Customer Reviews

Rowenta DM-273 Powerglide 2 Iron with Auto-Off Feature

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(18)

 

 

My earliest memories of ironing goes back to the days of ironing napkins for my mother and helping with the ironing as a teenager. Lately, I am in charge of the work shirt ironing. With my last iron, I had to spray all the clothes with a mist of water, leaving lots of water all over the carpet. While it most likely doesn't hurt the carpet, it was annoying.

When my old iron went to iron heaven, I decided to stop by Amazon and find out what was rated the best. The Rowenta seemed well loved by most. I had used one before and did like how it ironed because it seemed to have a good steam option and really did get out the wrinkles.

My husband was a bit surprised I would be willing to spend more than $25 for an iron, but I told him the Amazon reviewers had convinced me this was the one!

So, I just ironed all his shirts and he was very impressed. Absolutely no wrinkles left. The airglide stainless steel soleplate just literally glides over the fabric. The steam is continuous unless you turn it off. I only noticed a tiny bit of water spit out when I overfilled it once or left it sitting horizontally and it cooled slightly. I also made the mistake of using some tap water which has softener in it. Later, I learned that you should not use water which has salt in it. I then started to use bottled water and found it never spit after I changed over to that water.

Most likely, other reviewers made the same mistake I did. They do say never to use distilled water. So, just bottled drinking water would work or water without salt. Using the bottled water will also prevent stains on your clothes that can develop from iron in the water. I did fill the unit over three times since I was ironing for over an hour.

The water tank is larger than most irons and you don't have to fill it as much. It is also transparent so you can actually see exactly how much water is left.

There is a cool spray mist that provides a light mist to remove stubborn wrinkles. It was hardly needed, but handy for some applications. The steam is variable, so you can use more or less. I had mine on high steam the whole time, but could see why you might not want so much steam. Cotton needs it!

There is a burst of steam button which provides a powerful burst of steam for effective wrinkle removal. The unique "vertical" steam feature allows you to remove wrinkles from a garment while it is hanging. This is useful for curtains for sure!

The automatic shut-off switches the iron off after 8 minutes if it is left vertically. It shuts off after 30 seconds when tipped over or left horizontally. The temperature dial is easy to move and is out of the way.

The high quality materials used are quite impressive. I haven't tried the self clean system yet, but can see it will be very useful in the future. The iron was easy to fill by using a water bottle. There is a special air duct which helps the water not to "bubble" over. It was very easy to fill with water from a bottle, so keep one nearby.

This iron doesn't stick to the fabric. That makes ironing a breeze. I am almost looking forward to ironing again. Now, what can I find to iron ;).

Highly recommended. There are various levels of this iron. You can buy a cheaper one or a more expensive one. This seemed to be a good general purpose iron. There is a steam one with a large separate reservoir which I have used before and also liked. It is over a hundred dollars. Just a note, this is twenty dollars cheaper than I have seen it in stores.

Just a last note...I recommend using this iron with an ironing board that has a wire holder for the cord. I am going to invest in one of those next. When you set the iron down, the base is very stable, but the cord needs to be kept out of the way with one of those cord holders that attaches to the end of your ironing board.

~The Rebecca Review

Since I'd been using the same iron for many years, I chose this Rowenta iron for my bridal registry list, but when my old iron died, I went out and bought it myself! I was a little wary after reading some reviews that said the iron tends to spit and leak, but because the positive reviews were so glowing, I decided to take a chance with it anyway. However, I very carefully read the instructions and made sure to follow their recommendations, which included using cheap bottled spring water and allowing the iron to heat fully before using on the steam setting. The instructions also recommended testing the iron's steam function on an old towel prior to using it on clothes, and I'm glad I did, because there was some initial brownish residue.

That being said, once I followed all of the above steps, I had no problems with the iron. It glided easily over clothes and did a very good job getting out wrinkles, although I still found starch to be useful on 100% cotton items. Also, I found that the spray of water worked better to remove wrinkles than the burst of steam function; in addition, the latter used up a lot of water in the tank, which I had to refill twice to iron a total of 8 dress shirts in about an hour. One other small negative was that although the cord did not tangle, I did find it getting in the way at times as another review had mentioned. Overall, however, I was very happy with the performance of this iron, as it did a nice job on clothes and was easy to use.

