Iron is an indispensable tool in the care of clothes. This household appliance should be in any home. Hardly anyone thinks about how to choose an iron for home until the time of purchase. And in vain, because the models of modern manufacturers differ from each other in many ways. We will try to understand what characteristics you need to pay attention to when choosing an iron.
What is the sole of the iron made of?
Choosing an iron makes sense to start by inspecting its sole. This element is in contact with the fabric, and it depends on it to a large extent how well the thing will be ironed. To date, the most common soles of ironing devices are made of three materials: aluminum, ceramic and stainless steel. How do they differ among themselves and how to choose an iron for home?
Positive reviews have almost all types of soles. Aluminum quickly heats up and cools down, which is very convenient for use in everyday life. The sole of this material has a minimum weight, which means that the iron will be light and comfortable. If the aluminum surface gets dirty, it will not be difficult to clean it.
Stainless steel is strong and durable. An ironing device with such a sole will not require any special care. Stainless steel irons have good slip characteristics. This means that when ironing clothes, additional efforts will not be required.
The main advantage of ceramic or Teflon soles is a 100% guarantee that the fabric does not stick. Many housewives praise irons with such soles for the accuracy of ironing - the clothes do not wrinkle, just iron each section once.
Device power
It is not easy for many housewives to decipher the power characteristics of household appliances. Meanwhile, this indicator is quite important. The minimum value of this characteristic for a household iron is 1300-1600 W. Such a device is suitable for small families, ironing a minimum of things from time to time. How to choose an iron for home, if you iron a lot? The average power of 1600-2000 watts is suitable for smoothing even heavily wrinkled clothes. Such models will please with the speed of heating. Irons with a heating capacity of 2000 W or more are similar in characteristics to those used in an industrial environment. Acquiring such a model makes sense only if the family is large and ironing is necessary daily. And most importantly: the greater the power of the iron, the faster it will heat up to operating temperature.
Steam generator or ordinary steam iron?
A couple of decades ago, irons smoothed the fabric solely due to the heating of the sole and its own weight. Today, such devices have lost relevance, as thanks to the supply of steam, things can be smoothed out with minimal effort. It remains only to choose between the built-in steam generator and the external one. Both types of devices for smoothing tissue have pluses. How to choose a steam generator with an iron for the home, which is better - built-in or external steam generator? The answer to this question depends on your material capabilities and requirements.
An ordinary steam iron has a small built-in water tank. Such devices are easy to maintain and operate. Unfortunately, not all of them are able to iron a thing qualitatively on weight or cope with a very dense fabric.
Irons with steam generators provide uninterrupted steam supply and can replace the steamer. Such models will appeal to those who like to iron things hanging on hangers, upholstery and curtains, without removing them from the curtains. Estimate the volume of the water tank. The larger it is, the less often you will have to add fluid. Do not be too lazy to read the manual of your favorite iron before buying. The fact is that some models require the use of purified water only.
Number of ironing modes
The operating temperature range is an important characteristic of the ironing device, affecting the ability to adjust the heating of the soleplate. It is very convenient when temperature conditions are signed with the names of fabrics. In this case, each member of the family will be able to choose the working temperature without looking at the instruction manual. Modern household appliances have at least two adjustments: heating and steam supply. How to choose a steam generator with an iron for the home, is the number of modes important? If you believe the reviews, most housewives use only 3-4 modes when ironing. Accordingly, it makes sense to choose a device for which the minimum, average and maximum heating and steam are precisely determined. It is desirable that the mode switch has temperature designations. Very often on labels of textile products there are ironing tips with an indication of the permissible temperature.
Steam and water supply
The stronger the laundry is crumpled, the more steam will be required for quick ironing. Most modern models of irons have the function of instant release of additional steam (button "turbocouple"). This is convenient enough if you come across one serious crease that does not want to be smoothed out. Spraying is also available on almost all modern ironing machines. The "water supply" function is relevant when ironing dry laundry. Just spray the most serious folds directly from the iron, you do not need a separate spray with liquid.
Scale protection and anti-drip system
How to choose a good iron for a home that lasts long enough? Pay attention to the protection against scale. Some appliances have removable filter cartridges. If such elements are present, pay attention to the timing of their replacement and cleaning. In the absence of filters, only carefully filtered water can be poured into the iron. Use household filter equipment to clean tap water. You can also purchase bottled distilled water.
