Er – irons have moved on a bit since 1998, haven’t they? I say 1998 because that was – honestly – the last time I picked up an iron. I must have been ironing something for my after-uni office job that I used to do. More on that another time. Anyway, since 1998 I have avoided buying anything that looks bad when creased. If I had to buy something that could potentially have creased, I made sure it was dry-cleanable. And if it wasn’t dry-cleanable, I made sure that whenever it got creased, I hung it off the top of the shower door and left the shower running to get the creases out. TERRIBLE I KNOW!

Ironing-avoidance tactics no more, though – this Philips PerfectCare gadgetry is absolutely amazing! It could barely be described as an iron. I mean, it’s shaped like an iron, but it’s actually a ferocious steam-breathing machine. The unit beneath the iron heats water up and then shoots steam down the hose that’s attached to the iron and then there you have it – a steamer! I ironed two shirts in under a minute just by jetting steam at them where they hung from the bannister. If ever a household appliance was made for me, it’s this one.

You can use it as a conventional steam iron – be prepared for just how steamy it is – but I love the fact that you can steam vertically too. That precious silk negligee (?!), that wedding dress you want to put on eBay, those curtains that are going to be a total nightmare to iron over an ironing board…just hang ’em up and get steaming! It’s perfect for fragile items that you don’t want to manhandle but also tackles the nitty-gritty too. I tested it out on some deep-seated jean creases and it was effortless. Sorry to get so overexcited about this, but it has been over twelve years and I feel rather like a Victorian who has just stepped out of a time capsule. Does anyone else own one of these? Please do share in my excitement using the comments form below!

Oh yes – a very important feature on my new iron – it’s one temperature suits all! That’s right – there are no hieroglyphics for ‘synthetics’ and ‘wools’ and ‘cottons’ – there’s just the one setting and it’s suitable for everything! I’m wondering – and tell me if this is a step too far – whether Philips could tweak the next generation of PerfectCare so that the water tank made you a nice cup of tea as you ironed? Surely that’s possible?

If you’re getting married any time soon, you’ll want this on your gift list. I don’t say that often about household items. Forget the bread-maker, the ice-cream churner and the pasta-roller – this, the steamer, the PerfectCare, is where it’s at. If you’re a stylist or just have a huge wardrobe, this seam machine will save you years worth of ironing!

Right, I’m off to iron all of my sheets and pillowcases, and even – maybe – some of my pants!