v v rare in this house!). Obviously I melted the bottom of his trousers. Nightmare. Didn't have anything else to wear so had to hope noone would look at his feet. He got the job though!

[MTBMummy]

~ Firstly - what is your general opinion of ironing?
I used to love it, but then got a rubbish iron and actually stopped doing it all together except in extreme emergencies or no clean clothes that didn't need ironing

~ First impressions - what did you think? How easy to follow were the instructions?
I though it looked really nice and sleek, liked the change from white. The instruction were very easy to follow

~ 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 few items I didn't mind ruining and it coped very well.

~ Did you have to adjust how you iron at all? How did you find not changing the settings?
I found I didn't have to sort out my ironing into an order, so I liked I could grab whatever came to hand and just get on with it.

~ Any comments on ease of use? Including size, weight, storage etc?
I thought the handle was a bit big, but I do have to but kids gloves as my hands are so small

~ Any one else in the family used it? What did they think?
DP used it and actually enjoyed it, it's the first time I've known him to iron anything in over 12 years!

~ Is this an iron you think you'd recommend to other people (should the conversation arise)?
I'm undecided, while I like it, an find it very easy to use, it actually stretched one of DP's favourite jumpers, which can be ironed and has been done before, but I think the steam is just too hot for it.

~ How would you rate the value for money?
If it lasts then I'd say its good value for money, but if it dies after 12 months I would say it is not good value for money

~ Any other comments on the product?
I've enjoyed using it, and enjoyed ironing again. The only disappointment for me was DP's jumper, otherwise I would rate this 10 out of 10

[maybeyoushouldrivesantassleigh]

Best ironing tips - try to iron your clothes while they are still slightly damp, makes ironing much less of a chore. Don't let dh near the iron - he is hopeless, much easier just to do it myself!

Worst ironing disaster - when I was little I tried to 'help' my mum do the ironing when she went to answer the phone. I dropped the iron on my hand and had severe burns

[firawla]

best ever ironing tip - i dont think i have one

worst ironing distaster - i have burnt things couple of times, by accidently doing it on too hot a temperature so this iron sounds quite good! i also have couple of times ironed dirty marks onto the clothes, there must have been something left on the underneath of the iron no idea how come. ive burnt myself once while ironing too

[Roseformeplease]

Best ironing tip. Do it as little as possible and only iron when essential. Worst ironing disaster was not getting to be a tester as I really fancied this test.

[WitchCrafter]

best tip- fold bed linen neatly, place on full length of ironing board and iron clothes on top, heat will go through and save electric.

[Poppy0000]

When I was young I thought it would be a OK to iron my shirt on the floor (I was too lazy to get the ironing board out). The recently laid bedroom carpet got melted and also got stuck to my shirt and the iron, and to top it all the fuses blew and I shorted all the wiring in the house!!

[Housemum]

Best ironing tip - be ready to iron clothes when they are only just dry from tumble dryer or outside, much easier when they are not like cardboard

Ironing disaster - being sad enough to iron socks only to find that the little pretty design bits (ducks on these ones) are more nylon-y and stick to the soleplate - grrr

[Elfontheshelfiswatchingyou]

Best ironing tip- pay someone else to do it.

Worst disaster- ironing my Barbie's cycling shorts when I was younger. They literally stuck to the iron. If you're reading this mum, it was me and I'm sorry.
:)

[WildThongonthesparklytree]

Best ironing tip - a very light spray with water/starch mix - works for me as my iron doesn't steam very well

Worst ironing disaster - when I was a teenager I tried to get chewing gum off my trousers (some old wives tale of brown paper over the gum and press hard with an iron), I think it was supposed to peel off. Obviously that didn't happen and the brown paper and gum congealed into a permanent minty mess on the trousers - and the iron, in the steam holes and everything. My poor mum scraped at it for ages with a kirby grip but ended up having to buy a new one!

[HannahLI]

Worst ironing disaster was husband had new top and I checked the logo and it was all material so i ironed it only to look down and discover that there was a white plastic line thinly across the material logo that had leatched white all over the top and my iron!

[Tw1nkle]

Best ever ironing tip - Try and leave cottons slightly damp for ironing.

Worst ever ironing disaster - We have two! Mine is: feeling the iron with my hand to see if it had warmed up - ouch!!
And my husband - ironing on the floor (don't ask), and making an iron shaped burn mark on the carpet!

[serendipity1980]

Hi,
I don't mind the actual ironing, I just don't like how much time it takes up. My best tip is to keep on top of the ironing pile, iron little and often as it makes it far less time consuming and challenging. I also love to listen to music while I iron, it gives me some 'me' time. For a 'not to do' try not to iron on carpet, however tempting it is to avoid getting the ironing board out. Our guest room carpet has little patches where I've fused together some of the carpet due to the heat from the iron and it catches on my tights :(

Happy ironing!

[MayaAngelCool]

Best ironing tip - M&S do a lovely orchid scented ironing water which leaves your clothes and room smelling so heavenly so that even avoidant ironers like myself are lured to the ironing table...

Worst disaster was an opera singer I heard of, a rather large and droopy-bodied lady who was ironing in the nude. She ended up singeing one of her hooters! Ow!