BLACK+DECKER Digital Advantage Professional Steam Iron, D2530

I've had a few bad iron relationships and was ready to break-up with the current one that enjoyed throwing up on everything, leaving water stains that required washing before wearing. It's been so long since I had an iron I really liked that I began to think it was me, not them. I did a bit of research in the Amazon reviews and was all ready to buy an expensive iron by another manufacturerer that was twice the price until I saw recent reviews that indicated a product decline that came after they moved their manufacturing to another country. I decided to try this iron based on the many favorable reviews - thanks to all who contribute - and it being listed as their #1 Best Selling Iron. When I saw how well the iron was packaged, I had a good feeling about it. I don't think I've ever had an iron that was wrapped in tissue and the plate had cardboard attached to protect it. There were also cardboard inserts that prevented the iron from moving - simply awesome protective packaging. Then I encountered something amazing - an instruction manual! The last few appliances we received had none, so this was absolutely impressive. The iron has the largest water reservoir of any I've seen and I was able to iron several man's shirts with the steam setting in the mid-range without using half the water. It even comes with a little container with a small spout for filling the reservoir. The iron has multiple steam settings and is effective even at the lowest steam setting - and the higher settings produce such plentiful steam that you can almost give yourself a facial (OK, so I exaggerate, but only a bit). While the weight of the iron is a bit more than my past few irons, I quickly adjusted and the glide of the iron across clothing was so smooth it actually required less effort than the lighter weight. The iron has a digital display and you press a little button to increase the temperature settings. At each setting, the display shows the numerical setting and the type of fabric it is appropriate for. To turn the iron off, you hold the button in for a few seconds until the display darkens, indicating it is shut off. I love this iron and am almost tempted to buy another to have a spare for the day when this has met it's shelf life. At half the price of the one I was contemplating, it's a real bargain and I don't think you'll be disappointed by the ease of ironing you'll find with this iron.

Update: Two years later, and this iron is still awesome. I still use it nearly weekly, and it hasn't failed me. Original review: This is a great iron, way better than I was expecting for $40. It has some heft to it, which I like as I find it makes it easier to iron. Don't get me wrong, it's not heavy, it's just not a light crappy plastic piece of trash. It genuinely gets really hot on the higher settings, and puts out lots of steam, making it possible to iron jeans, and obstinately wrinkly heavy cotton shirts with ease. I really can't say anything bad about this iron. Also, the controls are easy to understand and use. I picked this iron by sorting my search results by customer review, and then picking one that seemed like good value for the money. I was tempted to get one of the fancy Rowentas, but after reading reviews decided to give this one a shot. It has totally exceeded my expectations. My ironing experience has been what I would have expected from the Rowenta, but for half the money or even less (and some of the Rowenta reviews aren't so hot, which gave me pause). Anyways, in case it's not clear: buy without reservation. The only caveat is I've only been using it a few weeks, I'll update if anything goes wrong.

This iron is really amazing. It heats up quickly, glides over the fabric, and puts out so much steam it isn't funny. Setting up the iron to the appropriate temperature is simple. There is a wide range of fabric choices and you just press the button until you reach the appropriate number. Unfortunately you can't go back up, so if you are trying to stop at 6 (cotton) and end up on 7 you have to scroll all the way back through. Maybe when they upgrade the iron they will fix that, but it doesn't detract from ease of use. The cord is long enough to easily reach nearby outlets and still have room to maneuver around the entire board, but not so long that it is easily tangled. Probably isn't a good idea to iron when your outlet is across the room anyway, so this isn't really a negative to me. The water reservoir is easy to fill and quite large. This is good because this thing puts out a LOT of steam, so you need that extra water volume. The opening where you fill the water snaps closed, and doesn't leak even if you overfill the reservoir a bit (oops). Ironing itself is a breeze. The iron really glides over the fabric with minimal effort on my part. My old iron had a teflon covered soleplate that was supposed to glide, but no... after trying this one I realized my old iron was crap. The steam... oh man. When you turn the dial up you can see steam coming from the upright iron even if you don't press the steam release button. If you do press that button there is an audible release of steam that takes out even the most stubborn creases. There are a few negatives/things to keep in mind. First it is a little bulkier than my old iron. This is probably due to the much larger water reservoir and digital components. Not a big deal, but if you really want a compact iron this isn't it. Second, if you have hard water (like me) you will need to regularly clean this iron so you don't get white spots from the calcium. This isn't difficult to do, but if you use a lot of steam you will need to do this a lot.

