The main difference between a steam iron and a steam generator iron is that steam generators have separate large water tanks, which are much more convenient and have a larger capacity to produce more steam. It also means the handheld iron is lightweight without any water in it. We know that our Mumsnet users are the real experts when it comes to laundry so, as always, we began by consulting our forums to see which steam irons parents loved and which they, well, didn't. Expert opinion HANDLE - While this is ok I did find the steam buttons at the front of the handle got in the way a little - not to the point where it was a real problem, but it just made the handle a little less comfortable than it could have been Of the 59 products, we discovered that 42 were more expensive and 14 were cheaper than Russell Hobbs 20630 Powersteam Ultra Steam Iron. Prices from Russell Hobbs

Price is another really important factor for analysing the quality of Russell Hobbs 20630 Powersteam Ultra Steam Iron vs other products in the Irons category. It’s obvious, but you will need to set your expectations of quality based on your budget and the price of the product you’re looking at, against the price of alternatives. Soleplates are almost inevitably ceramic on modern irons and a larger plate will mean faster ironing. Of course, the bigger the plate, the larger and heavier the iron will be, so do consider this if weight is likely to be an issue for you.SPEED TO HEAT - the 3100W makes a difference - it's right up to top temp in a matter of seconds - this works well for me as the thing I iron most of are cotton shirts .. I actually iron very little on a low setting. Smart steam temperature control that allows for the application of the ideal amount of steam for each fabric type

Our Mumsnetters have tried and tested hundreds of steam irons and, with eight million users visiting our forums every month, we know the true value of an authentic recommendation from ordinary families. Which is why we spend hours scouring the forums for the products our Mumsnet community have used and loved. We really liked the feel of this iron. It’s substantial in the hand without feeling too heavy, and it has a smooth action from the large soleplate. It also has a solid stand built right in, meaning you can put it down at any point with no fear of it falling over, and the big dial in the middle makes it easy to control the temperature. The cord is a little on the short side and the water tank isn’t as large as some, but this is an excellent iron with some powerful steam.At the end of the day, the Russell Hobbs Powersteam Ultra 20630 is the only featured steam iron that offers a combination of high power, high functionality, reliability and great affordability. By all means, you should buy yourself one. I'm writing this review after using the iron a few times.. I find it’s best to capture first impressions with items like this as I tend to get used to odd quirks and start to work around them As you can imagine, pricing is one of the most important factors of any purchasing decision. We can find the perfect product for our needs, that fits the brief in every single way. But if it doesn’t fit our budgets, we simply can’t (or at least shouldn’t) buy it. There is an anti-scale agent incorporated into the iron itself, so there is no need to use a descaling solution, but Russell Hobbs recommends giving the whole thing a good clean at least once a month (or more often if you live in a hard water area) using the Powersteam Ultra’s handy self-clean button. Just fill the reservoir up to the max level, turn the steam function off, set the temperature on low, plug in and press the self-clean button to wash the water through the soleplate. Don’t forget to do this over a basin or washing up bowl, or things will get messy.