Customer Reviews

Sunbeam 4211 Steam-Master Iron with Automatic Shut-Off

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

This worked great for the first three months I had it. I loved that I could actually see the water level in the chamber (my previous iron didn't have this feature), I loved the burst of steam feature, which was especially handy for my kids' corduroy pants. In fact, I was just happy to have a steam feature that worked at all. I was almost enjoying ironing for a while there.

Skip to three months and two weeks. The iron now leaks more than it steams, my ironing board is soaking wet by the time I've done one shirt and the reservoir needs to be refilled after I've ironed two. It's not leaking from the visible reservoir areas or soleplate, either -- it's pouring out of the housing whenever the iron is horizontal. I've contacted Amazon who refuses to deal with it since it's been longer than 30 days, and I can't get a single person at Sunbeam to return my calls or my emails. Thankfully it "only" took $27 to realize I'll be steering clear of Sunbeam products in the future.

Well, I'm here to testify that this Real Man does ironing - mainly because my wife lets me. As a matter of fact, it's one of my regular chores every weekend after doing the laundry.

When the power cord of our previous iron began to demonstrate a disconcerting hotness at its point of attachment to the device, my wife, alarmed at the prospect of my imminent electrocution, thought it time to toss it in favor of this SUNBEAM STEAM MASTER MODEL 4211, purchased with an agreeably small amount of my money only two days ago. I'm a lucky fella to be on the receiving end of such thoughtful consideration.

Weighing in at roughly 1.75 lbs, the Sunbeam is heavier than the last, a vintage Black & Decker. But since I've taken up working out in the Y's gym on weekends - after the Honey-Do list is completed, of course - I'll soon be able to lift it without grunting too much. The Teflon soleplate glides easily over clothing, mostly my cheap cotton and cotton/polyester blend shirts, though not with the same slipperiness as the old iron. (I don't understand why that should be. Maybe the fabrics have gotten too worn over the years.) The hole for the water reservoir is perhaps a bit small to pour into accurately, especially if you're dizzy from chore-induced fatigue, but Sunbeam thoughtfully provides a nifty plastic cup with a pointy spout, the 8-ounce capacity of which charges the reservoir to the "max fill" line. The heat and steam controls with little, protruding knobs are especially easy to finger manage even with digits worked to the bone. The "spray mist" and "shot of steam" buttons are large and prominent - perhaps too much so as even gripping the handle with my not-large hands accidently tripped the former button a couple of times, resulting in a spritz of water that'll one day scare the cat if she gets too close to the action. The power cord, reinforced at the end which attaches to the iron itself, enters the device through a swiveling do-hickey (the technical term), a feature that'll likely prevent the hot wire that doomed its predecessor. There's a "Motion Smart" Auto Off Indicator that ostensibly blinks when the iron is plugged in and in a horizontal position for 30 seconds, or 15 minutes upright. I timed the shorter interval with a stopwatch - 31 seconds on my unit. Someday, I may have the opportunity to benefit from and verify the longer if I pass out during a particularly strenuous stint at the board.

Finally, the restful aqua green color of the iron's upper body doesn't clash with my apron.

Now, you Neanderthal macho studs that think I'm a 21st Century Sensitive Male wimp, consider this. My wife is happy doing the outdoor gardening chores that I despise. So, while she (and you) are outside getting hot, sweaty, and filthy, I'm inside the air conditioned house and, while admittedly doing the sissy ironing, am watching the ball game on the tube - or maybe the film adaptation of a Jane Austen novel. Of course, there's enough room on the ironing board to balance a longneck - or perhaps my favorite yogurt smoothie. And occasionally, when my wife comes in and begs to press a garment or two, I say "No thanks, sweetie." Yup, this SUNBEAM STEAM MASTER fits in well with my lifestyle.

P.S. 9-11-06: Almost 17 months after writing the original review, I'm still as pleased with this iron now as I was back then. And, contrary to more recent reports, it doesn't leak!

We've owned several. Beautiful weight and functionality.

However, the last one leaked uncontrollably from a manufacturing flaw. When I dissected the iron to discover why, I found the wire clamp on the red rubber hose to one of the steam/spray buttons had been put on in such a way that the red rubber had been torn apart during the manufacturing process. If Sunbeam fixes this, they'll have a winner. But there seems no easy way to get through to the company.

I'm buying one more, hoping for solid manufacturing, because otherwise we love it.

As with the other reviewer, this iron leaked uncontrollably. It leaked whether horizontal or vertical. It leaks from the bottom and even where you retract the cord. This is the worse iron we have ever bought. We are trying to return ours.

Wanting to avoid spending $60-80 on an iron, this lower priced model ($32) looked promising. It had a plain design with no gimmicky setting controls, a good weight, and solid feel. I was also taken in by the "Steam Master" name, and the advertised claims made regarding its vertical steaming capability and "Shot of Steam" feature. I didn't really associate the Sunbeam name with quality, but if the suggestions held up regarding the steam, it looked to be a good buy compared with the other junky irons available in this price range.

To test the iron's capabilities, I first used it on a pair of khaki pants that were worn once and had a moderate level of wrinkles. With a Black & Decker iron I used to use, the steam action made fairly simple work of it and the pants could be made to look unworn with relatively little effort. That was not the case using this Sunbeam model. The steam action is poor, and the "Shot of Steam" is just a small wisp or puff. Bottom line, the steam and "shot of steam" didn't do much to penetrate the fabric. On top of poor steam level, the iron does not really get very hot - I hadn't paid attention to the Wattage when I purchased it, but it turns out that it is only 1200 watts (the low end of iron wattages), so the modest temperature is not surprising. But this means you need to go over the same area many times to press out the wrinkles. Heavier wrinkles were not eliminated with this iron. Overall, I was dissatisfied and returned the iron for a Rowenta Power Duo (which I also returned), and then, finally, for a Rowenta Focus (which I kept).

I was willing to pay more money for an iron that would do a better, faster job. However, for those on a tighter budget, or who don't mind having to make lots of passes when ironing, this is probably an OK iron to have. The settings dial seems fairly sturdy, so the iron might be expected to last. I'd bet that you won't find anything much better if you choose to stay in this price range.

In over 50 years this is without a doubt the very best iron that I have found. For the $$ you can't beat it.....I bought one for $60.00 and it leaks and I do not like it at all.

I don't understand why the rating for this iron is so low! I have used it for more than 3 years. Nothing wrong.

This iron is fragile, poorly constructed and breaks easily. Furthermore, the iron leaks water and stain clothing. This happens while using the iron under normal conditions and following the manufacturer's instructions.

What is it with Sunbeam irons? They leak everywhere, all the time at any setting; they shut off during use; and you have to use the highest setting just to iron cotton. Even then, you can leave the iron on the clothes IN ONE SPOT for about 30 seconds without moving it before anything might happen (like your clothes actually getting ironed).

I liked the iron, worked well, but as others have noted, it leaks alot. I have found with some other brands that the steam just doesn't work at all. At least this one had a decent shot of steam.