Rowenta DG8520 Perfect Steam 1800-Watt Eco Energy Steam Iron Station Stainless Steel Soleplate, 400-Hole, Purple

(Please look down to skip to the actual review.)Recently, While in the UK staying with some friends I had the joy of using one of these types of irons, it was the T-Fal version. I was immediately impressed! I was able to iron all seven outfits I had shrink wrapped for the trip in a matter of a mere hour or so and not to mention it was a very crisp professional press. In my mind at that moment I knew I couldn’t go back to having a regular iron again.I offered to iron every ones clothes. It was actually fun and relaxing to hear the constant “haaaw” and “shish” of the iron and I press out even the most stubborn wrinkle with ease. The mistress of the house made smart remarks and tried to make it seem like I had a problem or something because I liked ironing so much. But my friend who also happened to be a gadget guy; like myself. He got it. He even gave me a run down of the iron and how he himself had tried one and fell in love with it and thus he also had to make the purchase. He paid around 300 pounds, which at the time had to be around 600 or so US dollars. It was around that moments my dream of having one evaporated like the steam, “hiiissssssss”.See I am not the wealthiest person alive, we saved up for the trip from the US to see my wife’s sister graduate in the UK for a about a year, so a 600 dollar or even a 500 dollar iron was completely out of the question. Did I mention I’m married with kids….yeah.. So, no money to spare.Anyway to the RowentaSo the day comes when I have to depart, I woke up early and used the iron one last time to iron everyone’s clothes, and underwear….and socks. I just didn’t want the experience to end knowing that I would probably never again feel that type of power in my hands. I remembered comparing it to the feeling one might get when switching to their first luxury car and realizing “ wow this truly is a whole new level of car, how can I ever go back to a regular car?”Returning to the states was depressing.I filled my regular iron up with water and was immediately disappointed.I had to hold the iron under the tap at “just the right angle” and if I tried to fill it up too fast then the darned bubble would form and knock the water away from the hole like it was protecting something.The iron hissed but it was so weak, like an old man trying to box and show he’s still got it. And of course I got that “oh you were too fast” water stain, when I put it on my clothes thinking it was ready.So I lived in this mediocrity for weeks dreading the task of ironing. Dreading the “morning hustle” or the weekend “get ready”. But my birthday was around the corner and my wife apparently has found the iron online for under 300 dollars so little did I know that my life was about to change.A bit before my Birthday I got a text from AMAZON stating that the Rowneta DG8520 had been delivered along with a picture of the iron. “NO…she..didn’t” I said in my head. I was elated! I was at work in my “shared space” cubicle and yelled out loud.But the iron was 4 days early and she would not let me have it, even though I knew about it. She said that Amazon had made I mistake to send me that text but that she would not let me use the iron until my Birthday.This was the most horrible punishment that one can do to a man. Make him wait whilst his salvation it but a room away in an Amazon box.For 4 days I continued to iron, the regular way.By the 4th day I couldn’t take it as I got up that morning I did not have the energy to carry on but I continued with the knowledge that soon; soon it would all be over.On my Birthday I was up at the crack of dawn with Amazon box in handI tore through the box with all the malice a man forced to wait for 4 days could must… finally the dream was realI couldn’t wait to try it out.It was better than expected.This iron actually beats the T-Fal model I was using in most all ways, expect one which I will explain latter.THE REVIEWThe Rowenta is a nice looking piece of equipment.The bulky yet sturdy base gives it the look of a true household appliance.All of the parts and pieces are high quality and well made.The water container is sturdy and smart ,clipping on and off with ease, yet staying put when transported.The mesh steam-cord is a nice touch and seems standard yet sturdy and definitely long enough for you to leave the unit in one place (say bathroom sink or on the washing machine) and have the ironing happening near by. You could also just put the unit on the ground under the iron and have plenty of cord to iron depending on your size of course. If having the base on the ironing board is more your style then this is easily accomplished as well.The one gripe I have is the power cord. It does not retract and just sticks out there with no real winding mechanism; maybe that is why it is not in the photo. That one picture which may appear to be the retractable cord is actually a scoop that’s used to clean hard water. The T-Fal had a little cubby at least to tuck away the cord. Oh well , maybe that’s where the other 200 dollar went. ;-)It works well though, even better than the T-Fal. This irons steam level is awesome and constant.Immediately I tested out several pairs of pants that I had not worn in quite some time due to the difficulty I had ironing them and the Rowenta ironed them like they were T-Shirts.You can even iron the very top of your pants with impressive ease, even the belt loops and zipper area are no match.I ironed a velvet smokers jacket while I was on the way out the house, while it was still on my body and it got every wrinkle out (of course I ironed mostly from the inside with the iron /steam pointed away from me even then the steam quickly fogged up my whole situation) there is a tremendous amount of steam they did good here.And while I would not recommend ironing clothes while they are on you I have ironed a couple of my wife’s shirt as she walked up to me while I was ironing by simply pointing the iron at her and pressing the steam button.This iron could iron your King-size bed in 2 minutes because it produces so much heat and steam. That’s how real this iron is , I did it.If you are one who appreciates the simple yet finer things in life and like to spend your time wisely I suggest you get one of these.

