Black+Decker Professional IR1350S-T Review

The Black+Decker Pro Steam IR1350S-T offers good overall performance, but rather average steam output and extremely uneven heating keep this model from being exceptional.

Performance Comparison

Ironing Performance

The Black+Decker Pro Steam IR1350S-T is a real workhorse across a wide range of fabrics and earned top marks in our most heavily weighted test metric. It rarely required much elbow grease or more than two to three passes over cotton, linen, and polyester to remove deep wrinkles. A smooth glide of the sole plate never got hung up on fabrics, nor did it accidentally create additional wrinkles. Its only real challenge was silk, where some minor wrinkles persisted until a gentle, although not recommended for the fabric, steam bursts helped get them out.

Steam Output

Our steam output metric measured each model's steam output while ironing for five minutes with the max steam settings and is worth 25 percent of each iron's final score.

In our testing, the Black+Decker Pro Steam IR1350S-T proved that a more appropriate name would be the Black+Decker Average Steam. It offered fairly lackluster results, producing about half the amount of steam of top models, and left some undesirable water droplet spots on garments at the start of the testing.

Heating

In our heating tests, the Black+Decker Pro Steam IR1350S-T averaged 329 degrees Fahrenheit across all five individual sole plate measurements, which is above average, but that doesn't tell the whole story. Different zones of the sole plate produced drastically different levels of heat. The middle left section of the sole plate measured 420.1 degrees Fahrenheit, while the middle right section of the sole plate only measured 263.3 degrees Fahrenheit.

While it proved it has the power needed to reach some hot temps, the heat spread proved to be extremely uneven and therefore scored lower than top models that had a more even distribution of heat across the sole plate.

Detailing

The Black+Decker Pro Steam IR1350S-T is pretty close to being one of the lightest models we tested, weighing in at a light 2.1 pounds. Its lighter weight, combined with the accentuated nose, allows it to move around quite nicely. The rubber handle helps keep a secure grip and felt nice in our hands. The buttons on the top of the handle are out of the way, and pushing it around feels very natural. It is easily one of the nicer models to handle and a great choice for detailing work.

Ease of Use

The Black+Decker Pro Steam IR1350S-T proved to be only slightly above average when it came down to ease of use. Its long nine-foot cord provides plenty of working room for an outfit and still wraps around the iron for storage. The half-inch fill hole could be improved if it were bigger. It has a lid that flips up but does not flip to a full 90 degrees, making it easy to accidentally splash water outside of the fill hole.

The settings dial is located under the handle and is easy to read and access, but it is numbered from one to six, and there is no key to describe what any of the levels indicate. The iron also doesn't indicate once it has reached the desired heat setting. As far as safety is concerned, this model will turn off after 30 seconds if it is not moved when it's on the soleplate. While above average in this metric, this model could use some improvements.

Should You Buy the Black+Decker Pro Steam IR1350S-T?

While the Black+Decker Pro Steam IR1350S-T is a solid choice for those who are extremely detail-oriented and expect good performance at a reasonable price, it is not the best model overall. For better overall performance, you'll need to look at some of the other models we tested.

What Other Irons Should You Consider?

The PurSteam Scratch Resistant 1700W was the best model our team tested, offering strong performances across every one of our test metrics. Not only is it our strongest recommendation for performance and features, but it is also modestly priced, making it an incredible value that fits into almost any budget.

A couple of models also stood out with strong performances within specific test metrics, like steam output heating performance and detailing. If your frequently ironed fabrics demand ample steam, check out the Hamilton Beach Durathon 19803 for its robust steam output. Additionally, if you need higher and consistent heating performance for the garments you iron, the Rowenta DW2459 Access deserves your attention. Lastly, if ease of use tops your list of requirements in an iron, think about the incredibly user-friendly CHI Steam Titanium.