- Amazon Basics 1200W 10” Steam Iron, With Non-Stick Teflon Soleplate, 5 Fl Oz Water Tank (150 ML), Auto Shut-Off, Anti-Drip, Anti-Calcification, Thermostat, 6.5Ft Cord, Gray

Good iron. Good deal. Good size

Amazon Basics Stainless Steel Soleplate Steam Iron, 1700-Watt Model EC3001B-UL, ASIN B08CHJ9LFR ORIGINAL REVIEW 8/14/22 Rating - 1 star Cotton is just warm; only puts out steam at Linen-Max; leaks at Fast steam release setting When I buy steam irons, I prefer those with high wattage, at least 1500 watts, because I like how hot they get and how much steam they put out so wrinkles disappear in one pass. I thought this Amazon Basics steam iron was great based on the posted specifications. It's not. It's a wimp of an iron. I can't help but compare it to my Sunbeam GCSBCS-200 (ASIN B00JPCWDS6) that this Amazon Basics steam iron replaced. ------- A brief recap of my Sunbeam GCSBCS-200. It was great until it died. I bought it in 09/2016. In 06/2019, the steam shot button stopped working. The spring inside probably broke. The button was loose (no resistance) when pressed and would not spring back up. There was no steam coming out when pressed. I had an older Sunbeam 3965 (1200 watts) that I used for 15 years (It was still working when I gave it away.) and the steam shot button never broke. In 06/2022, the iron died. It's barely six years old. It would still light up green and red when plugged in (meaning electric current was getting through) but there was no heat. Possible causes - either the thermal fuse or thermostat needs to be replaced. If I have the time, I'd open up the iron to check those two parts but buying a new iron is quicker and easier. ------- COMPARING AMAZON BASICS EC3001B-UL (ASIN B08CHJ9LFR) WITH SUNBEAM GCSBCS-200 (ASIN B00JPCWDS6) WEIGHT • SUNBEAM GCSBCS-200 - 3.27 lbs • AMAZON BASICS EC3001B-UL - 2.68 lbs WATER RESERVOIR (ACTUAL VOLUME) • SUNBEAM GCSBCS-200 - 10.42 oz • AMAZON BASICS EC3001B-UL - 10.26 oz The Sunbeam water reservoir tank was a darker-colored plastic that made it a bit hard to see the water level. The Amazon Basics water reservoir tank is a very light gray plastic that makes it easy to see the water level. The max line is slanted which makes sense since you're filling up the tank while the iron is slanted (45 °). CORD • SUNBEAM GCSBCS-200 - 10 ft • AMAZON BASICS EC3001B-UL - 6.7 ft I do my ironing in the kitchen. The outlet is on the wall above the kitchen counter that's 25.5" deep. My ironing board is 44.25" long (board+iron rest). The 6.7-ft cord almost didn't read the narrow end of my ironing board (necessary when ironing shoulders of clothing. The ideal length of cord for me is 10 feet. I don't know why manufacturers cheap out on cord length. LIGHT INDICATORS • SUNBEAM GCSBCS-200 - Red when heating up. Green and stays green when selected temperature is reached. • AMAZON BASICS EC3001B-UL - Red when heating up. No light when selected temperature is reached. I don't like it. If there's no light, unless you place your hand close to the soleplate or the ironing board, you can't tell if NO LIGHT means the temp has been reached or if the iron is just dead. HEATING, STEAMING, LEAKS • SUNBEAM GCSBCS-200 - 1500 W • AMAZON BASICS EC3001B-UL - 1700 W I thought the Amazon Basics iron would be as great or greater than my Sunbeam iron. It's not. The Sunbeam iron was hot at the cotton setting. It puts out steam even below (wool) the cotton setting. The Amazon Basics iron - At the cotton setting, the fabric/ironing board pad is just warm. It doesn't put out steam at the cotton setting. For it to put out steam, the dial must be set to Linen (3rd circle) up to Max. Imagine that. I have to select Linen when ironing cotton, even when ironing a 50:50 cotton:polyester blend. I like ironing with a lot of steam so I've always used the max steam release setting in all steam irons I've used. Also, I'd stand the iron on its heel in between ironing and adjusting/moving the clothing I'm ironing. This doesn't work at all with the Amazon Basics steam iron. The Amazon Basics steam iron has two steam release settings - slow and fast. When at the Linen-Max setting (necessary because I want steam) and the fast steam release setting (2nd steam release icon), it leaks streams of water out when I stand it on its heel. It doesn't do this (leak streams of water when placed on its heel) when at the Linen-Max and slow steam release setting (1st steam release icon). When at the fast steam release setting and Linen-Max heat setting, the Amazon Basics iron also leaks out water when at the horizontal position. The Steam Shot button puts out a puny amount of steam at the first press and no steam at all on the second press. My Sunbeam blasted out a strong steam on the first press and subsequent presses of the steam shot button. The fact that the Amazon Basics iron leaks out water at the Linen-Max and fast steam release setting and the steam shot button puts out a very small amount of steam (and only during the first press) are further indications that this steam iron doesn't put out enough heat. It is no better than a compact 1200 watt steam iron which can be purchased for $15-$20. It's way overpriced even at just $29 and also not correctly advertised (since advertising that it's 1700 W would make logical people think that it's going to put out a lot of heat). I thought of returning this because I thought that perhaps I just got a lemon. However, other reviews describe the same problems and dislike I have with this Amazon Basics steam iron. Should I return and just buy another Sunbeam GCSBCS-200 or keep it and adapt to its low-heat limitation (i.e., I do all my ironing at Linen-Max and slow steam release settings and ignore the quite useless Steam Shot button)? Maybe I'll try one return just to see if I'll get a better version when I reorder. Photos: • Amazon Basics EC3001B-UL (white) and Sunbeam GCSBCS-200 (blue) • Amazon Basics EC3001B-UL heat temperature dial options ————- UPDATE 8/28/22 Since other reviewers are saying this iron is great, I thought it’s possible I just got a defective iron. So, I ordered another one to compare the two. The second iron performed great: • Wool - when iron was first plugged in, red light initially stayed on for 12 secs. I turned on slow steam and it steamed. Same for fast steam. No leaks when iron was put upright. • Cotton - when iron was first plugged in, red light initially stayed on for 33 secs. Slow and fast steam release worked. No leaks when iron was put upright. • Lot number of second iron purchased - 2022112 It looks like the first iron I ordered was just a dud. I tested it again. When first plugged in and the dial moved to cotton. It only lights up for 5 secs. It’s just warm so it can’t put out steam either at slow or fast steam release setting. Lot number of first purchase (defective unit) - 2022078 Lesson - When you order this and the iron doesn’t perform as it should (based on descriptions in the instruction manual), return it and just re-order. New rating - 5 stars

Good

Works well, heats fast, good steam output. Easy to fill water access.

Handy sized iron: not too big (size of banana in photo) and not too small. It's also light but makes high heat. Heat was hot enough to melt the glue of the iron on patches to secure it to my fleece jacket (in photos). It's also great that it lights up to let you know that it's heating itself up and beeps when it has reached the desired temperature. Not bad for Amazon Basic iron.

DO NOT BUY. When I tell you these irons are crap. I mean it. I bought 2..the first time, since I always like to have a back up. ONE arrived already used, with water in it. The second, was actually new. It lasted under a week. The replacement they sent for the first USED one...was also..USED- with water in the reservoir. I am sending 3 irons back by Amazon Basics. Don't waste your money..find another iron to purchase.

Iron is fine, but I bought a "new" product and there is water droplets in the resevoir right out of the package.

I like this a lot. So far it has been working perfectly fine. I’m glad that I bought this.