Philips Steam Iron GC1905/21, 1300-watt, non-stick soleplate, Steam Rate of up to 17g/min

5.0 out of 5 stars Quality Iron for power users with effective spray & steam function | Review | Guide | Tips
I got this one on-demand from mother. For a few days, she was insisting on buying one iron for daily chores. I was already researching iron for one of my friends. So this search did not last long. 😀

Even earlier, Philips was the only name that came to my mind due to its consistency & product quality. I also had Bajaj, Usha, Morphy in the list. But trust in Philips did not let me go for any other brand.

I got this Iron well in one piece and without any scratches on the soleplate.

•••••••••••••••
INSIDE BOX
•••••••••••••••

→Steam Iron inside a poly pack
→Instruction leaflet/Warranty card

•••••••••
ABOUT
•••••••••

Wattage: 1440 watt
Weight: ~1 kg
Water Capacity: 180 ml
Cord length: 1.8 meter
Indicator: on/off (based on temperature setting)
Max Water level marking
Warranty: 2 years

•••••••
PROS
•••••••

1. Good quality iron with effective ironing & steaming.
2. Body is solid with good finish overall at this range.
3. Linished- Teflon coated soleplate for easy gliding on all fabrics. Gliding is somewhat limited in steam mode due to moisture.
4. Sufficiently long cable with swivel joint at iron for easy movement and usage.
5. Capacity of the water tank is sufficient for average steaming operation (30 min or more in one fill).
6. Spray function is well designed, it evenly sprays water and not just throws a fine jet of water.
7. The spray function produces a fine mist that evenly moistens the fabric, making it easier to iron out tough creases.
8. Wattage (1440w) is sufficient enough for home usage and can easily cover tough wrinkles and heavy clothes.
9. Easy and fast filling of the tank owing to the huge filling hole.
10. Easy and complete emptying of the water tank owing to the large hole, and the sideways opening door.
11. Weight on the ok side, not a lightweight but not even heavyweight. Some weight is useful as it helps ironing by applying pressure on the cloth. (Empty iron is lightweight only.)

••••••••
CONS
••••••••

1. Steam control knob looks loose at first, but it works well in the long run.
2. Water movement during iron creates jerks and affects smooth operation. But that’s the way it will work & you can’t do anything.
3. For regular lightweight iron users, it will appear bulky at first. But you get used to it in a few days.
4. No steam burst function in this model GC1905 but you get what you pay for.

▶ Cons are temporary and don’t affect functionality in the long run. So a ★★★★★ device.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••
BUTTONS & KNOBS
•••••••••••••••••••••••••

Spray Button
→ push to spray

Steam Knob
→ Off: no steam
→ Low: less steam
→ High: high steam
→ Calc clean mode: calcium deposit cleaning (more below)

Temperature Dial
→ Rotate to set temperature cutoff for different fabric types (Linen, Cotton, Woolen, Silk, etc)

••••••••••••••••••
USAGE GUIDE
••••••••••••••••••

1. Keep knob & dial in off position.
2. Fill the tank to the max level if planning to use steam function.
3. Connect to mains.
4. Set the temperature control knob to the required position.
5. Let it warm up until the indicator goes off.
6. Now operate steam knob to low or high steam.
7. Enjoy ironing or steaming without interruption till water lasts.
8. Use water spray function as required.

•••••••••••••••
USAGE TIPS
•••••••••••••••

1. Use RO filtered water if possible as it’s low in hardness and will ensure the longevity of iron without choking the vents or orifices.
2. let the iron heat properly before use. Leakage has been observed if one uses the Iron without heating properly as water will directly pass from vents without getting converted to steam.
3. Gently clean soleplate and don’t use any hard material or chemicals.
4. Emptying water tank every time after usage is recommended to avoid scaling problem. As calcium deposits are more in standing water.
5. Untangle & straighten the cord once after every use before storage. As these cords tend to develop sharp irrecoverable turns over time and those are hot zones for cable failure.
6. When not using steam function keep the steam knob in off position.
7. Use calc clean mode once in 2 weeks if using normal tap water with medium hardness. If water is very hard, increase the frequency or if using RO water decrease frequency.
8. Once in a few months clean steam control needle using vinegar. To remove the needle, rotate the knob to calc clean mode and gently pull it out.
9. Last but most important, use a properly earthed wall socket for iron to avoid shocks.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
CALC CLEANING MODE
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

This iron has a calc cleaning mode to descale it. To do so follow the steps below:

1. Keep knob in the steam off position.
2. Fill tank to max level.
3. Rotate temperature dial to max position and wait for the indicator to go off.
4. Take out socket from mains and move iron to sink.
5. Turn the steam knob to calc clean position and pull it up a few cms.
6. Let all water be used up.
7. Steam and hot water come out along with calcium deposits.

