Customer Reviews

Panasonic NI-C78SR Steam/Dry Iron with Stainless-Steel Soleplate

5 star:		(197)
4 star:		(81)
3 star:		(24)
2 star:		(13)
1 star:		(19)

 

 

I bought this iron to replace an old Panasonic iron with a retractable cord.

First, I'm absolutely sold on having a retractable cord. Besides the fact that this iron works very well, the retractable cord is the main reason I've stuck with Panasonic. It makes storing the iron so much easier. I leave my ironing board up, in a spare room, and keep the iron (upright) on the board when I'm not using it. I don't have to worry about the cord unwrapping and one of our cats getting a hold of it. The retracting mechanism works very well; it worked quite well on the old one, but they've obviously improved it on this new one.

This iron creates a lot of steam, which I like because it easily gets all wrinkles out, even on very creased clothes that you left in the dryer much too long. Besides being usable as a normal steam iron it is usable vertically in steam mode so that you can get wrinkles out of hanging clothes.

The removable water tank is also a nice feature. The iron is the right weight (it has some heft but isn't too heavy; or worse, too light). I also like the stainless steel soleplate; I prefer that to a supposedly non-stick surface, which usually isn't.

I haven't found anything I don't like about this iron, and the price is right. It works better and has more features than many irons much more expensive.

Very nice iron - especially for the price I paid on Amazon.com. Has a removable water tank which makes it easier to fill without making a mess. Nice, very polished stainless steel soleplate which glides easily over clothes. Has an anti-calcium system to prevent buildup caused by hard water which can block the steam system. Another nice feature is the power cord retractor - which works very well.

This is a revised review as of September 2009, revised again in September 2011. Originally I gave the iron three stars and came back in September 2009 to revise the review. At the time, Amazon allowed text edits but did not allow changes in star ratings. I advised other customers in September 2009 that I would reduce the star rating to two or one, if I could. Now that Amazon does permit such changes, I have reduced the rating to one star.

Here is the text of the review as revised in September 2009:
I bought this iron because of the positive reviews, taking into account various issues concerning the detachable water tank.

I was initially pleased with the efficiency of the iron -- the heat levels and steam output worked well at first, and I have pretty high standards. I realize that the weight of the iron might contribute to its overall effectiveness, but it's a tad heavy. And it hasn't held up. Heat levels are insufficient, and I have to press the steam surge button constantly to achieve any steam at all.

I agree with the reviewer who expressed reservations about the detachable water tank -- seems like it's just another moving part that could get worn out. Have been filling irons from a cup for close to 50 years -- and lately have been using a cup that has a spout on it. I don't see any advantage to messing around with a detachable tank.

The biggest drawback to the iron is that the retractable cord (which to me is totally unnecessary, although some might like it) extends from the iron base from the right! Today's irons rarely are designed this way. I'm left-handed, and find myself beating back the cord so it doesn't get in my way. Just for the heck of it, I tried ironing with my right hand, and it's almost as annoying. Panasonic should take into consideration that even in the same household, both right- and left-handed users might need the iron.

The retractable cord base isn't very stable, and the iron wobbles when seated on end. Sigh. It's time to go iron shopping again.

This iron heats very quickly, has good steam, and glides well. I love the retractable cord - have not had one of those before, and it's a nice plus. I haven't bothered with the removable water tank - it just seems like extra work to take it off and put it back on - I'm not sure what the point is. I also like the bright green color. My 25+ -year-old iron was beige. This is much cheerier. There is only one thing I don't like, and I guess I'll get used to it. The dial that turns the iron on and off and sets the temperature is under the handle and, as a result, is very awkward to turn and even more difficult to see. My ancient iron had a sliding thing up on top for off/on and temp, and it was much easier to use. So far that's my only quibble (and the reason for the 4 rather than 5 rating), but it's not a crucial issue.

P.S. in August 2009. This baby is tough! My ironing board stays up most of the time. Twice since buying this iron, I have accidentally knocked it off the ironing board while it was not in use, and it has bounced several times on the hardwood floor before coming to rest. Both times I cringed and figured it was done for, but both times it's survived the abuse with no symptoms of damage. Yes, I'm trying to remember to set it down flat when it's cool.

I love this iron. I had planned to get another Black and Decker iron, like I'd had before. But after reading the reviews of them I decided to look at other brand reviews. I found this Panasonic NI-C78SR Steam/Dry Iron w/Stainless Steel Soleplate and read the reviews. It's really a neat little iron. Not too expensive, not too heavy and it works quite well. Some didn't like the removable water container. I like it just fine... it's easy to remove, holds plenty of water... more than my old steam irons... and it's easy to empty. I read all the directions re. getting all the water out of the iron by emptying it after each use, as well as pushing the steam button to remove excess moisture still in the iron. I've had it about 2 months and I'm very pleased with it. It's well made, as long as you don't abuse it in a rough manner, and the retractable cord is a nice plus. Just read the easy directions before you use it, follow them, and you'll have a good iron that should last a long time.

Works well, Heats fast. The water changing chamber is very helpfull.
The only drawback is that the heat settings are not very intutive. I like the fabric name heat settings better than the dots this one has.

My wife had a model NI-R72NR that went out on her. She wanted the same model but it was no longer available so I ordered the NI-C78SR. In the meantime, she had tried several other brands but did not like any. The NI-C78SR was almost exactly what she had. The only downside for my wife was that it was a little heavier but the steam performance, sole plate slickness and maneuverability is superb, beating out Tefal and Rowenta among others. She is very pleased.

The Rowenta iron I had quit after several years' use. I paid about $90 for that iron but loved the smooth, gliding stainless steel plate. I don't think I can go back to the teflon coated irons or the aluminum plate ones!

I bought this iron over a year ago, based on the positive amazon reviews from customers. This Panasonic was considerably cheaper than my old iron but I decided to take a chance anyway. Glad I did. It's not as "professional" as my old Rowenta. This Panasonic has a smaller sole plate ironing surface and is noticeably lighter in weight (heavier irons are better for getting out the stubborn creases). However, the temperature controls work well to adjust for the type of fabric and the steel plate glides smoothly over cloth without sticking. I don't bother retracting the cord. I leave it out full length and just drape the cord over the leg crossbars under the ironing board. What a bargain price for this iron. Thanks to amazon and those who wrote reviews on this product.

This iron has a wonderful shot of steam feature and it presses without any effort. My 80 year old mother no longer finds ironing a chore any more by using with this iron.

I received this iron from Amazon in early December 2010. The first week of February 2011, the reservoir started leaking. I don't iron much and have only used it a few times. Unfortunately, I am just outside the Amazon exchange window. I called Panasonic to have it fixed or replaced under their 1-year warranty. They will replace the iron, but I have to pay shipping to send them the two-month old broken iron. They expect me to pay the approximately $10 to ship their defective $35 iron to them and wait who knows how long for them to send a replacement. This is unsatisfactory.

With any other product that I've had issues with, especially early on in a warranty period, the company paid to ship the defective product to them. Panasonic does not operate in this manner. Given the poor quality of the iron I received, and Panasonic's substandard warranty, I recommend against purchasing this iron, or other Panasonic products.

It's unfortunate that the problem didn't develop until just after Amazon's return window expired. Given my positive experiences with their customer service department in the past, I'm confident that they would have promptly replaced the defective product.