For a few touch-ups on a hanger, consider a handheld garment steamer. For regular ironing on a board, a steam iron avoids the separate base of a steam generator. If you have long ironing sessions and stopping to refill interrupts your flow, compare steam generators whose instructions say they can be refilled while in use, and make sure you have enough room for the base.
If you want to get an outfit ready without setting up an ironing board, consider garment steamers designed for use on clothes on a hanger. Check the water tank too: handheld models need particular attention if you’re steaming several garments in a row.
If you work through piles of laundry, check how the tank is refilled and whether the instructions say you can do so while the appliance is in use. A large capacity alone won’t tell you whether you’ll need to stop.
If the appliance needs to fit in a cupboard, compare the dimensions of the whole unit you’ll be storing, not just the iron or steamer head. A steam generator has a separate base, so whether you need to iron on a board remains a key consideration.
Start by choosing an appliance to suit your usual ironing session: touch-ups on a hanger, laundry to iron on a board or a long run of garments. Then check the specifications and instructions for the specific model.
| What matters to you | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Touch-ups and storage | Stated heat-up time, tank capacity and whether the instructions allow use on clothes on a hanger. | If you need to get one or two garments ready without setting up an ironing board, ease of use matters more than tank size; around 30% of consumers prioritise quick touch-ups with minimal storage space. |
| Volume and uninterrupted ironing | Tank capacity and whether the instructions explicitly allow you to refill it while the appliance is in use. | If you regularly work through a pile of laundry, having to stop to refill the appliance affects the flow of your ironing session; around 40% of consumers prioritise uninterrupted ironing. |
| Ironing on a board | Iron weight, water capacity and the space needed for a separate base, if applicable. | If you usually iron horizontally but don’t have room for a steam station, an appliance without a separate base is worth considering; around 20% of consumers prioritise this type of use. |
| Care and safety | The model’s instructions, descaling procedure and guidance on handling hot steam. | If appliance care and safe use are the main factors in your decision, make sure you can follow instructions suited to the model you choose; around 10% of consumers make this their main consideration. |
These figures won’t tell you whether the tank can be refilled while the appliance is in use, how much space the base takes up or what maintenance the appliance needs.
Start with the amount of laundry you iron and the space you have for storage. Then compare the tank, filling method, weight and instructions for the models you’re considering.
An appliance suited to a few touch-ups may need refilling several times when you’re working through a pile of clothes. Check the capacity for the specific model rather than assuming it translates directly into a certain number of garments.
Check the capacity in millilitres and the instructions for placing the appliance down while it’s hot between garments. If you mostly iron large batches on a board, compare steam generators too.
A scale collector or cleaning function doesn’t mean you can skip the procedure specified for the model. Philips says its guidance on water applies to the models listed on its support page.
Read the instructions before using a different type of water or a cleaning product, and check which parts or consumables are compatible with the model you’ve bought.
Philips offers steam irons, steam generators and handheld garment steamers. Its product pages let you compare specific models, rather than assuming that every product in the range has the same features.
The documentation for these brands, which belong to the same group, covers steam generators among other appliances. Instructions and accessories vary by model.
Laurastar offers all-in-one ironing systems for people who want to bring several elements together in one set-up.
These models are for ironing with a steam generator and touching up clothes with a garment steamer. When comparing them with an iron that has no separate base, start by considering the amount of laundry you iron and the space you have for storage.
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Worth considering if having to stop to refill the appliance disrupts your ironing sessions. The product name specifies a pressure of 6 bar, which doesn’t tell you how long it can run on its own; check the filling method in the instructions and make sure you have enough room for the base.
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For regular ironing sessions on a board, check whether the tank and base suit your routine and storage space. If you want to refill the appliance without interrupting your session, confirm explicitly in the PSG6022/20 instructions that this is possible.
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Consider this for touch-ups rather than a large pile of laundry to iron on a board. Check the instructions for use on clothes on a hanger, tank capacity and precautions to take when the appliance is hot.
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If you need a large water supply for ironing on a board, compare this model with the space you have for its base. The product name specifies 2400 W and 2 L; check the filling method and dimensions in the product documentation before deciding whether it suits your ironing sessions.
Not for every purpose. It can be suitable for touch-ups on clothes on a hanger if the model’s instructions allow this. If you regularly iron laundry flat, compare an iron or steam generator too, along with the space needed to set it up and store it.
No. Tank capacity alone doesn’t tell you whether you can refill the appliance while it’s in use. Check the instructions: a steam generator with a non-removable tank and a model explicitly designed to be refilled while in use won’t meet this need in the same way.
Follow the instructions for the model you’ve bought. For the models covered by its support page, Philips says tap water can be used, but recommends distilled or demineralised water, or a 50/50 mix, in hard-water areas. The same page advises against using vinegar and scented water, among other things.
Read the instructions and warnings for your model, particularly those on filling the appliance and handling hot steam. The DGCCRF warns that electrical appliances can pose risks of electric shock, fire and burns; product specifications are no substitute for following the instructions.