We Put 30 of the Best Steam Irons to the Test—But These 6 Are Actually Worth Buying

Best Overall

BLACK+DECKER Light 'N Easy Compact Steam Iron

AMAZON

Effectiveness4.5/5
Design4/5
Portability4.5/5
Value5/5
During our tests, this steam iron removed wrinkles and deep creases from satin and cotton in one pass.

During our tests, this steam iron removed wrinkles and deep creases from satin and cotton in one pass.

There's no way to tell when this iron has reached the desired temperature.

There's no way to tell when this iron has reached the desired temperature.

If you want an iron that efficiently rids your clothes of wrinkles without having to splurge on an expensive appliance, this option from Black+Decker is a great choice. Though it has many of the same features as the pricier irons we tested, the Light 'N Easy iron is a lot less expensive while still acting as a time-saving solution to wrinkly fabric.

When testing, our experts found that the Light 'N Easy iron worked best on satin and cotton, removing wrinkles in just one pass. Deeper creases took a few tries to remove, though the process was still relatively effortless. Even on linen, our testers found that the iron could get rid of wrinkles easily (though deep creases were still slightly visible).

You'll be able to change the temperature settings using a dial on the iron's handle, which corresponds to a chart printed below the handle. This allows you to adjust the temperature according to the material you're working with, making it easy to iron a whole load of laundry at once.

We also loved how large this steam iron's water tank is, meaning you don't have to add more water during a long ironing session. The steam feature automatically adjusts the amount of steam it produces based on the setting you select, allowing for the right combination of heat and moisture. Plus, its automatic shutoff feature—which turns off the machine eight minutes after use when upright and after 30 seconds when facedown or on its side—provides added peace of mind.

Given its low price point, we weren't surprised to find that the Light 'N Easy iron feels a bit cheap compared to other models. There's no way to tell if the iron has reached its desired temperature, which we found frustrating, and deciphering some of the symbols on the iron was a challenge for our testers.

BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / DERA BURRESON

BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / DERA BURRESON

Best Splurge

Rowenta Perfect Pro Station Iron

AMAZON

Effectiveness4.6/5
Design5/5
Portability4.8/5
Value4/5
This iron's detachable water tank holds up to 37 ounces of water and filters out calcium to prevent buildup on your iron.

This iron's detachable water tank holds up to 37 ounces of water and filters out calcium to prevent buildup on your iron.

There's no indicator to tell you when the iron has reached the desired temperature.

There's no indicator to tell you when the iron has reached the desired temperature.

If doing the laundry frequently includes ironing wrinkles out of clothing, tablecloths, or other fabrics, the Rowenta Perfect Pro iron is a great investment. While it's more expensive than other models, we found it to be exceptionally capable of cutting through deep wrinkles on multiple fabric types.

The most notable feature on the Perfect Pro iron is its extra-large water tank, which doubles as a docking station when you're not using the iron. If you tend to spend a large chunk of time ironing, the 37-ounce water tank allows you to keep working longer (up to 90 minutes) without having to stop and refill.

Plus, the separate tank keeps the iron itself quite lightweight and easy to use while offering powerful steam capabilities.

During testing, our experts found that this steam iron was quite versatile; it performed well on linen, cotton, and satin napkins with similar effectiveness. While it took a few passes across each fabric to flatten the wrinkles, we found it to be a pretty quick and easy job.

Similar to other Rowenta irons, the Perfect Pro has over 400 holes across the face of the soleplate, allowing for even steam distribution and even more precision when removing wrinkles. The iron automatically adjusts how much steam it outputs based on the temperature and fabric setting you've selected, better protecting the fabric from damage. We also liked this iron's extra-long cord (11.5 feet), which makes it easy to steam curtains.

When testing the Perfect Pro, our experts were slightly overwhelmed by the number of features this iron offers. In order to fully understand its capabilities and get the most out of the iron, you'll have to watch tutorials online, since the directions don't offer much insight into how to use the product.

