A steam iron is provided with a feed valve to supply water to a vaporizing chamber. The feed valve comprises a valve member of metal which is encased in a plastics part, both the valve member and plastics part having a through flow aperture which supplies water to the vaporization chamber in response to operation of a valve stem. The said plastics part is so shaped and arranged that it extends into the vaporization chamber. In this way deposits of lime on the outer surface of the plastics part is avoided and movement of the valve stem in the aperture prevents lime deposits on the stem or in the aperture.