Tefal Easygliss Eco FV5782 steam iron review: A great choice for the eco conscious

So often, when products are eco-friendly, much of the performance is lost. But this isn’t the case with the Tefal Easygliss Eco steam iron. Using the highest setting in eco mode, the Tefal skims through creases with ease while using less energy than in max mode. Its outstanding performance also earned it a place in our best steam irons round up.

In fact, there’s very little to dislike with the Tefal Easygliss Eco. We’d recommend it to not only those looking for a more eco and energy-friendly option but also those who want to cut down on ironing time.

Tefal Easygliss Eco FV5782 steam iron review: What do you get for the money?

The Tefal Easygliss Eco steam iron is a well-designed iron available in a terracotta and white design, with a pretty terracotta leaf design on the soleplate. It feels substantial in the hand but isn’t overly heavy – I weighed it at 1.15kg without any water in the tank. There’s a Durilium soleplate that offers a smooth glide over all types of fabric and the design makes it comfortable to use.

I particularly liked the solid stand on the Tefal Easygliss Eco, which allows you to stand the iron up safely at any time. It also features a large dial in the centre of the iron to control the temperature, while a switch on the top of the iron allows you to slide between eco, no steam and max steam options. The design is completed with a large button on the top to access the spray function.

The major selling point for the Tefal Easygliss Eco is, as its name suggests, its green credentials. The iron itself is made from 35% recycled materials and is 88% recyclable when it gets to the end of its lifespan. You can take the iron into any Tefal store, regardless of whether you purchased it directly from Tefal, to have it recycled. And you’ll also find full details of Tefal’s recycling service on their website.

The iron also arrives in minimal and sensible cardboard packaging, with the box being made from 93% recycled fibres. As you’d no doubt expect, the box is 100% recyclable. Purchasing the Tefal also entitles you to repair services and technical spare parts for a generous 15 years after purchase.

The performance of the iron is also geared towards being eco-friendly as well. Tefal claims the highest setting in eco mode will use around 15% less energy when compared to using the iron in max mode and up to 30% on the eco wool setting.

The cord is a little shorter than some at 1.8m, personally though, I didn’t find this an issue. The water tank is also on the small side at 270ml but it will still provide enough steam for a good pile of ironing. At the time of my review, the EcoGliss costs £69 – a reasonable price for a good quality iron. It’s worth being aware that prices can fluctuate massively in the current economic climate; I’ve seen this iron discounted to £46, so it may be worth waiting until it’s on sale.

Tefal Easygliss Eco FV5782 steam iron review: What is it like to use?

I found the Tefal very comfortable to use and awarded it 5/5 for comfort. It’s one of the lighter irons I’ve tested, but it’s not so flimsy that there’s no substance to it. A solid stand also means that you can safely leave it standing upright while you adjust clothing, without any danger of it falling over and singeing your delicate fabrics. For added peace of mind, there is also an auto shut-off feature, which triggers after it’s been inactive for a period of time or if it gets knocked over.

In my tests, the iron only took 28 seconds to heat up to the maximum three dot setting, which is one of the fastest I’ve recorded. The anti-scratch Durilium Airglide soleplate runs smoothly across fabrics, even heavy-duty ones and those with texture, such as embroidery or brocade. In fact, when ironing heavy fabrics, it was comfortable in the hand and didn’t cause any wrist strain. During testing, I found eco mode particularly impressive: it was more than sufficient to cope with creases in cotton, wool and mixed fibre clothing despite it using less energy.

The steam tip also did a great job of ironing out awkward creases in hard-to-reach places. I did occasionally have to go over deeper creases a few times to get the fabric looking crisp again, though.

The iron also has vertical steaming, a fairly common feature of most steam irons, which is really useful if you want to quickly steam an item of clothing or your curtains. With continuous steam of 50g/min and a steam shot of 260g/min, the iron is powerful enough to provide plenty of steam in either a vertical or horizontal position. The heat is also pretty consistent, with very little fluctuation while you’re using it.

As someone who lives in a hard water area, I also appreciated the anti-calc feature, which helps to prevent build up and keeps the iron running smoothly.

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Tefal Easygliss Eco FV5782 steam iron review: What could be better?

There’s not a lot wrong with this iron but some users might find the cord a little short at 1.8m. I didn’t have any issues with it myself, but those in a bigger kitchen or with awkwardly placed power points might find it constricting. If this is the case, you might want to consider a cordless iron instead.

The water tank is also smaller than some at 270ml but if you’re doing the amount of ironing that needs a bigger tank, you might be better off considering a steam generator iron instead. Alternatively, one of the larger models on our best iron roundup, such as the JML Phoenix Gold FreeFlight Cordless Iron, might be better suited, especially if you’re ironing a lot of heavy duty fabrics.

My only real criticism is the lack of a self-clean function. This does mean you’ll have to clean the iron yourself on a regular basis, although I’d suggest that any iron, even those with a self-clean function, will need cleaning from time to time.

Tefal Easygliss Eco FV5782 steam iron review: Should you buy it?

The Tefal Easygliss Eco is a fantastic little iron that performs well and does a great job of dealing with creases. It’s comfortable to use and didn’t give me any wrist ache, which was a definite bonus. It’s fairly lightweight yet the steam is powerful and consistent and the iron maintains its chosen temperature easily.

Best of all, the Tefal is very eco-friendly in both packaging and design – and it actually works well in eco mode. In terms of value, I think the Tefal is a bargain compared to many other irons in a similar price bracket, making it ideal as a budget everyday option.