REASONS TO BUY
Rapid heating
Good steam output
Smooth glide
REASONS TO AVOID
Difficult to fill
CHI Professional Review
A great choice if you're willing to spend extra, but not top dollar, for great performance
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
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Our Verdict
The CHI Professional is one of the best clothes irons we tested that was closely edged out by the Rowenta DW5080 Focus. It eliminated stubborn wrinkles across a variety of materials and was among the best models because of its high steam output and fast heating. The interface is easy to navigate and well-suited for all types of ironing, from large sheets of fabric to intricate garments. It has a lower list price than the Focus, but if you find them for comparable retail prices, we recommend going with the Rowenta, though neither disappoints.
Our Analysis and Test Results
Performance Comparison
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Ironing Performance
We were impressed with the CHI's ability to eliminate stubborn wrinkles across a variety of materials. It earned an 8 out of 10 in this metric and was a runner-up to the Editors' Choice Rowenta DW5080 Focus. Its soleplate is comparably pointed towards its tip and the main body is narrower than that of both Rowenta models. We didn't notice much of a difference when using these models side-by-side. The CHI was especially effective at ironing linen and cotton, where its high temperature and steam output leveled any wrinkle we threw at it.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Steam Output
The CHI Professional had one of the highest steam outputs in our tests, with a measured output of 35 g/min. We experienced minimal water leakage through the steam holes and found it to consistently put out plenty of steam. The steam bursts are powerful but not as intense as those of the Rowenta Focus. This wasn't much of a drawback and we never felt that the CHI was short on steam.
The CHI produces a ton of steam and was among the leaders in our steam output testing.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Ease of Use
The controls of the CHI are almost identical to those of both Rowenta models, with steam burst and spray buttons under your thumb and a dial to control temperature and steam output. Our testers found it easy to inadvertently hit the steam adjustment dial, which was slightly annoying. Overall it has a great interface that is easy to adjust for a wide variety of materials. The hole for filling the iron with water is large but doesn't have much space around it so we typically spilled some water every time we filled it up.
Like other high-end irons, the CHI has easily accessible steam burst and water spray buttons.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
One thing that we miss on the CHI is an indicator light to show when the iron is properly warmed up for use. The instruction manual says to let the iron preheat for two minutes after plugging it in. After two minutes, it was always ready to go, regardless of which temperature setting we put it to.
Heating
The CHI Professional heats up faster and more intensely than any other iron in our review. In our tests, it beat out both Rowenta models by reaching a temperature of 440 degrees F in two minutes. Even though there is no temperature indicator to show when the iron is ready, its rapid heating made the CHI one of the most convenient irons in our review.
Value
The CHI is more affordable than most of the other high-end models that we tested. Its features match those of irons that list for over $100. If you can find the Rowenta Focus on sale, then that is a better deal given its performance, but we think that the CHI is a noteworthy runner-up to the more expensive Rowenta models.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Conclusion
If you're looking for a high-quality iron but don't want to spend quite as much as you would on a Rowenta model, then the CHI Professional is a good option. The Rowenta Focus typically retails for a comparable price so we advise buying that if it's on sale. Ultimately, the CHI is up for any ironing task you have, and it is a versatile top performer.
—
Max Mutter and Steven Tata
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