Silanga ST300 Ultra steam iron review

There are many people who prefer to iron by hand, and they have a variety of criteria for choosing an iron, including weight, power, maneuverability, appearance and functionality. We tested the Silanga ST300 Ultra steam iron, evaluating it in terms of compliance with the characteristics declared by the manufacturer and ease of use.

^* Contrary to popular belief, this is not the time limit after which the device will necessarily break down. However, after this period, the manufacturer ceases to bear any responsibility for its performance and has the right to refuse to repair it, even for a fee.

Silanga packages its irons in two boxes: a durable craft box for safe transportation and an elegant white box suitable for gifting. On the craft box in black there is a general outline of the iron, model, brand, website and technical specifications. The white box is additionally decorated with a color image of the iron, brand, website and icons of the main characteristics. The side panels contain information about the benefits, and the logo and brand name are also placed on the lid.

Inside the box, the iron is securely fixed with cardboard holders. The kit includes:

• Steam iron Silanga ST300 Ultra.
• Water glass with a capacity of 150 ml.
• Instructions in Russian.
• Warranty card.

The Silanga ST300 Ultra steam iron is a massive and very impressive device. Its appearance creates a feeling of reliability and solidity thanks to its classic shape, black body color with bright fuchsia inserts on the sides and minimalist design. The ceramic soleplate of the iron is slightly wider and longer than most similar models. The device is equipped with a comfortable and powerful handle that is easy to hold with an adult palm.

At a short distance from the nose there is a spray nozzle, then a lilac plastic cover covers a large hole for pouring water into the tank. The rise is crowned by a button for the steam supply regulator, followed by buttons for spraying water and steam supply, a light indicator for power supply and heating the sole.

Under the handle there is a round temperature regulator, and next to it there is a button for self-cleaning. The base has a hinged mount for a 1.5 meter long electrical wire protected by a rubber casing.

The main advantage of this iron is its spacious 450 ml water tank. The color bar on the side shows the maximum level, but it may not be very noticeable. When filling the reservoir, you should be careful, as when pouring, excess water comes out of the holes in the soleplate, which can lead to spillage on the floor or ironing board. However, the reservoir lasts for about 35 minutes of intense use, making it very convenient to use.

The Silanga ST300 Ultra iron weighs 1.5kg, which is quite light for an iron of this shape and size. It is comfortable to hold, the hand quickly gets used to the shape, and the mechanical controls are easy to understand. During testing, a seven-year-old child and his grandmother were asked to use the iron. The latter was very pleased and quickly felt confident in using the iron. While the first-grader commented that it took him some time to find a more comfortable position for his palm on the handle. However, after a short period of getting used to it, he forgot about the initial inconvenience. In general, the impression was that the child approached the testing task with excessive responsibility.

The 28-page white coated brochure features a branded insert in lilac to match the iron on. The information is presented in Russian and includes step-by-step instructions, detailed safety measures, as well as a diagram and algorithm for using the iron — from choosing water to valuable tips on working with different temperature conditions. The brochure also contains technical specifications, troubleshooting table, storage, cleaning and care instructions. The final section describes the terms of the warranty. It is worth noting the clear and calm style of recommendations, as well as the absence of advertising elements in the texts.

The Silanga ST300 Ultra iron is controlled mechanically and is easy to understand by users. By rotating the round temperature control, you can easily select the desired mode: minimum, maximum, nylon, silk, wool, cotton and linen.

To activate the spray function, press the right button located at the top of the iron and marked with the corresponding icon. If steam is required, use the left button, indicated by the steam symbol. Both of these controls have a fair amount of stability but are activated with a light touch. The steam intensity level is adjusted by moving the lever until the desired level is reached.

It is important to note that steam intensity levels are not discrete and are represented as a gradually increasing curve. The steam function can only be used at the maximum heat level, which is controlled by the steam lever located above the thermostat.

The iron's self-cleaning button is located slightly to the side of the temperature regulator, which prevents accidental pressing. To start the self-cleaning procedure, you must turn off the iron. For final cleaning of the steam holes, run the soleplate over a damp cloth, fill the reservoir with water, and set the steam control to the zero position. Then, holding the iron over the sink or bathtub, press the Self Clean button.

Before starting use, we carefully wiped the ceramic sole and body of the Silanga ST300 Ultra iron, correctly filled the reservoir with water and turned on the device. The manufacturer warns about the possible appearance of a slight odor, but we did not notice this. The instructions also indicate that there may be residual water inside the new model, as the iron undergoes quality control in production. In this case there were no leftovers.

It is recommended to fill with distilled water, avoid adding liquid to the reservoir during operation, and also avoid using flavored liquids, vinegar, water with starch and other substances that may harm the device. Experience suggests that following these recommendations is not an unnecessary step to prevent problems.

The Silanga ST300 Ultra iron stands stable in both vertical and horizontal positions, is visible on any surface, and its design creates the impression of a serious and reliable device. This is an unexpected but pleasant effect of the design solution, which even a child appreciated, feeling like a real professional with this iron in his hands.

The Silanga ST300 Ultra iron only takes 21 seconds to reach its maximum temperature and required about three minutes of maintenance and cleaning to cool down after reaching its maximum temperature.

The spray nozzle is located at a good height, the drops are small, moisturize the fabric well and do not leave any special streaks. The anti-drip system also works well, and no leaks were noticed during testing. When using the iron over an ironing board as part of testing, water remained inside the device without leaking out. The only time drops were noticed was when steaming vertically very close to the fabric. However, the manufacturer does not require or recommend such tests, stating that a steam iron will not replace a steamer.

