Laurastar S4

A great product UNTIL you require a spare part, and you do not live next door to the so-called facto – No our first Laurastar but given current events it could very well be our last. True, the unit was purchased in 2005 and apart from returning it to the Melbourne address twice in the first twelve months since purchase it has always worked very well, provided you look after it. The unit is used very lightly and after 13 years it is not… Read more

unreasonable to expect a part to wear but what we did not expect was the 'Flat iron unit' to develop a serious safety water leak which if unattended could very well lead to electric shock danger and a consumer concern.

Getting the unit from a remote location (say Tasmania) is not an cost efficient option and there do not seem to be any service agents listed except for Ironing Systems Australia who trade as Laurastar Australia.

Not a problem (I thought); as a licensed Electrical Engineer, with more professional experience than is worth listing here, and an equipped workshop - A quick email to Laurastar requesting cost and availability of a replacement unit / spare part should not be a problem - Oh but it is; a rather curt and very unhelpful reply from the person who signs themselves as the Customer Service Manager informed me that a I require a spare part, and as I am not a Laurastar service agent (seems like they do not have any anywhere) they Ironing Systems Australia would not supply / sell me the required part.

Unfortunately based on current example of service standards: A report to the Australian and Victoria Consumer Affairs department citing potential electrocution dangers seems like the next step along with a concern re restrictive trade and Monopoly concerns - That is best left to the legal fraternity.

Laurastar is a great product - Unfortunately concerns seem to arise when seeking service inaction and efficient customer relations should it develop a fault in Australia and you are not next door to a service centre.

I just love ironing – I went into the Laurastar Blackburn showroom early last month with the intention of buying the Lift plus, however I just fell in love with the S6 and Pulse models. Unfortunately, they were a bit pricey for me but I looked at the S4 and thought that the price/value was fantastic. I got a great deal and the sales lady Ada even threw in a few… Read more ·  1

extras. Of course she made ironing look like fun rather than a chore. No doubt she has one of her own and has been using it for years. She showed me how I could basically dry clean a suit and iron shirts in half the time of a normal iron. My husband takes his suit jackets to the dry cleaners every week but he won't need to now because it is just so easy to run the the iron up and down the back of the suit to take out those creases.

The steam just continues on and on, it just doesn't let up. I know there are some negative reviews on here but seriously how many happy customers can be bothered writing a review to say how good a product is?

I read through the reviews before buying and actually discussed this with Ada. She said that there are unfortunately some faulty irons but considering they sell hundreds of irons a month that around 5-10 systems might be faulty. Nevertheless, she re-assured me that if I had any problems within 2 years that they would fix or replace the iron. From what I've read here and the responses from the company they are more than willing to find the right outcome and in most cases it seems either a repair or straight out replacement.

What more could anyone want in after sales service?

I'm at a loss as to why some people here bag this product. All going well after a month.

I love this iron.

Hard to believe but I actually enjoy ironing now !! – I have to be honest, I've hated ironing all my life. Put it off every week til it just had to be done. Now with the Laurastar I actually enjoy doing my ironing! Hard to believe if you knew me! I saw the Laurastar for the 1st time bring demonstrated at the Royal Melbourne Show. My friend was impressed & told me to go & check it out. I did & was… Read more ·  1

blown away by what it could do. The biggest draw card was being able to iron delicate things, especially to be able to iron over printed tee shirts . With 3 sons, printed tees & singlets are the majority of my washing . To not have to turn them inside out was incredible. I also iron a lot of jeans & to be able to iron just one side and all 4 got done at once was great .

However I was sceptical and it was a lot of $ to part with so I left the Show thinking I may look into it. I did some research on the net & after a week I decided to buy one. They had a great special on so I saved a few hundred dollars & took the plunge buying it.

I don't regret my decision at all. My ironing time is reduced and I actually enjoy ironing now . It took about 4 items to get the hang on how to do it but then it just comes naturally . If I had the $, I would buy the top of the range pulse system as then you wouldn't have to push the steam button ...if you have the $ I'd recommend you buy that one. It's easy to fold up& store away. It's easy to fill up with water - in Melbourne you don't need to add the crystals to the water as our tap water is fine. You do need to rinse the system after 10 hrs of ironing but honestly that only takes 5 minutes . My friends pop over with their daughters delicate dresses that they'd never be able to iron with a regular iron & love the results they get from my iron . My sons' school & business shirts look fantastic & the suit & dress pants we own have professional creases & look dry cleaned .

