In truth, this is probably the Azur’s most distinctive feature. If you’re worried you’ll never get round to cleaning and caring for your iron, it could well be the best one for you. Funky by name, funky by nature, this updated home-grown retro cloth presser is arguably one of the most striking irons on the board and is a choice par excellence for Smeg and Dualit fans, or indeed anyone into the ’50s thing. As with all PerfectCare models, this high-end option has no temperature dials. Instead, ituses the company’s ingenious OptimalTEMP technology to control the heat of the soleplate so you can swap from delicates to heavy cotton without having to fiddle with any temperature dials. So remarkable is this system that you can leave the iron face down on your favourite silk shirt without burning a dirty great hole in it. Needless to say, many other manufacturers are now employing their own single-temp tech in an effort to catch up, but the Philips system remains best. It has to be the Funky Toaster which I think is the best-looking toaster in the world bar none. What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt so far building a mainly DTC business?

It has a thermostat with clear temperature and steam output settings for synthetic (dry ironing), silk (dry ironing), wool (dry ironing), cotton (steam) and linen (steam); plus a steam trigger underneath the handle and a maximum/minimum toggle to increase or decrease the steam output.In essence, this investment over 5 years has allowed us to bring our three core products to market: the Funky Iron (December 2018) and the Funky Kettle and Funky Toaster (January 2021). All three products required significant investment in the bespoke tooling and intellectual property. The Philips Azur Elite is probably what the future-gazers of bygone decades dreamed irons might be like today. It’s a bit The Jetsons. In its much-feted DynamiQ mode, the Azur Elite uses in-built motion sensors to determine how hard the ironing work you’re doing is and releases steam at a volume to suit the task in hand.

All the irons here feature a limescale filter that removes impurities from the water. You can push a button to clean the filter, forcing out deposits using the iron’s own steam. Experience tells us Bosch appliances tend to perform very well – and based on our testing of the Sensixx’x DI90 that theory holds up.

Things to consider

If you have a habit of accidentally ironing creases into your clothes (full disclosure: the author of this article does), this little iron could be your saviour. Light, small and comfy to grip, it’s exceptionally easy to manoeuvre. Plus, its small footprint minimises the effect of any mistakes you make. My wife Sadie. She has always believed in me. We’ve been together for 17 years now and we’ve known had some amazing highs with my working life and some lows. Finding an idea together for this business has been amazing, as it really is a husband and wife creation and she has as much passion for the product and brand as I do. How do you relax outside of work? Anti-scale technology: This stops limescale from building up (which can damage your iron and your clothes). This makes your iron last longer and is particularly useful for people who live in a hard water area. Interestingly, the social media channel that has worked the best for their business is LinkedIn, which has played a large role in the company’s history to date. It has brought investors to the business, spiked retailers’ interest, it has led to many international distribution approaches as well and being a fantastic platform for communicating with the business community.

All of the RKW senior Management Team were with us on our table that day. Rob Sutton, who has been in the industry 30 years, commented on how it was unheard of for a new brand and product to take such an award. You’ve just partnered with RKW (Europe’s largest small domestic appliance and houseware distributor) and signed a 3 year licensing agreement. What other exciting things do you have planned for 2022? A T3 feature guide with one company hogging most of the top spots is a rarity outside of the drone market, but the simple truth of the matter is that, right now, Philips is producing far and away the best irons and steam generators on the market. We’ve already thrown accolades at two other Philips steam generator models in this roundup but – hold your horses – here comes that third. I also enjoy travelling with my family. I have a son Sammy (17) and two daughters Emily (15) and Heidi (13). What is your favourite Funky Appliance product?I have been an entrepreneur for the last 21 years. Before that, I worked for Wilson Sporting Goods, SAP and Compaq. Most of that time was in Munich, Germany where I lived on and off for nearly 10 years. Once I broke out to being my own person and starting new businesses, I fell in love with the challenge. Can you start a business from a blank piece of paper and make it successful? Key specs – Capacity: 1.3L; Dimensions: 38.5 x 25.2 x 25.5 cm; Weight: 0.8kg; Cable length: 1.9m; Wattage: 2600W; Steam output: 100gpm; Features: Variable steam function, vertical steam function, anti-drip system

Most irons also offer a simple spray of water at the press of a button, another useful tool for creases but we prefer steam for most fabrics.This model comes with an iCare mode, which, rather like the Philips models, utilises a smart textile protection system to set the correct temperature for every fabric. And that, in theory, means no more scorched delicates. Swan’s steam generator iron is an exceptionally well-made model. Ironing with it feels as smooth as spreading warm butter, and it melts away wrinkles phenomenally well. My wife Sadie and I funded the first year of the business through a capital injection from our savings and we both worked unpaid for a whole year. This demonstrated to future investors that we had skin in the game and had taken significant risk ourselves. As the business has grown what are the major challenges you have faced, and have you overcome them? Steam generators work in the same way as bog standard irons, only they’re a lot more powerful and therefore faster, easier and more efficient for ironing large amounts of laundry.Unlike a standard iron, a steam generator is comprised of a separate unit containing a water reservoir, boiler and pump that connects to a lightweight iron via a length of insulated rubber hosing. Be very very careful about who you bring into your business, how you do it and why you have decided to do it. Be very firm about what you want from investors, how much you are prepared to give away in equity, and who will be running the business after the investment.