First, a disclosure of sorts. Unlike many people, ironing is not a chore for me, it is a recreational hobby, practically a passion. And I rarely write reviews for anything, but this appliance deserves 10 stars if I could give it. I've been ironing for myself and my family for about 40 years and I've worked with a lot of irons but this appliance is in a world of its own awesome power and effectiveness. I've been a loyal user of Rowenta products for years but recently I have been disappointed time and time again with the hand-held irons, even those from Rowenta, because they leak from the steam chamber no matter how carefully the iron is handled and moved about on the garment. I've returned at least two and my most recent one, which I also purchased from Amazon, leaks as well, but I had resigned myself to it. Not anymore! I set this new appliance a couple of ironing tasks to test it out. First, I pressed flannel and it came out perfectly. The steam is so powerful and plentiful (I ironed for a full hour with no refilling the chamber, which is amazing and saves loads of time and effort, and that wasn't even at full water capacity) that you don't have to press on fabrics that will show ironing marks, such as flannel will, to get an amazing set of creases and elimination of all wrinkles. Next I pressed a "no-iron" shirt. In my opinion, and yes, I am opinionated so no need to point it out, there is absolutely no such thing as a "no-iron" 100% cotton, or 50/50 cotton/poly (but who wears those anymore?) dress shirt. People claim you can take them out of the dryer, hang them, and they look ironed and I call BS on that. If nothing else the sleeves won't be creased properly. Anyway, this "no iron" shirt has ironing instructions, so if that isn't irony I don't know what is. The Steam Station handled this shirt with ease in record time. I moved on to a very light weight cotton shirt that tends to wad up on the tails when washed and it wrinkles if you look at it cross-eyed. This took a bit more effort, as I expected, but the power of the steam took care of even the most stubborn of the set in wrinkles in record time. I couldn't have been more pleased. Next I tackled a pair of canvas pants. Heavy duty canvas. I reversed the pants and started with the back pockets, which cannot be lifted and ironed separately, which is of course how it should be done if you are properly ironing, so I had to rely on the steam power alone to penetrate two layers of canvas. Flawless! Even the pocket flaps, which would amount to 4 layers of canvas, were wrinkle free without having to reverse the pant and iron on the front of the fabric. On the legs it was not necessary to iron both sides, even though I did just for fun, as the steam was more than powerful enough to press through both layers. Those canvas trousers have not looked this good since they were new. Finally, I reversed the pants right-side out to set the crease, and I could accomplish this without having to actually touch the fabric, using just steam alone, THROUGH ALL FOUR LAYERS of canvas. This is important because it means that on dark fabrics that would otherwise show iron marks, I can dispense with using an ironing cloth to protect the fabric because the plate doesn't actually have to touch to set the crease. I repeated the performance with a pair of navy blue knit trousers that would normally require an ironing cloth to set the seam, but one was not needed with the incredible amount of steam coming out of this thing at great pressure. I also tested removing small wrinkles that managed to find their way onto fabrics as they were moved about the ironing board by using the upright steam function while holding the garment firmly to stretch out the fabric hanging on a hanger. Excellent results. There is simply no way that a hand held steam iron could produce this volume and power of steam, and the basic physics of ironing require that cotton fibers be damp to be reset and release wrinkles, so the steam power is essential. This is why, long ago, we used Coke bottles with aluminium sprinkler caps on them to dampen cotton garments before ironing them. Does anyone else remember those? The hand unit is very light weight and easily to manipulate. In terms of size, sure, the unit is bigger than a hand held iron, but it fit perfectly on the right hand end of my standard ironing board, nothing fancy about it, and even size 32 length pant fit on the board with the unit in place with no crowding. And, both the power and steam cords are long enough that you could easily set the unit on a nearby table or counter if your ironing board was a bit small. Yes, this appliance is expensive, but I paid approximately $150 for my last hand held only to have leak problems, so it is worth it if you are serious about ironing. One caution, and it is only because the device works so well, is to be very mindful of where your hand is while holding garments in place before pressing that steam button because the steam is high volume and high pressure. You could get burned easily if not careful, but common sense should prevail here. Also, the steam delivery cord will heat up during use as it delivers steam, but it isn't hot enough to burn you; you will feel it when it touches you. I was having such a good time that I even ironed 3 t-shirts just for the fun of it. Honestly, I wish I had more clothes that needed ironing and the only reason I am not taking previously pressed items out of the closet to redo them is because I have guests coming over. For a person as picky about ironing results as I self-admittedly am, as in I don't take my shirts to the dry cleaners because they don't do an adequate job of pressing, this steam iron station is a dream come true. It performed flawlessly true to description and I couldn't be happier. If you do a lot of ironing, or even if you do a small amount but believe that something worth doing is worth doing correctly and well, then this is hands-down without question the best ironing solution for you.