▶ The principle behind this function is a sudden change in temperatures of inside zone, which leads to contraction & expansion resulting in scaling shredding and flush out.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
CLARIFICATION: DAMAGE TO BODY OR PLATE & OTHER ISSUES (concerns raised by other users)
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Several users posted about the damaged product or soleplate on arrival and other usage issues. Let me put my insights into those.

→ I had no issue with the quality of the product delivered. It arrived in proper condition without any damage anywhere, as proper care was taken for this using air cushions. Maybe their seller was careless enough and that resulted in damage during transit.
→ Soleplate had no marks on it. Yes, here Philips can provide a protective sticker or film on the plate which will reduce the ratio of complaints, for the damaged sole plate on arrival.
→ Temperature dial works properly and markings are intact after months of usage.
→ Slight difference in color tone maybe there across different zones, as different materials are used as per requirement. Say hot zone near plate vs cold zone at back.
→ Leakage will be there if the steam knob is in steam position and iron is not sufficiently hot to convert incoming water. So it’s passed directly, & appears as leakage. Philips has explicitly mentioned this in product details.

▶ Remember to order it from a reputed seller. Check seller ratings, reviews and amazon verified tag to avoid any issues, like the faulty product, duplicate product, etc.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
DON’T GET CONFUSED (There’s No Steam Burst Mode Here)
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

1. Some of the photos displayed are with steam burst function symbol on the button & even some users have mentioned this in their reviews, but it is not present in this model. Models with the said function have two buttons (for spray & burst) instead of one here (for spray only).
2. Also, steam output at one place is 13g/min, another place 17g/min. Its actually 17g/min.

•••••••••••••••••••
FINAL VERDICT
•••••••••••••••••••

▶ If you are looking for good quality, durable steaming iron in the 1.5k range, Philips is the name you should seek for. This model of Philips has got good build quality & features which are more than enough for an average home user. So at any point, you can go for this model.

▶ If on a lower budget (<1k range) you can go for Philips GC1011 1200w or Bajaj MX 3 1250w but both are low power and Philips one misses steam spray function too. But still, both will cover most of the usage pattern of a home user.

▶ Heavy users may go for Philips EasySpeed Plus GC2040 2100w or Black+Decker BD BXIR2001IN 2000w or Morphy Richards Super Glide 2000w in 2k range.

••••••••
NOTE
••••••••
→ Unlike regular lightweight irons, steam irons generally don’t go easy with repairs.
→ Unlike regular iron, If the coil is damaged in the steam iron whole of the bottom plate needs to be replaced & if you are out of warranty it will cost you a lot. In fact, for the cost of the plate plus a few bucks, you get a new iron.
→ So, check your requirement for regular vs steam iron & choose wisely.

5.0 out of 5 stars Fine & useful item. Value for money
I purchased the Philips GC1905 1440-Watt Steam Iron with Spray in 2022 and have found it to be a reliable addition to my household chores. The blue design is aesthetically pleasing, easily fitting into the look of my laundry area.The 1440-Watt power heats the iron quickly, efficiently dealing with wrinkles and creases on a range of fabric types. The steam feature is a standout, offering a steady and strong steam output that significantly eases the ironing process, especially on stubborn wrinkles.The spray function also adds to the iron’s effectiveness, helping to dampen dry clothes for easier ironing. I’ve found this particularly useful for linen and cotton shirts, which tend to be more challenging.One of the aspects I appreciate is the ease of filling the water tank, coupled with the clear marking, making it simple to see the water level. This design consideration saves time and avoids the hassle of overfilling.The iron’s durability has been impressive, showing no signs of wear or performance issues since I bought it. The soleplate glides smoothly over fabrics, and the adjustable temperature control allows for precise ironing across different materials.Overall, the Philips GC1905 Steam Iron has been a solid, dependable tool in my home, making the task of ironing less cumbersome and more efficient.

4.0 out of 5 stars Very good product but
Very useful and good product but not all steam features work smoothly.

3.0 out of 5 stars Poor packing
The product was good but the packing was really poor

4.0 out of 5 stars Very nice
Yes