I've been through 2 high end Rowenta irons in 2-1/2 years. After my last one kicked the bucket, I decided to abandon the brand for something different. After spending nearly $200 on the last iron, I figured there must be a better use of the same money, so I turned to Consumer Reports. To my surprise, a Black & Decker out performed every brand tested (including one of the three Rowenta models I had). It rated #1 in 11/06, and remains there in their most recent recommendations. But $50? It couldn't possibly be better. The test was a totally wrinkled 100% linen shirt. It was the first thing I ironed with my new purchase, and the creases melted under the B&D. I couldn't believe it. While it lacks the visual luster, appearance and appeal of expensive irons, it also lacks the weight. The water reservoir holds 12 ounces, which makes sense since a steam iron needs water to deliver - a smaller tank means more frequent filling. Even filled to capacity, it is still lighter than my other irons half full. The digital display makes this iron full proof. Whether coming out of auto-shut off, or from being freshly plugged in, it heats up quickly, and holds it's temperature. The cord is longer than any iron I've owned, which is a huge bonus for me. The manufacturer recommends distilled water for regular use, and a tank of "regular" (not softened) tap water once a month. You should follow the recommendation - composition variances of water hardness can affect performance and longevity of any steam producing appliance. (Ever wonder why an iron leaks, spits out hard white bits and/or "dirty" water, and stops steaming consistently after a while?) Distilled water in this iron has performed amazingly well, producing excellent, consistent levels of steam. One negative for me is where the steam dial is located. It is under the handle and I find that as I am ironing, I move it easily. There is no "clicking" sound, so I don't know I've moved it until I realize there's diminished steam, no steam, or too much steam. If you are used to the dial being on the top of the iron, you may have this issue, too. But, as I use it more and more, I am adjusting to the different design, and it is becoming less of a problem. Aside from regular ironing, I sew and quilt as well. The true test will come in time - I don't know how long it will last! I've read other reviews, and it seems this will hold up to the time test. For now, I am pleased with this iron. The price is worthy of a shot, and if I "wear it out", I can get three more for the price I paid for my old one.

I recently purchased this iron and I needed it to kill bed bugs on my clothing.For almost 5 1/2 years I have had bed bugs and for 5 1/2 years I notice they like to crawl on my body during the day when I am wearing my levis and work shirt walking around.So I finally figured a way to do something about it.I could have washed my clothes everyday that would have gotten rid of the problem.I wash my linen and clothes every week.So I decided to try ironing my clothes just my underwear and levis pants.Since the bed bugs are moving around inside the pants and sometimes in the pockets.I take one pant leg and pull one inner pant leg out do the top side then the bottom side of it then the seam and then after I have done one side I iron the ironing board in case any moved from the other side.Then I put one pant leg back in .Then pull out the other inner pant leg once I am done with both topside and bottom.I put it back and do the outside of the pant leg and then the other side of the outer pant leg.Then the pockets last.I always go over the pant leg with the iron until it is warm or hot so you have enough heat to kill the bed bugs.The steam runs out fairly quick by the end of the second inner pant leg your steam should be out.You can check by pushing the top spray button if no steam comes out refill the steam with the filled cup that comes with the iron.By the time I have done ironing the pants I have filled the steam up twice and when I try to dump the excess water in the iron nothing comes out. Put it on the highest setting that is the linen setting and put it on the highest steam setting. You need steam to kill bed bugs the heat to kill bed bugs must be transferred through the iron through the steam.You also need to put it on a high setting to kill bed bugs like linen or cotton.I only do my pants not my shirt because that is the only place that usually itches where I get rashes from bed bug biting me in the thighs.My shirt I do not usually itch.Bed bugs like to go crawl in the pants area.This iron is doing a good job killing bed bugs in my clothing.I like the digital display where it tells you what fabric temperature you are at.I also like the feel and handling it is well built to last a long time.I open the water fill with the tip of a flat head screwdriver so I do not break it.This is a good iron.Let me tell you how to get rid of bed bugs in your body it is real easy.Get a high pressured hand held shower head with a long metal hose where you can actually put the shower head on the part of the body where you want to get rid of the bed bug and that is it. YOO.MEE makes a high pressured hand held shower head with 3 different settings that are high pressured and will get the job of getting bed bugs off your body and do it well. You do not even have to use the half dish soap half water solution I suggested.Regular shower heads are not made to get rid of bed bugs on your body because they are to high up and can not move so you cannot put pressure on the part of the body where bed bugs are and you use a lot more water trying to get rid of the bed bug because of this reason and you must have to use the half dish soap and half water solution and have to scrub for at least 15 minutes or twenty minutes with the solution in your hair.

