How to choose an iron for home

When choosing an iron, you should pay attention first of all to its operational parameters.

How to choose an iron for home: what to look for

When choosing an iron for home use, you should pay attention to its following parameters and characteristics:

1. Iron type;

2. The presence of a wire;

3. Weight and size;

4. Power;

5. The presence of temperature conditions;

6. Features of steam supply;

7. Handle material and shape;

8. Cord length;

9. Security systems;

10. Body and outsole material;

11. Additional functions.

The manufacturer of the iron is also important.

Types of irons

In terms of size and purpose, irons are divided into road, stationary and equipped with a steam station.

Travel Irons

Advantages

• Low price;

• Can be used wherever there is a socket and connection to the household power supply;

• Compact dimensions;

disadvantages

• Compact size (it will take a lot of time to iron a lot of things);

• Limited functionality.

• Low power (the iron may simply not warm up to iron thick or thick fabric);

Nevertheless, if you need a compact, portable or just a very cheap iron, travel models will be the best option.

Stationary irons for home

Classic options for home irons have a familiar design – a heating ironing panel on a cable. Such solutions are somewhat portable – they can be put away in a closet when not in use, for example.

Advantages

• Optimal price;

• Optimal power for most users.

• High functionality;

disadvantages

• There are no significant disadvantages;

Nevertheless, it is these irons that are the most optimal and appropriate solution when buying a device for home use.

Steam station irons

Steam station irons consist of two functional modules. The first is the iron itself, which is designed to smooth clothes. The second functional module is a steam station used to boil water.

These irons are suitable for ironing a large number of clothes, as well as steaming thick fabrics. Due to the strong pressure of hot air, they effectively penetrate the structure of the material, refreshing it and removing various impurities.

Advantages

• Effectively smooths even the most 'naughty' and dense fabrics;

• Suitable for handling large quantities of clothing without 'refueling' the steam station.

• Can be used for steaming and freshening clothes;

disadvantages

• They are characterized by large dimensions and are intended mainly for stationary use;

• They have high requirements for water quality.

• High price;

When choosing such an iron, you should pay attention first of all to the length of the connecting cord between the iron itself and its steam station. It should be no less than a meter, otherwise it will be at least inconvenient to use it.

Which iron to choose

When choosing an iron for the home, you should decide on its intended use:

1. If you plan to use it away from the volume, or just want to save as much as possible, the road model will do;

2. Stationary irons are intended for normal, everyday use at home;

3. For the 'professional' ironing, steaming and processing of thick fabrics, irons with a steam station are suitable.

For most users, a regular stationary iron will work.

The main criteria for choosing irons

When choosing an iron, you should first of all pay attention to the following characteristics and features:

1. Weight and size;

2. Wired or wireless design;

3. Features of work with steam (built-in boiler, separate steam station);

4. Power;

5. Temperature conditions;

6. Ergonomic parameters (shape and material of the handle, length of the cord);

7. Automatic shutdown;

8. Anti-scale function;

9. Outsole material;

10. Additional functions.

Iron weight and size

The weight of the iron determines not only the quality of ironing, but also the convenience of using the device. Heavy models effectively remove wrinkles even on very dense fabrics at low heating temperatures (for example, on tweed), but at the same time cause severe hand fatigue. Lightweight irons may not handle thick materials, but they can be used as long as you like.

Before purchasing an iron, it is advisable to weigh it in your hand. If it seems uncomfortable – and at the same time you plan to use it very often – then it is better to choose a model for a friend, lighter or heavier.

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The optimal weight of irons for home use is 1-2 kg. Heavier models will be at least uncomfortable, and lighter ones belong to the category of road.

The length and width of the soleplate of the iron determines the speed of ironing things. The larger it is, the faster it will be possible to straighten the folds on the clothes. However, extremely large irons can be uncomfortable if you need to iron out small items such as decorative inserts.

Optimal for home use are a width of 10-15 cm, and a length of 20-25 cm. Larger ones are advisable to purchase for use in 'industrial' purposes (for example, in dry cleaners), while compact ones are classified as road.

Wired or wireless design

Stationary irons can be supplied in two types of power supply – wired and wireless. They are easy to use, but have a similar design. From her point of view, an iron is just a heating element.

Corded irons

In wired irons, the soleplate heats up constantly. Once it reaches the set temperature, the controller simply maintains the heat level.

Advantages

• Uniform, constant temperature;

• High quality ironing, especially for large quantities of laundry.

disadvantages

• The power cable can interfere with ironing, prevent you from reaching from one edge of the board to the other;

• The cable and socket are the most unreliable functional elements that can be damaged during regular or active use of the iron.

