Best steam irons 2025: Which? Best Buys and expert buying advice

The best steam irons help you fly through the laundry pile, heating up quickly and removing creases with ease. Our Best Buy recommendations and expert buying advice help you sort the best from the rest.

But not all models are up to scratch – some take ages to steam, and show signs of limescale build-up and soleplate damage after just a few uses. To help you avoid a dud, we've handpicked the top Best Buys, the energy-efficient Eco Buys and the Great Value irons in our tests that iron brilliantly, are easy to use and built to last. Read on to find out which irons impressed in our tests.

Go straight to our steam iron reviews to compare all the irons we've tested.

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Only logged-in Which? members can view our expert recommendations based on our rigorous testing in the table below. If you're not yet a member, join Which? to get instant access.

Best steam irons and steam generators

Not found the right iron for you? See all our steam iron reviews

Steam irons by type

• Cordless iron reviews
• One temperature iron reviews
• Steam iron reviews
• Steam generator reviews

Steam irons by price

• Steam irons under £30
• Steam irons under £50
• Steam irons under £75
• Steam irons under £150

Why you can trust our steam iron reviews

The overall Which? test score is made up of star ratings, all determined by our rigorous lab tests. We don’t accept free samples of products and we buy them from the same place as consumers to remain impartial.

Which? steam irons expert Adam Speight

'Our expert testing is designed to find the irons that get rid of creases best, are the easiest to use, and are durable. We also know you've likely got a budget you want to stick to, so as well as our Best Buys, it's worth checking out our Great Value recommendations. These are irons that perform to a decent standard at a lower price.'

Read more about how we test steam irons

Which type of steam iron should I choose?

Regular steam iron

Pros

• Far cheaper than steam generators
• Easy to store and carry
• Can be used on a normal ironing board
• Very quiet during use.

Cons

• Produce less steam than a steam generator
• Will need refilling more often
• Can be heavy with a full water tank.

Cordless steam iron

Pros

• Freedom to move round the ironing board
• No power cord to snag your freshly ironed clothes
• Tend to be lighter than corded irons.

Cons

• Gradually lose heat during use
• Batteries can't be replaced
• Not many models to choose from.

If you want to find out if making the move to a cordless iron is right for you, check out our cordless iron reviews.

Steam generator iron

Pros

• Produce much more steam than a standard iron
• Smooth creases quickly and effortlessly
• Lighter than most irons
• Won't need refilling as often.

Cons

• More expensive than a standard iron
• Bulky to store and heavy to carry
• Noisy
• Some are too heavy to sit on a normal ironing board.

Is a steam generator iron worth it?

A steam generator iron will produce lots more steam for you to work with, but comes at a price – a top-end steam generator iron could set you back more than £300.

We've also come across premium irons that have an internal pump for producing pressurised steam, giving you extra oomph to get through tough creases. They can be a good compromise if you don’t have the space or budget for a full-on steam generator. 

These premium irons tend to be bulky and expensive compared with traditional irons, though. And we've found some traditional irons that can deliver just as much steam power. 

Find out whether a steam generator is right for you by reading our steam generator iron reviews

Pressurised vs non-pressurised steam generators

There are two basic types of steam generator to choose between:

Non-pressurised steam generator

These are typically the cheapest type of steam generator. They work in a similar way to standard irons, but produce more steam.

The large separate water tank means you won't have to refill it as often.

Pressurised steam generator

These blast high-pressure steam deep into fabrics, making it even easier to smooth creases. They're more expensive than non-pressured generators.

A pressurised generator could be a good investment if you regularly iron lots of laundry – a quality one will whizz through your ironing pile of quicker than any other type of iron. 

Which is better, a travel iron or a clothes steamer?

We can't tell you what the best travel iron is, as we haven't tested them. But we have tested plenty of clothes steamers and, one key advantage they have over irons is that you won't need an ironing board.

The most portable garment steamers make useful travel companions. Some even come with accessories such as mini clothes hangers or the ability to use a bottle of water instead of the tank, so there's less to fit into your travel bag.

The average price of handheld models we've tested is around £50 (upright models are more expensive).

Find the best clothes steamer according to our tests

How much do I need to pay for a good iron?

You can buy a steam iron fairly cheaply these days. Prices for basic models start at around £10 and go up to more than £100 for top-of-the-range ones.

Our tough tests have uncovered fantastic Best Buy models for around £30. But we've found there are also a lot of dud models at the cheaper end of the market.

Looking for the best cheap irons? Head to our steam iron reviews and use the Great Value filter.

Best steam iron features to look for

• Limescale filter. It's worth checking whether an iron has a scale filter before you buy it. The amount of steam your iron produces can be severely hampered by the build up of limescale over time, which is why you need to clean your iron. 
• Self-cleaning system. This helps you get rid of any limescale that does form. But we've found some systems take lots of time and effort, such as soaking the filter in lemon juice for four hours, so check our reviews.
• Comfy handle. The best handles are soft or smooth and not too wide. Some handles can rub uncomfortably after you've been ironing for a while.
• Thin, tapered soleplate. This type of soleplate is easy to slide under buttons and into tight pleats. Chunky soleplates tend to snag on buttons and zips.
• Auto shut-off. This turns off your iron if it's not used for a while, which is handy if you're ever worried about whether you've forgotten to switch it off.
• Easy-to-fill tank. Look for a wide filler hole. Also check it has clear maximum-fill markings – otherwise water will glug back out.

Where to buy a steam iron

Ironing might not be the most popular chore, but a decent iron can make it a smoother experience. If yours is past its best, heavy or lacks steam, here are some options for shopping for a new one.

• Amazon offers hundreds of irons, from brands including Morphy Richards, Philips and Russell Hobbs. Free one-day delivery is included for Amazon Prime members. For non-members, all orders of £35 or more of eligible items across any product category also qualify for free delivery in the UK.
• AO has irons from makes such as Morphy Richards, Russell Hobbs and Tower. The majority are under £49, so you're unlikely to find any steam generator irons. Delivery costs up to £6 but depending on your location, it can be free for AO Five Star members.
• Argos stocks plenty of irons from Philips, Russell Hobbs and Tefal, plus its own Steamworks brand. Standard delivery starts from £3.95 or is free on orders over £100. Click & Collect is free and you can pick up from your nearest Argos store or collection point at Sainsbury's within seven days.
• Currys advertises irons from manufacturers including Beldray, Philips and Tefal, as well as its Logik brand. Most are available under £40, but prices go all the way up to £550. Standard delivery is free on orders over £40 and costs £3.99 for orders under £40.
• John Lewis sells its own-brand irons, plus brands such as Braun, Philips and Tefal. You get free delivery when you spend £50 and over. It costs £4.50 for orders under £50.