Whether you’re the type to iron your socks and tea towels or you try and avoid ironing at all costs, the best steam irons can make tackling the laundry pile far less of a chore, leaving you with perfectly pressed clothes.
By blasting steam directly into fabrics, steam irons are able to glide more smoothly and tackle stubborn creases with ease – particularly on bone-dry clothes fresh from the tumble dryer.
If you’re willing to spend a little more, steam generator irons are also worth considering. These models are more powerful and lighter to use, as the water reservoir sits in a separate base unit rather than in the iron itself.
With so many models to choose from, I’ve done the hard work for you by testing a range of steam irons, to help you work out which ones are truly worth investing in. Keep scrolling for my full review and verdict.
Read more: Best clothes steamers for crease-free clothing
The best steam irons for 2026 are:
- Best overall – Russell Hobbs power steam ultra iron: £69.99, Amazon.co.uk
- Best budget buy – Russell Hobbs plug and wrap steam iron: £37.99, Amazon.co.uk
- Best premium option – Tefal GV9820G0 high pressure steam generator iron: £549.99, Amazon.co.uk
- Best cordless design – Tower T22008 ceraglide cordless steam iron: £29.99, Amazon.co.uk
How I tested
I conquered piles of laundry during testing, in a very busy house of five, with school shirts, dresses, bed linen, and trousers being on regular laundry rotation. On average, I do two loads of washing a day (pray for my washing machine), so trust me when I say these irons have all been tested thoroughly. I also recruited a range of discerning ironers, who put the machines to the test in their homes.
I ironed a range of fabrics that require different levels of heat and care, including cotton, silk and linen. I noted each one’s setup, setting, weight, manoeuvrability, quality and price. You can read more about my testing criteria at the end of this article.
Read more: Clothes steamers vs irons: Industry experts reveal which one is best
Russell Hobbs power steam ultra steam iron
Best: Steam iron overall
Weight: 1.59kg
Water tank capacity: 350ml
Number of settings: Four
Cord length: 3m
Automatic shut-off: Yes
Why we love it
- Great performance
- Good for tight corners
Take note
- Slightly heavy
For hard-to-banish wrinkles and creases, this iron was hard to beat. It saw off stubborn creases easily, and the tapered tip was fab at getting into tight corners. School shirts looked brand new after a quick one over with this power steam machine – and the button groove meant minimal fuss when ironing.
As well as traditional ironing, you can do vertical steaming with this iron, and it’s pretty versatile in other ways, too. You can adjust the temperature on the dial (useful, as it did get astonishingly hot, so beware, kids and novice ironers) and the amount of steam it jets out. The steam function was absolutely drip-free. Those in hard-water areas will appreciate the self-clean function and anti-scale cartridge.
This iron is a great all-rounder – perhaps a bit on the heavy side, but I’ll forgive it as it was still easy to manoeuvre.
Buy now £33.79, Amazon.co.uk
Russell Hobbs plug and wrap steam iron
Best: Budget steam iron
Weight: 1.39kg
Water tank capacity: 320ml
Number of settings: Three
Cord length: 2.5m
Automatic shut-off: Yes
Why we love it
- Easy to store
- Fairly lightweight
- Safe for all fabrics that can be ironed
Take note
- Dry mode not great for stubborn creases
Designed to be easy to store, this is a great iron if you’re short on space, as the cable tucks away neatly and the plug tucks into the base. Although compact, it’s a full-size machine, making ironing a load of washing relatively quick.
There’s a 320ml water tank on board, and you can opt for dry or steam ironing. While dry ironing, you can use the steam shot, or you can spritz water on garments to get out really dried-in wrinkles. I found the dry mode did an adequate job – my washing looked like it had been ironed, for sure – but the steam mode was much more effective at giving it that crisp look.
The iron is pretty lightweight, and it glided well over all fabrics. I liked that there’s a one-temperature control, so it’s safe for all ironable fabrics, giving us peace of mind. It’s also a good iron for those who are new to the game (hello, students).
Buy now £29.99, Amazon.co.uk
Tefal GV9820G0 high pressure steam generator iron
Best: Premium steam iron
Weight: 6kg
Water tank capacity: 1.2l
Number of settings: Five
Cord length: 1.6m
Automatic shut-off: Yes
Why we love it
- Beautiful glide
- Large reservoir
- LED light
- Powerful steam function
Take note
- Cord difficult to tuck away after use
- Very expensive
I found the Tefal’s high pressure iron an absolute game-changer when it came to ironing. The steam generator base has a 1.2l tank, which meant I could get through huge piles of laundry without refilling. The iron took just moments to heat – no more than a standard steam iron, in fact.
