How to choose an iron?

The iron usually serves more than one year, but at one not very pleasant moment it still burns out and we have to look for a new one. In stores - a great many models from a variety of manufacturers, and immediately orientated is quite difficult. How to choose an iron, so ironing was not hard labor, but an easy and pleasant business? We will now talk about this.

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Types of irons

There are several types of irons. Some are designed for laundries and ateliers, where each device has its own tasks:

• In the laundry, workers have to iron large surfaces, but there is rarely a delicate work on the iron.
• In the atelier - on the contrary, the surfaces are not so large, but you need to iron out the allowances and smooth the folds and darts.

How to choose an iron for home use, because it must be universal, he will have to deal with large quilts, and with dresses for a small daughter, where there are a lot of wrinkles or cords, and each should be in perfect condition?

There are three types of household irons:

• conventional;
• steam;
• irons with attachments-steam generators.

Which is better:

• A regular iron can now be found only on the grandmother's attic or in the commission store. There is practically no demand for them, so the industry does not produce them. Such irons, even if they are in working order, are suitable only to create an environment in a retro style. However, in case of emergency they can be used, only very carefully.
• The most popular category is steam. They are universal, suitable for ironing large surfaces, and for smoothing small parts. In the stores of home appliances, you can often meet exactly these. There are many options, these units differ from each other and the sole, and a set of functions, and price.
• Irons with steam generators are also very diverse. Most often they are used in laundries and ateliers, but they are suitable for the home, especially if you have to iron a lot and often. They are, however, quite expensive. It is an iron with a special separate platform. The steam station produces steam continuously, it enters the iron through a hose. This significantly reduces the time for ironing and allows you to quickly handle a large amount of laundry. The iron itself is very light, the hand does not get tired at all.

Choose an iron with a steam generator in much the same way as a steam generator.

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What to look at?

After thinking about what kind of iron to choose for your home, pay attention to the following:

• outsole;
• power
• thermostat;
• steam system;
• function;
• cord;
• weight;
• form;
• handle.

Important! Significant factors remain both the price and the manufacturer of equipment, since this determines the availability of the device to you and its reliability.

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Outsole

Outsole is the first thing you should pay attention to. The choice of iron can significantly affect;

• material;
• form;
• size.

Material

The choice of material is very important, because this part is in contact with the fabric. Heavy iron irons are in the past, and on the shelves of shops you can meet the soles:

• of stainless steel;
• of steel with titanium coating;
• of aluminum;
• from ceramics and cermets;
• of glass ceramics.

Stainless steel

Stainless steel soles are made for a long time, and now this material is quite popular. Its advantages:

• strength;
• durability;
• low price;
• ability to heat up quickly;
• ability to maintain shape.

Any stainless steel object is completely insensitive to impacts, it is very difficult to bend. This material has good thermal conductivity, so the sole heats up rather quickly.

Important! The main drawback is that such an iron does not glide equally well across all tissues. And if there are solid scratches - and can "cling" the fabric, leaving puffs.

Another nuance - tan marks on this sole remain most often. Therefore, you must immediately know when you buy such a device, how to clean it.

Stainless steel with titanium coating

This is an improved version of steel soles. This iron slips on any fabric. It costs a little more than its predecessor, but it pays off with interest.

Aluminum

Lightweight but not very durable material. This sole is perfectly heated - even faster than steel. However, the iron easily loses its shape, so it requires extremely careful handling.

If, for example, during moving or cleaning, a heavy object is put on it - the sole can take the most fantastic look and straighten it will be very difficult.

The most attractive qualities of an aluminum sole are lightness and price.

Important! If the care is not properly maintained, aluminum can begin to leave dark traces on the fabric.

Ceramics and cermets

Modern and very worthy materials for the manufacture of irons. The main advantages:

• very easily slide on any fabric;
• perfectly smooth even very wrinkled places.

Important! The main disadvantage of ceramic and cermet surfaces is fragility. Such a device should not be dropped or allowed to fall on anything.

Glass ceramics and Teflon

Most manufacturers appreciated the unique qualities of these materials. Both glass ceramics and Teflon have a number of advantages:

• excellent quality ironing;
• easy sliding;
• strength;
• durability;
• ease of care.

Important! Undoubted advantages include the price range - the price range is so wide that each family can choose an iron from these materials.

Two words about the form

The shape of the sole for all irons is about the same, but there are differences. If you look closely, you may notice that the spouts of the instruments are still different.

Important! To choose an iron of good quality, one must be guided by a very simple consideration - the sharper the spout, the easier it will be to iron the products with buttons, as well as hard-to-reach places.

Area

With regard to the area of ​​the sole, you need to figure out which things you will have to basically iron. The larger the area - the less effort it will take to smooth out large surfaces:

• If you have all the clothes made from materials that do not need an iron, but a lot of bed linen, curtains and other large things - buy the biggest iron.
• But, as a rule, housewives have to tidy up things of very different size and quality, so the best option is the golden mean, that is, the device that will successfully cope with both large surfaces and small parts.

How many holes on the sole?

Steam, as is known, goes through holes. How many holes must a good iron have? Unequivocally, nobody will answer this question. The best option - at least hundreds of small holes, located throughout the area.