I've only had it for 5 months so I can't comment on longevity but I feel confident with the warranty & the fact they are only in Blackburn if I need to get anything or speak to anyone . They were super helpful in the showroom too .

Brilliant! – The Laurastar is well worth the money. So many useful features, like the fan assisted board and the hot box pack away option. No wait time for heat up when refilling. This iron will cut your ironing time in half (or better). Easy to set up and pack up. Show details

Ironing is a treat with the latest Laurastar(S4a) – Our last Laurastar lasted 13 years, we were going to get it serviced - but told it needed a big repair($650 approx) from the technician at Laurastar. Decided to trade it in and get the latest one - S4a, shown all the features about it in the show room, great! Bought it, used it the next day and it was a treat to use it and very easy ironing, all… Read more ·  1

different types of materials - great, as well the steam operation perfect. So a great purchase again, and hopefully it will last a long time again as the previous one.

This is our second Laurastar – Had one for 14 years. The darned thing would not die and I so yearned for the latest model. The new one has been a pleasure and the latest innovations have meant delicates and hard to iron items are now even easier to make perfect. Once you have had one of these irons with its easy to fold and store board you can never go back.  Show details ·  1

Costly to repair poor customer service – The iron is great when it works however the repairs are costly. Our iron had water and steam coming out at the same time. Took the unit with the water dispenser to Malaga to be fixed, advised not to leave the dispenser at the store. Cost us $334 to fix with parts replaced. When tried at home the problem was still there. Returned it to the store… Read more

and after recording the fault on video was asked to bring the dispenser in. Was told the problem was the dispenser ! Very rude service by the staff member. Absolutely no customer focus. Were the parts actually meant to me replaced or the dispenser? No way to treat your customers.

2nd one wouldn’t get another – This is our second Laurastar steam station. We replaced the first one because it would have been too expensive to fix. I didn’t want a second one but husband really wanted another. It went well for a while but then the fan in the board stopped working properly, and now it keeps blowing out our power in the house. We have 3 phase power so it… Read more

shouldn’t happy unless there is a fault which sets off the safety switch. The other downside is that it is too heavy to move around so I have to have it set up all the time. Not a problem if you have a spare room like we do but certainly a consideration.

Regrettable – Purchased in August 2015, went well for the first year although it ruin some of my delicate clothes, after that it all went down hill. Emailed Head Office, they did call and said someone would come pick it up for servicing, nearly a year later I'm still waiting. I don't want it at all now and regret spending my hard earned savings that I haven't… Read more

been able to use for nearly a year now. Ideally I would like it collected with some reimbursement but don't like my chances.

Cant live without. this is my second but 1st new – I had my mums older one and when it died it was 18yrs old, No parts left to fix her so invested in a new one. When the old one died and I used a normal iron for a week, it seriously killed me. lol. It took so much longer to do my ironing and getting the wrinkles out of the Doboks was impossible. I went and ordered my new one that weekend. Fun… Read more ·  1

enough when i said to my son i need to use a normal Iron he didnt know what I meant, I grew up with laura star when I left home mum upgradded and i got hers and my family have now grown up with one to.

Fantastic piece of equipment – I find this works well with all fabrics. If fabric us really delicate, I just hold the iron very. slightly above the fabric and use a lot of steam. The system has a great steaming capacity. Show details ·  1

LOVE my Laurastar - highly recommend – Bought my Laurastar and would never look back. My mother-in-law says hers has lasted for years, and never has a problem. Goodbye to the days of buying replacement iron after iron. So far has lasted me 3 years without a single issue. Irons quickly and well. Awesome height adjustability. Can get it serviced locally. Show details ·  1

Too early to tell – I bought this as I do a lot of ironing of bed linen for my Airbnb's so it has been awesome using the Laurastar for that purpose. It has cut down my ironing time by half and so far I am pleased with the results. It is a little cumbersome to maneuver but only time will tell the rest.  Show details ·  1

Great ironing machine but be careful it can be dangerous – Just bought a new machine and the first thing I did was crush my fingers badly when trying to work out how it folded. We also thought it was a steam only machine like the Philips we replaced and left the iron flat down on the cover while reading the instructions, exit one cover. It is also incredibly heavy so if you don't have a permanent position… Read more ·  1

for it erected you're not going to be able to lift it out of a storage cupboard on your own. I still don't know how to collapse it without wrestling with it for a few minutes. Not sure what causes it but it miraculously and without warning collapses (mind you fingers !!). Also the power cable has no home and uselessly drags along behind (beware of trip hazard) Having said all that it would have to be the best home ironing system ever and produces spectacular results easily and quickly.

