How to choose an iron, what to look for?
Iron is an indispensable appliance in every home. Even very stylish and fashionable clothes will not look crumpled. Buying iron today is not such an easy task - a very wide range. By what parameters should I choose an iron so that I can’t make a mistake with the quality and not lose the price? When a large family, many housewives spend a lot of time ironing, therefore, we would like an iron so that this pastime was as comfortable as possible. Let's figure out how to choose an iron, what to look for when buying.
to contents ↑Choosing an iron - manufacturers rating
First of all, you need to decide on the manufacturer of your new assistant. Its quality and service life largely depend on this. Since not a single company that values its reputation will lower its rating and produce low-quality products.
The most popular companies today are:
- Bosch
- Braun;
- Tefal;
- Moulinex;
- Philips
- Scarlett
- Rowenta.
to contents ↑Important! Do not buy the products of any unknown company in the hope of saving. Remember: avaricious pays twice. We have prepared a separate post where you will findrating of the best models of irons.
Device type
If you have decided on a company, it's time to choose a more suitable model of your iron. There are three types of irons:
- Conventional irons that manufacturers did not provide with a steaming system at all. But they were replaced by more convenient “brothers” who are endowed with various functions, primarily the steaming system.
- Steam irons with integrated water tank and steam system.
- Steam generators that overshadowed all other models with their convenience and high price. Our separate review will help solve the dilemma -buy an iron or steam generator.
Power
What is the best iron power for more comfortable use? The rate of heating of the device, as well as the rate and amount of vaporization depend on this indicator.
Important! When choosing power, consider the quality of your wiring in the house so that there are no problems with the electrics.
We select the necessary parameters:
- The most powerful are devices with an indicator of 2000-2400 watts. They will become your indispensable helpers - ironing time will be significantly reduced.
- For a small family, an iron with a power of 1600-1900 watts is also suitable.
- Models with power below 1500 W are more likely to be road ones. As a rule, they are small and light, often have a cover for transportation.
Iron functions
If the old antediluvian iron simply heated on fire and had one main indicator - weight, then modern models have a whole bunch of important and useful functions that can facilitate the difficult life of a housewife.
Important! Do you want your beloved man to always look well-groomed and tidy? Learn how to iron your shirt! You will find detailed instructions on how to do this in our article. “How to iron a long sleeve shirt?”.
Steam function
The modern iron has many holes on the sole, through which steam is supplied. Thanks to this, all folds on clothes can be easily smoothed.
Important! The larger the number of these holes, the more steam can enter, respectively - the better the fabric is moistened and smoothing is facilitated.
Different companies have a different arrangement of these holes, which also matters. This function has an indicator such as steam flow rate. It varies from 10 to 150 g / min and depends on the model of the device and its power. 25-30 g / min is quite enough for smoothing ordinary folds on clothes.
Important! The higher this indicator, the easier the ironing process will be. But you also need to consider that the water tank for models with a high rate should be larger. At the same time, the iron itself becomes heavier and more massive. Not everyone is comfortable ironing with such an aggregate.
Steam boost
This is a useful feature that allows you to produce powerful steam at the touch of a button. This is true in the case of clothes that are too dry and can not be smoothed out.
The indicator in this case is the steam feed rate:
- Iron with a powerful steam boost - a device with an indicator of 90 g / min and above.
- In the case of a steam generator, even from 120 g / min.
Dry ironing function
How to choose an iron, what else to look for? This function is intended for fabrics that are undesirable to steam, as they can stick to the sole and burn.
Self cleaning system
In order not to suffer from descaling the appliance, it is advisable to make sure that the model you have chosen has this useful function.
Important! Usually, a special button on the device is responsible for this, but on some models it is combined with the button responsible for the steam boost.
Anti-scale system
Many models have a system of protection against scale in the form of a special anti-lime cartridge, which softens the water. Of course, this does not save your device completely from scale, but at least significantly reduces it. But if the water is too hard, it is best to use purified water.
Drip system
This system prevents the flow of water when the iron is slightly heated. This function is very useful to you if you iron capricious fabrics that leave stains in places where water drops get.
Vertical steaming
This mode is useful for ironing a pair of outer clothing, which is in an upright position, for example, hanging on a coat hanger. In this case, the sole of the iron does not come into contact with clothing.
Auto power off function
You will not need to worry about leaving the iron on at home:
- If within 30 seconds the device is stationary in a horizontal position, it will automatically turn off.
- The same thing happens if you leave it to stand upright for 10-15 minutes.
to contents ↑Important! Use the correct modes and methods for ironing different types of laundry. Find out about them on our helpful tips portal in an article "How to iron things?".
Outsole material
When choosing an iron according to the parameters, it is desirable to take into account the material from which the sole is made.
Stainless steel
This is a durable material that will last you a long time. In addition, such devices are inexpensive, and special polishing will provide excellent glide on the surface of any material.
Aluminum
Such products are not very popular because of their rapid deformation, since despite the fact that such an iron heats up quickly. Nevertheless, aluminum is a soft metal, with time microcracks appear on it, which reduce the entire ironing process to nothing.
Ceramics and cermets
These materials, despite the fact that they are quite fragile, provide impeccable ironing.
Glass-ceramic, teflon and titanium
Of all the materials, these are the most durable. The service life of these materials is impressive, but the price is accordingly quite high.
What else to look for when buying?
In addition to all these characteristics, when buying an iron, pay attention to the following points:
- The handle of the device should be comfortable, preferably rubberized, so that it does not slip in the hand.
- The length of the cord should not be too short, otherwise it will be inconvenient to iron. But a cord too long will also be inconvenient - you will stumble over it when ironing.
Important! It has been experimentally proven that the optimal cord length is about two meters.
- Some irons come with a special nozzle that does not heat up above a certain temperature. This allows you to fearlessly iron delicate fabrics that are afraid of high temperatures.
- When choosing the size of the soleplate, keep in mind that when choosing a large size, the process itself will go faster. But with hard-to-reach places you will have to learn. The smaller the sole and the nose of the device, the easier it is to get to them.
- The weight of the device should not exceed 1.5 kg, but at the same time it should not be very light, otherwise - you will have to put too much effort in the process of ironing.
- The larger the temperature range, the better. It will be easier to choose the temperature regime for any fabric.
Stock footage
In this article, we have identified the main points, focusing on which you can choose a high-quality iron for the home. Now you are ready to deal with all the variety presented in the store and buy the best and most convenient device for yourself.
(No ratings yet)
Loading...
