Russell Hobbs Steam Genie Maestro 27600 review

About the Russell Hobbs Steam Genie

The Maestro is a handheld steamer that sits in a base unit, with a removable 750ml tank. Russell Hobbs says a full tank gives about 30 minutes of steam, enough for up to ten shirts by its own figures. It is ready in about 45 seconds, and the brand advises waiting at least 60 seconds or until the power light stops flashing.

It works two ways. As a steamer, you hold the handheld and steam clothes, curtains or bedding. As a light iron, you fit the ceramic heated press plate and press fabric flat, which owners and testers say works best over an ironing board. A delicate attachment and an upholstery attachment are stored in the base unit.

The steam tube and cord are stored inside the unit, and there is a carry handle for moving it around the house. It switches itself off after about 8 minutes without the steam trigger being used. A self-clean light comes on after about 150 minutes of use, as a reminder to descale. The base measures 437mm high, 157mm long and 337mm wide.

What owners report about the Russell Hobbs Steam Genie

Owner feedback for this exact model is thin. The clearest account we found is a Mumsnet product tester, so treat what follows as a small sample.

The tester liked how quickly it heats, the size of the tank and how compact and easy to store it is. They found the carry handle useful and the docked handheld secure. One tank covered several large quilt covers. They also noted that distilled water is recommended, which is a chore.

The complaint was the plate attachments. They did not stay firmly in place and were too hot to handle when swapping. The tester stopped using it for upright steaming and kept it over an ironing board. It is also less powerful than a full steam generator iron. There was no dedicated spot to store the plug. Nothing we found says how it holds up after months of use.

Who the Russell Hobbs Steam Genie suits

It suits a household with a regular heap of shirts, bedding or curtains, where a small 200ml-tank handheld would need refilling every few minutes. The big tank and the pressing plate make it a stand-in for an iron on a board.

Look elsewhere if you travel or want something to tuck in a drawer: the base unit is too big for that, and the Tefal Pure Pop DT2026 is the pocket-size pick in this guide. If you only steam the odd shirt, the Russell Hobbs Steam Genie 27220 does the everyday job in a lighter, simpler handheld. For thick fabrics and stubborn creases, the Tefal Pure Tex DT9530G0 is the stronger handheld.

Questions about the Russell Hobbs Steam Genie