What household appliances do modern housewives need? If you listen to the answers to this question, you can make a list, which will consist of several dozen items. But not all of them are essential appliances. For example, having a gas stove, you can do without a microwave oven, or refuse the electric shredder, armed with a simple knife. Using this technique, you can, of course, greatly simplify life, but even without it, everyone can easily cope with the tasks.
But there are also such devices, without which it is absolutely impossible to do. Iron certainly belongs to this category. It’s hard to imagine how to put things in order after washing without this appliance. That is why it is available in almost every home. Earlier models of irons were monotonous. A large assortment was not observed in the stores, which is why the housewives had to be content with what they had. But in our time, everything has changed dramatically. Now on sale are a wide variety of options, which, among other things, are equipped with additional features.
In Soviet times, the manufacturing principle of this technique was rather primitive. No technology was applied. Ironing efficiency was achieved due to the heavy weight of the device and a well-heated metal surface, however, the process itself could hardly be called comfortable. Thanks to modern developments, manufacturers were able to make ironing things as convenient as possible, significantly reducing the weight of the device and adding useful features. It is also worth noting that the devices have a bright design. Each manufacturer is trying to bring some zest in order to highlight their products against competitors. Of course, there are undisputed leaders in this category. In their assortment range there are worthy models that receive numerous positive reviews.
Which iron is better to buy? Which brand should I prefer? What criteria should I look for? It is to these questions that answers will be presented that will help the buyer quickly, and most importantly - correctly, choose an iron for home use.
The main criterion for choosing an iron is the sole
The first thing you should pay attention to when choosing an iron is the sole. Ironing efficiency will depend on it. Also, the buyer should understand that this element directly affects the life of the equipment. Previously, in old appliances, housewives often encountered burning a metal surface. If you iron the fabric with such an iron, then it will simply be spoiled. Each, of course, cleaned the sole in different ways, but note that they are all not easy. Now it is worth paying tribute, this almost never occurs. Thanks to the use of special materials, the surface heats evenly while maintaining ease of sliding. Today, ironing does not cause problems even in hard-to-reach places - near buttons, fasteners. This is confirmed by numerous reviews.
A good iron for the home can be equipped with a sole made of different materials. Note that they are all pretty practical. The assortment includes models with teflon, titanium, cermet coating. Devices with a sole made of stainless steel or aluminum are also on sale. Let's talk in detail about their functional features, while highlighting the existing disadvantages and advantages.
Aluminum and steel outsole
The most inexpensive models are those that are equipped with aluminum soles. Such irons receive different reviews. The fact is that aluminum is a material with high thermal conductivity. Although it heats up quickly, it cools down in a short period of time. The comments also indicate a low resistance to mechanical damage. When used on the surface of the sole, scratches form. Accordingly, the ease of sliding due to this is significantly reduced. And this, in turn, makes ironing ineffective.
In positive reviews, users highlight the low weight of such devices. They also advise to purchase models that are equipped with protective pads. For the latter, a special coating is used. As a rule, it is ceramic or teflon. Thanks to such overlays, it is possible to protect the aluminum sole from mechanical damage, thereby prolonging the operational life of the device.
Other inexpensive options are also available. They are equipped with a steel sole. Most reviews of such irons are positive, despite their impressive weight and prolonged heating. As for the last criterion, it is definitely impossible to call it a minus, since steel does not cool very quickly. The advantages of such a sole include strength. Scratches practically do not form, which extends the service life.
Cermets
A ceramic-metal sole has come into use relatively recently and has gained a number of advantages in contrast to simple metal surfaces. It heats up more slowly, but it keeps the set temperature longer, glides easily over any fabric, does not scratch and simply copes with any bends, creases in clothes. With such a sole almost no additional effort is required when working, the device does everything itself.
But even such irons receive not only positive reviews. Metal ceramics also have disadvantages. The most significant is that it is quite fragile and, over time, chips and bumps may appear on the sole, which affects the ironing result, especially when working with soft and capricious fabrics.
Teflon
When it comes to Teflon coating, many pans come to mind. It is thanks to them that the housewives know that this material protects against burning. But not only for kitchen utensils, this criterion is relevant. By purchasing a Teflon-coated iron, you can be sure that even delicate fabrics will not be damaged during ironing. Also, these models have another advantage - excellent glide when working at low temperatures. The owners emphasize this in their reviews.
Teflon-coated irons, unfortunately, have not only advantages, but also disadvantages. The most significant users consider a low level of strength. The fact is that the Teflon sole is easily deformed when interacting with metal. Therefore, when ironing things with fasteners and zippers, one must be extremely careful. In reviews, users recommend this model to those who have to work with delicate fabrics that require processing only at low temperatures.
