Panasonic NI-L70SR Cordless Review

The Panasonic NI-L70SR Cordless proves itself a portable option that's best used for detailing, though its specificity comes with a pretty high price tag.

Performance Comparison

Ironing Performance

When you first pull this iron off its cradle and press it onto the fabric, it's excellent. You can hear the steam hissing as it efficiently smooths your linens, and for the first 30-45 seconds, it works like a dream. After that, the steam automatically shuts off, and the soleplate cools rapidly. We experienced this repeatedly with all different kinds of fabric we tested this iron on. Oddly, the openings for steam to escape only extend about 3/4 of the way down the soleplate, leaving a large swath of the bottom of the iron without any to help.

Steam Output

When the NI-L07SR Cordless puts out steam, it churns out quite a lot for effective ironing. However, it has a built-in timer that can't be switched off, which cuts off the steam after 30-45 seconds. The steam output is excellent for that fraction of a minute, but with no way to stop it from cutting out, it's hard to rely on this model's steam power.

Heating

Impressively for a cordless model, the Panasonic NI-L07SR gets quite hot — well above the average temperature for our lineup, at roughly 344°F. Like many, it has a temperature disparity between different areas on the soleplate. The nose gets nice and hot, hitting about 351°F. However, because it's not plugged into anything, it cools down quickly as well, giving you a small window to take advantage of its full power.

Detailing

Based on how easily the Panasonic NI-L07SR slides around on the fabric, you might expect it to be smaller or weigh less than it does. But it's a solidly mid-sized iron that easily flows across garments. The hot nose and short-but-powerful steam window add even more to the excellent detailing that can be achieved. Detailing seems to be what this iron was designed for. Every time we needed to readjust our shirts and materials to get a better angle for minute touch-ups, we replaced the NI-L07SR Cordless on its base, ensuring it was always hot and steamy when we reached for it next.

Ease of Use

The cord to heat the base is just over 6 feet long and retracts into the bottom when not in use. The whole thing has a cover that makes for a very convenient and portable package, even while the iron is still hot. The indicator light blinks while it's heating up, becoming solid when ready for use. However, after you've been using this iron for a while and it's cooled down, it doesn't go back to blinking, despite needing to heat up more to work effectively. The NI-L07SR Cordless is advertised as having “easy filling” because it has a removable tank. Without a cord to hold us back, this feature didn't really make much of a difference to us. It's a smaller-than-average tank, meaning more refilling time, though the smallish opening works well even when filling at a higher flow rate. The spray feature works well and often comes in handy.

Should You Buy the Panasonic NI-L07SR Cordless?

This iron is a good option for folks who desire portability and only need to do detailed ironing. We could imagine a wedding planner loving this little iron for quick last-minute touch-ups on the fly. For most people, however, this singular ability for detailing at the expense of being able to handle even medium-sized tasks probably isn't worth the trade-off. It's also not a cheap option.

What Other Irons Should You Consider?

If you're gung-ho on doing some detailing but want an iron that's a bit better-rounded, the Rowenta Focus Excel DW5280 is a corded option that we love for getting into those small corners. The Black+Decker D3030 Allure is another great iron that's exceptionally maneuverable, with above-average scores in our testing. But if you're sold on the cordless lifestyle and only need to press garments in 30-second intervals, the novelty of the Panasonic Cordless may be for you.