Great Product! – We had our S4 for about 4 years before we handed it down to my brother and purchased a Laurastar Lift. When they tell you that the product cuts your ironing time in half, it really does! Not only that, but I can quickly steam a suit jacket before I head out without having to actually stuff it up :)  Show details ·  1

Amazing ironing system! Couldn't work with anything less – The ironing system works extremely well on all fabrics, even the most delicate, thanks to the protective soul plate which is super easy to put on and pull off. I love the 2-speed blower and vacuum system. Very satisfied with the streaming capabilities. The only thing I think needs improvement is the capacity of the water tank. It seems to run out quite frequently.  Show details ·  1

The wife has fallen in love...again – Versatile,proficient,does the job in one stroke without having to double back as you often have to with more standard irons. The reverse airflow provides additional applications and looking forward to cutting down on some of the dry cleaning bills. It’s expensive but if you’re going to take time to do a chore you may as well have a really good appliance to work with  Show details ·  1

Best Ironing I have ever done – I love my Laurastar, it is the best ironing machine I have ever used and is great across a number of fabrics. I see some other people have mentioned that the board is heavy, this is to be expected as it is a steam station so it has to make large quantities of steam and hold a lot of water. I leave mine up all the time so that I can iron at any… Read more ·  1

time. It heats up very quickly and the tank lasts a long time before refills. Excellent for pure cotton sheets, pillow cases etc and also delicates such as silk.

Superbly better than conventional irons – This is our second unit my wife loves it. Negative would be the unit is very heavy and not as easy to manage as demonstrated. Having said that it's ironing capabilities are great. Good steam flow and takes all the work out of ironing. It's cut our ironing time in half.  Show details ·  1

My 2nd best friend – Good iron but not always get perfect result Unit very heavy Good for tshirts with logo Good size ironing board , accessories over priced Not sure if I have to have unit serviced Sometimes heavy fabric eg jeans do not always get out wrinkles l may be doing something wrong. Overall ok  Show details ·  1

Seeing myself ironing every thing I can find ! – I found Fantastic results with the Viscose trousers, Cotton work craps, Hemp shirts and Brushed cotton pyjamas I ironed. It is certainly gentle on the garments that I have ironed so far and I found incredible results with the steam and the sucking feature made the seams so crisp !  Show details ·  1

It’s more than just an iron! – Great on all fabrics and makes ironing a real pleasure. Steaming capabilities are impressive, easy to maintain and clean. All round awesome unit! Easy to operate and and only need two fingers to iron! I think I’ll find it hard to go back to a conventional iron after using the Laurastar.  Show details ·  1

So good! – I love that you can iron anything without having to change settings all the time. The finish is always crisp. I don't think I could go back to a normal to a normal iron. In fact this is my second Laura Star iron. They are a pleasure to use. Love it!  Show details ·  1

This is perfect – I love it to bits, wouldn't have anything else. Best thing ever invented. For anyone that has to iron a lot of men's shirts, go and buy one of these machines, they are a must have ! It is great for delicate items, just use the protective metal cover. Makes Ironing a dream.  Show details ·  1

Great combination – Great combination of iron and steam, ease of operation and simplicity amazing. The time saving along with the range of garments that can be accommodated makes weekly ironing and preparation for work a breeze. What did we ever do without it. The set-up, storage and versatility of the Laurastar makes the difference.  Show details ·  1

I love my Laura Star ..but – My Laura Star just stops making steam after about an hour of ironing I clean it our religiously It was serviced at 6 months for the same reason but they didn't find an issue....It is very frustrating. As I really do love the iron but feeling disappointed at the moment.  Show details ·  1

Super-duper, almost embarrassed to state 9 years and no problems! – Highly recommend - great investment. Irons beautifully -teaching young adults to use! I purchased for my wife and realised only today -she has never flushed or cleaned it? I did so today and it was pretty good- wow! Family of 5 adults, used min 3 hrs per week, 8 full years long. Embarrassment continues .... never serviced, never cleaned… Read more ·  2

properly and sole-plate cleaning used first time today. It was also a demo model ....

