Thought I’d start my Breville DiamondXpress review with an admission — I’m not the one that irons in our house! So thankful my husband is the king of ironing!
Anyone who knows me will tell you that ironing is just not my bag.
I am rubbish at it.
Tricky when I like a classic white shirt so much. It’s a perennial favourite; worn by men and women up and down the country. A quintessential, fashion basic that never seems to date or go out of style.
Beautifully simple for everyday office-wear. But pair it with diamonds — and a red lip —and voila — you’re channelling Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction.
But whilst a crisp, cotton shirt is a lovely thing to wear, this wardrobe staple requires substantial maintenance to keep it looking good.
i.e — Ironing*
*This word should be accompanied by the music to Hitchcock’s Psycho
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My Diamond Geezer
Handy, then, that my husband is an ironing wizard.
He and I naturally fell into our household chores fairly early on in our relationship. And — given the fact we’ve been together for 22 years next May — that’s a substantial amount of time to perfect our techniques.
I’ve always done the cleaning; he has always been on food and beverage detail.
I do like to make cakes and sweet things but I am not wholly keen on cooking savoury food. Lucky for me that Mr D is an amazing chef and finds cooking a relaxant (rather than a chore).
He makes it, I eat it.
A perfect partnership.
Talking of which, I have always done the washing; Mr D does the ironing.
And it’s something he’s really, really good at. He has even taught friends and family how to iron.
There’s a definite art to it and, quite frankly, I am hopeless at it and invariably end up with more creases, than when started.
I — as my ironing board jauntily states — do not iron.
Although, recently, I’ve found myself glancing appreciatively at his new steam iron.
Not a euphemism.
But let me tell you the reasons why the Breville DiamondXpress has captured both our hearts.
Our Breville DiamondXpress review
He loves it because of its impressive 200g steam shot — which can be aimed exactly where he wants it; both horizontally or vertically.
It also has a super-wide, multi-directional ceramic soleplate — with a precision tip — made with actual crushed diamonds.
This means more speed and glidability (is that even a word?) when he’s pressing a big pile of work shirts.
Or my favourite white shirt, in readiness for the season’s upcoming parties *winks*.
The heel of the the Breville DiamondXpress has an improved design for greater stability; which means it’s nice and solid and doesn’t topple over easily. A valuable asset when you have two tiny tearaways, cannoning round the house.
Plus it has an ergonomic, soft-grip handle; which illuminates when the DiamondXpress has reached the desired temperature.
So no more spitting on the sole-plate, like my nan used to do with hers. Yuk.
Breville irons also have clever features like a ‘safe-store heat indicator’, which let’s him know when the iron is cool enough to be put away.
And an auto shut-off function (so no more stressing that we’ve left the iron on; then having to come home to check — just in case*).
*true story
And if that wasn’t enough, the Breville DiamondXpress has anti-scale, anti-drip technology, which protects against limescale build up.
Brilliant in hard-water areas, like ours, as it means it increases the life of the iron.
Diamonds (and the Breville DiamondXpress) Are a Girl’s Best Friend
But whilst my husband loves the Breville Diamond Xpress for it’s functionality and ease of use, I don’t mind admitting that I love it for wholly shallow reasons.
For a start, it has a high gloss white finish — accented with rose gold embellishments — with a glittering diamond print detail.
Plus the temperature control dial is also inlaid with crystals. I mean, seriously, this is no regular iron.
Anything that makes the ironing a more glamorous experience is good in my book.
Plus, I’m a little bit keen on rose gold and diamonds.
Although, I’m also keen on pairing my rose gold and sparkles with a nicely pressed white shirt.
In the immortal words of Marilyn — ‘Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend’ — and the Breville Diamond Xpress is certainly a case in point.
Another ‘girl’s best friend’ is a generous husband who does her ironing for her. And this — combined with the sparkling good looks and superior functionality of the Diamond Xpress — is a match made in heaven.
Cinderella shall go to the ball.
With a well ironed shirt.
Caro Davies is a former art-director turned writer and content-creator, and editor behind UK lifestyle blog The Listed Home. She writes about home-related topics, from interiors and DIY to food and craft. The Listed Home has been featured in various publications, including Ideal Home, Grazia, and Homes & Antiques magazines.