Panasonic 360 Cordless Iron Review

In June, the universe heard my pleas and listed the Panasonic 360 Cordless Iron on Massdrop for $65 ($35 less than the list price). My $27 Hamilton Beach iron had served me well, but suffered a fall or two from the ironing board and had started to make some odd noises and smells. The cord also seemed to get in the way frequently. A member of my guild brought her Panasonic 360 to our guild retreat and I was taken by it's unique shape and features. It's cordless. It has a removable water tank. Pointed shape on both ends. It also looks like a spaceship with it's cover/carrying case. I was all like:

I've been using the iron regularly since I got it in the mail and I thought I'd go ahead and share my thoughts.

Heat. 

It seams like the high end irons I've dealt with (Oliso Smart Iron, a couple Rowenta models) are strangely lacking in the heating department. My 360 definitely gets much hotter than those irons, but not as hot as my cheap HB. It's not quite a fair comparison though considering that the 360 is cordless and requires the charging base to heat up. That means you have to periodically let it juice up on the base or it will cool off. That means this iron is better served for pressing seams and quick tasks rather than a prolonged ironing session. One complaint I've read in a lot of reviews is that the idle duration before auto shutoff is too short. I tend to agree. It heats up fast enough, but I roll my eyes whenever I turn around to find the iron has switched off. I wish there was a way to disable the feature.

Rating: 4/5

Steam. 

My HB's steam feature had a tendency to spit and drool unpredictably, bu the 360 has perfect table manners. The steam quality is great and I have yet to have any "spittle." Another great feature is the removable water tank. Leaving water in the tank of my HB caused mineral buildup and required regular (time consuming) cleaning with vinegar. Dragging the thing to the sink to dump out the water was just beyond my laziness. being able to remove the water tank ensures the water isn't chilling inside the iron for long periods of time. Not to mention it makes refilling easy. The water capacity is a bit smaller, but worth the sacrifice.

Rating: 5/5

Ergonomics. 

With the 360, it's situational. I like that the iron is cordless. When ironing long pieces of fabric, the cord of my HB would always get in the way. The charging base has a bigger footprint than a regular standing iron though, and it needs to be kept close (ie, on the ironing board) to set the iron down. Sometimes the charging base feels like a pain, but I usually feel that it's preferable to dealing with a cord. The sole plate shape is downright awesome as I used to curse my HB's "fat ass." The 360 is also lightweight without being too light. The cover with carrying handle is a nice touch for those who need to take irons to workshops and the like.

Rating: 4/5

Overall

I've been really pleased with my Panasonic 360. It was only my wishlist before Massdrop listed it, and the $35 discount made it much easier to make the leap from a cheap iron. If you are looking for a cordless iron, this is a great model to look into.