I loved the smart setting, which detects when the iron is moving and blasts steam, and then stops when the iron isn’t moving. I found it provided enough steam that I didn’t need to do both sides of garments – especially handy when ironing bed linen and other large items. It also stops steaming automatically when it’s upright, which is a very handy safety feature.
One last thing to mention is that it has a headlight, which sounds gimmicky, but is very useful for showing up wrinkles, especially if you’re ironing in less-than-perfect lighting conditions. The price tag may be eye-watering, but it could still be worth every penny to die-hard ironing perfectionists, who are sure to love this machine.
Buy now £549.99, Amazon.co.uk
Braun carestyle 7 pro steam generator iron
Best: Lightweight steam iron
Weight: 4.9kg
Water tank capacity: 2l
Number of settings: Four
Cord length: 1.7m
Automatic shut-off: Yes
Why we love it
- Irons beautifully
- Large reservoir
- Tidy cable
Take note
- Expensive
I was blown away by this steam generator iron. The iron itself looks smart – all black with some rose-gold-coloured trim. The slots in the base unit enable you to tuck in the flex and the steam cable neatly when it’s stowed away. As for the 2l reservoir, I found it to be easy to fill – it slots out horizontally and slots back in easily.
The iron comes with different modes, including the iCare mode, which makes sure all ironable fabrics will be safe and a turbo mode for creases that are really dried in. However, during testing, I found the model to be so efficient, I barely touched the modes – the iron heated up quickly, and it’s so lightweight it glided easily over all fabrics.
This machine is certainly an investment, but if you’re particular or do a lot of ironing, I think it’s worth it.
Buy now £349.99, Braunhousehold.com
Beldray mega steam pro upright ironing station
Best: Entry-level steam iron
Weight: 3.15kg
Water tank capacity: 1.5l
Number of settings: Two
Cord length: 2m
Automatic shut-off: Yes
Why we love it
- Easy controls
- Can be used upright
Take note
- Not as adjustable as other steam generators
- A bit heavy
For those who are new to steam generator irons and are baulking slightly at the price, this Beldray is a great entry-level option. It’s considerably easier on the purse than some of the other steam generator irons I tested for this review, and it did a very decent job of my laundry.
The 1.5l water tank took around a minute or so to get up to full steam. You can adjust the temperature on the iron using a traditional dial, and that’s all the variables there are. The trigger button is well positioned, so you can squeeze it while you iron.
The soleplate was pretty friction-free – while it didn’t glide quite as freely as some of the other steam generators here, rest assured it didn’t catch or rumple the fabrics. Nor did it get overly hot and leave shine on the clothes. You can also use this as a vertical steamer on hanging items, which is handy.
Buy now £69, Argos.co.uk
Tower T22008 ceraglide cordless steam iron
Best: Cordless steam iron
Weight: 1.2kg
Water tank capacity: 360ml
Number of settings: Two
Cord length: Not stated
Automatic shut-off: Yes
Why we love it
- Iron away from the mains
- Good glide
Take note
- A bit chunky in corded mode
If you want to do ironing away from the mains power, this Tower corded and cordless iron offers you that functionality. If you’re doing a big load of ironing, and battery power isn’t going to see you through the whole lot, you have the option of plugging it into the base charger and using the whole thing.
The base does make it a bit clunky when ironing but it doesn’t make it much heavier than your usual corded iron, which I was pleased about. You can also use this iron in vertical mode – simply detach it from the base and steam hanging garments without getting wrapped up in the cord.
Performance-wise, this iron was decent enough to deal with all but the worst wrinkles. It glided beautifully across the clothes, and the button notch on the tip was handy for doing shirts. This is a nifty little iron that offers good value.
Buy now £18.99, Amazon.co.uk
Tefal ultimate pure steam iron
Best: Steam iron for hard-water areas
Weight: 1.45kg
Water tank capacity: 350ml
Number of settings: Six
Cord length: 3m
Automatic shut-off: Yes
Why we love it
- Good descaling feature
- Turbo boost function
Take note
- A bit heavy
If you live in a hard-water area, you’ll be only too aware of how much damage limescale can cause to irons, kettles, dishwashers and the like. This Tefal iron is a great option, as it comes with a filter that cleans out any scale before it enters the steam. You can pull this filter out to clean it, too. As well as prolonging the lifespan of your iron, it means you don’t get grim stains on your fresh laundry.
