PurSteam Pro 1800W Review

The large ceramic soleplate of the PurSteam Pro 1800W proved its worth when it came to ironing large areas of fabric to smooth perfection. We also love its very useful digital display and big water tank.

Performance Comparison

Ironing Performance

Ironing cotton and polyester proved a cinch with the PurSteam Pro. We got nearly all wrinkles out with just two passes over the fabric. A few stubborn wrinkles needed a little bit of hovering to completely clear them from the fabric, but never for too long. The steam worked wonders without having to add any extra to smooth whatever material we were working on. Not only did the PurSteam Pro impress us with its ironing performance, but it also played into our love of perfectly crisp sheets and phenomenally flat fabric, looking almost little unreal after being pressed.

The PurSteam Pro also did a decent job smoothing creases in silk, satin, and linen. Some of the most stubborn wrinkles required additional time spent with the iron paused over top of them. A few times, linen held onto those wrinkles for longer than expected. They eventually came out with some additional steam and time, though. While the mere 64 steam holes arranged in a U-shape on the soleplate of this iron may not sound impressive compared to some, they still proved remarkably efficient. Each hole is nestled in a sunken V-shape within the metal, allowing steam to spread out before coming into contact with the fabric.

Steam Output

Even before pressing the button for an extra burst of steam, the PurSteam Pro puts out an impressive amount — among the most of any iron we tested. We could clearly see the steam streaming out of the holes in the soleplate. A few droplets developed partway through our steam output measurement test, but we had no issues with the fabric getting too wet while ironing.

The smart digital display will recommend whether or not you should be using steam for the material you have selected. This is a nice feature in theory, but the steam lever will override the recommendations from the display. This can be a double-edged sword. In some cases, you may desire steam for a stubbornly wrinkled material that typically wouldn't need steam. On the other hand, if you're trying to make a quick pass and forget to turn off the override steam lever, you'll still get steam on your fabric, even if the display tells you no steam is recommended.

Heating

Like nearly every iron we tested, the PurSteam Pro heated up within two minutes. Its heat core comprises the typical U-shape, matching the shape of the soleplate.

The left and right sides achieved the hottest temperatures, reaching 341°F and 352°F, respectively. The nose and center were around 332-335°F. And like most irons, the bottom section was the coolest, reaching just 313°F. Averaged together, though, the surface temperature of the PurSteam Pro was above average among our lineup. It also didn't go through a drop-off cycle after the initial heating period, as many others we tested do.

Detailing

This is the weakest aspect of the PurSteam Pro. Big and bulky, this iron doesn't glide as smoothly as many others. In all directions, it isn't as fluid-feeling to push around, making it cumbersome to change directions quickly. Though it's not the heaviest iron we tested, it feels heavy to push around with this extra resistance.

The wide soleplate that comes in handy for big jobs proves to be clunky on smaller fabrics and around detailed portions. The nose has just the slightest accentuation but is overall much wider than many others. The PurSteam Pro can still be used to iron around button holes and up to collars, but it does so with little finesse, and we much prefer the detailing capabilities of irons with narrower noses and smoother glide.

Ease of Use

An 8-foot cord gives plenty of space to move around with the PurSteam Pro. The base of the iron is slightly convex, which doesn't help with cord storage. However, its texture provides just enough grip that the cord didn't slide off the end when we wrapped it up to put it away. We love the many attributes of the digital display and temperature indicator. Helpful beeps indicate when it's pausing, and the prominent screen tells you exactly what's going on. Located right on top of the handle, it's easy to see when this model is heated up and ready for use. The controls feel futuristic yet intuitive.

The water reservoir has a slightly larger-than-average-sized opening, though not so large that we were excited about it. However, this iron has a truly massive water tank to keep you ironing for longer between fills. A simple flap covers the opening to the reservoir when you're not filling it up. While we loved the steam output during ironing, the extra water spray is less impressive. Rather than a fine mist, it emits some mist and some small water splotches. This feature isn't meant to wet your fabric but rather to add a little extra moisture in an evenly distributed manner. Unfortunately, it left our fabric somewhat wetter than we'd hoped.

Should You Buy the PurSteam Pro 1800W?

The PurSteam Pro is an excellent choice for those looking to iron large swaths of fabric with plenty of steam. Its combination of a wide ceramic soleplate and high levels of steam output flattens materials with ease. It's not a great option for small pieces of fabric with complicated features and lots of detailing needs. Though the PurSteam Pro can do some light detailing in a pinch, we love it best for making light work of big projects — and all for a reasonable price.

What Other Irons Should You Consider?

The CHI Steam Titanium is another top-notch iron with great performance across all our metrics and costs not much more than the PurSteam Pro. But if you mostly iron big projects, you love the appearance of a seriously crisp sheet, and you're interested in a high-value item, the PurSteam Pro is one of the highest-scoring models we've tested.