All of our irons are reviewed and tested under the same conditions, so we can compare each model and tell you which ones are the best. Steam feels more powerful than the numbers suggest – so powerful, in fact, that it can competently iron both sides of a shirt at the same time, and speeds through everyday ironing even on its eco setting. The Polti Vaporella Forever 670 Eco is an affordable steam generator iron with a rather modest set of features. I isn’t the most stylish of the models here, and has a few design niggles that don’t show the same attention to detail as some of its competitors.

When buying a new iron, there are two main things to consider – how much ironing you do and how much you have to spend. However, in use it does an impressive job. The 4.5-bar pressure and 110g per minute continuous steam might not sound like much on paper – nor does its 700ml water tank – but it’s the way Polti puts it all to use that just works.

The 400g/min steam shot offers an extra powerful steam boost, but it’s rarely needed – even its eco mode is sufficient for most ironing jobs. The steam never run out of puff either, providing a steady stream even after a few minutes. You can get better for spending more, but at this price the Polti Vaporella Forever 670 Eco offers great value for money and surprisingly effective performance. Read the full review

As for features, look out for anti-scale functionality if you live in a hard water area, as well as automatic cleaning options, and the ever-handy auto-off for when you inevitably forget to unplug it. The Tefal Effectis GV6760 is a compact steam generator iron. It doesn’t offer the most powerful steam in its class, but considering it’s a lot smaller than its competition, the performance impresses.

You work at BID, what a legend.

The Bosch Ultimate Steam Generator is pretty much unique: a steam generator with the wow factor. However, as you might expect for such a nicely designed, top-performing iron, it isn’t cheap. The material from which the soleplate is made is important because it will determine how smoothly your iron glides over your clothes. Ceramic is the king here, but stainless steel isn’t a bad option either – it’s just isn’t as durable. The AEG DB6120-U might not be the most powerful iron we’ve tested, but it’s small, lightweight and easy-to-use, with some neat design details to top it off. Ironing performance is mediocre. It doesn’t offer as powerful a steam performance as some irons, so you’ll have to work a little harder than you would with a more powerful model. This AEG will get the job done though, and the groove above the soleplate makes easy work of ironing around buttons and under collars. Read the full review

Such models are usually more expensive as a result – and they’re bulkier, too – but if your kids go through school shirts like there’s no tomorrow, you may well find it worth the extra outlay. Once you’ve decided what type of iron to go for, you can then start thinking about the specifics. What else should I look for?Steam is initially impressive for such a small steam generator, but it does trail off after a while. It’s sufficient to do the job, though, and the iron glides well over a variety of fabrics. A great option if you want a steam generator iron but can’t accommodate the larger models. Read the full review