The Philips GC8643/30 is one of the more “premium” ironing options on the market at the moment. You’ll tend to find that Philips cater most of their options towards the upper end of the market, and for that reason, you will find that their irons are packed with impressive features.
The Philips GC8643/30 is impressive in both its features and its technical specifications. This is a product that you will not pay the cheapest price for in comparison to some of the other irons I’ve reviewed on this website, but if you have the budget for a more expensive model like this one, I think it is definitely worth considering.
One of the most impressive features of this model is OptimalTEMP technology. Developed by Philips and unique to their irons, the smart chip inside the iron will detect the fabric that is being ironed and automatically set the appropriate temperature. If you’re like me, you might get sick of checking clothing labels all of the time and then adjusting your iron to the temperature on the label, so why not buy a model which will automatically set itself at the correct temperature for you? No more worries about burning your clothes.
The product also has a durable scratch-resistant soleplate which not only protects the longevity of your product, but it prevents your clothes from potentially being damaged or ripped as a result of scratches on the soleplate.
The model is packed with safety and convenience features similar to some of the other models I have reviewed such as a carry lock, auto-off and eco mode. There is also an easy de-calc process, the iron cleans itself and all you need to do is empty the de-calc outlet every 10 minutes to dispose of limescale.
The model is also very powerful on top of all of these great features, the continuous output and bar pressure measures up to some of the best irons on the market today, and the boost is also one of the most powerful on the market.
The reviews on this product are really positive in general. One of the great things to read about is the fact that OptimalTEMP technology actually works really well. With a lot of things like this, you may be forgiven to think that it sounds gimmicky and that it might not work as well as advertised, but there are plenty of positive reviews saying that it works perfectly. Again most of the reviews with this product applaud the performance and the power that it produces.
I have not really noticed any bad reviews of this product as of yet, it is quite a new model after-all, but some of the positive reviews on the site mention that the unit is quite big and bulky. This seems to be a common theme among all irons though, and you should not allow this to put you off buying the model as you will end up with a bulky base unit either way. Another disadvantage I have seen mentioned is that the water tank is not detachable, but this is not so much a problem as you can easily fill the base unit up with a water jug.
Product Summary
Power: 120g continuous output, 320g boost and 6 bars of pressure are all well above the industry average
Features: OptimalTEMP technology, T-ionic glide soleplate, carry lock, auto-off, easy de-calc, eco-mode
Price: Towards the higher end of the price range, but not the most expensive model out there by any means
Conclusion
If you’re willing to pay a slightly higher price for a high-quality product, then this may be the model for you. The unique features that Philips has packed into this model are not only ingenious, but they are extremely useful in a practical sense and I am convinced that they will make your ironing loads easier.
