Choosing a New Iron for Your Home

Whatever job you do, we all need to try and look our best each day for our work. One of the best tools for looking after our clothing is an iron, and no household is complete without this appliance. While there are many inexpensive options available, you’ll find some very technically advanced irons on the market also. But do these irons do a better job than a cheaper model? Today we’re going to look at everything you need to know about selecting a new iron and the top features you should consider.

The Type of Iron

The majority of irons today rely on steam to function. The best steam irons offer users a water tank, limescale resistance, and temperature dials, which make the ironing process easier than ever before. Steam generators are a professional option for ironing, and they also use high pressure to make ironing much quicker for professionals. These are a great option for anyone who is doing a huge load of washing at one time, as they offer the same pressure that a professional dry cleaner would use.

Steam Irons

As far as steam irons, you’ll find there are four different types. Vertical, burst, continuous, and variable steam features all offer different uses and can be helpful for using on various types of clothing. Vertical steam is something that’s used for hanging garments, such as when you need to wear a dress or suit for a wedding. Variable steam allows you to have more control over the amount of steam that’s used, and you can then adjust it to fit nearly every type of fabric. If you really struggle to get creases out of your trousers, you’ll want to use a burst of steam, and continuous steam makes it easier to iron and is effective on a range of materials.

Steam Generator Irons

If you are ready to upgrade from your previous steam iron, consider purchasing a steam generator iron. These are essentially improved versions of steam irons, and the iron is attached to a steam generator. This higher pressure means that both sides of your clothing item are ironed at the same time, which is ideal for anyone who has a huge family and spends hours ironing. It can cut your ironing time down in half, which is perfect for anyone who is sick and tired of ironing so much. One thing to note is that some models can take up to 20 minutes to heat up, but the modern fast heat-up irons only take two minutes or so. They are generally bigger than your traditional iron, so make sure you have space to store your new purchase in your home.

Presses

Another option is investing in a press, which is generally used by professionals. These are quite large, as they consist of two plates. When the plates close, they apply a huge amount of pressure to the clothes, and they will also cut your ironing down in half. This is particularly useful for larger items, such as curtains, which may be impossible to iron with a traditional appliance. It will, of course, take up a lot of space in your home, but most of them fold up easily after use, so it will even take up less space than your ironing board.

Ironing Boards

When purchasing a new iron, this is a good time to think about investing in a new ironing board. These are usually between 110cm to 135cm in length, and the width varies between 35 and 45cm. The largest ones usually are much easier to iron on, and you’ll find that many of them still fold up easily to be packed away in your home. You’ll find that many of the best ironing boards allow you to adjust their height, but you’ll want to ensure this is the case if you are particularly tall or short. If you need to iron while sitting down, also keep this in mind when purchasing an ironing board to ensure it can be lowered this much.

Most ironing boards offer a steel mesh surface, which allows the steam to pass through and avoids any moisture from building up. Some even have an undertray, which will collect any extra water underneath your ironing board. You can buy an ironing board on a small budget, but you’ll want to also think about the ironing board cover and ensure it can offer you everything you need to avoid any issues when you are ironing. When cared for properly, you’ll find an ironing board can last you for many years to come.

As you can see, there are a few good options when it comes to purchasing a new iron and an ironing board to go with it. It’s always worth buying these two items together, and the ironing board shouldn’t cost a huge fortune. An iron is something that you’ll use multiple times a week, so make sure you don’t buy one that is hard or frustrating to use. You’ll find that a good iron can cut your ironing time down in half, so it is usually well worth the investment in the long run to save you plenty of time to do something more enjoyable in the future.