Buying Guides - Irons

Choosing an Iron

Even with the easy care fabrics and 'wrinkle-free' garments that are available today, it still is necessary to do some ironing if you want to look your best. Natural fibres such as linen and cotton especially need pressing and even permanent pressed fabrics could use the occasional touch up. As simple as an iron may be, there are still several types to consider before you choose the one that's right for you. This electricshopping.com buying guide should help give you a few pointers to look out for in making your decision.

Dry Iron

The traditional dry iron is the simplest type available. All you have to do is plug it in and adjust the temperature accordingly. No water is required.

Steam Iron

Compared to a dry iron, a steam iron provides better results. A small amount of steam released during ironing removes wrinkles easier and reduces the time spent ironing.

Steam/Spray Iron

This type of iron has a small water spray at the front to supply additional moisture when needed - ideal for ironing bone dry clothes.

Steam/Spray/Shot Iron

With a blast of intense steam directly on to the fabric through the iron soleplate, tougher fabrics such as denim are easier to iron.

Steam Generator Iron

Steam generator irons consist of two parts, the iron itself and the base unit. The base unit has the water boiler inside it, and boils the water separately to heating the soleplate of the iron. Therefore you are able to have a far higher steam output, without a corresponding reduction in the temperature of the iron soleplate.

The steam generator iron offers the best results in the shortest amount of time. It enables you to apply a constant flow of high-pressure steam to all of the items you want to iron.

Other Features

In addition to the different types of irons available, there are some different features that you will want to look for as well. Make sure that there are adjustable heat settings from delicate fabrics to cotton and wool. You may also want to see that there is an 'auto off' option so that the iron will turn itself off after a pre-set time of inactivity, a great safety feature.

Steam irons should come with a clear gauge on the water tank so that you can check the water level. Look for a tank that is easy to refill; some are even removable. If you do a lot of ironing, you might consider an iron with a larger capacity water tank to save refill and reheat time. For people with larger households, you should find a steam generator iron far more suited to your needs.

Iron soleplates are usually made of the same non-stick coating material used for cookware, such as Teflon®. Stainless steal and aluminium soleplates are more efficient, as are those that are self-cleaning.

If you choose a steam iron and live in a hard water area, to keep it working at its best, you will need to de-scale it from time to time. This is an easy task, and often will be described in the instruction book.