This is how I stopped the leaking. You have to fill it very carefully. Trickle the water in from a spouted liquid-measuring cup so you can control the rate of flow, and don't let any water accumulate in the funnel around the water hole while you pour. Think of it as a drain, and the idea is not to pour water any faster than it can go right down without backing up. As long as I fill it like this, the iron never leaks. If I overfill the funnel, it leaks. I fix that by draining the iron and refilling it again carefully. Then it stops leaking. I use plain cold tap water, and turn it on and off by pulling the plug. I don't wait for warmups either. These things may help the iron in the long run, but the source of the leaking is pouring in the water too fast.

Here's the cause. I pried off that whole front panel around the buttons and funnel and took a look. (Don't try this, but it snapped right back on with no problem.) That funnel is a separate piece, with a rubber o-ring seal. If you've ever fixed a faucet you know the problem is usually the o-rings. They wear out, and won't seal if they aren't seated properly, and usually have to be greased. Maybe you can't grease the ring on an iron. But I think what happens is that if water backs up in the funnel as you fill, some of it seeps through the o-ring into the body of the iron, that is, outside the tank. That's what leaks out, often discolored by lime or tarnish from the back of the metal sole. It's a bad design, but the user solution is to never let water accumulate in the funnel while you fill it, because if you do, and the o-ring is loose, it can leak through into the parts outside the water tank.

With the leaking problem solved, it's been a great tool. Except the other day I dropped it, on a soft vinyl floor, and just as mentioned by another reviewer, the backrest popped off and shattered. Ruined. I couldn't believe my eyes. Irons get dropped from time to time. Evidently Rowenta doesn't crash-test. It's been a pleasure to use, so I still might buy another. But I'll have to think about it.

I have the previous Powerglide. It sputtered from day one. I kept it because I needed it and I wanted a quality iron. I followed all instructions meticulously, the proper water, draining the iron, storing perfectly. It went from sputter to clothes destroyer. Periodically it would leak and the sputters left spots. My husband had to go to work yesterday with a shirt that looked like I threw a bucket of water on him. No more Rowenta! I'm looking for another brand.

This iron leaked from the sides immediately after its first usage. The water tank was half full and everything leaked out from the base and it was a mess. I am never going to try Rowenta again. Very poor quality! I should have been more careful and read the reviews.

First, the good parts: the soleplate is indeed very smooth and stays clean. The auto-off feature is nice, but you need to be careful when you're ironing to not let the iron sit or it will shut off when you don't want it to.

Now, the problems: it's VERY difficult to fill the iron with water without spilling, even using a measuring cup with a pouring spout. Even worse, the iron spits out bursts of water for no apparent reason when it is set on "steam". This has happened when the iron is first filled (not over-filled, I fill it according to directions) and also has happened in the middle of a tank, as well as at the end. I'm talking BIG amounts of water, too; enough that you have to refill the tank earlier than you would if it behaved properly.

I don't remember it doing this as much when the iron was new, but it's developed into an annoyingly frequent problem. I will have to get a new iron, and it will not be another Rowenta. My old GE never did this, and it ironed just as well as the Rowenta, so I guess if Black and Decker is still making irons, that will be my next one. But no more dripping Rowentas for me.

Up until now, all my irons have been cheap, bottom-line models from Wal-Mart, all purchased for $20 or less. I sew a lot and when my last cheapy gave out after less than a year, I decided it was time to upgrade. Rowenta has always been THE brand in my mind - I've long associated it with superior quality, performance, and value. You can imagine how excited I was to finally get my hands on a real Rowenta. Sure, not the most expensive model, but still...$70 was quite a jump from $20. (I know, it's $60 here but I paid $70 at a local fabric store.)

Right out of the box, I loved it. I loved the shiny soleplate, the hefty weight, the elegant styling, the pretty colors. I loved the way it ironed, gliding effortlessly over the fabric, I loved the little clicking noises it made as it warmed up or cooled down.

Then I filled it with water.

Other reviewers have complained about the iron leaking. I read their reviews before I made my purchase and thought surely it couldn't happen to me. Surely they had just gotten a bad iron or were exaggerating. After all - it's a ROWENTA! How bad could it be?

Trust me, it's bad.

This iron doesn't just spit or leak occasionally. No. We're talking wide swaths or water all over the fabric. I could trace the path I'd taken with the iron by the water streaks. Streaks - not spots. Changing the water didn't help, turning off the steam feature didn't help, emptying the iron didn't help because the little bit that was still in there came seeping out every time I tried to use the iron.

