Choosing an ironing board for a steam generator

If the traditional iron is tired, you want to apply new technologies in the household, you just need a steam generator and an ironing board for it. Do not try to save money by trying to iron things on a regular board: a strong stream of steam will not find a way out, will be absorbed into clothes, and you will have to dry things again. If you need to iron skirts or suits made of thick fabric every day, they will soon begin to shine, an unpleasant smell will come from clothes, the fibers will collapse. New things will quickly become worthless, they will only have to be thrown out.

Steam generator benefits

Not all housewives decide to give a large amount, and then drive the iron on sheets and shirts the same way. If in doubt, try new equipment from friends or acquaintances, and you will feel as if you moved from old Lada to a high-speed airliner. Handkerchiefs and kitchen towels can be ironed with anything, but when you need to put in order long curtains, things of complex shape, products made of delicate or very thick fabrics, the difference will immediately become noticeable. Much less time and effort will be spent, and the quality of work will increase significantly.

When you iron with an ordinary board, steam comes out of the openings under its own pressure. Depending on the quality of the appliance, the laundry is wetted with either mist or spray. The liquid impregnates both the product you are ironing and the upholstery of the board. If things are immediately folded onto the shelves of the cabinet immediately after ironing, all linen may become moldy. Glossy spots or stains remain on black fabrics, wool and some other materials from a conventional steamer.

In a steam generator, humidification occurs under pressure. The board for this device is coated with a material that can absorb moisture. All these features allow you to iron and a very thick fabric, and several layers of matter. To smooth the sheet, you do not have to move it several times, risking crushing the already treated areas. Gently fold the large product several times without folds and smooth it in 2-3 steps. After that, things dry out very quickly, they can be put in the closet in a few minutes: there will be no moisture either inside or outside.

The steam generator itself does not iron, it delivers steam under high pressure. When it is attached to the iron, the two devices become a single mechanism. A special board should become an integral part of it. It provides a place for mounting a steam generator, a stand for an iron.

Key Features of Ironing Boards

Product quality mainly depends on the upholstery. It should pass moisture well, but not delay it, but immediately evaporate it.

The best coating consists of four layers:

1. strong cotton fabric;
2. foam for sliding;
3. porous layer;
4. water repellent film.

Fast drying does not only depend on the type of upholstery. The heated base will quickly dry both the surface of the board and the fabric you are ironing. Another development of designers is a vacuum pump. When the hostess puts things on the board, the pressure difference draws them to the surface, and the fabric does not move. The same device removes steam, which is why drying is even faster.

When choosing a model, you need to consider the area of ​​the room where you will iron clothes. If there are no problems with free space, and you are going to install a “stationary” board, then neither size nor weight matters. But in cramped apartments it is not always possible to allocate a permanent corner for ironing.Each time, the hostess is looking for a place where you can attach a board. In this case, buy a product of small weight, compact size. The structure should be easy to fold so that it can be put into a cabinet or hidden between the door and the wall.

The board for the steam generator must be reliable. At the store, check to see if the structure is loose or if the legs are sliding on the floor. To work comfortably, the stand must be height adjustable. Pay attention to the surface area for ironing: the larger it is, the faster and better the work will go. Be sure to see if there is a stand on the board for a steam generator, on which you can reliably install an iron of any size. To prevent the cord from spoiling from contact with a hot surface, many models have wire holders.

Tip

In order for all the devices to blend well with each other, it is advisable to immediately buy an ironing board equipped with a steam generator. If you need to purchase products separately, choose products of the same brand.

It happens that the buyer carefully examined the product in the store, checked its work, was pleased at the low price, but after a couple of months was disappointed. Reliable legs were shaken, some additional functions turned out to be unclaimed, the quality of ironed linen is getting worse and worse every day. Such incidents are extremely rare with the products of well-known companies, but numerous small companies have flooded the market with unreliable “disposable” goods. Products of well-known brands are more expensive, but you will not need to suffer from repairs, solve problems with a guarantee.

Good models that deserve positive feedback:

• Leifheit AirSteam L;
• "Karcher AB 1000";
• Bosch TDN1010N;
• Easy 8;
• Rotondi Mini 9.

Additional criteria

Designers develop all kinds of configurations and come up with original solutions. If you live in a cramped apartment, you can purchase an ironing board built into the closet. When folded, it looks like a decorative element. Another option is a small chest of drawers, the top of which is designed to iron clothes, and the lower part can be used to store various things. If at home you iron only small things, and give large products for cleaning or laundry, you can purchase a compact desktop design.

To facilitate the work of the hostess, some functions have additional functions. The fan is useful when working with synthetics and stretching fabrics: it creates an air gap that does not allow the iron to snuggle tightly against the fabric. Forget about shiny spots and spray marks, discard rags for steaming, now you are not afraid of these problems. A steam gun or brush will help clean the fabric from stains, eliminate small impurities and remove odors.

For forgetful housewives, automatic water to the tank will be a good help. With this function, you will never stop the steam supply on half the sleeve, you will not have to break away from work and replenish the supply of fluid. Significantly easier care of the device self-cleaning from scale. But even in this case, it is advisable not to use too hard and contaminated water, pass it through the filter.

How to choose a board?

You come to the store - and just do not understand how to choose the right model. Each has its pros and cons, if the product has a lot of functions, then the price is high. It’s useless to go to the shopping center without preparation: you’ll either just lose time and leave without a purchase, or you’ll get what you don’t need at all. There are a lot of wishes for a new device, often they are incompatible with each other. For example, in cramped conditions, it is good to have a portable model that can be installed on a table or a secretary, but the hostess wants it to be convenient to iron large things on the board. You have to choose one of two things: either compactness, or a large work surface.

Find half an hour of free time and write down all your wishes. Do not worry that such a product, which turned out in your description, is impossible to find in any shopping center. In the next step, arrange the previous characteristics in a different order. If compactness is the fundamental criterion, put it first. If the budget does not allow you to allocate a large amount for the purchase, put the upper limit on the amount that you are willing to pay at the priority place. Now decide which options will take second, third and subsequent places.

When you choose a purchase, immediately go to the models that correspond to the first characteristic, from them highlight the brands that have the property that is in second place. Most likely, you will find a product that matches only a few items from a huge wish list, but this board will have the most important qualities for you. For one housewife, the Karcher ironing board with a steam generator will be the best purchase, for the other - Easy 8, which is very convenient to iron shirts, for the third - the inexpensive compact Leifheit AirSteam L.

A steam generator and an ironing board are an expensive purchase for him. Choosing a model should be serious, but you do not need to make unnecessary requirements for the product. If the device suits you in the main parameters, you can close your eyes to the fact that the design does not fully correspond to the interior or there are no any minor functions. Before you go to the checkout, linger at a future purchase for a couple of minutes and think about what emotions it causes you. Intuition is a good adviser, sometimes it’s better to leave the store empty-handed than to take a thing that you absolutely don’t like. Perhaps the subconscious mind gives a hint that very soon in another shopping center you will see the goods of your dreams.