I’ve been reviewing the Reliable Velocity 270IR iron for months now, and I’m in love! I can’t wait to tell you all the reasons that make this the perfect iron for me (and maybe for you, too)!
Design & Size
The Velocity 270IR is a typical hand-held iron (unlike the tank-based Maven 140IS which I reviewed here). This all-in-one unit is therefore a manageable size that’s easy to take to retreats, guild meetings, sew days, etc.
It’s also great if you have limited space in your sewing area (like I do), or if you don’t have an ironing board with a dedicated iron rest (like I don’t). 😆
It has a nice long cord (8 feet) which allows me to plug it into any of the receptacles in my room and still reach the island in the middle of my sewing space. I really appreciate the fact that I don’t have to use an extension cord with this iron!
The cord swivels where it attaches to the base of the unit, and does a good job of twirling out of the way while I’m pressing my quilt blocks - I’ve never found the cord to be in the way while ironing.
Given that I’m constantly removing my iron from my sewing studio (to convert the room for other uses), I wish there was a more elegant / efficient way to store the cord. I currently wrap it around the base of the iron which feels a little clunky. I guess I’m really nitpicking now! 🤷
The iron has an aluminum sole plate that has a lot of holes to allow steam to escape. My previous Reliable iron (the 230IR - no longer in production) has an identical sole plate and after two years of HEAVY use does not have even one scratch on it. It seems to be a very durable material, and glides across the fabric smoothly when heated.
Tap water or distilled?
The in-iron water tank has a capacity of 300 mL or 1.25 cups. And while that doesn’t seem like a lot of water, it lasts a long time (hours, even while using maximum steam).
It’s easy to fill the Velocity 270IR using the large spout. Although there was an included funnel with the iron, I haven’t found it necessary - in fact, the hole is so large that I can easily fill the iron while holding a giant jug of water.
Why am I using a large jug of (distilled) water when I could just fill the little funnel with tap water? Because I live in Manitoba, and we have some of the hardest water in the world. Plus, the owner’s manual does indicate that you should use distilled water if you want to prolong the life of your iron. Which I sure do!
Pro tip: if you REALLY want your iron to last, the key is to remove any water after you’re done pressing. Overnight is fine, but if your iron is going to sit unused for any longer, you’ll want to empty it before you store it away. The more you know. 🌈
Steam
I’m a certified steam FIEND. I love to wrangle my seams into submission by steaming the heck out of them, so I require an iron that can pump out lots of vapour. The Reliable Velocity 270IR does not disappoint!
A few things to note about the steam on this unit:
- it comes out in a continuous stream (rather than in a concentrated burst)
- the steam works whether you’re holding the iron horizontally or vertically (great for steaming curtains, etc)
- you activate the steam by grasping the handle (which has a built-in sensor)
- you can turn off the steam with one press of the button (there’s only one button)
The overall effect is really impressive. Your seams are going to be flattened, and you’ll be able to remove even stubborn creases from fabric. Hooray!🎉
Part of the reason the steam is so impressive has to do with Reliable’s two elements and micro pump technology. Don’t ask me to explain this any further, but: the water is already heated by the time it’s pumped to the sole plate (you can hear the little pump chugging away), which means that there is NO spitting, leaking, or dribbling of water from the sole plate.
The experience of using this technologically-advanced iron is quite different from the department store versions that I had been used to!!
Temperature
The Internet tells us that when ironing cotton fabric, we should be using an iron that reaches 400°F. That’s good information, but I’ll bet you have no idea if your iron reaches that temperature.
But I do! I bought myself an infrared thermometer and have been testing every single iron I can get my hands on. Spoiler alert: almost none of them reach 400 degrees, and a lot of them (even some very expensive ones) barely reach 300°F.
In my tests, I found that the Velocity 270IR reached a max temperature of 375°F (although it normally cycled between 360 and 370°F). Based on my experience, I’d say that a hotter iron does produce flatter seams, but that 400 is not a critical number to reach. If you are dead-set on owning an iron that does reach 400, you’ll want to check out the Reliable Maven 140IS.
With 1800W of power, this iron also heats up quickly. From completely cold, it took this iron just under 2.5 minutes to reach its maximum temperature setting. Nice!
Comfort / Weight
Yes, this is a compact iron, but it’s still a BEAST. It’s made from heavy, quality parts, and you can feel it.
When completely empty, the Velocity 270IR weighs 1.8 kg (4 lbs 2 oz), and when full it weighs 2.1 kg (4 lbs 11 oz). That’s like ironing with a nearly-5-pound dumbbell!
I personally LOVE this, because I feel that its weight contributes to the pressing effort (and it means that I don’t have to push down on the iron). It also helps that the soleplate glides very smoothly across fabric.
It takes a bit of effort to constantly change it from a horizontal position when ironing to a vertical position when setting it aside. For that reason, I would not recommend this iron to anyone who has mobility issues (again, you’ll want to check out the Maven 140IS).
The iron is well-designed and feels comfortable in my hand. Bonus: due to its height and the position of the handle, my hand stays dry and cool even when keeping the iron still and pumping out the steam. Points for whoever designed this unit!
Performance
I don’t have much to say about this: it just works.
I’ve grown accustomed to the super flat seams that my Reliable iron produces, and now I’m a total iron snob - if it doesn’t work like it’s meant to, I don’t want to use it.
With the high temperature and massive amounts of steam, I found that the Velocity 270IR created incredibly flat seams when pressing even heavy fabrics like linen.
Try it and I think you’ll be impressed.
Controls
The Velocity 270IR has very simple controls: one button, and one dial.
The button controls the steam and the auto-off function. Press it once, and the steam will turn on or off. Hold it for 5 seconds and it will disable / enable the standby mode.
After 8 minutes, the iron will activate its auto-off feature (which turns off the heating element). It’s a great safety feature, but one that I don’t need or want. Happily, I can disable it by simply holding down the button. That means I can plug in my iron in the morning and it will stay hot all day long (or until I turn the auto-off function back on). I👏LOVE👏THAT👏
The button has good feedback and emits a soft beep when pressed.
The dial controls the temperature / steam intensity (the two items are linked; the hotter you set it, the more steam is produced).
And herein lies my one complaint with this iron: the dial is difficult to turn, and I can’t see the readout when the iron is in the vertical position (like it is when I plug it in and want to adjust the temperature). It’s minor, but it does feel like the one letdown in an otherwise-fancy iron.
When you first turn on the iron, it is on setting 4, which is the “auto” setting. According to the cheat sheet on the bottom of the iron, you should set the dial to 5 if you’re ironing cotton. But if you know anything about me, you know that I turn it up to 8 “TURBO / MAX” every single time I turn it on. The hotter, the better!!!
Who is it for?
If you’re in the market for a new iron, the Reliable Velocity 270IR would be a great option if you:
- are looking for a portable iron that’s easy to take with you
- like a heavy iron (think: pressing with a dumbbell)
- want your iron to stay hot all day
- love LOTS of steam
- want the flattest seams everrrrrrrrrr
Where can I get a Reliable Velocity 270IR?
I’ve included some affiliate links below in order to make it super easy for you to pick up one of these sexy beasts! If you click on the links below and make a purchase, I may be compensated.
USA
Canada