Titanium
The most expensive irons are those equipped with titanium soles. It is worth noting that this material began to be used relatively recently. It has many indisputable advantages, but there is also a significant drawback - the high cost of the devices. Strength, durability, low level of soiling, high resistance to deformation, lightness - these are the advantages that users highlight in their reviews. The Philips GC 4527 iron, for example, costs an average of 9,000 rubles. Most buyers liked this model. Of the ten reviews, only one can read some comments. And at the same time, it does not so much talk about the shortcomings as a simple comparison is made with other models.
Definitely irons with a titanium sole belong to the class of elite products. Their prices are significantly higher than those described above. Therefore, this option cannot be called popular, since not every buyer is able to afford such a technique.
Power indicators
Having figured out which sole should have the best iron (customer reviews helped highlight both the advantages and disadvantages of different materials), now we can talk about another important criterion - power. It affects the quality of ironing and the time period spent on this process. Naturally, the best one is the device that has a higher rate.
For home use, an iron with a power of 1400 to 1600 watts is enough. With more buying there is no point, since it will consume a lot of electricity.
Weight and dimensions
In order to choose the best iron, in the reviews, users recommend paying attention to sizes and, of course, weight. As for the latter, the more it will be, the faster the owner will get tired, doing ironing. However, a very light iron cannot be considered good. The fact is that he will not be able to cope with the creases of the fabric and will have to exert a certain force, and this, of course, is inconvenient. The best iron should be light and heavy. Before buying, it is recommended to support it in your hand and evaluate the feeling.
There are no special requirements for the dimensions of the device itself. The main thing here is to pay attention to the capacity of the water tank. If its volume is small, then during ironing you will have to constantly add fluid. If the iron is purchased for home use, you can choose a model with a tank of 200 ml. This capacity is enough for about 20 minutes of ironing using steam. There is one more point to which it is desirable to pay attention. In order to make it easy to control the fullness of the tank, the housing must be transparent.
Capabilities
What opportunities do owners of modern irons give in reviews? Currently, manufacturers produce functional devices that are equipped with anti-scale, different operating modes, automatic shutdown after a certain period of inactivity, as well as the possibility of self-cleaning.
Users find all of these features useful. For example, when working with steam, it often happens that scale remains on the fabric. In addition, it clogs holes, which reduces efficiency. The ability to change the temperature of heating the sole will help preserve things. There are delicate fabrics that can only be ironed with a non-hot iron. The option to automatically turn off, you can say, saves the nerves of the hostesses. Now they don’t have to worry if they forgot to turn off the iron.
Rating irons
Owner reviews made it possible to rank the best models. It includes those irons that have the optimal ratio of cost and quality. In 2017, the products of the following manufacturers became leaders:
Now let's look at the best models that have received high marks from users.
Tefal fv3930
First of all, we consider the characteristics of the model, which attracted the attention of buyers with a low cost. In stores, it is sold for 3600 rubles. Despite the fact that the device belongs to the budget segment, it has pretty good functionality. The sole is ceramic-metal with a dusting of Durilium. The developers placed the holes for the pair thoughtfully, which is confirmed by the reviews on the TEFAL FV3930 iron. The model works with a power of 2300 watts. A mass of 1.3 kg is enough to effectively iron. There is a water tank in the iron. Its capacity is 270 ml. The strength of the steam boost is 130 g / min. It can be adjusted. There are also self-cleaning, shut-off functions (after 8 minutes in the upright position and after 30 seconds in the horizontal position) and an anti-scale system.
Braun TexStyle TS725
Braun TexStyle TS725 received a lot of positive reviews . Type of sole - Eloxal. The mass of the device is 1.4 kg. Power - 2.4 kW. The capacity of the tank is 400 ml. The cord length is 2.5 m.
Given that this model of iron has an aluminum sole, many doubt its quality. However, this is not worth doing. It has a high level of stability, which was achieved using a special technology - anodizing. The functionality is more than enough for home use, but in the reviews, some buyers say that the price of the model is somewhat overstated (about 5500 rubles).
Tefal gv6733
Highlight users in the reviews and iron Tefal GV6733. It, of course, is not cheap (11,000 rubles), but its functionality justifies such a cost. This model is not a simple iron, it is equipped with a steam generator. Users praise the quality of the cermet sole. The power with which the device works is 2200 watts. As for weight, it reaches almost 4 kg. The cord is a little short, its length is only 1.7 m. The maximum vapor pressure indicator is 5.2 bar. Many users in the reviews noted the presence of a rubberized handle.
Philips GC 2088
Also included in the ranking of the best irons is the GC 2088 model of the well-known manufacturer Philips. The peculiarity of this iron is that it is wireless. Its cost on average is 6,000 rubles. Good power - 2.4 kW.
Users separately noted the high-quality ceramic sole, a tank of sufficient capacity (270 ml), the presence of a charging station, a self-cleaning system and the ability to turn off automatically. Thanks to this functionality, the owners were satisfied with the model, this is confirmed by the reviews.
What iron to buy for home and by what criteria to determine whether a high-quality appliance was described in the article. Now, each buyer will be able to easily understand a wide range and make the right choice.