For all its high-tech features (such as manual steam controls, extra-powerful steam distribution, and a long-lasting steel soleplate), our testers were disappointed to find that this iron doesn't have a ready light indicator. There's no way to tell when the iron has reached the right temperature and is ready for use.

BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / DERA BURRESON

BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / DERA BURRESON

Best Steam

BLACK + DECKER Advanced Steam Iron

AMAZON

Effectiveness4.2/5
Design4/5
Portability4/5
Value3/5
Our testers found the steam mode on this iron to be especially effective, removing wrinkles in a single pass on linen and cotton.

Our testers found the steam mode on this iron to be especially effective, removing wrinkles in a single pass on linen and cotton.

When dry ironing with this model, we found it took a few tries to get rid of wrinkles.

When dry ironing with this model, we found it took a few tries to get rid of wrinkles.

For fabric that's particularly wrinkled, the best way to target unwanted creases is to add heat and moisture, which softens the wrinkles and helps reverse the process that created them in the first place. The Black+Decker Vitessa steam iron is exceptional at just that; our testers found this iron to be particularly powerful at flattening creases on multiple types of fabric.

While many other irons we tested took at least a few swipes to get rid of deep creases, we found that this Black+Decker option made wrinkles disappear from cotton and linen in a single pass across the material when using the steam setting.

The vertical steam button is clearly marked at the top of the handle, making it easy to remove wrinkles from clothing, curtains, and more without taking them off the hanger or even touching the fabric. You also have the option to use the misting feature on this iron, which distributes a quick puff of water droplets to the fabric for tackling set-in wrinkles.

The Black+Decker steam iron also stood out to our testers because of its other perks, like the retractable power cord for easy storage, the anti-drip feature that eliminates water leaking out of the soleplate, and the automatic shutoff for added peace of mind.

Though our experts loved the steam settings on this iron, the dry iron settings weren't anything special. It took a few attempts to get rid of wrinkles on cotton, satin, and linen fabrics alike, but the process was still relatively quick and easy. If you prefer to use the dry setting to iron your clothes, this one certainly does the trick, but other irons we tested yielded better results.

BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / DERA BURRESON

BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / DERA BURRESON

Best for Travel

Conair EZ Press Steam Iron

AMAZON

Effectiveness4.3/5
Design4/5
Portability4.5/5
Value4/5
This iron is super lightweight and easy to pack when traveling.

This iron is super lightweight and easy to pack when traveling.

The small soleplate on this iron makes it less equipped for big ironing jobs.

The small soleplate on this iron makes it less equipped for big ironing jobs.

We've all been there—you're unpacking clothes after a long day of traveling, and you find that the only nice outfit you brought on the trip is covered in wrinkles. Rather than putting your trust in the cheap hotel iron (or showing up to an important event all wrinkly), the Conair EZ Press iron is the ideal travel companion to get rid of unwanted creases.

Weighing 1 pound and small in size for convenient packing, the Conair iron tucks away easily in a suitcase while removing wrinkles just as easily as its more expensive counterparts. You'll be able to use the steam setting (though our testers found the water tank to be quite small) or use it as a dry iron, and its varying temperature settings allow you to work on multiple fabric types.

While testing, our experts were pleasantly surprised to find that the Conair iron removed wrinkles from our satin, linen, and cotton napkins with minimal effort in just a few passes. While we had a bit of trouble getting the deepest creases out of linen, they eventually disappeared after several attempts.

The temperature dial under the handle makes it easy to raise or lower the temperature to work on different fabrics, and we liked that the ready light indicates when the iron is heated to the correct temperature so we didn't accidentally burn low-temperature fabrics.

This iron also has a vertical steam option for getting wrinkles out of hanging clothes, making it incredibly versatile when you're away from home.

Because of its smaller size, the Conair iron is best suited for quick ironing jobs, and our testers found that it was pretty time consuming to use when working with a larger piece of material, like a tablecloth. We also found its water tank to be quite small and difficult to refill, with the removable cap leaking slightly when tipped on its side.

