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A good iron can make the difference between a procrastination-inducing, monotonous task and entering a flow state while you sweep a well-calibrated machine over your clothing or sheets. Unlike garment steamers, which perform many of the same de-wrinkling functions, irons apply heat directly to a textile, which lifts deep-set wrinkles more easily and creates sharp creases or a uniformly crisp surface.
“Fortunately at this point in our civilization, most people who create irons understand that they really need to have a couple functions,” says Zach Pozniak, a third-generation dry cleaner and the vice-president of operations at Jeeves New York. One of those is the ability to produce steam, which relaxes textile fibers, more quickly lifting wrinkles with less risk of damaging clothing. All of the irons on this list have a steam function, and we’re noting which our experts have described as having especially fine, powerful steam.
Another necessary function is a well-calibrated thermostat that consistently delivers the heat you specify. High heat is more of a problem than low heat — a cooler iron won’t be as effective, but a too-hot iron can scorch clothing on a setting that should be safe for the material — so “always do less heat than you think at first and then work your way up,” advises costume designer Alison Freer.
What we’re looking for
Power
The power of an iron — measured in watts — determines how hot it can get and how much oomph is behind each puff of steam. Most options on this list are around 1,600 to 1,800 watts, with the exception of a 420-watt travel iron.
Mineralization management
Another one of Pozniak’s necessary iron functions is a self-cleaning function, which removes the buildup of minerals that naturally occur in tap water (“unless you are a true ironing fanatic and use distilled water,” he says). Mineralization can clog steam holes and “eject this gross white grainy sand, and if you iron it into your clothes, now it’s stained,” says Pozniak. One way to avoid mineralization is to use distilled water (or, according to laundry expert and host of the Laundry Guy Patric Richardson, spring water, which has a lower mineral content than tap water but enough to allow water to heat up beyond the boiling point), but most irons will have a self-cleaning function to avoid gritty buildup.
Best overall
Power: 1,725 watts | Mineralization management: Designed to work with tap water
Among the experts we spoke to, German brand Rowenta came up most frequently, beloved for its durability; well-calibrated controls, including its temperature settings and steam trigger; and safety features. Illustrator Maira Kalman uses their Pro Master iron to press sheets, and Freer favors their irons for “very fine, very concentrated” steam.
Although there are more expensive Rowenta irons (some of which are on this list), the Focus, its second-cheapest model, has enough glowing reviews to make it our best-in-class pick. Graphic designer and home sewer Tracy Ma, a Focus owner, likes that it “exhales big ole puffs of steam exactly upon trigger and never before or after.” She also appreciates its “very accurate and sensitive” temperature gauges, integral for avoiding accidental scorch marks. I tested it out on two common tasks — ironing a collared shirt and preparing a textile for a sewing project — and was impressed at how powerful and reliable the iron felt. (Its pointed tip is also very useful for collars and the space between buttons.) The Focus could un-wrinkle creases in one sweep that would take two or three passes with the ancient hand-me-down I’d used before. Strategist senior editor Crystal Martin, who has used her Focus for over ten years, can also attest that it’s sturdy: “I tend to iron and dash out and leave the iron on the board,” she says, and although she’s knocked onto the floor “more times than I can count,” her Focus is still going strong.
Best less-expensive iron
Power: 1,200 watts | Mineralization management: Auto-clean function
If you’re looking for a less-expensive iron with a little less power than the Rowenta Focus, Black and Decker’s Vitessa line is a good bet. Pozniak describes it as “really solid” option that he’s used since college; it’s also a favorite of Marilee Nelson, a nontoxic consultant and co-founder of Branch Basics. I tested out the Vitessa on a cotton jacket that had gotten very wrinkled in the wash and found that it performed ably; it wasn’t as smooth or quick as the Rowenta Focus, but creases all over the garment were lifted in less than 15 minutes, and it expelled steam consistently, without any spitting or leaking.
Best upgrade iron
Power: 1,800 watts | Mineralization management: Self-cleaning system
Christine Millar, an anesthesiologist, historical costumer, and parent of a young child, uses the Rowenta SteamForce iron, which she chose especially for its safety features. Although she says that many of her peers in the costuming community use a professional gravity-feed iron, “I can’t do that because this child will bump into this iron and hurt himself horribly.” She uses the Rowenta SteamForce iron instead, which “has every safety feature on the planet. If you leave it down for too long, it turns off; if you leave it alone for ten minutes, it turns off.” Plus it performs — like our other experts, Millar says the model “irons really well” and has especially great steam.
(Editor’s note: The model Millar originally recommended, the SteamForce DW9280, is currently out of stock, but this model, the SteamForce DW9540U1, has most of the same specs, plus a slightly higher wattage.)
Best titanium-ceramic iron
Power: 1,700 watts | Mineralization management: Self-cleaning
CHI, the maker of a cult-favorite hair straightener, makes an iron with the same titanium-infused ceramic plates used in its hairstyling tools. The plate “makes it super smooth and it glides really well,” says Pozniak, who describes it as a “very utilitarian” pick — it can also do double-duty as a handheld steamer.
Best cordless iron
Power: 1,500 watts | Mineralization management: Anti-calcium system
A cordless iron is helpful for sewing or quilting projects, when you might want some extra mobility to spread out pattern pieces or prep larger pieces of fabric. This cordless Panasonic model is a favorite among sewers, including pattern designer Angela Wolf, who first learned about it from a costumer friend, and Tracy DeChurch, who runs the Sewing Channel on YouTube. “Let’s face it, a cord gets in the way no matter what the project is,” DeChurch says. Even if you’re not a sewer or quilter, a cordless iron can still be useful for ironing sheets or other large jobs: “There’s nothing worse than being tethered to an outlet” when “ironing something large,” Pozniak says. Plus it’s cute: “I think it’s the best-looking one by far,” he says.
Best iron with water tank
Power: 1,500 watts | Mineralization management: Anti-calcium flush system
For long sessions of heavy-duty ironing and steaming, Gwen Whiting, the co-founder of the Laundress, recommends Rowenta’s power-steam iron, which comes with a 57-ounce water tank and eliminates the need to run back to the sink for refills when your steam runs out. “I turned my husband into an iron aficionado,” Whiting says. “He will only use this model because the powerful steam creates the best results.”
Best splurge iron
Power: 1,600 watts | Mineralization management: Includes anti-mineralization cartridge
“The thing I love about the Laurastar is the steam is so hot,” says Richardson. “Their steam dries on contact. I can iron a shirt in 60 seconds with their iron because you only go over the area once and it’s completely dry, so you can just keep moving.” He’s had this iron for several years and says that although it’s expensive, it’s powerful and efficient enough to replace dry cleaning.
Some more garment care tools we’ve written about
Our experts
• Tracy DeChurch, the Sewing Channel YouTuber
• Alison Freer, costume designer and author of How to Get Dressed
• Maira Kalman, illustrator
• Tracy Ma, graphic designer and home sewer
• Crystal Martin, Strategist senior editor
• Christine Millar, historical costumer
• Marilee Nelson, co-founder of Branch Basics
• Zach Pozniak, vice-president of operations at Jeeves New York
• Patric Richardson, host of the Laundry Guy
• Gwen Whiting, co-founder of the Laundress
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