I'm one of those bizarre people who actually enjoys ironing. At least when I can use a quality iron that doesn't stain with brown spots randomly appearing like an evil fountain pen in your best shirt pocket, or run out of water needing to be refilled every five minutes. I opted for a Delonghi Pro1645, that I had for maybe 10 years based on reviews at the time and was relatively happy with it. It fit what I believed was required of a durable iron. It was heavy, no matter it's somewhat smallish footprint, and so retained heat. Several drawbacks I overlooked was that it had an insanely few amounts of steam holes on the soleplate so the steam was sort of a backup helper not the main ironing force. It required that I use heavy starch to get the job done as well, there was no way to see how much water was in the tank and it needed to cool down before opening up to add more. I always didn't stop filling in time and inevitably had a puddle to clean up after every topping off. The steam cord was also frustratingly short as well. But I thought I had the best that was out there. I've had this Rowena Steam system a month now, and I feel like I was living in the stone ages the last years of ironing!First of all, this is a proper Steam Iron with steam holes covering the entire soleplate. Second, the steam doesn't just ooze out like before but is exhaled with an impressive pressure to permeate whatever it is you're ironing, frequently eliminating the need to flip the piece over to iron both sides! Then there's the transparent tank that allows you to see at all times your water level, plus the ability of adding water on the fly without risk of being horrible scalded and disfigured for life! The steam hose is at least 50% longer than my previous iron which allows it to be so much more flexible and able to use with ease. The iron itself sits firmly upright on it's haunches while you reposition the garment on the board so it doesn't need to be put back on the silicone pad on the body each change of position. But it's literally redefined what ironing is to me. Steam has a compelling power over wrinkles and fabric so that the moist heat relaxes any fiber to release the wrinkles. I was accomplishing that with the moisture the starch supplied for years. But starch can gum things up and cause white flakes as well as shirts especially that felt more like wearing steel plated armor and not comfortable cotton. I completely stopped buying and using spray starch. Ironing a shirt takes a fraction of the time as before. Also, I don't worry about scorching anything since the steam pulse works so quickly that The iron doesn't need to stay in any spot more than a second. The cord is also extremely generous, I think it said somewhere it's 12 feet long.I don't use tap water, though it has a build in system to remove minerals. I opt for filtered water with my under sink system, to avoid any mineralization in the myriad holes and sole plate. The iron itself is comparatively remarkably light weight and I was afraid that would translate into not having enough metal to hold the heat. But the pressured steam pulse eliminates the need for a heavy dense metal iron. I already appreciated the power of steam, so have two steamers, the larger is a Jiffy Professional model that might be more for a costume designer or tailor, but I used to steam some clothing items as well. I have yet to power it up since I have this Rowena, since I can use it to steam even casual shirts on the board or even shoot steam on a garment hanging on my suit valet stand.This might seem overkill for your needs or too expensive. But even with my limited needs, I absolutely love this product. The iron itself is relatively light weight, though the tank has a substantial footprint. It heats up and is ready to go in just a few minutes. You can iron hours without needing to refill the water, but can refill on the fly, so no need to power down. The steam is incredible and extrudes over the entire soleplate with substantial clothes penetrating pressure. The steam cord is very generous in length as is the power cord. The iron sits upright very securely between passes while you reposition your garment. So far, I can't think of a single thing I don't like about this iron. Not to mention saving the cost of spray starch, which over the next two years will actually pay for the iron itself. I read all the reviews across websites and watched numerous videos from users and believe, especially if you have a large family or just require lots of ironed garments, I can't imagine any product doing a better job than this, made in France, Rowena. (A German company with obvious German efficiency, though many of their products are manufactured in the USA also.)

