The steam iron removed the last ounce of drudgery from ironing, by building into the appliance the traditonal 'damping' operation. The first examples established the format for the modern electric iron. American housewives had the opportunity to buy a mass-market steam iron in 1936 and by the outbreak of war in the USA in 1941, a number of steam irons, and dry irons with steam attachments, were available. British housewives had to wait 17 years after the Americans until Hoover launched their first iron in 1953. Even then, the benefits of steam took time to become established, with only three other UK manufacturers, Kenwood, Best and Morphy-Richards, following Hoover's lead before the end of the 1950s.

There were two distinct methods of creating the steam, which eventually came out through a varying number of holes in the iron's sole plate. The very first designs employed the boiler method which simply used the heat generated by the iron to boil the water as in a kettle, the thermostat cutting the heat off before the water boiled over. The disadvantage with this method was that the iron had be cooled down and emptied before it could be used as a dry iron on low-temperature fabrics. In the UK, Hoover introduced the drip method which allowed cold water in the iron to drip on to the sole plate, creating an instant flash of steam. The iron could instantly be used as a low-temprature dry iron, simply be switching off the supply of water drips. The boiler method was discontinued after the first generation of steam irons.

• 1936 Steem-Electric
• 1941 Steam-O-Matic
• 1953 Hoover
• 1953 Morphy-Richards
• 1954 Kenwood Steam-O-Matic
• 1958 Best Steam-O-Matic
• 1960 Presto

1936 Steem-Electric model A USA St Louis Pioneer domestic steam iron - first to be successfully marketed in the USA. Basically a kettle with a polished, flat base. Water boils to produce the steam, known as the 'boiler method'. No thermostat control. Large cast aluminium cowl/reservoir with hammered finish and chrome-plated sole plate. Shaped wooden handle. Straightforward, clumsy design, with vague streamlined 'V' detail on front. Later versions more streamlined. Very heavy. Other pre-war US steam irons include Hope Products 'Mermaid', 'Steam-O-Matic', Proctor, Knapp Monarch and Silex. Not available in the UK.
1941 Steam-O-Matic model B-300 USA Ohio Second commercially successful domestic steam iron and first with thermostat control. Model A launched 1938, model B substantially re-styled. Dramatic streamlined design, by early industrial designer Brook Stevens, with flying form handle (in wood!). Aluminium cowl with hammered effect, cast alloy sole. Patent numbers: 2178512 (1939), 2279179 (1942), 2238739 (1944). Manufactured by the Waverly Tool Co. Not available in the UK.
1953 Hoover model 0114 UK Perivale First UK-produced steam iron, first Hoover iron (US design), produced 1953-1962. Replaced by model 4554 (1962) - later models have only detail/colour changes: basic design continued into late-70s. Drip-method for steam, dry option via switch. Chrome-plated steel cowl, full-width brown phenol plastic handle with huge heat-selection dial. Part of Hoover's diversification programme from upright vacuum cleaners to washing machines (1947), cylinder cleaners (1948) and floor polishers (1952). Later products include razors, heaters, hood hair dryers, toasters, electric blankets and kettles. Click here for the instruction leaflet. Click here for the cleaner featured in a Hoover ad.
1953 Morphy-Richards model ZA75 UK St Mary Cray Second UK steam iron, first Morphy-Richards steam iron, produced 1953-c1962. Boiler-method for steam (dry option required emptying boiler) Styling similar to Morphy-Richards model LA75 with taller chromium-plated steel cowl, full black phenol plastic handle with front filling orifice. Steam emerges through small insert panel in sole-plate. Click for pages 1 2 3 4 of users' instruction booklet.
1954 Kenwood Steam-O-Matic model A801 UK Woking Pioneer steam iron, produced 1954-1962, replacing non-steam auto iron A800 (1949-51). Very big, influenced by 1930s US steam irons: large chrome-plated steel cowl and streamlined black phenol plastic handle and shield, flips up to access filling orifice in top of cowl. Boiler-method for steam (dry option when empty). Steam emerges through circular panel at the front of alloy sole-plate. Awkward heat dial recessed into back of handle. In ER irons review, April 1954, though patent numbers 628,085 (1946) and 651,986 (1948) suggest earlier design. Name clash with Best (see Best). Not in September 1962 'Which' irons survey. Click here for a general Kenwood 1955 ad which shows this model.
c1958 Best Steam-O-Matic S1/E1 UK Felixstowe Early steam iron of less-sophistocated design than Hoover or MR although more expensive.. Chromium-plated steel cowl and full black phenol plastic handle. Front-filling orifice behind flip-open chrome-plated cover, via red push-button. Boiler-method for steam (dry option required emptying boiler). Steam emerges through small insert panel in sole-plate. Heat-selection dial inside handle base with red plastic arm, rotating through 180 degrees. Conforms to 1958 BS. Tested in Consumers' Association test of irons in 'Which' September 1962.
1960 Presto USA Compact and sleek steam iron - new generation of design with slim sole and one-piece plastic cowl/handle/stand. Curvaceous sculpture-form styling typical of early 1960s with lower-case typography. Drip-method for steam with on/off control on handle. Also available in green (with more features - later?) and white.