I found the performance excellent – it glided over cottons and nylons with no hitches or dragging. The auto steam was great for blasting out creases without requiring any elbow grease on my part, and there’s a steam boost trigger button if you’re working on something that’s really rumpled.
While some may find this machine a bit on the heavy side, it definitely feels robust and well-made.
Buy now £159.99, Amazon.co.uk
Beldray digital touchscreen steam iron
Best: Steam iron with easy-to-use controls
Weight: 3.3kg
Water tank capacity: 380ml
Number of settings: Four
Cord length: 3m
Automatic shut-off: Yes
Why we love it
- Simple functionality
- Decent steam power
Take note
- Bit of a bulky base
- No water spray function
Beldray’s digital touchscreen steam iron left me really impressed. It takes a lot of the trial and error out of ironing – it has a temperature screen that lets you select from four preset modes, based on fabric type. It’s really easy to use, and I liked the fact that it’s so visible – it reminded me to change the temperature between garments.
The iron was quick to heat up, taking seconds rather than minutes. And it has a fairly lightweight design, however, I found the circular base a bit bulky and annoying when I was ironing. Bonus points for the extra-long flex, though, as I could iron away from the mains power. There is a powerful amount of steam with this iron, too – it was able to get out stubborn, dried-in creases with fairly minimal effort on my part.
Buy now £37.99, Amazon.co.uk
Tefal freemove power cordless steam iron
Best: Steam iron for occasional users
Weight: 3.3kg
Water tank capacity: 250ml
Number of settings: Six
Cord length: 1.9m
Automatic shut-off: Yes
Why we love it
- Heats up well
- Good for buttons and pleats
Take note
- Needs recharging often
If you find wires restrictive when ironing, this cordless steam iron is a good shout. It comes on a base, which isn’t as bulky as the steam generator bases, but it is chunkier than the one on the budget-friendly Tower cordless iron featured in this roundup. I found the stated charge-up time of 11 seconds a bit misleading, as this only gives you 35 seconds of ironing time. I couldn’t get through a whole garment before it beeped to recharge again. The idea is you put the iron back on the base in between items, so you still need to iron close to the mains power socket.
When using the iron, it did glide well over fabrics, thanks to the ceramic coating on the plate. The temperature control is easy to use, and it heats up very quickly. The notched plate made ironing around shirt buttons and in pleats really easy, too.
Buy now £79.99, Currys.co.uk
Phillips PerfectCare compact steam generating iron
Best: Steam iron with a compact design
Weight: 3.3kg
Water tank capacity: 1.5l
Number of settings: One
Cord length: 1.8m
Automatic shut-off: Yes
Why we love it
- Easy to store away
- Big water tank
- Auto-adjust temperature
Take note
- Pricey
A lot of steam-generator irons are pretty bulky, and I struggle to find space for them to be stowed away. This one, however, is only a little bit larger than your standard steam iron, yet it has a massive 1.5l tank, meaning I could get through loads of ironing, without needing to refill – even if I was constantly steaming the garments.
As with the Tefal steam generator included in this round-up, the Philips PerfectCare auto-adjusts its temperature depending on the fabric. This means I was able to switch between silk pillowcases and the dreaded school shirts, without hanging around for the iron to cool down or heat up. It also meant I never got it wrong. There is a slight button notch on the soleplate, but I didn’t find it quite as good as some other models I’ve tested here, as it’s just a bit too subtle. The iron itself is lightweight, and I was able to blitz through piles of laundry without getting aching arms.
Buy now £199.99, Amazon.co.uk
Your questions about steam irons answered
What’s the best steam iron?
The Russell Hobbs power steam just works. It’s fast, efficient and easy to use, gliding across garments like an Olympic skater. Notable mention also goes to the Braun steam generator, which did sterling work under intense scrutiny, and won the devotion of my hardcore ironing enthusiast.
How I tested steam irons
During testing, pressing questions (pun intended) included:
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
Zoë Phillimore is a journalist and editor who has been reviewing home appliances for IndyBest since 2021, so she has a strong grasp on the brand to turn to for efficiency and durability. Similarly, she’s a busy parent who appreciates getting the ironing done quickly, making her the ideal candidate for this review – she’s only included the models that she actually enjoyed using. She’s previosuly tested countless items for your home including the best milk frothers, best duvets and best cylinder vacuums for IndyBest.
For more laundry godsends, read our review of the best clothes steamers to smooth your favourite garments
