--Introduction--

I have just this second remembered that we have an iron in our flat! It must have been stashed away in some dark corner in a cupboard or something. I walked into the kitchen and saw Dad ironing a shirt this evening. You may not be suprised to learn that it is made by Philips. I have used irons before in my lifetime and I had a quick go with this one as sad as it sounds. My Dad told me a couple of the things that he thinks make an iron good or not. In this review I will try and give as clear and accurate a picture as I can about this iron and how it works and so on.


--Performance and Use--

This iron seems to work pretty well whichever type of fabric or material you are choosing to iron. It has a coated sole area, or the base, which makes moving the iron around a whole lot easier and it also protects it. The steam can be applied to the clothes in a number of different ways, which then enables you to deal with large or small creases with little difficulty. If I iron my jeans the creases can sometimes be tough and so you need a got shot of steam and a smooth flowing iron. This iron is particularly good because you can get it to squirt out a lot of water when you need it to.


--Durability--

This iron has been in the household for a good few years now and it has had quite a bit of use. It has also coped with being moved between residences a number of times. It still looks in good nick and is as far as I can see in full working order. It is also pretty tough, which comes from the quality of material and the engineering that is used to make the iron. I seem to remember that it feel from a box when we were unloading a van and it escaped with a scratch mark running along the side. I think that we should get another few years use out of it yet.


--Maintenance--

As with all of your electrical goods should ensure that they are well maintained. This gives them a longer life time and it ensures the they work to their full usage. The main thing to do with irons is just to make sure that it is kept clean. This can be done by wiping the plate or sole of the iron with a slightly damp cloth after use and then drying it. Storing it in a clean place or in the box is a good idea and always stand iron up on its back to keep the plate clean. You may wish to change the water with every use just to give the iron something fresh.


--Safety--

This iron, in my opinion, is as safe as pretty much any other iron. It does have the added feature of operating at lower temperatures, which is very good. This then reduces the danger as far as getting burnt is concerned. If you have a little accident and the iron slips or a child touches it, the consequences should be very minor. The worst you may get is a sore hand for an hour or two. Also, the wire is coated in a special material which means that if the heat of the iron is placed onto it, the iron shouldn't burn through.


--Aesthetics--

The iron itself isn't anything particularly fancy, it just looks simple and looks like it does a good job. The main body and handle are predominately white, but the green opaque sections are where the water is put into the iron. There is a gauge marked onto it that shows the volume of water inside it. The letters and wording on the iron are in a turquoise colour.


--Manual--

Again, as I tend to find with Philips, things are kept very simple. The guidelines are neatly set out and clearly titled. The contents is very concise and allows you find what you are looking for with relative ease. The font is very clear and readable but it isn't necessarily the largest of sizes. The manual isn't the thickest because there is only so much that you can write about how to use an iron player. I think that any user with any problems will easily be able to fix it very quickly and with ease.


--Conclusion--

This iron only cost £30 from our local ASDA store and I would say that that is a bargain. It does the job well and it seems as though it will last for a long time. It is made from a strong material which protects it from any damage. The brand name is also important, you can rely on Philips to produce a good product. At the end of the day it's an iron but a good one at that.