Philips PerfectCare Compact Steam Generator Iron With 400g Steam Boost, 2400 W, Burgundy & White - GC7842/46

Great Performance / Modern Design / Efficient / Low MaintenanceI purchased this steam generation iron to replace my existing iron which was also steam generated. My iron has lots of limescale build up and the hot plate was heavily corroded. I made sure I purchased a steam generation iron as my previous one lasted over 7 years with moderate weekly usage.I would never go back to my first ever iron which was a hot press iron as they're not as efficient of effective at ironing.Moving on to the product in question - Philips PerfectCare Compact Steam Iron.ANESTHETICS-The iron is really appealing on the eye. It's of a white and blue colour but I believe it also comes in a range of other colours such as, purple. I purchased this colour as it matched its environment and it ... MoreGreat Performance / Modern Design / Efficient / Low MaintenanceI purchased this steam generation iron to replace my existing iron which was also steam generated. My iron has lots of limescale build up and the hot plate was heavily corroded. I made sure I purchased a steam generation iron as my previous one lasted over 7 years with moderate weekly usage.I would never go back to my first ever iron which was a hot press iron as they're not as efficient of effective at ironing.Moving on to the product in question - Philips PerfectCare Compact Steam Iron.ANESTHETICS-The iron is really appealing on the eye. It's of a white and blue colour but I believe it also comes in a range of other colours such as, purple. I purchased this colour as it matched its environment and it was the only colour on sale by 50%!!The iron also consists of an LED light bar on the main handle which actually pulses until it has reached temperature. This may seem unnecessary now, but when you're passing time and waiting for the iron to heat up, it's a quick indication that the iron is ready.The cord can be folded and tucked into the base which makes storing away easier and less messy.ERGONOMICS-The iron and base combined is not considerably heavy and the iron itself when using is suprisingly quite light and easy to manoeuvre.I have big handle so I can't comment on users with smaller hands however, the handle is very comfortable to hold and doesn't feel too big/small.FEATURES-As mentioned already, the iron has an LED light indication bar which also makes a chime once the iron is ready. The iron has 3 modes to choose from - Normal/ECO/Turbo. The names of the modes are obvious to their functions however, I can't see a massive difference between each mode. Selecting the modes are easy and the bottons illuminate different colours according to their mode; Normal (Blue), ECO (Green), Turbo (White). Normal mode is activated when selecting the power button. ECO is activated when selecting the ECO button. Turbo is activated by holding the power button for 2 seconds.USAGE/MAINTENANCE-The Philips PerfectCare iron doesn't just look the bits, it is also much more powerful than any previous iron I have used. I have used it to iron four baskets worth of clothes in around two weeks and the water reservoir has only just finished, which is impressive. I haven't used any fancy smart water in my device, just regular tap water.The iron has a lock mechanism at the top which holds the iron in place when not in use and prevents the iron from being knocked off.The device has a descaling mode which will auto trigger after so many uses to clean the internals of the iron. The iron will flash upon start up and will not let you proceed until a descale session has completed. In order to descale, you have to place the iron on a descale tray (provided with iron) and hold the 'calc-clean' button for 2 seconds. This will then run a descale for 5 mins and you need to ensure the reservoir is atleast half full. Once the descale has completed, you need to wait a few minutes for the device to cool down and flush any last bits.DISLIKES-Filling the unit with water involves pulling the cover door down at the front and filling directly into the unit. The iron comes with no portable container to fill up the unit and unfortunately, the tank cannot be removed. This means you would need to carry the iron to a sink to top up. To make matters worse, if your sink is too small like mine, you'd have to use the bath/shower. I have since found an easier way, by topping up using a pop bottle container.Another dislike for me, is the hideous descaling tray which I feel should have been built into the base of the unit somewhere. The tray is bound to get lost over the years which will make descaling very difficult.CONCLUSION-The pros definitely outweigh the cons and I'm overall pleased with the iron. The price, power, modern aesthetics and efficiency has completely won me over.I have given this iron 4 stars as in my opinion, it's great but there's still room for improvement.[If you found this review useful or informative, please mark as helpful]185 people found this helpful

A lot of money and lasted less than 2 months.

I thought this iron was amazing initially. But after a few weeks, it started leaking dirty brown water onto my white bedding despite me following cleaning and maintenance instructions. I also noticed after 6 weeks that the sole plate enamel was wearing away. I contacted Philips who had me send it back to them to repair. I’m now without an iron for 2 weeks. Given the iron was less than 2 months old, Philips should of just replaced the iron.

Disappointed customer on this occasion.

After having had a Philips Steam Generator for several years and being highly delighted with it... I have to say how disappointed I am with this compact one which seems to leak water and doesn't steam at the right time. Unfortunately the one I wanted was out of stock and I was desperate for an iron... however I have learned a valuable lesson... be patient and wait for the one of your choice. Being a retiree from Philips I have always bought and been happy with their products previously.

Great iron but very unreliable

This is a fantastic iron but it is very unreliable. We love the way it adjusts automatically to what ever your ironing and the steam boost is great. However it has been returned 2 times in the 18 months we have owned it due to blockages. The steam boost has packed up on each occasion and they have had to change the cord from the base to the iron. They blame hard water but if that is such a factor then it should be stipulated. We live in the midlands and have never had this issue with other steam boost irons like this one. Just had it returned after the 2nd time so will see how long it lasts now but the warranty is up soon so when it goes again its in the bin.

Impressive features

I bought my last steam generator iron about 15 years ago. I had no idea how they have improved. It descales itself. It has an eco setting. It can sit on the ironing board without burning the surface. It beeps when ready to use.I’m delighted.

It was good while it lasted

It was my second Phillips steam iron. Easy to use and great because it doesn’t burn any fabric however it has a short life. Still heating but it doesn’t produce steam anymore. The first one lasted 24 months and the second just under 2 years of a very light use. For over £200 each it would’ve been cheaper pay someone to do my ironing. Phillips in my house, never again.

Poor performance

I was very disappointed at the performance of this compact steam generator iron. It was slow to steam and I might just as well have had a cheaper steam iron. Clothes still had creases in and were hard to remove which my previous steam generator removed effortlessly. Perhaps it was faulty? I returned to store and replaced with the same steam generator I was replacing, it cost more but well worth the money. I couldn’t understand how people said this Phillips steam generator iron was any good,

Smooth operator

Love the iron, runs smooth, quick and efficient. Love that it beeps when ready to iron. Love the large tank that doesn't need to be topped up so frequently, love the weight of the iron, not too light or heavy. Love the lock feature which means whilst the iron is cooling down on the stand it's locked onto it so little ones can't lift it up! Gave 4 stars.... The loss of one star is due to the loudness of the iron/steam. However if my ironing is going to get easier and the quality and results are good then I'm happy to see past the noise! Payed half price for it but still it's the most expensive iron I've purchased yet!