What is the Bosch TDA7060GB?
The Bosch TDA7060GB is a powerful steam iron with some clever features. Most notable are its i-Temp setting designed to work effectively with all fabric types and its SensorSecure touch-sensitive handle that only switches on the heat when gripped.
Both of these features, plus 50g/min of constant steam and a powerful 200g/min steam shot make the Bosch a very impressive performer.
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Bosch TDA7060GB – Design and Features
The Bosch looks modern and clinical in white and blue. Build quality feels very good. And the design is superb, with controls just where you want them. At your thumb are two buttons, for water spray and for 200g/min steam shot. In front of that is a lever to control continuous steam levels: 0, 1, 2, 3 or max (50g/min).
On the body of the iron you'll also find a push-button anti-calc function – a simple mechanism where you heat the iron and then unplug it and press this button (over a sink) to flush out any limescale deposits – and an unusual temperature control dial.
The dial has all the usual settings, with dots denoting how cool or hot you want the soleplate to be. But it also has an i-Temp setting designed to work with all fabric types. This is Bosch's first iron to feature i-Temp and the idea is that you can move from denim to silk without touching the temperature gauge and with no risk of burning. In theory, your days of pre-sorting laundry before ironing are over.
The iron's other unusual feature is called SensorSecure. Basically, the handle is touch-sensitive and only switches on the heat when gripped. This is like an auto-off function, only better because it immediately switches off when you let go, rather than waiting 30 seconds.
The power cord attaches via a small ball, so the cord can point in any direction, and the heel's designed in a way that lets you wrap the cord around the iron for storage.
Bosch TDA7060GB – What's it like to use?
Filling the Bosch up with water is easy, despite its small fill hole. It does come with a jug, but the hole's recessed and has been designed in such a way that it's pretty easy to fill by tap too.
We immediately set to testing its two special features: the i-Temp setting for all fabrics and the SensorSecure touch-sensitive handle for turning the iron on.
i-Temp was a definite success. It did a great job on cottons, with plenty of constant steam to demolish creases, and was equally capable with more delicate fabrics. In terms of pure ironing power, the Bosch was indisputably the best we've tested.
The iron's 200g/min steam shot was also impressive, but we found we rarely needed to use it while ironing clothes, so good is the iron's general performance. However it comes into its own for vertical steaming of hanging clothes and de-creasing curtains.
Between the constant steam and the steam shot, the Bosch really felt less like an iron and more like a steam generator. It make super-quick work of a mountain of school shirts as a result, and we often found that it did a good job of ironing both sides of the shirts at once.
SensorSecure impresses too, but it seems strange at first. Whenever you're not holding the iron, the handle flashes blue. The second you pick it up, this changes to a solid blue light. Spooky. It's a clever idea, but we assumed that it would be annoying – if you've turned on the iron, surely you want it to be up to temperature all the time, not cooling down just because you're popping something on a hanger? But again the Bosch impressed: it takes a while to cool down and it heats up very quickly, so we didn't notice any negative impact of the SensorSecure feature. Instead it's good to know you're saving energy… and reducing the risk of scorching clothes at the same time.
It's hard to find anything to fault the iron on. An anti-calc collector like the Tefal Ultimate Anti-Calc FV9640 would have been good. It's not the most beautiful of irons. And the price is at the high end for irons. Still, it performs better than some more expensive rivals.
Should I buy the Bosch TDA7060GB?
Yes, it's the best-performing iron we've tested so far. If you want a powerful, clever workhorse but you don't want a steam generator, look no further. If you want something more affordable and lighter in the hand then we recommend the Morphy Richards Breeze 300254.
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Verdict
Powerful, clever and loaded with steam, the Bosch outperforms other irons we've tested.
