Tefal Pro Express Easy Control Steam Generator Iron & Tefal Pro Express Total Auto Control

Steam Generator Irons

I’ll be honest.. a year ago, I didn’t even know what a steam generator iron was! I wrote before that I am the Queen of domestic avoidance and I rarely iron anything. However, the Tefal steam generator irons really changed the way I think. I am no longer afraid of ironing.

Both the irons I tested have:
* Smart Technology software to control accuracy of steam and temperature
* Self cleaning, non stick, easy glide soleplates
* Patented Anti-Calc collector (to stop the iron from scaling up)
* One click safety Lock to keep the iron in place for transporting or if you have to leave the iron suddenly (eg, to answer the phone/door).
* Steam cord storage and electrical cord storage
* Heated up in just 2 minutes
* Eco Mode – to be more energy efficient
* Indicator light to tell you when to refill the water
* Indicator light to tell you when to empty the calc collector
* Indicator light to tell you when the iron and steam are ready

First off, I was asked to test the Tefal Pro Express Total Auto Control steam generator iron (Model GV8930 / GV8960).

This model had a removable water tank, which made it really easy to fill.
You simply plug it in, hit power and it heats up in 2 minutes.
You then select which temperature you’d like or which fabric you are ironing, by sliding a dial on the iron.
You also select how much steam output you’d like, with a dial on the base, this is where the Eco button comes in if you want to save energy.
To iron, you just squeeze the trigger whilst ironing, and the steam comes out.

I loved that it was really really quick to iron something – even for someone like me, who never irons. You save energy too, by cutting the time you spend ironing by about two thirds. Usually when I spend hours ironing something – I find it doesn’t look any different afterwards, but with the steam generator irons I found the clothes actually looked like they’d been ironed!

For me, the problem with this iron, was not knowing how much steam I’d need or what temperature I’d need for each item of clothing. Therefore I just whacked everything on high – which I’m told is not the way to get the best results! That’s where the next model comes in.

The Tefal Pro Express Easy Control steam generator iron (GV7550) is just an absolutely genius piece of kit. One which I personally think every student and every newly married couple should be gifted by their family! It’s just SO EASY. A monkey could do it.

There are NO SETTINGS! The iron has a brain of its own (okay technically it’s software). The iron detects what type of fabric is under it, and automatically adjusts the temperature to the correct level for the fabric and the perfect level of steam to accompany it for the best results. This was made for people like me, who rarely iron and don’t want to spend hours scrutinizing labels and throwing my body weight on top of a traditional iron.

You can leave the iron on the fabric and it won’t burn! How clever is that! I call this the “student iron” because it’s perfect for people like myself with a student mentality and little time for housework!

I found I got way better results from the Easy Control steam generator iron. The things I ironed, looked like they’d been professionally pressed. I had no nasty watermarks, like with my old iron either. You can iron double thickness (eg, folded jeans or both sides of a shirt) which speeds things up even more.

The other benefit to both of these irons is the steaming function for delicates. If you have clothes that are not suitable for ironing, but look creased, you simply hang them up, aim the iron at them, and press the steam boost button. The steam generator iron will fire a jet of steam at the garment and the creases just drop out.

For those of you who are more meticulous about ironing and want to control every setting known to man, there is also a steam generator iron for you – the Tefal Pro Express Total X-Pert Control (GV8975). Although personally, I don’t see why anyone would want to control their own settings, when there’s an iron that does it for you!

I still don’t iron more than about two or three items a fortnight, but it’s great to not be afraid of ironing anymore. To know I can buy any fabric in the shops now and have faith in myself (or my steam generator iron) that I can actually iron it to prefection.

Tefal you have changed my life!

Disclaimer: I am on the Tefal Innovation Panel and am given various products to test and keep, which I review on here from my own perspective – Including the two irons outlined in this post.