CHOICE verdict
When we tested steam stations, the Miele FashionMaster received excellent scores for performance and ease of use – but so did other models that cost far less. While you can expect great results from the FashionMaster, you can get similar results from cheaper products – and, let's face it, there are far more fun ways to blow 2000 bucks.
Price: $2399
Contact: www.miele.com.au
How much do you love ironing? Enough to spend, say, $2000 on an iron? Miele's FashionMaster steam station retails for $2399, which is quite a bit to shell out – for that price, you'd almost hope it'd do the ironing for you!
So is it worth the coin? We take a look.
The Miele FashionMaster has an iron and dedicated vertical steamer attachment.
Miele FashionMaster pros
- Received excellent scores for both performance and ease of use.
- Excellent at ironing organza, silk, wool, cotton, denim and linen.
- Has a steam lock, so you don't need to keep pressing the steam button as you iron.
- You can refill the water tank during ironing (some other steam stations don't have this feature).
- It has a variable steam feature, so you can dial the steam up or down depending on what you're ironing.
- It has a long cord with easy-to-use onboard storage.
"The Miele FashionMaster is a complete ironing system: you get the ironing board, iron, garment steamer and all the extra features that come with it," says CHOICE household expert Rebecca Ciaramidaro.
Miele FashionMaster cons
- It's quite bulky, so you may need a dedicated space to leave it set up.
- It's very heavy: 29.3kg.
- It's expensive: $2399 RRP.
- Other steam stations we've tested performed as well as the Miele, but cost far less money.
- You need to test the hardness of your water before you use the system, and then enter the hardness score. (One water hardness test strip is included.) If you don't do this, you can void the warranty.
"Ideally it should be set up permanently, but if you don't have the space for that you'll still need the space to store it when folded. It doesn't fold as compactly as a regular ironing board," says Rebecca.
How else could you spend $2399?
- You could buy 16 Russell Hobbs Steampower Steam Stations at $150 each. (Total cost: $2400.)
- You could pay someone $45 a week for a year to iron your clothes for you. (Total cost: $2340.)
- You could buy yourself a schmick new clothes dryer to cut down on your ironing load. You can pick up a good-quality heat pump dryer for around the same price as the Miele FashionMaster.
What features does it have?
- Integrated ironing board with fans that suck or blow steam through garments
- Dedicated vertical steamer attachment
- Non-stick 'honeycomb' soleplate
- Steam lock
- Variable steam
- Cord storage
- 1.25L water container
- Automatic descaling and rinsing (descaling tablets are supplied)
- Auto-off function
- Electronic control panel
- Water-low indicator light
- Protector plate for ironing delicates
Stock images: Getty, unless otherwise stated.
