How to choose an iron for the house

At the choice of the iron it is worth paying attention first of all to its operational parameters.

content

1. How to choose an iron for the house: what to look for
2. Types of irons
3. What iron to choose
4. The main criteria for choosing irons
5. Iron sole material
6. How much does an iron
7. The best manufacturers of irons - which company to choose
8. Iron Choice Video

How to choose an iron for the house: what to look for

Choosing an iron for home use, you should pay attention to the following parameters and characteristics:

1. Type of iron;

2. Presence of wire;

3. Weight and size;

4. Power;

5. The presence of temperature regimes;

6. Features of steam supply;

7. The material and shape of the handle;

8. Cord length;

9. Security systems;

10. Body material and soles;

11. Additional functions.

The iron manufacturer is also important.

Types of irons

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

Road irons

Virtues

• Low price;

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

• Compact size;

disadvantages

• Compact size (for smoothing a large number of things will take a long time);

• Limited functionality.

• Low power (iron can simply not warm up for ironing thick or thick fabric);

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

Stationary irons for home

The classic versions of irons for the house have a familiar design - a heating ironing panel on the cable. Such solutions are characterized by some portability - they can be removed to the closet if not used, for example.

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

Irons with steam station

Irons with a steam station consist of two functional modules. The first - directly iron, which is designed to smooth clothes. The second functional module is a steam station used for boiling water.

Such irons are suitable for ironing a large amount of clothing, as well as for steaming thick fabrics. Due to the strong pressure of hot air, they effectively penetrate the structure of the material, refreshing it and removing dissimilar contaminants.

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

What 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. For normal, everyday use at home are stationary irons;

3. For "professional" ironing, steaming and processing of dense fabrics, irons with a steam station are suitable.

For most users, fit a regular stationary iron.

The main criteria for choosing irons

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

1. Weight and size;

2. Wired or wireless design;

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

4. Power;

5. Temperature regimes;

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

7. Automatic shutdown;

8. Anti-scale function;

9. Outsole material;

10. Additional functions.

Weight and size of iron

The weight of the iron determines not only the quality of the ironing, but also the usability of the device. Heavy models effectively remove wrinkles even on very dense tissues at low heating temperatures (for example, on a tweed), but also cause severe hand fatigue. Light irons can not cope with thick materials, but you can use them as long as you like.

Before purchasing an iron, it is advisable to weigh it in your hand. If it seems inconvenient - and at the same time it is planned to use it very often - then it is better to choose a model for the friend, easier or heavier.

The length and width of the soleplate determines the ironing speed of things. The more it is - the faster it will be possible to straighten the folds on clothes. However, extremely large irons can be inconvenient if you need to smooth out small elements of things like decorative inserts.

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

Wired or wireless design

Stationary irons can be performed in two power options - wired and wireless. They are notable for ease of use, but have a similar design. From her point of view, the iron is just a heating element.

Wire irons

In irons of wire type the sole heats up constantly. After it reaches the set temperature, the controller simply maintains the heat level.

Cordless irons

Wireless irons are spared from these drawbacks. By the principle of their work, they are similar to household electric kettles. After installation on the base, the iron begins to heat up, and when it reaches a certain temperature, you can begin to iron the clothes. In the process of "fighting with folds" the device cools down. Therefore, it will have to be regularly returned to the base.

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

Features of working with steam

Almost all modern irons are equipped with a function of steaming clothes. It simplifies the smoothing of folds, and also makes the material 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 integrated boiler

Irons with an integrated boiler are equipped with a tank for filling water, which is located directly in the device.

Such irons are suitable for steaming clothes directly in the process of ironing. In addition, they are not recommended for use with heat-sensitive fabrics.

Irons with a separate steam station

Irons with a separate steam station create a powerful steam flow.

Such devices should be purchased 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 plannedIt is worth paying attention to such a characteristic as steam blow performance. It is measured in grams per minute. The higher the performance of the steam blow - the more hot air is allocated iron.