UPDATED REVIEW - DECEMBER 2022I've had this item for 7 years now and it is still working fine - I've not had any issues with it - the pump makes a little louder noise now when it is pulling in water but otherwise this iron has continued for work fine for 7 years!!UPDATED REVIEW - JANUARY 2018I've been using this iron for just over two years now - practically every day and it is still working great. I'm the type of person that irons my clothes just before I wear them - so I use this iron every single morning and it is a true joy to iron now - the steam and heat make easy work of even the most difficult wrinkles. I've had no issues with this iron in the two years I've used it.UPDATED REVIEW - AUGUST 2016I've been using this steam iron daily for almost 9 months now and have not encountered any issues what so ever. It makes ironing fun and easy - I love the steam so much, makes quick work of tough ironing jobs, glad I made the investment in this product.UPDATE REVIEW - FEBRUARY 2016I've been using this steam iron on a daily basis for almost two months now and it is working just fine for me - no issues what so ever. It continues to delight me and turns a chore into a joy. I'll update this review again in a few more months.ORIGINAL REVIEW - DECEMBER 2015What a great iron/steamer - exactly what I wanted.First off - let me clarify that I am writing a review of the ROWENTA DG8520 - I've ready many reviews on this product page that reference other model numbers and I was confused but I want to confirm my info is related to the DG8520Secondly - this item DOES have an on/off switch! Several people wrote that it does not - please see my photos or read the product manual to see that it does in fact have an on/off switchLastly - the product is made in FRANCE - unlike many reviews saying it is made in China - the box clearly says made in France.Now - on to my other details. I bought this product after my sister showed me her hand held steamer (another product) that she really liked and it got me to thinking that I also wanted lots of steam but wanted a more traditional iron as well - this is where the ROWENTA DG8520 comes in - the best of both worlds.Having only used this product one day - but on several items it does what is says it does - makes short work of ironing and produces lots of steam unlike a regular iron.The larger water reservoir allows you to iron for extended time period - and you can fill the water tank without having to remove it from the base unit - just flip the lid up and pour.After flipping the power switch to ON the green light blinks while the water tank heats up and produces steam - once it stops blinking it's ready to go.While using the unit the water pump will turn on periodically as you use steam and it needs to draw in more water to the heating unit. The water pump sound is similar to that of a Keurig coffee machine if you are familiar with that sound - some people have said it is very loud - it's not that loud really - the sounds of the steam coming out of the unit is louder in my opinion - that whooshing sound.The dial on the iron controls the temp of the iron - I believe you can leave that turned off and just use steam if you are doing vertical steaming only. The one issue I have is the dial is a bit hard to grasp and turn as it is directly under the handle - it also is a bit hard to read due to its positioning - just a minor annoyance really.The trigger switch for the steam is in the handle and is easy to press to activate the steam. I have noticed some dripping from the iron - but that only seems to happen at initial start up/use and quickly stops - to be expected as we are talking about water vapor!!The base unit gets warm during using due to all the heating of the water. The cord is plenty long to allow you to use easily and move the iron around your ironing board - I have my base unit sitting on a side table right next to my ironing board.I find it interesting that you can place the hot iron on top of the base using and the silicone nubs that it sits on allow it to sit there while hot. Overall, on my short time period with this unit, I'm very happy with this item and it will make the chore of ironing a bit more fun.

Good thoughtsI love this one excellent