The soleplate of the iron turned out to be very delicate and effective. In testing, the Silanga ST300 Ultra successfully ironed multiple layers of fabric, including thick and multi-layered materials. The iron's power was enough to effectively iron a duvet cover folded four times.

The manufacturer honestly warns that some fabric features, such as shiny spots on synthetic items, are inevitable. The iron also honestly performs all its stated functions and does not pretend to do more.

It has a vertical steam function with the following restrictions: you must keep the iron at a distance of 10-30 cm from clothing, do not use this function on synthetic fabrics, do not direct the steam towards yourself and avoid exposure to living beings. Within these guidelines, vertical steaming works, but in our testing we found it a bit difficult to hold the heavy iron at the right distance to effectively steam the fabric, and there are more convenient ways to do this procedure.

We turn off the iron one by one, let it cool, and be sure to drain the remaining water. To extend the life of your iron, the manufacturer recommends cleaning it at least once a week. However, we consider this recommendation unnecessary, given the rare use of the iron in our case. After each use, it is recommended to wipe the iron with a damp cloth, check the soleplate for mineral deposits and dirt, and clean if necessary.

To store the device, it is recommended to choose a dry and dark place out of reach of children and animals.

The maximum power consumption measured by a wattmeter during testing reached 1831 W. When using the iron for an hour in all modes with an almost constant steam supply, the total energy consumption was 0.570 kWh.

The time it took to warm up the iron to maximum temperature was 21 seconds. The water tank lasted for 35 minutes of continuous operation.

The manufacturer highlighted two key advantages of the device: a spacious 450 ml reservoir and effective smoothing of fabric in several layers. Our task was to test and confirm these statements through the active use of steam and work with dense materials.

Silk

The first test for delicacy was set to the minimum and tested on a French scarf. The iron did not encounter any difficulties: a couple of movements — and the capricious thing shone with bright colors again.

Result: excellent.

Crepe satin stole

The thing is reliable, requiring cleaning rather than smoothing. We chose the medium mode and tried both spraying and steam ironing. It's nice that it worked out well both ways.

Result: excellent.

Bad jersey

Thin, easily wrinkled, easily stretched, but pleasant to the body material. The task was to return the pillowcase to its shape and not get a glossy effect on the surface. The task was completed at medium temperature in less than 10 seconds, in two movements.

Result: excellent.

Cotton, decorative pillowcase

Dense, rough material, difficult to smooth out when overdried. For the test, we left the pillowcase on the radiator for a week (this is definitely not how you should handle things). Medium temperature conditions and spraying were used.

Result: excellent.

Thin corduroy

A fabric that hardly needs ironing, but definitely needs cleaning. Ironed with steam at medium temperature. The photo does not convey the result well: fine dust and cat hair were confidently removed.

Result: excellent.

Cashmere badlon

Steaming is more beneficial for this item than washing and ironing, however, we chose a medium temperature setting, steam.

Result: excellent.

Chintz

Another test for delicacy, low setting and splashing. It took less than 15 seconds and a couple of strokes with the iron.

Result: excellent.

Knitwear and prints

We decided to check how the iron works with soft knitwear and how delicate it is to the applied patterns. To test, we chose pajamas, medium mode and a little splash.

Result: excellent.

Jeans

One of the mandatory tests, even indicative ones. This is a thick cotton fabric with additions; we were interested in the density. We chose heavily worn, black jeans to capture the greasy effect. The iron easily smoothed the fabric and cleaned it well with steam, but as expected, it left “marks” on the seams. This is not a complaint about the device, it is a feature of the fabric that is better to iron from the inside out.

Result: good.

White print on a T-shirt

An important test, because the delicacy of the sole determines whether you can work with the item or whether you need to turn the fabric inside out. The iron worked on low setting with a small addition of steam.

Result: excellent.

Bed linen (poplin, quad-fold duvet cover)

A test for the few adherents of ironed bed linen. We chose different fabrics and complicated the task by drying out the pillowcase (a common situation in everyday life). We are pleased with the result, the sole did not damage the fabric and coped with the complication with little use of spatter.

Result: excellent.

Knitwear with additives

A common material for home, sports and children's clothing. The main difficulty in ironing is not to leave greasy stains on the seams. Average temperature, steam.

Result: excellent.

Polymer tulle

Test for delicacy and speed, the fabric is ironed easily, there is a lot of it, and it is easy to damage. An iron on low setting ironed a 140x240 cm curtain in less than five minutes.

Result: excellent.

Blackout curtains

Another test with fabric density, dryness and volume. The iron handled everything calmly at medium temperature with little steam and splashing. The color of the curtains was not affected.

Result: excellent.

Jacket fabric and vertical steaming

A special test, the result of which we were not sure. As part of the experiment, the manufacturer's recommendations were not followed, resulting in large water stains that quickly dried up. As a result, the iron honestly fulfilled what the manufacturer promised. Another question is whether it was more convenient to perform the cleaning task with a steamer.

Result: good.

Restoration of a jacket made of waterproof nylon

Consider this test a bonus: after washing, the specialized fabric shrank, and we decided to see if the situation could be corrected with an iron. The result exceeded expectations: low temperature conditions, dry ironing.

The Silanga ST300 Ultra steam iron not only has an attractive and stylish design, but also successfully copes with all the tasks. Users of all ages were satisfied with its performance without identifying any shortcomings. The pleasant process of working with the iron was also emphasized by a large reservoir, which allowed testing for more than half an hour without the need to add water. Overall a very user friendly experience!

Pros:

• 450 ml water tank
• solid appearance
• excellent ironing and steaming results
• ease of use and maintenance
• fast heating and cooling

Minuses:

• not detected