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A bad iron or steam generator takes too long to steam up, is ineffective on creases and gets so clogged up with limescale that steam levels quickly drop off.

Each iron we test is put through its paces to check how fast it gets to work, how easy it is to use and how steamy it is – even after regular use. 

Steam irons and steam-generator irons that pick up poor scores in our tests get a Don't Buy warning. 

Join Which? to find out which steam irons we've named as Don't Buys.

While a good iron will mean less time spent at the ironing board, some will make ironing even more of a chore.

Don't Buy irons are slow or ineffective at budging creases, get clogged up with limescale, or have soleplates that scratch easily. They may also be uncomfortable to hold or need refilling constantly, which will quickly get frustrating if you spend a lot of time ironing. 

With prices ranging from just £10 to more than £100, and some steam-generator irons costing more than £400, you might expect to get better results with a more expensive model.

However, our tests have found expensive irons that require a lot of maintenance, fail to pump out much steam and aren’t easy to use, as well as Best Buys that cost around £40 and glide effortlessly through piles of laundry. 

We've tested scores of steam irons and steam-generator irons from the biggest brands such as Bosch, Breville, Morphy Richards, Philips, Rowenta, Russell Hobbs and Tefal. 

Our comprehensive reviews tell you which steam irons are tough on creases and which Don't Buy models make ironing harder than it needs to be.

Irons and steam-generator irons that pick up poor scores in our tests get our Don't Buy warning.

Our independent verdicts will help you get flawless results, whatever you're ironing – and will save you time and money in the long run. 

Log in or join Which? to see all of our steam iron and steam generator iron reviews.