In low-cost models of ironing devices, when dropping maximum steam, water droplets may be released. Some manufacturers of modern household appliances equip their appliances with a special anti-drip system. If you choose a similar iron, you can be sure: once again your clothes will not get wet during ironing.
What determines the slip of the sole?
Ironing without unnecessary efforts - this is what every housewife dreams of. A significant characteristic of the device is the sliding of the working surface. To a greater extent, this characteristic depends on the material used to make the sole. The most sliding are considered stainless steel and ceramics. How to choose an iron for the home, evaluating the sliding characteristics? Examine the sole of the device, the presence of notches for buttons will ensure ironing without problems. It is useful to pay attention to the shape of the iron. For many customers, ironing devices with elongated narrow noses seem most convenient.
Energy classes
More and more modern people seeking to save personal finances and take care of the environment are consciously choosing household appliances according to energy consumption classes. Unfortunately, on most irons this characteristic is not set at all. Ironing utensils are used irregularly for a short period of time. For this reason, not all manufacturers of these devices care about reducing energy consumption. How to choose an iron for home, which will help to save on paying electricity bills? Power consumption depends on the power consumed during operation. If you want to save money, choose a device with the minimum or average values of this parameter.
Safety features
How often did you have to think about whether you forgot to turn off the iron when leaving the house? Household appliances with hot surfaces are potentially flammable. How to choose the right iron for the house, focusing on its safety features? Give preference to a “smart” household appliance. Modern irons can turn off if they are placed on the sole or side and left in this position for a while. Many models stop heating the sole with prolonged inactivity in any position.
Choose a device that has a light and sound indication of automatic shutdown. If you believe the reviews, such devices are really very safe and convenient to use.
Additional functions
When choosing a device for ironing, it makes sense to pay attention to the length of its cord. The larger it is, the more convenient it will be to use the device. It is advisable that the cord is bent 360 degrees. Some modern models have a built-in battery, thanks to its presence you can iron and steam things at any distance from the electrical outlet. The only drawback of such devices is the need to charge before use.
The indicator of heating the working surface is a very useful function, which by silence is available in almost all modern devices for ironing. If you have a choice, give preference to the iron giving a sound signal about readiness for work.
Device Options
As standard, the steam iron comes with a measuring cup for pouring water into the tank and an instruction manual. In fact, this is really enough to use the device. Some manufacturers take care of their customers and supplement the basic equipment. Protective covers, bags for transportation, coasters - all these are additional devices that theoretically should make using the iron even more convenient. But in fact, all such accessories are used extremely rarely and more often remain forgotten in a company box.
What to buy an iron for home? The reviews of those who recently purchased ironing appliances recommend recommending that you really use everything that the appliance manufacturer is trying to impose on you?
What determines the price of the iron?
How much does a good ironing machine cost? In modern hardware stores you can see irons costing from 2000 rubles to infinity. Should I focus on the price of the device when buying? If you want to buy the best iron for your home, giving preference to the most expensive model makes no sense. Many housewives admit that they do not use all the modes and additional functions of devices for ironing the middle price category. Choosing an iron should be based on the needs of your family. Try to learn as much as possible all the features of the model you like and decide which features you really need.
The cost of household appliances depends on many factors. This is the brand’s popularity, the release date of a particular model, functionality and technical specifications. If you wish, you can save on each of these points. For example, it does not matter at all which company to choose an iron for home. By choosing a little-known brand, you can save up to 40% on the purchase of a household appliance in this category.
What are the best steam generators / irons for home to choose? Reviews will help you navigate
Is it worth listening to the opinions of those who have already tried a particular iron in everyday life? Yes, of course! Reviews of real buyers of the product will help you evaluate the pros and cons of a particular device. Check out our tips as well as consumer opinions on the forums. To facilitate the choice of equipment, many modern virtual stores have a reviews section directly in the card of each product. You can also ask friends and acquaintances who have recently acquired small household appliances: what do they like in their latest acquisitions, and what leaves much to be desired?
Now you know how to choose an iron for your home. Customer reviews will help you perfectly cope with this difficult at first glance task. If you are lucky enough to find an iron that you like in all respects, be sure to pick it up before you buy it. The weight and comfort of the handle can only be checked by the “fitting” method.
Now you know that only on your own can you decide which is better to choose an iron for home. The reviews and practical tips offered in our article should help you in solving this problem.