However, it's a great all-around choice when you're in a pinch and you need a quick and lightweight solution for travel-induced wrinkles.

BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / DERA BURRESON

BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / DERA BURRESON

Best for Dry Ironing

Sunbeam Iron

AMAZON

This iron had great versatility across linen, cotton, and satin materials when dry ironing.

This iron had great versatility across linen, cotton, and satin materials when dry ironing.

This iron's temperature fluctuates slightly when used for longer periods of time.

This iron's temperature fluctuates slightly when used for longer periods of time.

Dry ironing is a great way to make your clothes or fabric extra crisp, but finding a trustworthy iron that won't scorch your clothes or melt the tag can be a challenge. The Sunbeam Steam Master Steam Iron was the most effective dry iron we tested, removing wrinkles and deep creases on satin and cotton in just one swipe (though it needed a little more elbow grease to get rid of wrinkles on linen fabric).

When you want a burst of steam, our testers were impressed with this iron's steam capabilities—it flattened wrinkles in one to two attempts. Built-in settings for variable steam and spray mist mode allow you to target deep wrinkles more easily, too. The retractable power cord makes it super simple to put the iron away when not in use, and you won't have to worry about fussing with a too-long cord while you work.

Our testers noted how lightweight this iron felt when using, making it a lot easier than other models to use for long periods of time. All of the iron's settings are pretty self-explanatory, so you won't have to dig out the instructions every time you want to switch between steam and dry ironing. Plus, the temperature dial has specific markers for linen, cotton, wool, and synthetic materials to ensure nothing melts or sticks to the soleplate.

During testing, our experts noticed that the temperature of the iron's soleplate tended to decrease slightly after using it for a few minutes. We had to bump up the temperature a bit higher than the dial markings indicated after a while to maintain the correct heat levels.

BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / DERA BURRESON

BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / DERA BURRESON

Best Digital

BEAUTURAL 1800-Watt Steam Iron

AMAZON

Effectiveness3.8/5
Design5/5
Portability5/5
Value5/5
The LCD display makes it easy to see the settings and temperature while ironing.

The LCD display makes it easy to see the settings and temperature while ironing.

Testers found that the steam setting doesn't remove wrinkles on cotton fabric.

Testers found that the steam setting doesn't remove wrinkles on cotton fabric.

This easy-to-use iron takes the guesswork out of selecting a temperature when you're ironing on different fabrics. Its digital display at the top of the handle clearly shows what fabric setting you're on as well as the steam level and mode number. These preset modes align with the general fabric heat recommendations, ensuring that you don't accidentally ruin your clothes while ironing.

Unlike many of the models we tested, it's super easy to tell when the Beautural iron is on and has reached the proper temperature. The LCD display tells you what fabric setting and steam level you're using, and the screen momentarily turns red once you've turned the iron off to provide reassurance that it's powering down.

Our testers found that the Beautural iron is extremely effective when dry ironing—it removed wrinkles from cotton fabric in just one swipe, and it only required one or two more passes on linen and satin. When we turned on the steam setting, our testers were able to lift wrinkles out of linen in one pass, but the steam was pretty ineffective on cotton. If you plan to iron cotton with this appliance, you'll want to turn off the steam.

We also liked the ergonomic handle grips, which made this Beautural iron extra comfortable to hold and easy to maneuver across the ironing board. The ceramic soleplate is designed to resist scratches, and its double-layer design helps to ensure the entire plate heats evenly and doesn't burn delicate clothing. Plus, the auto shutoff feature protects you if you forget to turn off the iron once you're done working.

Product Details: Weight: 3.18 pounds | Water Tank Size: 11.5 ounces | Wattage: 1800 watts | Soleplate Material: Ceramic | Safety Features: Automatic shutoff

BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / DERA BURRESON

BETTER HOMES and GARDENS / DERA BURRESON