How to choose a good iron to care for things at home or on a trip?

Arriving at an appliance store with the goal of acquiring an iron, many are faced with the problem of choosing the right ironing tool. Often, the buyer can not decide for a long time what is more suitable for him, since choosing an iron for a home can be difficult because of the vast assortment of this type of household appliances. Even more complicating the choice of the optimal version of the ironing device is the fact that manufacturers are trying to make their product original, giving it special operational qualities and capabilities. Therefore, in our time it can be difficult to find a classic iron for sale without any additional functions. But on the other hand, modern irons greatly simplify the ironing process, especially if they are equipped with a good steaming system. To purchase a device that can satisfy your needs in terms of quality and functionality, and not pay extra money for features that you will not need during its operation, you should fully understand what kind of irons are and how they differ from each other.

Surface quality

When trying to get a good iron that meets your needs, you should first pay attention to its sole. The type of material from which it is made affects its properties:

• duration of warming up to a working state,
• ability to smooth various materials well,
• resistance to scratching and other types of mechanical impact, operational durability.

Most often, the sole of the iron is made of aluminum or stainless steel. But in view of the fact that aluminum is a rather soft metal, it is not advisable to use it without a protective coating, since the ironing surface will quickly become covered with scratches from buttons, locks or other hard objects on clothes. On the other hand, the aluminum sole heats up quickly, as this metal conducts heat very well. Stainless steel does not heat up so quickly, but retains heat longer, unlike aluminum. The advantage of this metal is its hardness - the sole made of it is much harder to scratch.

In order to achieve rapid heating of the soleplate and not to worry that its smooth surface accidentally deteriorates, many manufacturers apply various protective coatings on top of aluminum.

We list the main options.

• Ceramic enamel, hard and scratch-resistant, but uninsured against chipping caused by point impacts, as it is quite fragile.
• Stainless steel, which practically does not affect the heating rate, but makes the working surface practically immune to damage.
• Titanium layer, absolutely not afraid of encounters with solid objects, but having poor thermal conductivity.
• Teflon, Karelone and other types of spraying, not particularly affecting the strength of the sole, but ensuring its good glide and protection against the burning of various materials to it.

The sole of stainless steel is usually well polished, after which it copes with its function perfectly. But some manufacturers chrome it, cover it with titanium or a ceramic layer. Recently, a completely new unique material called “cermet” has also been developed, from which the soles for irons are made, which have increased strength and perfect smoothness.In addition to smoothness, an important factor contributing to a good glide of the iron is the presence of special grooves on the surface of its sole - steam guides. Thanks to them, a kind of air cushion is created between the working and the processed surface, which improves sliding. It is also worth noting that some firms produce irons with double soles, one of which is removed if necessary. They differ from each other by the type of material included in their composition, which allows you to more accurately select the ironing mode for a particular fabric.

Tip

When choosing an iron, pay attention to its weight, as some types of soles, although very high quality, are quite heavy, which will create undesirable hand loads when ironing large volumes of laundry.

What else to look for when buying?

If you liked the quality of the sole of any iron, but you notice that some of its components are poorly fixed, then perhaps you should not mess with such a product. Reliability of assembly of the product is an important criterion, indicating that this manufacturer can be trusted. Another significant detail in the iron is its power cord. It is important that it be of sufficient length (the optimum size is 2.5 m) and be “dressed” in a fabric winding, which will protect it from melting in case of accidental contact with a heated working surface. A number of companies produce irons that are heated from a stand, powered by a network. Such devices they do not have a cord that interferes with the normal ironing process. But they are rather irrational in terms of saving time, since you have to constantly wait until the temperature of the working surface reaches the required indicator.

Noteworthy when choosing an ironing device is also its electric "filling". First of all, this is the power consumption of the device, which affects the heating rate of the working surface and, accordingly, the amount of electricity used. If you don’t have to iron a lot, then 1500-2000 W will be enough for you not to spend extra money. If time is more important for you than money, then it is better to purchase a model with a capacity of 2500-3000 W, which has a good heater. In addition, with regard to electrics, the iron must be equipped with a reliable system of automatic shutdown and manual temperature control. This will allow you to choose the appropriate mode of operation of the device for ironing certain types of fabrics and protect it from overheating.

How important is the steaming function?

The humidification and vaporization system is of particular importance for improving the performance of the iron. Most modern models of this household appliance are equipped with a water tank, from which liquid is supplied to the heated sole and through the openings in it comes out in the form of steam. The quality of ironing depends on the steam ejection speed. Often, to smooth out some fabrics or especially problematic areas, a special pressure lever is provided in the design with the help of which a one-time steam boost of greater power is created. Some irons, the steam ejection rate of which reaches 100 g / m, can serve as a vertical garment steamer. But, using them for this purpose, one should not forget about the limited volume of the water tank and perform timely refueling.

Tip

When buying an iron, make sure that this model has an anti-drip system that will prevent water from leaking from the steam holes in the sole when the device is in a horizontal position and has not warmed up to the desired temperature.

The tank built into the iron is also a source of water for the atomizer, which is present in the design of many models. Before buying, it is important to check the performance of this system. When you press the lever, the water pushed out of the hole in the front of the iron should be sprayed with very small droplets at a distance of at least half a meter.Although the instructions for the irons of most companies contain recommendations regarding the use of clean water for the vaporization system, you should nevertheless worry about the presence of a special appliance in your household appliance. anti-scale. Typically, a nest is provided in the iron structure for this purpose, into which a cartridge is placed to soften the water.

If you have special needs regarding ironing, then you should get an iron with a steam generator. This device has a large stationary water tank, located separately from the ironing device and connected with a special hose. The formation of steam occurs in the tank itself, and through this hose it is supplied under pressure to the holes in the working surface of the iron. The steam speed in such devices at the outlet can reach 140 g / m, and its temperature is 160 ^about C. Their other advantage is the large volume of the water reservoir (in some models - about 3 l).

For those who often travels, an ordinary iron is unlikely to work, so a number of companies produce special road models that have the following differences:

1. they are more compact;
2. have less power;
3. may be without a steam system.

As for power, it is better not to purchase irons that consume less than 800 watts. Nevertheless, it will be difficult to iron clothes in an upright position with such a device. If you do not have the ability to iron on the table, then use a steamer. This device also has a reservoir for generating steam, which is fed through a hose to a special nozzle located on its edge. The only drawback of this device is that with it you can’t do, for example, arrows. In any case, your choice will depend not only on sufficient awareness, but also on specific circumstances and financial opportunities.