For example, models with a steam blow capacity of more than 70 grams per minute are able to steam even very dense fabrics (tweed, jeans), and are also suitable for cleaning and refreshing pillows and upholstered furniture. But if it exceeds 200 g / minute, the iron can even clean the carpet.

Similarly, this parameter is valid for the flow rate at a constant steam supply:

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

2. 20-70 grams per minute - steaming almost any tissue;

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

The higher the performance with constant steam or steam blow, the more the iron consumes the water poured into it. Therefore, it is pointless to acquire high-power models without a separate steam station - they will have to be “refilled” literally every few minutes.

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

Iron power

The higher the power of the iron - the faster it warms up and the higher the temperature it can reach. For home use it is worth buying models designed for 700-1500 watts.More powerful ones are suitable if you need very fast heating or ironing at extremely high temperatures.

Models rated for less than 700 watts can be used as road models. They will also be suitable if by the time of warming up there are no special requirements, or ironing almost always occurs at low temperatures.

Temperature conditions

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

But if you plan to iron the above fabrics (usually they are equipped with a label with the symbol “Do not iron”), 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 as to ensure the free movement of the iron over the entire surface of the ironing board. Its optimal value is 1.5 meters. Irons with shorter cords should be purchased only if the socket is located approximately in the middle of the ironing board. Longer ones will interfere by folding rings on clothes or clinging to different surfaces. However, it is a parameter for home use. But for the sewing studio fit irons with longer power cords.

2. The material of the handle should be such as to maintain a low or comfortable temperature even with prolonged ironing. These may be some types of plastic or similar polymeric compounds. But the metal - 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.

Auto power off

Automatic shutdown - one of the most necessary functions of the iron. She will make him 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.

Anti-scale protection

Another useful feature for irons with an integrated steam boiler. It is advisable to choose a model equipped with it.

If the protection against scale 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 irons can be made of the following materials - aluminum, ceramics, metal ceramics, stainless steel, teflon or titanium.

Irons with an aluminum sole

Aluminum is the simplest and most budgetary material. It is from it that the soles of the irons of the lower price segment are made.

Non-abrasive steels irons

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

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

Irons with titanium soles

Titanium is the most expensive metal used in the soles of irons.

Irons with a ceramic sole

Ceramics - the best alternative for metals. It has the maximum smoothness that allows to use it with especially sensitive materials.

Teflon Coated Irons

Teflon is one of the most advanced materials from which the soles of irons can be made.

Many manufacturers also use composite materials, for example, an aluminum frame with a steel coating or a steel frame with a coating of baked ceramic. Such solutions provide better performance than those made from any one substance.

Additional functions

Among the additional functions that determine the practicality of the iron, can be identified:

1. Constant steam implies active steaming of clothes during ironing. A useful feature for those people who are accustomed to cleaning and refreshing materials using steam.

2. Steam blow - short-term steam with high intensity. It can be used for cleaning things or handling thick or laminated materials.

3. Vertical Steam allows you to replace the steamer with an iron - with hot air, you can handle hanging things or fabric decorative items such as curtains. Unfortunately, due to the high mass of the device can get tired hands. Therefore, this feature is useful, but with infrequent use.

4. Spray designed for wetting clothes. Some wet fabrics are better ironed — even better than when steaming. In addition, the sprayer replaces the spray gun, which is used if the linen made from natural materials (cotton, linen) is dry.

5. Anti-drip systemas it is clear from the name, it allows to avoid condensate droplets appearing on the surface of the soleplate of an iron during stripping. The function is practical enough if you need to smooth sensitive and delicate fabrics.

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

7. Automatic cord winder makes iron storage more convenient. But the disadvantages are that the size of the device becomes larger. If you plan to use the iron often and regularly - it just is not necessary.

How much does an iron

The cost of irons directly depends on the type, functionality, power and material of the sole.For example, budget road and stationary models have a price tag of just a few 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 manufacturers of irons - which company to choose

One of the best manufacturers of irons are the following companies:

1. Vitek, Scarlett - manufacturers of low-cost, but at the same time high-quality irons;

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

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

4. Also among the manufacturers of budget irons can distinguish the company Maxwell.

Iron Choice Video

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