Cordless Irons

Cordless irons are relieved of these disadvantages. By the principle of their work, they are similar to household electric kettles. Once installed on the base, the iron begins to heat up, and when it reaches a certain temperature, you can start ironing clothes. The device cools down during the 'anti-crease' process. Therefore, it will have to be returned to base regularly.

Advantages

• Maximum ease of use;

• Long operational period due to the removal of unreliable elements.

disadvantages

• Ironing a lot of clothes can take a long time due to the constant heating of the iron;

• It cannot be installed vertically (even if the instruction allows).

• The iron is not suitable for steaming clothes;

As a result, a cordless iron is suitable for home use only if you need to iron a relatively small amount of clothes. Or as an addition to the usual, wired one.

Features of work with steam

Almost all modern irons are equipped with the function of steaming clothes. It makes it easier to remove wrinkles and also makes the fabric softer and more pleasant to the touch. The steaming mode can be structurally implemented in one of two ways – either a built-in boiler or a separate station.

Steam irons with built-in boiler

Irons with a built-in boiler are equipped with a container for filling water, which is located directly in the device body.

Advantages

• Smaller dimensions of the device;

• Additional function of spraying water on clothes.

• Higher steam temperature;

disadvantages

• Increased requirements for water quality;

• It is impossible to process clothes with a powerful stream of steam.

• Possibility of condensation;

These irons are suitable for steaming clothes directly during ironing. In addition, they are not recommended for use on heat-sensitive fabrics.

Irons with separate steam station

Irons with a separate steam station create a powerful stream of steam.

Advantages

• Long steaming time;

• Steam temperature does not damage delicate fabrics;

• The possibility of deep steaming, including dense fabrics;

disadvantages

• Large dimensions;

• High price;

• Relatively short connecting hose;

Such devices are worth purchasing if you plan to handle thick fabrics or a large amount of clothing, and the limited length of the connecting hose is not a problem.

If deep steaming is planned, it is worth paying attention to such a characteristic as performance with steam shock. It is measured in grams per minute. The higher the steam performance is, the more hot air is released by the iron.

For example, models with a steam output of more than 70 grams per minute are capable of steaming even very thick fabrics (tweed, jeans), and are also suitable for cleaning and freshening pillows and upholstered furniture. But if it exceeds 200 g / minute, the iron can even clean the carpet.

Similarly, this parameter is also valid for the flow rate with constant steam supply:

1. Up to 20 grams per minute – suitable for steaming fine fabrics (cotton, knitwear);

2. 20-70 grams per minute – steaming of almost any fabric;

3. More than 70 grams per minute – steaming high-density fabrics.

The higher the productivity with a constant steam supply or with a steam shock, the more the iron consumes the water poured into it. Therefore, it makes no sense to purchase high-power models without a separate steam station – they will have to be 'refueled' literally every few minutes.

It is also worth mentioning the existence of irons without a steam generator. In most cases, these are the simplest and most budgetary models. They slightly complicate the process of ironing clothes due to the lack of a steaming mode, but if cost is critical, you can look at such devices.

Iron power

The higher the power of the iron, the faster it heats up and the higher the temperature it can reach. For home use, it is worth purchasing models designed for 700-1500 watts. The more powerful ones are suitable when very fast heating up or ironing at extremely high temperatures is required.

Models rated for less than 700W can be used for travel. And they are also suitable if there are no special requirements for the heating time, or ironing almost constantly occurs at low temperature conditions.

Temperature modes

The number of temperature settings does not greatly affect the functionality of the iron. It makes sense to purchase models with a huge number of supported settings only if they plan to iron fabrics that are hypersensitive to temperature changes – some types of synthetics, silk, chiffon, nylon.

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The optimal number of temperature modes of the iron is three: up to 110 degrees, 110-150 degrees, more than 150 degrees.

But if you plan to iron the above fabrics (usually they are equipped with a label with the 'Do not iron' symbol), then it is better to purchase a model with support for ultra-low temperature conditions – up to 60 degrees.

Ergonomic parameters

Ergonomic parameters (cord length, material and shape of the handle) determine the convenience of using the iron rather than its performance.

1. The length of the cord should be such that the iron can move freely over the entire surface of the ironing board. Its optimal value is 1.5 meters. Irons with shorter cords should only be purchased if the outlet is located approximately in the middle of the ironing board. Longer ones will interfere, folding into rings on clothes or clinging to various surfaces. However, this is a setting for home use. For sewing ateliers, however, irons with longer power cords are suitable.

2. The material of the handle must be such as to maintain a low or comfortable temperature, even during prolonged ironing. These can be some types of plastic or similar polymer compounds. But metal is not the best choice.

3. The shape of the handle should be free from sharp corners. Only then will the iron be comfortable even with very long use.

Automatic shutdown

Automatic shutdown is one of the most essential functions of the iron. She will make it as safe as possible. Therefore, it is worth choosing models equipped with it.

