Rowenta DG5030 Will Spoil You From Conventional Irons!
by
lllopez
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in Pets, Home and Garden, Musical Instruments at Epinions.com
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Jun 16, 2009
Pros:
Fast, Efficient Iron/Steamer
Cons:
Pricey
The Bottom Line:
The Rowenta DG5030 steam generator is a capable solution to ironing day woes!
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Overall Rating:
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Author's Review
Rowenta has emerged as a major player in the small appliance market. While I have heard dissenting opinions on their products, generally most folks are pleased with their irons and steam generators. I first came upon their steam generators years ago at a home show and was impressed to the extent that I came home and purchased one online. Since then, I have given two of them away to my kids as they trot off to college and while you may think that was a selfless act, I was looking to upgrade. My current model the, DG 5030 has proven to be an able torchbearer for it's predecessors.
A Closer Look
The build quality of the Rowenta DG 5030 impresses at first glance. The high impact plastic Rowenta is modestly utilitarian appearing with fanfare and overall a smart looking appliance for your laundry room. Capable of holding 33 ounces of tap water in its internal boiler tank, you are afforded the luxury of an hour and a half of performance before refilling. The iron looks much like a conventional iron with the only difference being a 6 ft. connected hose to the boiler base unit. A 12ft. power cord gives you a little reach, which comes in handy when steaming your clothes, is accommodated with a retainer clip, a welcome feature. All the controls are there including an on/off switch, led power indicator, boiler cap and iron rest.
Performance
My wife is a busy professional with a demanding schedule. I run an insurance agency and real estate/rehab business, leaving us little time to spend on ironing. I think we both made an unspoken rule that we each tend to our own clothing and share duties with the kids, and that was the way it has been. I do demand that we spend the money for the right tools for this sometimes tedious, sometimes therapeutic task and that is primarily why we came upon the Rowenta, initially to the protest of my wife at the near $200.00 price tag. Using Rowenta DG 5030 is much like the previous models for anyone looking to replace or upgrade their older models. You need to first fill the boiler tank by unscrewing the boiler cap. Switching the unit on, you can now take a coffee break as it takes about 10 minutes to heat a full tank of tap water to the ready indicator.
Years ago I decided to take all my cotton shirts to the dry cleaners because I like heavy starch. Today, I use a lot of cotton Oxford shirts over jeans and tees casually and really don't want them too staid looking. I have a lot of polo and tee shirts, sweaters a few silk shirts and a lot of shorts, some of which are linen. Washday around our house can be mayhem with huge piles of clothes we try to fold as they come out of the dryer.
Now I am looking at 4-5 piles of clothes with minimal wrinkling but in need to some attention. I fashioned a garment hanger from an old collapsible microphone stand making it a perfect utility for holding a hung garment for steaming. The integrated trigger on the iron shoots steam out approximately 14 inches from the stainless steel soleplate. Cotton shirts lose their wrinkles almost instantly. Steaming silk is effortless though, obviously, a little more care is required.
The magic really happens with jeans. Seams are flattened when you run the iron over them, rendering pockets flat and neat looking almost instantly. Freshening up suit jackets, pants are easier than ever before. The burst of steam is such that you can feel the iron lift a little as you iron those jeans. Cotton shirts are no match for the DG 5030. You can run through them with one quick pass making quick work of any pile. I have to say the DG 5030 is more tool than appliance and there is nothing that appeals to guys more than a good tool and Ladies, and I will leave that statement to stand on its own.
The utility of the 6-foot hose and 12 foot power cord allows you to move around the laundry room steaming and ironing. I have to say; I enjoy using the Rowenta primarily because it eliminates the tedious repetition of traditional ironing with better, quicker results.
Conclusion
This one is easy; I like the Rowenta DG 5030 on a number of counts including efficiency, ease of use and practicality. We all work hard all week so who wants to spend countless hours pushing an iron? I understand it has to be done, so why not do it quicker? Yes the price tag is up there for an iron, but I guarantee you will never pick up a conventional iron once you have used a Rowenta DG 5030Steam Generator. A limited one year warranty assures your satisfaction against manufacturers defects and if you really don't like it, you can sell it quickly online.
I have to say as a result, I even have developed a guilty pleasure, ironed boxer shorts!! MAN YOU HAVEN"T LIVED...until you have had ironed boxer shorts; I can't start a day without them! Another benefit; the wife errs on the side of Lou when it comes to sitting on the fence decisions. Hmmmm... I should probably strike when the irons hot and try to get a 911 in the garage!