I have just received and used for one day the Black & Decker D2030 Digital Advantage Iron. I would describe myself as an iron aficionado. I love to iron (really -- even sheets) and am very picky about the tools for doing it right. I have owned many irons, from the very expensive to the least. At $39.99, this one is as good as or better than the pricey ones and a great value. So far, I only have good things to say about this iron: Design: (1) The steam setting is away from your hands so that you can't accidentally shut the steam off while you are ironing. (2) Temperature setting button is easy to use and access, digital reading is bright and large enough to see without strain in any lighting (3) Spray and steam burst buttons are easily accessed with the thumb while ironing and do not require excessive pressure (4) This iron fills while standing upright. Big plus! (5) The aesthetics are nice, too. It looks clean and modern and feels substantial. Function: (1) Heats and produces steam quickly. Best to start with full reservoir. (2) The temperature settings mean what they say. Some irons don't really get hot enough at the lower settings. With most irons, I find myself using the Cotton setting for most things, and the Linen setting for heavy cottons. This one is plenty hot at the Blend setting for most clothing and certainly hot enough for cottons at the cotton setting. (3) Produces steam well. No spitting or leaking. (Caveat: In my experience,any iron will leak after about two years. This is Day One.) (4) Heft. The iron is heavy enough to make ironing go faster and neater without being too heavy for me to use comfortably. Cons: I have not found any significant cons for my taste yet. If you prefer a lightweight iron, this one might not be right for you. The temperature setting toggles from 1 to 7. If you toggle from 7, it takes you immediately back to 1. No way to go backwards without going all the way around again. I personally like this, because it keeps things simple, but some people might prefer a setting that lets you take the temperature down a notch without having to cycle all the way through all the settings.

LOVE THIS IRON! I've had cheap-eo irons and I've had $150 irons. This one is the best I've ever used. And let me say that back in the "olden days" I used to even have an ironing business (when I was in my early teens) for people in my neighborhood, so I know how to handle an iron! LOL We ironed everything in my home: shirts, pants, curtains, pillowcases. So..... What I love about it: The weight. It's not too heavy but it's heavy enough. Too light of an iron won't do the job well. The steam is fantastic. When turned up to the highest setting it really puts it out. The quickness of heat-up....one word: seconds. Boom. No drips, no weird water marks. Ever. (Those are deal breakers to me) What I don't love: Non-retractable cord. I know, I'm lazy. The location of the steam adjustment. Inevitably I accidentally turn it down (or off) while I'm ironing. Bottom line: Do not waste your money on a different iron. This one is THE BOMB. No drips, no splatters, amazing steam, perfect weight, great soleplate (stainless and smoooooth), excellent ability to get around buttons and in pleats with the ridge around the point....it's just a fantastic iron and an amazing price.

I have purchased 3 of these irons over the years. Some years back, I was searching for a new iron for my mother, it was what she wanted for her birthday. A Good new iron. And found the D2030 with it's excellent reviews and bought one for her. Well, she loved it. She irons every day, I think it's her generation, wanting all her tops and pants to be freshly pressed and without wrinkles, doesn't matter if she's going out to the garden to work, she likes her clothes pressed. Then that iron had problems (years later) it was the connection between the electrical cord and the iron itself, everything looked fine, but when you jiggled the cord the power would go on and off on the iron. She didn't want to fix it but get a new one as repairs often cost as much as a new item. She felt she got plenty of use out of it and that it just needed to be replaced. So I was glad to find the D2030 still available and ordered her one. She wanted no other iron! The replacement came last month and she's as happy with it as could be. She said, 'I like the digital face, I like that it beeps when the correct temperature is reached, I like the weight of it, and how smooth it is when using it. Basically, there isn't anything I don't like about it!' <verbatim (she doesn't 'do' the internet, so I get a call when she wants something online.. :) She says this second iron is even better. lol The 3rd iron I purchased is my own. I don't iron as often as some, but for the items that need it, this iron is the best I've used. The size and weight are nice, just right. I don't like those that are too big and clunky. Feels good in the hand. The steam feature is one of the best I've used. I use that every time. The digital controls are easy and simple to use. It is a great iron. I've recommended it to a few friends who also purchased one and have been happy with it.