Panasonic Cordless Advanced Ceramic Review

Performance Comparison

Ironing Performance

To thoroughly gauge the iron's effectiveness, we conduct comprehensive tests on a variety of fabrics, including cotton, linen, silk/satin, and polyester. We adhere to the recommended temperature settings for each fabric type as specified on the iron's controls. Given that the Panasonic Cordless Advanced Ceramic is a less traditional iron, we were a bit skeptical about how it might do here, but we were pleasantly surprised with its performance across most fabric types.

In our test on cotton, where high heat is mandatory, the Panasonic Cordless Advanced Ceramic heated up swiftly from the charging station, and we went straight to work removing wrinkles. We observed a slight decrease in heat during prolonged use, suggesting potential issues for extended ironing sessions without intermittent docking to reheat the soleplate. Nevertheless, this iron effortlessly handled stubborn wrinkles, quickly removing an impressive 98% of them on cotton. Results on linen fabric were similarly impressive, but we did have to make a few extra passes mainly because the ironing bed on this unit is much smaller than others.

As with most other irons, silk and satin fabrics were tricky, but the Panasonic Cordless Advanced Ceramic did respectably well on them. However, it still took additional passes due to its smaller size compared to more traditional irons. Using steam significantly improved the efficiency of silk and satin, as it did throughout our testing with all of the irons. This iron performed similarly to silk on polyester, smoothing out 95% of all wrinkles in around a dozen passes, which is better than some other irons could muster.

Steam Output

To assess the steam performance of the irons, we filled each iron's water reservoir to its maximum capacity and recorded the weight. Following this, we preheated the iron until it reached its peak temperature setting, over three minutes, before proceeding to iron for another two minutes with the steam function engaged. After the preheating and steam ironing session, we reweighed the iron to measure the quantity of water converted into steam. It's important to note that we exclusively used the standard steam mode throughout this evaluation, opting out of any concentrated steam burst and water spray features. The Panasonic Cordless Advanced Ceramic was not a strong performer here.

When filled to maximum water capacity, this iron weighed 1116.4 grams. After the three-minute warm-up period and two minutes of ironing, it weighed 1087.6, producing nearly 29 grams of steam during the test. That is substantially lower than the average output for the other irons we reviewed.

Heating

To evaluate the heat output, we adjusted the iron's heating element to its maximum setting and allowed it to reach peak temperature over five minutes. Subsequently, we measured temperature using four probes strategically positioned across various locations on the iron's soleplate, with the iron seated on its dock. The probes were placed on the top, bottom, middle left, and middle right. This is where the Panasonic Cordless Advanced Ceramic differs a lot from other irons due to its cordless nature and the requirement for it to dock with its platform to heat up.

For this test, we put the probes on the iron and then put the iron on the heating base to get temperature readings while it was charging. The Freestyle's sole plate average temperature was 337 degrees Fahrenheit and was the hottest at the middle left probe, at 380.9 degrees, and coolest on the mid right at 376.4 degrees. This was a good showing, but remember that this iron cools down rapidly when it is away from its base. It's part of the tradeoff for cordless maneuverability.

Detailing

This metric assesses the iron's capabilities in handling delicate tasks, including maneuvering around buttons with precision, shaping specific features such as pleats, and overall ease of maneuverability across the ironing board. In addition to evaluating performance, factors such as weight distribution and handle ergonomics were carefully considered to provide a thorough analysis. We found in our testing that the Panasonic Cordless Advanced Ceramic excels at detailing.

It has a thin soleplate that easily slides under buttons, and its compact size and lightweight design with a taper at both ends make it effortless to move around on the fabric to follow straight seams, pleats, and corner seams. At a mere 2.1 pounds, this is one of the lighter irons in our review, contributing to its superb handling. We found the handle material to be on the slippery side of the spectrum, with its smooth plastic design, but we did appreciate that the buttons on this iron are raised up high to help prevent accidental presses.

Ease of Use

The ease of use metric encompasses a range of factors pertaining to the iron's functionality, including the efficiency of the water spray mechanism, the user-friendliness of the water refilling process, the design of the cord for optimal maneuverability, and the effectiveness of any temperature indicators, if present. The Panasonic Cordless Advanced Ceramic did well here with some caveats.

First, this is a cordless iron, so it offers a highly maneuverable, tether-free experience that corded irons cannot match. On the flip side, the Panasonic Cordless Advanced Ceramic has to dock with its charger to reheat the soleplate frequently, so what's gained in maneuverability is lost in efficiency. We also liked that the cord on the dock retracts into the base and that there is an included lid to store it all together in a tidy package.

The opening for refilling the water reservoir is just under an inch in diameter, and the tank can detach from the iron, simplifying the filling process as it can fit easily under most faucets. While the maximum water line is clearly marked, it's only labeled on one side. It's important to consider that this iron has a relatively small water capacity, so frequent refills may be necessary compared to other models. However, the tank should provide sufficient water for ironing a few pieces at a time.

The Panasonic features small indicator lights on the handle, making it easy to differentiate between low, medium, and high settings. A temperature indicator light flashes red before turning solid to indicate that the iron is heated and ready. Though not as bright as some models, the light is clear enough and conveniently located on the handle. We observed one issue during prolonged use: the indicator light failed to revert to its initial blinking state when the temperature was too low for effective ironing. A quick power cycle resolved this issue.

Should You Buy the Panasonic Cordless Advanced Ceramic?

This may be the iron for you if you're in the market for a lightweight ironing tool with ultimate tether-free maneuverability. We found the Panasonic Cordless Advanced Ceramic extremely well suited to small jobs, but it may not be the best thing for ironing sheets or other large pieces of fabric due to its need to dock to transfer heat to the soleplate frequently. Having to reseat to iron on its dock for reheating may be a bridge too far for some, but we found it manageable for the most part and a worthy tool for the right situations, as long as you don't mind spending the extra money for it.

What Other Irons Should You Consider?