Rowenta DG 050 Superpress .. The Smarty Jones Of Irons!
Written: May 18 '04 (Updated May 21 '04)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Fast Hot Steam, Great Results
Cons: Cord Management
The Bottom Line: Products that take the monotony and drudgery from meanial tasks will always be accepted. The Rowenta DG 050 Steam Generator is such a product.
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| lllopez's Full Review: Rowenta Steam Generator DG050 Iron |
Okay. It’s An Iron Already! Is It Really Possible That It’s Come Down To This?
Oddly enough, yeh..it has. What are you going to do? Your iron busted and you ponder at the prospect of not owning another one. You ask yourself, Do you really need one; I mean you take all your laundry to the dry cleaners anyway?” Besides, isn’t it a skill set you’d like to put away forever? Yes my friends it is but here’s where your feet need to schedule a meeting with terra firma once again. What are you going to do when those emergency burns come along and you need a shirt real quick as you’ve accumulated too much month for your wardrobe? C’mon, you really know you need one to put a pressing on that old Stones Hot Licks Tour t-shirt. That’s a judgment call to be sure; but if ironing creeps up on you unexpectedly, then you have to be prepared to go into battle. My new weapon of choice, aimed squarely at anything,that comes out of the dryer is the Rowenta Superpress 050 Steam Generator Iron.
I for one have always hated the thought of picking up an iron and will avoid buying casual shirts or pants that require it. I also love gadgets and have a real appreciation for products that work well and are thoughtfully developed; The Rowenta has earned my respect.
If you think you are just going to get into this experience without having to stock up on distilled water and a dedicated electrical circuit, you’re right. The great thing about this steam generator is the mere simplicity of operation. Tap water up to 12 grains of hardness) is fine. The 10 panel manual also warns against excessively soft water. You can best determine the state of your water by consulting your local water company.
The Rowenta is essentially a 33 once reservoir and a triggered iron, all connected by a 6 foot shielded hose. Filling the Rowenta easy, simply open the heavy stainless steel threaded cap and pour in your water. Anything I had read in my research indicated that on a full tank you could get 1.5 hours of use per tank. I put it through its paces and found an hour is more like it with almost constant pressure on the trigger. Once filled and the cap is screwed on , you flip the rocker switch on the reservoir and the led indicates the Rowenta has begun to heat the water in the 1800 watt boiler unit. It generally takes about 8-10 minutes to come up to operating temperature.
Performance here is immediate. You know the Rowenta is ready when the steam starts to whoosh out of the 19 holes in on the laser crafted soleplate. Once the ready light on the iron illuminates you are prepared to literally blaze through any pile of laundry you put before the Rowenta. Jeans, linen shirts a problem? Not for the Rowenta. You can forget the endless passes to simply remove a few wrinkles. That is history. This is literally a 1 pass iron. With 19 steam jets you will be amazed at the ferocity of the steam bursts generated by the DG 050. The iron is light, plastic molded with a grip that will accommodate all users, unless you have some seriously hammy mitts! Onboard the iron a round detente control dials in the right temperature as the Rowenta is capable ironing without steam as well. A handy temperature setting chart is conveniently placed at the heel of the iron. A Swiveling cord receptacle on the iron insures against shorting that is so apparent on models with fixed cords. The Inox stainless steel soleplate is substantial yet light enough to maneuver in between those buttons.
The boiler unit incorporates the same plastic molded shell but the inner water reservoir is constructed of stainless steel which helps prevent scaling. Atop the rectangular boiler unit is a series of nine rubber nubs (heat resistant to 500º) for resting a hot iron on. I have to say I was skeptical about this at first but I understand these little guys can withstand high temperatures, and my experience has proven this out.
The Nutz And Boltz
The Rowenta Dg 050 is a blessing to anyone who abhors the unpleasant if not mindless activity that is ironing. Some have gone as far as to suggest ironing is therapeutic; READ A BOOK! When you must, however, the Rowenta is right there with you. There is no time for daydreaming because all of a sudden, you are involved in a participator sport, moving clothing around, inside out and every which way but loose. Seriously, you will find, once you develop a rhythm or system, that you will literally fly though pile of laundry with little or no effort. I was pleased to find just how easily it was to navigate around heavy denim, which always is a chore.
An added benefit of owning this Rowenta is the ability to steam clothing, draperies and anything you may want to steam on a hanger. Vertical steaming is a breeze. The steady burst of steam permits you to shape draperies with ease. Removing wrinkles from seasonal clothing that has been hung for a while is remarkably easy. I even steamed the wrinkles from a canvas instrument cover that has never looked as well since. A. six foot steam hose and 12 foot power cord make the Rowenta DG050 an easy appliance to adapt to your working environment
Roadtest
Jeans are always tough to get through but the Rowenta makes easy work out of flattening pockets and waistbands. The literal assault of steam tames the toughest of denim. Delicate fabrics can but I found they too can be handled easily simply by applying the Rowenta to the fabric as you depress the steam trigger and touch upon the fabric on a bed of steam. You can iron a pair of slacks in less than a minute and a linen shirt can take 2 minutes with excellent results! Table cloths are only 1 pass with steam and are handled expediently. The thrust of steam here is fabulous. It is the single most important reason the Rowenta shines! The steam is so hot and strong it literally melts wrinkles away once you apply it to any fabric! You simply do not get these type of results from a conventional iron; it simply is that good. I have yet to handle a fabric I could not iron into submission quickly. It bears repeating….it is simply that good!
Conclusions and Final Thoughts
This Unit has a street price of $179.00 at most retailers. I found a vendor on EBAY that was asking $100.00 new and I jumped on it. I can attest that it is a purchase I have absolutely no regrets making. It has taken the tedium out of this chore. While I cannot say that I look forward to ironing, it is truthful to say I don’t dread it anymore. In fact I have taken the opportunity to help out around the house by taking this chore on from time to time That alone is a remarkable accomplishment. My initial apprehension to the purchase soon vanished and I can honestly say the Rowenta is worth $179.00 and I would pay it if I had to replace it. The Rowenta site www.rowenta.com is a useful resource for further research to this and their full line of products.
Recommended:
Yes
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