Only quirk this week was fan in board not as strong as used to be - but works good still.

Has been a great product and has been cared for correctly but now is making noise and has scalded my – Contacted the service department who obviously has to see the product to organise any repair. They need it for several days and we expect that the repair bill would be high. We enquired about a trade in to save time and also to ensure that I can continue ironing soon as we both work and I have limited time to catch up on it. We wanted to upgrade… Read more

to a model that is currently on sale and was advised that we must pay full price for any product that is bought with a trade in. That should not be the case as then the advantage of trading in is lost and especially seeing that we have constantly purchased accessories that are all quite high in price and will be giving the current trade in with new accessories.

Our Second Laura Star - reliability issues – First was second hand and while they are working they are excellent, but for a $2K item we have been dogged with issues, We have one that is about 28 months old and it started by never getting to temperature, rather that incurring the cost of taking it back we obtained some Laura star O-rings and that issue stopped. We then had the issue of scale… Read more

build up and had brown fluid soiling the clothing, we cleaned and cleaned the system, eventually sorting it out, now it is tripping the power. Constant flushing has brought out a lot of scale. I do feel that the $2K item is hardly worth the money unless you expect to spend this every 2 years, the service department is all too happy to get the item back for a while and charge the cost of another iron to look at it and generally the life is not extended by much

In constant need of repair – My last Laurastar system required constant repairs so I decided to replace it with a newer model S6A. I have now had it for just under a year. One of the positives is that the system irons beautifully with little effort, however the negative of constant maintenance outweighs the positive. Recently I attempted to flush it, as I regularly do, and … Read more

followed all of the instructions. However, as soon as I turned it back on, it tripped the power. Looks like I'll be back for more repairs - not acceptable when you've had it for such a short time and invested a large amount of money!

Great when it works – Like many here mine has died as it now produces no steam, l have had a few niggling problems but most of these solved by replacing a washer, but this time its stopped steaming just on six years. Whilst l know it has a boiler and its likely to stop at some stage i thought l would get at least 8 years before a repair. l have heard that the… Read more

service costs are stupidly high (cannot work this out as parts come from China) so l may venture down this road to see if the repair cost and the longer term usage is a value for money, as it cost $2000 / by 6 years so that $333 every year so is it good value... not sure, if l got 10 years trouble free then yes or it was half the price then yes.

Sad to see the quality is getting poor as the product reviews of many Laura Star items are not great given the money you pay and quality has obviously slipped.

Good when working but reliability a problem – We've owned our S4 for almost 8 years and about 2 years ago, had to send it to Sydney for repairs, We now have to send it back again to get the switch replaced - again as it's tripping the power. If you watch the sales lady on TVSN, she notes that she's had her laurastar for 18 years or do and not had any problems , clearly she doesn't own or use… Read more

an S4. When they work, they are great and they do the job very well, but for an iron that is used by two people, having to replace a cody switch again is not great reliability. We'll keep the ironing board but ditch the iron. It is good and does the ironing job very well Not much use if you can't turn it on

Having problems – Keeps tripping the power and the fuse box. Have taken it 4 times to Chatswood branch only to be told that there is nothing wrong with it. The first to times it was steaming without stopping and had to turn it off at the main switch. this is a bit bizzare. Generally when working irons well Have taken it regulary to have it repaired

Buyer Beware – First time I used the iron tripped power - Do not use extension cord and no problems for a while. Second time - Power was tripping again - taken to Perth office and checked all OK. Third time - Water leaking from bottom of unit - taken to Perth again, manufacturing fault - Boiler was replaced. Fourth time - Water leaking again from bottom… Read more

of unit, this time hissing due to pressure that the unit uses. Switched off immediately. Again taken to Perth and was informed drain cap seal needed replacing. Found out that they need to be replaced every 3-6 months! Was informed from customer service that they do send these out free of charge regularly.

Also you need to replace crystal filter when required and drain the unit once a month. The iron glides across a garment and is very light and easy to use. Unreliable due the problems listed above and the money that you pay. Cheaper to buy reliable $60 iron.

Makes ironing bareable – This is my second Laurastar, upgraded from the older model, and I love it. Ironing time is significantly cut down, water can be refilled whilst it's still on so you can continue ironing straight away. Is a little heavy to move around. Does a beautiful ironing job. Loads of steam, cuts ironing time Heavy to move Show 5 replies