Don't buy this! I've taken mine back and am holding my breath that my new Euro-Pro will live up to its claims. If not, check back soon, I'm sure I'll have something to say about it!

I wish I had read these reviews before purchasing this iron. I've been through 2 of these dogs in 3 years. I exchanged the first one at the retailer when it began leaking and stopped heating after 8 months. I had so much faith in German engineering I thought it must have been a fluke. The second one developed the same symptoms after 13 months. It worked sporadically until my husband hurled it at the floor in utter disgust. Apparently, the engineers have put all of their skills into producing a product that will survive until just past the date the warranty expires. Bravo on their success! Next I tried a $19 iron, but the quality is unacceptable once you're accustomed to the heavy European styles. Yesterday I came home with the T-Fal, and it is comparable to the Rowenta in terms of weight and features. If this fails we're switching to permanent press...

I've owned this iron for two years, and for the most part it has been great. About a month ago, it began mysteriously turning on and off while I would iron, making a 20 minute ironing job about 40 minutes. Well tonight it began SPARKING from where the iron meets the cord! What a danger! I have emailed Rowenta and am calling them in the morning. Be wary of this product. I know Rowenta is great for the most part, and it was the best iron I ever used until about a month ago. Again, be careful if buying this iron.

I have owned 3 Rowenta irons in 6 years. And my third quit this week. I have never found a line of irons I can both love and hate...no iron has performed better for me, no iron has performed so short of a life span for me. Today I logged on to the rowentausa.com website to look at other models, and clicked to speak to a live attendent, named Biron. Some highlights from the transcript (listed below): "Biron" never answered my comment/question, "I have been reading reviews on online websites and it seems that other users have experienced similiar problems as I have. Is Rowenta doing anything to continue to improve the performance?"

Additionally, when talking about what kind of water to use he told me that I can use tap water to iron only if my water is not "hard, or softenend or filtered in any way"...good grief, what kind of water is not hard or soft or filtered (is there an in between)?

No apologies or great answers, though I did appreciate the advice about not wrapping the cord too tightly.

I rated it a 3, because the performance is supreme, but the life and service is extremely poor.

Good luck!

Transcript of live chat:
Please wait for a site operator to respond.
You are now chatting with 'Biron'
Biron: Thank you for contacting Rowenta's live chat
Biron: How can I help you?
you: Hello Biron, I am looking at your website after my third Rowenta iron in 6 years has broken. I enjoy the function of my Rowentas when they are working, but do not like having to replace them so often. Do you know which model is most reliable?
Biron: Please note that it is difficult to say if one of our irons is more reliable than the other since all of our irons are constructed with quality material and tested several time before sold
Biron: there are a lot of factors involved in the life of the irons
Biron: What problems had you encountered with your previous irons?
you: I have been reading reviews on online websites and it seems that other users have experienced similiar problems as I have. Is Rowenta doing anything to continue to improve the performance?
Biron: What problems might those be please?
you: My first one leaked repeatedly, the second one would not heat up anymore, and the most recent one seems to have a short in the cord or automatic on/off function.
you: It turns off and on repeatedly.
Biron: what type of water did you use in the irons?
you: With the first one (that leaked) I remember having to buy water at the store for it (to comply with the instructions that came with the iron). The latest two I have just used tap water, per instructions.
Biron: That is correct, except in the case if your water is hard, or softenend or filtered in any way
Biron: if so, you should continue to use bottled spring water
you: how does one know if their water is hard or softened (is there an in between)?
Biron: in regards to the cord, it is considered to be a wear and tear item, so we do recommend when wrapping the cord you do so lightly, as if it is too tight it can put more tension and cause the cord to fray inside
you: thank you for the advice on the cord.
Biron: you can contact your city water dept and ask about the levels. Our irons are constructed to use tap water which contains no more than 12 grains of hardness per gallon
Biron: some cities put a softener in the water, such as salt
you: what is the minimum softness?
Biron: or some people have softening systems installed
Biron: there aren't any minimums on the softness
you: so anything under 12 grains is okay as long as they do not put salt in the water?
Biron: or any other softners which you can also confirm with your water dept.
you: Great, thanks. How does one choose from among all the different models, is there one you prefer?
Biron: Personal preference would come into play
Biron: weight, features
you: ok, thank you for your time.