Love it, hate it or hate to love it - ironing is one of the household chores we just can't refuse. Albeit, many of us iron begrudgingly - it sure beats showing up to work in a shirt that's creased to high heaven.
It may not seem like a home appliance to put deep though into, but it can save you precious time in front of the ironing board and perhaps, put the (dare we say it) fun, into ironing.
A steam generator iron will pump continuous steam - perfect for tougher materials. A normal steam iron will give you steam on request, which is more the everyday kind.
Whatever your budget and whatever your needs, we've rounded up some of the best options for you to consider below.
Best steam irons 2021
1. Beldray BEL0820 Ultra Ceramic Steam Iron
Looking for an iron that boasts powerful steam capabilities, without costing you an arm and a leg?
The ceramic iron features dual soleplate technology, which helps to deliver a smooth ironing experience and an even heat distribution.
Boasting an impressive 3100 watts of power, you'll get a super powerful steam output that's perfect to tackle all of your everyday ironing needs.
2. Tefal FV9845 Ultimate Pure Steam Iron
Tefal's Ultimate Pure steam iron comes with a luxury look, with quite the luxury price tag. However, if you're looking for the best of the ironing bunch - this is it.
The powerful 3100 watt gadget is super powerful heats up nice and quickly so you can get on with the task at hand. It also has a 2-in-1 anti-calc filter, which helps to prevent the the build-up of lime scale and horrible stains on your clothes.
A 350ml tank and a three metre cord ensure you can tackle the tasks efficiently without needing to stop and start.
3. Philips GC4526/87 Azur Performer Plus Steam Iron
The Philips Azur has a sleek and stylish look, as well as some pretty desirable features you'll want if you're looking for a new steam iron.
At under £54 it's in quite a fair budget range for a good quality iron. Although it is on the heavier side, it's not something to pay too much attention to, because it certainly gets the job finished - quickly.
Enjoy a lifelong and efficient steam performance, with a built-in calc container to prevent scale settling.
Price: £53.99, Amazon - buy here now
4. Beldray BEL0775 Steam Surge Pro Steam Generator Iron
The Beldray Pro Steam generator iron is a multipurpose and handy gadget any would be happy to assist with the ironing.
Boasting a powerful 2400 watts, removing creases just got a whole lot easier with a lot less effort. The water tank has a very generous 1.2 litre capacity, which is around four times more than your generic iron - meaning you can get through all of your ironing in one sitting.
There's also a vertical ironing setting, allowing you to use your iron as a steamer for delicate garments and upholstery.
Price: £39, Asda - buy here now
5. Wilko Steam Iron
If you're wondering what an iron worth a tenner can do for your piles of laundry - you're about to be very surprised indeed. If you're not into the glitz and glam looking irons, this is one to seriously consider.
With a powerful 2200 watts, a generous 300m capacity water tank, self cleaning function and vertical steaming abilities - there really is nothing not to love about this iron. The fact it's only £10 s really just the icing on the cake.
Price: £10, Wilko - buy here now
6. TEFAL Pro Express Care High Pressure Steam Generator Iron
Whether it's a thick pair of trousers, curtains or a big jacket, steam through it with complete ease with this steam generator iron from Tefal.
An impressive 220 grams per minute of steam as well as a super steam output ensures irons is done quickly and efficiently.
No need to worry about scale settling, with a self cleaning soleplate that is also scratch resistant - even over harsh materials like zips and buttons.
Price: £190, Currys - buy here now
7. Beautural 2400-Watt Steam Iron
It might not be a name you're familiar with, but the Beautural steam iron has some qualities to rival some of the top contenders on the market, at only £42.99 its a complete steal too.
An LCD display and nine presets allow you to easily choose the perfect temperature setting for your clothes.
There's also a handy motion sensor safety function which will automatically shut off the iron to prevent fabric burning.
Price: £42.99, Amazon - buy here now
8. Bosch TDA3021GB Steam Iron
This steam iron fro Bosch is capable of handling all of handling all of your laundry needs, efficiently and with complete ease.
With 2800 watts of power, this iron will deliver crease-free results in no time at all. Thanks to the evenly distributed 180 grams a minute shots of steam you can expect even the most stubborn of creases to vanish.
60 seconds heat up time means you won't have to wait around to get to a temperature you're comfortable with.
Price: £49.99, John Lewis - buy here now
9. Philips PerfectCare Steam Generator Iron
This steam generator iron from Philips has all of the desirable features you'll need fro ma steam iron built to last. If you have the extra cash to spend, it's one well worth the investment.
No need to fiddle around with temperature settings again, using smart OptimalTEMP technology which combines temperature with continuous steam; all of your clothes will be crease and burn free, whatever the fabric.
Unlike traditional steam generator models, this one from Philips has been made with an ergonomic and lightweight design for sheer ease of use.
Price: £150, Philips - buy here now
10. Morphy Richards Breeze
If you're looking for a nice design on a decent budget, why not have a look at this one from Morphy Richards? It has 2400 watts of power in addition to 130 grams per minute of continuous steam output.
The 350ml tank ensures you can get all of your laundry crease free, without the constant need to refill the tank. You can also use the vertical steam option to to steam hanging garments or upholstery too.
A ceramaslide soleplate ensure effortless gliding across a range of different fabric garments. For £20, its a bargain not to be sneered at.
Price: £20, AO - buy here now
11. Russell Hobbs 25090 OneTemp Steam Iron
Take the hassle out of ironing and never mind fiddling around with controls again.
This steam iron only has one control as well as an advanced soleplate design which achieves the optimum temperature for all iron safe fabrics. The tourmaline ceramic soleplate also ensure you a whopping 60% smoother glide. Easy, efficient ironing for less than £40, yes please.
Price: £34.99, Argos - buy here now
