Philips’s Hybrid Iron and Steamer Is a Leak-Free, Two-in-One Solution

I’m no stranger to travelling with a handheld garment steamer. Growing up, my family attended more than our fair share of big Indian weddings, where heavily beaded and embroidered saris were packed into suitcases and inevitably emerged crumpled on the other side. A steamer was as essential as a passport. I was usually the one tasked with restoring everything to its former glory, lining up garments and spending the next hour working out stubborn wrinkles with an increasingly sore arm.

So when I was in Sydney for two weeks during Australian Fashion Week last month, living out of a suitcase and rotating through outfits, it was familiar territory. Every morning involved some version of the same calculation: what do I wear and how quickly can I make it look presentable? Most days, I had about 15 minutes to get ready. After hours folded into the corners of my luggage, nearly everything needed a quick refresh before heading out the door. It was the perfect testing ground for the Philips’s One Turn Hybrid Iron and Steamer.

The two-in-one machine promises the finish of a traditional iron without the ironing board. The head rotates between a vertical steaming position and a horizontal ironing plate, and is ready to use in 45 seconds. Philips claims it’s 50 per cent lighter than a conventional iron.

The set-up

Filling the One Turn’s detachable 200-millilitre water tank is straightforward. After plugging it in, a single power button starts the heating process. Forty-five seconds later it was ready to use. That’s standard for a handheld garment steamer, but notably quick for a traditional iron.

The machine sits neatly on a sleek docking stand, which doubles as a storage solution at home. When travelling, though, it’s one extra piece to find room for in a suitcase. Technically, you could leave it behind and it would be fine for steaming, but when in iron mode, the machine can’t sit upright without the stand.

The most convenient part is the nifty heat mat, which lets you iron on any surface – great for hotel beds and counters.

The look

Compared to most garment steamers, the One Turn is noticeably more design-forward. The rounded silhouette and metallic gold accents give it a more elevated feel than the utilitarian look typical of laundry appliances. It’s one of the few irons or steamers I’ve used that I wouldn’t mind leaving out on display, whether on a laundry bench or tucked into an open shelf. It’s available in two colourways: an ivory white and a bolder orangey-red shade.

As an iron, it’s sleeker than the bulky appliances many of us grew up with. As a steamer, it’s comparable in size to most handheld models on the market (though there are more compact options if suitcase space is your priority).

Iron mode

I mainly used the One Turn’s iron function on jeans and structured cotton pants, where I wanted to maintain crisp pleats and dart lines.

There’s no temperature dial. Philip’s Optimaltemp technology automatically adjusts the heat depending on the fabric; I found this function to work perfectly well, eliminating the need to constantly switch settings.

A continuous stream of steam softens fabrics as you go. A boost button pumps out twice as much steam for tackling stubborn creases.

The sturdy handle made it comfortable to manoeuvre, and I immediately noticed how lightweight it felt compared to the heavier iron I have at home. Performance-wise, it delivered the results I’d expect from a quality iron.

Steam mode

It took a few attempts to get the hang of switching from iron to steam mode. There are no directional arrows on the rotating head, and at first I was hesitant to grip a part of the machine that felt like it would be too hot to touch. But soon, the twist mechanism became second nature.

Steam mode is where the One Turn really shines. Its biggest selling point: it doesn’t leak. In two weeks of testing, I didn’t end up with a single watermark on my clothes – a first for any handheld steamer I’ve used. I was initially sceptical when I realised there were no brush attachments or fabric guards included, but they proved unnecessary. Creased silky tops were smoothed out in under a minute.

The speed was so impressive that I found myself reaching for steam mode more often than the iron. At $249, it’s considerably more expensive than a standard handheld steamer. But the ability to switch seamlessly between iron and steamer – combined with leak-free results – makes a compelling case for the upgrade.