Easy-to-use steam irons

A steam iron that’s heavy to handle, uncomfortable to hold or difficult to fill and store is hugely annoying. Particularly if you iron regularly. 

There's no need to put up with a nightmare iron, though. Our tests have uncovered irons that feel light to hold, are comfortable to grip and are great at ironing any fabric.

Our lab tests are independent, so you can trust our results and use them to easily find the best iron for you. 

In this article: 

Best easy-to-use irons and steam generators

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Steam irons 

Steam generators 

How we choose the best easy-to-use steam irons and steam generators

These models have been awarded four or more stars out of five for ease of use, and more than four stars for ironing performance.

This means as well as being comfortable and intuitive to use, these irons will get your shirts and skirts wrinkle free in no time.   

Take a look at our guide on how to buy the best steam iron to find out more. 

Choosing an easy-to-use steam iron

Here are the main points to consider when buying an iron:

Is the iron light and comfortable to hold?

The lighter the iron is, the easier it will be to use and hold. See our section on lightweight irons below for more information.

Check the handle is a comfortable shape for you and that you’re able to grip it easily. The iron should also feel well balanced.

Are the controls easy to see and operate?

Make sure that the markings are large enough for you to see. A good contrast between them and the background should make life easier.

If you have difficulty with your sight, check to see if the indicator lights are bright enough for you to see and whether some of the buttons and markings are raised.

See whether you find the dials and buttons easy to grip or press with little force. The controls should also be in a logical and easily reachable place, even when ironing.  If you’re left-handed, check the buttons are in a central place you find easy to reach.

You should also check the controls aren’t too close together so you don’t select something accidentally.

Is it easy to fill, empty and descale?

A large filling hole will make it easier to fill up each time.

Some irons come with a jug to help with filling, which is useful as it means you don't have to hold it under the tap in an awkward position. And some steam generators have a removable tank, so you don’t have to hold the large tank under the tap.

Make sure you find it easy to see the water level - a light to indicate when it's getting low is also useful.

Other useful features

• Auto shut off: automatically turns off the iron if it isn't used for a while.
• Long power cord: gives you more flexibility in where you can put the iron - more than two metres long is good. 
• Large water tank: a bigger tank should mean you’ll need to refill less often. 
• Cord storage compartment: helps keep the power cord(s) tidy when carrying it and when in storage.  

Read our guide to how to buy the best steam iron for more information on features to look out for.

Lightweight steam irons

Heavy irons can make ironing feel like twice as much work. So it’s not surprising that more of you value an iron being lightweight over steam power*.

We weigh each iron with a full tank of water to see how tiring they are in reality to use. We've found they range from 0.9kg, similar to a loaf of bread, to more than 2kg, the weight of a two-litre bottle of water. 

The average weight is 1.7kg when full, so look for an iron that weighs less than this if you don’t want something too heavy. 

It’s worth bearing in mind that light irons tend to have slightly smaller tanks so might need refilling more often, although some lightweight irons do have surprisingly large water tanks.

The extra weight of heavier irons can help press out creases, but many lightweight irons we’ve tested are brilliant at ironing without having to press down. If you’re looking for a lightweight iron, make sure you go for one of the best steam irons that’s been recommended by us.   

Steam generators are usually lighter (see below), but cost quite a bit more.

*(Online survey of 1,189 Which? members in February 2019.)   

Lightweight irons - our top picks

These steam irons are light as well as being brilliant at shifting creases.

Lightweight steam generator

How we choose the best lightweight irons

To choose our top lightweight irons we looked at steam irons that weigh less than 1.5kg with a score of more than 70%.