To help us provide you with free impartial advice, we may earn a commission if you buy through links on our site. Learn more
- One temperature that adjusts automatically
- Effective steam shot
- Lightweight
- Takes a little longer on very thick fabrics
- Difficult to see water fill level
The Beldray Precision1 is the best steam iron I’ve tested with a single temperature setting. If you’re not the most confident of ironers, the Beldray does much of the work for you, taking much of the hassle away and ensuring a safe temperature whatever fabric you put underneath it.
I’ll admit that I was fairly sceptical about the Beldray’s ability to successfully iron different fabrics with only one setting. For confidence’s sake, I started off ironing some old tea towels and other bits of fabric that I wouldn’t have minded destroying.
However, to my surprise, the iron did a fantastic job of detecting fabrics and setting the appropriate temperature. So, I’d thoroughly recommend it to those who want to make ironing that bit easier.
Beldray Precision1 steam iron review: What do you get for the money?
The Beldray Precision1 is one of the lightest irons I’ve tested, and I found it easier to use for longer periods of time than other irons I’ve tested. It’s quite an angular design, with the body mainly in blue, along with some silver and gold trimmings.
Beldray’s big selling point with this iron is that you don’t need to adjust the temperature – it will do this for you, sensing the temperature of the fabric underneath and ensuring it doesn’t get too hot. However, design-wise, Beldray has chosen to put a fake dial in the middle of the iron, which I suspect is just there to fill the space and remind users that it’s a one temperature iron.
Next to this is a useful self-clean button and you have the usual water spray and steam buttons on the top handle, above the water tank. This is a decent size at 320ml and its position on the top of the iron means it’s easy to fill without water spilling everywhere, which is a problem I often find with some water tanks. I think the size of the tank is perfectly adequate for most home ironers but, if you’re someone who ploughs through piles of ironing on a regular basis, you might want to consider a steam generator iron instead.
This is another iron that’s nice and stable when it’s on its heel. There’s also an automatic shut-off function if it’s left idle for eight minutes, an anti-calc function (vital if you live in a hard water area as I do) and a self-clean function that’s activated with the push of a button. These both do the job well but I’d still recommend using distilled water and following our how to clean an iron guide to keep your iron running smoothly.
Beldray Precision1 steam iron review: What is it like to use?
I gave the Beldray four out of five for comfort. It wasn’t that it was uncomfortable to use due to the lightweight design of the iron. The ceramic soleplate glided easily over most fabrics, too. It was only with thicker fabrics that I felt the Beldray had to work a little harder to move across the surface and, for many people, this difference will be incredibly negligible.
As I’ve touched on, the Beldray’s main selling point is the one temperature setting. I was a little bit doubtful about this before using the iron and really wasn’t sure if it would be successful in ironing different fabrics safely, particularly delicate ones. However, the Beldray Precision1 did a fantastic job of staying at the right temperature, no matter what fabrics I tried it with. It’s the ideal choice for those who aren’t particularly confident ironers or those who just want the hassle taken out of ironing jobs.
The Beldray is simple to use as well. There’s no on/off button – you simply switch it on at the mains and a light comes on. I timed the iron and it only takes 15 seconds to heat up, with the light adjusting from blue to red as the iron works out which fabric it’s being asked to deal with. The steam shot is impressive too, helping to get rid of creases quickly and efficiently in the vast majority of materials.
The iron comes with a 3m cord, which is particularly useful if you want to do any vertical steaming – a function that the Beldray, along with most other modern irons, has. And while a few steam irons have larger water tanks, I felt that the 320ml provided here was more than enough to power through a decent amount of ironing without needing to refill too often.
Beldray Precision1 steam iron review: What could be better?
As one of our recommended irons, there’s not a lot wrong with the Beldray Precision1. But I did only give it four out of five for crease reduction, as I felt it struggled on very thick fabrics. It got creases out but doing this required a little more force than with some irons, where you can set the temperature yourself. However, the Beldray Precision1 still did a great job – it just took a bit longer.
The long cord, while very useful in a variety of situations, could be a hindrance if you’re working in a small space or kitchen. If you are limited on space and don’t want to be tangled up with a long cord, you could consider a cordless iron instead.
Beldray Precision1 steam iron review: Should you buy it?
It’s hard to think of a better iron to recommend to the ironing luddite. By taking away temperature control, the Beldray Precision1 takes all the stress out of getting the ironing right for those who aren’t natural ironers. You don’t need to worry about accidentally setting the temperature too high and scorching delicate fabrics. What’s more, the iron isn’t just a gimmick. It actually works really well and makes short work of most ironing jobs.
I also love the fact that the Beldray has decent self-clean and anti-calc features – essential if you, like me, live in a hard water area. The steam shot was also powerful at 200g/min and did a great job blasting out awkwardly placed creases. It’s also very lightweight and won’t give you aching wrists after a big pile of ironing.
It might not be quite as powerful as some multiple temperature irons but, for those who are looking for an iron to take the hassle out of the job, the Beldray is the natural choice.