In most cases, the shutdown is implemented through motion tracking. If the iron does not move for 30 seconds in a horizontal position or 8 minutes in a vertical position, it turns off.

Scale protection

Another useful feature for irons with a built-in steam boiler. It is advisable to choose models equipped with it.

If the protection against limescale is not implemented directly in the construction of the iron, it is recommended to use it with pre-softened and purified water. This will prevent clogging of the internal communications of the device.

Iron sole material

The sole of the iron can be made of the following materials – aluminum, ceramics, cermets, stainless steel, teflon or titanium.

Irons with aluminum sole

Aluminum is the simplest and cheapest material. It is from it that the soles of the iron of the lower price segment are made.

Advantages

• Low price;

• Quick and even heating of the sole.

disadvantages

• Easy to scratch;

• Leaves shiny marks on some types of materials.

Irons with rustless steel sole

Stainless steel is a logical development of the use of metals for iron soles. It is from it that these contact plates are made in most models of the middle price segment.

Advantages

• Well, they warm up evenly;

• Scratch resistant;

• Keep the temperature for a long time (which reduces the energy consumption of the iron);

disadvantages

• Virtually no dirt is washed;

• They have a high mass.

Irons with steel soles are definitely not recommended for ironing dyed fabrics or fabrics made of composite synthetic materials that can melt on contact with high temperatures.

Iron with titanium sole

Titanium is the most expensive metal used in iron soles.

Advantages

• Keep the temperature well;

• They do not stain and are easily washed from adhering dirt.

• Scratch resistant;

disadvantages

• Warm up longer than steel or aluminum;

• High weight.

• High cost;

Ceramic sole iron

Ceramics are the optimal alternative to metals. It has maximum smoothness, which allows it to be used with particularly sensitive materials.

Advantages

• Suitable for ironing materials with a very high sensitivity to mechanical stress (silk, nylon);

• Warm up quickly and keep the temperature well;

• Have excellent sliding;

disadvantages

• Very fragile;

• They can stain on contact with dyes.

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Cermet is not as fragile as usual, but otherwise the advantages and disadvantages of these two materials are similar.

Teflon Coated Irons

Teflon is one of the most modern materials from which iron soles can be made.

Advantages

• Highest smoothness;

• They do not 'collect fibers', do not stain, and do not adhere to synthetic materials when melted.

• Excellent ironing quality at low temperatures;

disadvantages

• Extremely sensitive to scratches;

  Differs in high cost.

Many manufacturers also use composite materials such as a steel-coated aluminum frame or a fired-ceramic coated steel frame. Such solutions provide better performance than those made from any one substance.

Additional functions

Additional functions that determine the practicality of the iron include:

1. Continuous steam means that the garment is actively steamed during ironing. A useful function for those people who are used to cleaning and freshening materials using steam.

2. Steam boost – short-term high-intensity steam. Can be used for cleaning items or handling thick or multi-layered materials.

3. Vertical steaming allows you to replace the steamer with an iron – hot air can be used to process hanging items or decorative fabrics like curtains. Unfortunately, due to the high mass of the device, hands can get tired. Therefore, this function is useful, but for infrequent use.

4. The sprayer is designed to wet clothes. Some fabrics iron better when wet – even better than steaming. In addition, the sprayer replaces the spray bottle that is used when linen made from natural materials (cotton, linen) is dry.

5. The anti-drip system, as the name implies, avoids condensation droplets appearing on the surface of the soleplate during steaming. The function is quite practical if you need to smooth sensitive and delicate fabrics.

6. Self-cleaning of the sole is a very useful feature. However, it is not implemented in all irons, and the models equipped with it are expensive. Not all users can afford to overpay several thousand rubles for the opportunity not to periodically wipe the sole with a cloth.

7. Automatic cord winding makes iron storage more convenient. But the disadvantages are that the size of the device is getting larger. If you plan to use the iron often and regularly, you just don't need it.

How much does an iron cost

The cost of irons directly depends on the type, functionality, power and sole material. So, budget road and stationary models have a price tag of literally several hundred rubles.

Most models of stationary irons are in the price range of 1-3 thousand rubles. Configurations with a steam station cost an average of 8-12 thousand rubles.

The best iron manufacturers – which company to choose

Some of the best iron manufacturers are the following companies:

1. Vitek, Scarlett – manufacturers of budget, but high-quality irons;

2. Rowenta, Philips, Bosch – produce high-quality solutions in the middle price segment;

3. Tefal, Braun – the best manufacturers of irons in the top and top price range.

4. Also among the manufacturers of budget irons, Maxwell can be distinguished.

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In the following articles, we will tell you how to choose the right steam cleaner for your home and the secrets of choosing a garment steamer.

Iron selection video

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Attention! This material is the subjective opinion of the authors of the project and is not a purchase guide.