Hamilton Beach Durathon 19803 Review

The Hamilton Beach Durathon 19803 is a well rounded iron at a reasonable price. It particularly impressed us with its steam output, although it could have stronger heating and detailing.

Performance Comparison

Ironing Performance

We thoroughly tested each of our top-rated irons' abilities to remove stubborn wrinkles from various fabrics, including cotton, linen, silk, and polyester. This ironing performance test metric accounts for 40 percent of each model's overall score due to its massive importance. The Hamilton Beach Durathon 19803 performed well in these tests and earned a score that was well above the average for the test group.

The Hamilton Beach Durathon 19803 did a nearly perfect job of removing wrinkles from cotton, requiring one to two passes to remove all wrinkles and only occasionally required steam bursts for assistance. It also did a great job on linen, and our team was able to remove most wrinkles in two passes but required a third pass or a burst of steam to remove the most stubborn ones.

Silk proved to be a little more challenging for the Hamilton Beach Durathon 19803 than cotton and linen. It required a few passes with steam bursts for the most deeply set wrinkles. Although it required more effort to remove wrinkles, the iron did a nice job of gliding over the material and, with just a little elbow grease, was up to the task.

When we tested the iron's abilities to handle polyester, we were a little let down. This model does not have a polyester setting and leaves it up to the user to determine the best settings for the material. In our testing, we had to crank heat settings and use a lot of steam bursts to remove stubborn wrinkles, although this isn't always the best approach for polyester. Despite our test team's best efforts, a few persistent wrinkles remained; while they were quite faint, we could not remove them.

So, if you don't typically iron polyester, you'll be able to expect strong wrinkle-removing performance from this model on just about every other fabric with relative efficiency and ease, and for the most stubborn wrinkles where a steam burst is a particularly useful tool, the Hamilton Beach Durathon 19803 has you covered.

Steam Output

Our test team measured the steam output of each iron over five minutes in our second test metric and weighted the results to 25 percent of the overall score of each model. The Hamilton Beach Durathon 19803 outperformed all other models with a strong and consistent steam burst and a high level of steam output overall.

Steam does a specific and effective job of loosening fibers of fabrics so that the fabric becomes more pliable and wrinkles can be more easily removed. While with some fabrics, like polyester, too much steam can actually cause damage. Earning a perfect score for steam output and quality, the Hamilton Beach Durathon 19803 is more than up to the task of ridding the most stubborn wrinkles and creases on fabrics that benefit from ample amounts of steam.

Heating

The Hamilton Beach Durathon 19803 offers a somewhat average heating performance when compared to the rest of the test group.

Firstly, this model doesn't get as hot as the hottest models in our testing, but just as importantly, the heat distribution proved to be a little uneven across the sole plate. Of the five thermocouple locations used to record temperature data, we saw nearly 60-degree differences between the top of the sole plate and the much hotter bottom of the sole plate and similar 45-degree extremes from the middle right of the sole plate to the bottom.

While the Hamilton Beach Durathon 19803 is still a very capable iron, we would have liked to see higher peak temperatures with a more evenly distributed heat.

Detailing

Detailing was another area where the Hamilton Beach Durathon 19803 didn't perform quite as strongly as the top models we tested.

This model lacks an accentuated nose that is seen on other better detailing irons for getting in the hard-to-reach places of your clothing. At 3.4 pounds it is also a little bit heftier than other irons. With its large size and weight, it can feel a bit clunky moving around garments. A rubberized handle with a grippy texture aids in maneuvering the iron, but a lack of agility combined with size makes it difficult to reach tight nooks and crannies.

Ease of Use

Testing for this metric focuses on the following elements: cord length and design, general handling, and simplicity of filling. The Hamilton Beach Durathon 19803 performed above average in this metric overall.

This iron offers an 8.1-foot cord, giving you plenty of room to work, and the sole plate design and materials freely guide over most materials. The fill hole is a little smaller at half an inch, and the fill line could be a bit easier to see. An indicator light on the handle turns on when the iron is on, and the dial for settings is located underneath the handle and is clearly labeled. Another notable feature of the Hamilton Beach Durathon 19803 is that its cord is retractable and can be fully stored within a compartment in the iron, adding convenience and easier storage.

Should You Buy the Hamilton Beach Durathon 19803?

If you have stubborn wrinkles in fabrics and garments that only lots of steam and serious ironing can work out, then the Hamilton Beach Durathon 19803 is a top choice. It also offers strong ironing performance across different types of fabrics, is easy to use, and is capable of decent detailing work, with average heating abilities. This model is also quite affordable. However, for the same price, you could sacrifice a tiny bit of steam performance for a more well-rounded pick from our lineup.

What Other Irons Should You Consider?

The PurSteam Scratch Resistant 1700W offers the best balance of performance across all of our test metrics, including ease of use, at nearly the same price as the Hamilton Beach Durathon 19803. Although it isn't quite as strong at producing steam, it is still very capable, and the difference would probably be negligible if not for our thorough and scientific testing. Other models also stood out for their strong performances in specific metrics. If you value maneuverability above all else, then the Black+Decker D3030 Allure might be worth considering. Or if you need an iron that is easy to use and operate, you won't be disappointed with the CHI Steam Titanium.