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Power

An important indicator of the quality of any device is power. The more powerful the iron - the faster it heats up and the less time it takes to iron. Irons come:

• powerful;
• average power;
• low-power.

Which iron to choose?- It's simple:

• The first category includes devices with a capacity of 2000-2400 watts. This is the ideal device for a large family, where you have to iron a lot and often.
• Most irons are suitable medium power irons - 1600-1900 W.
• To the category of low-power are mainly road irons - light and compact.

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Steam system

Steam iron is simply an indispensable thing, and it is very important to understand how much steam you need. It is calculated simply - how many grams is formed per minute. This parameter is indicated in the passport.

Important! The most popular option - 30 grams per minute, it is enough for almost all tissues. For an iron with a steam generator, the optimum heat stroke rate is 120 g / min.

If you have to iron very thick and thick materials, the steam should be greater. To do this, there is a special function - turbo-parks, when at the right time about twice as much steam is thrown away than usual.

Important! The iron should be sprayed, and such that it only sprayed clothes, but did not leave puddles.

Direction of steam

Note the direction of steam flow. This, of course, is not as important as its number, but it can create additional conveniences. Directions are:

• vertical;
• horizontal;
• there are both possibilities.

Why is this all necessary?

• For normal ironing, horizontal humidification is applied.
• Sometimes there is a need to iron things hanging on the shoulders - and then you need a vertical steam supply.
• There are models that have several modes of steam supply - and it's very convenient.

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The

thermostat It would seem that the thermostat is the thermoregulator, what features can there be? However, there are subtleties, and most importantly, what should be paid attention to - the number of divisions. The more opportunities to change the temperature - the better. In addition, if the iron is good - there must be a delicate regime.

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Additional functions of

Manufacturers of household appliances are trying to facilitate the life of their customers by introducing additional options. This, of course, increases the price of devices, but it turns homework into a real pleasure. These are such functions as:

• constant steam supply;
• steam shock;
• dry ironing;
• self-cleaning;
• anti-drip system.

Important! Not all tissues show steaming. To some it harms, and in such cases dry ironing is necessary. At universal models it usually is.

Self-cleaning

It's very convenient! In the tank, scale is formed, which must be regularly removed. Some models have a special button, others - it can be combined with a steam-strike button.

Descaling

To prevent calcareous deposits from forming, insert special rods or cartridges. They soften the water. But this does not mean that you can pour any water into the tank - if it is very stiff, the rods will not save. Therefore, in places where there are many different salts in the water, it is recommended to fill the filtered water.

Important! On sale there are devices that have special filters. In such irons you can pour any water, but they are somewhat more expensive.

Anti-drip function

At low temperatures, steam does not form, therefore water can flow through the holes. To prevent this from happening, you need a drip system.

Important! This is important for tissues that need dry ironing, as well as in cases where spots remain on the spot of the drops.

Auto power off

This is an absolutely necessary function. An iron that turns off automatically is much safer than its counterpart without such a system. You do not have to remember every time whether you turned off the iron:

• He will disconnect from the network if within 30 seconds he stands horizontally and nothing happens to him.
• If you put it vertically and will not be touched - it will also turn off, but after 10-15 minutes.

Cord

On sale you can meet and wireless irons - mainly the company "Tefal".They are heated with a special stand. However, there are not many of them yet, and in addition, the heating is only enough for a minute, or even less, so that all the same you have to put it on the stand.

Therefore, a wire iron - the best in all respects is more convenient, but you should pay attention to the length of the cord. The longer - the better.

Important! The optimum option is 2.5-3 m.

Pay attention to the cord cover. The fabric winding is preferable, it lasts longer than all the others. See if the cord is scrolling at the input point.

Important! It is very good if the wire rotates 360 ° - then there is a guarantee that it will not break one day. True, irons with such a device cord are a little expensive.

Handle and weight

Here the principle of choice is simple - you should be comfortable. The handle must be wide enough and do not slide. As for the weight, the iron should be light, so that the hand does not get tired. This is especially important when you have to iron a lot.

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Which company is better?

So which manufacturer can offer you the best iron?- It is difficult to answer unequivocally. In the ranking are the leading manufacturers:

• Philips;
• Tefal;
• Braun;
• Bosch;
• Panasonic.

Philips GC 1029

"Philips" of this model fully meets the requirements that the most capricious hostess makes to the iron. This device has a full set of basic and additional functions. He is truly universal.

Tefal FV9920E0

The wireless iron is very convenient shape, it can easily handle even the most complex and crumpled places.

Braun TexStyle TS535TP

One of the few high-quality aluminum irons. Lightweight appliance, moreover, equipped with a special nozzle, which allows without damage to tidy up the most delicate fabrics.

Important! If you are worried about the aluminum outsole - do not worry, it is made according to the original technology, so the disadvantages of this metal do not affect the quality of the device in any way.

Bosch TDS 373117 P

The recognized manufacturer of household appliances produces very good irons."Bosch" provides the hostess with the widest opportunities - processing large volumes in a short time, the ability to iron small things and smooth folds in hard-to-reach places.

Important! This is the most powerful iron, it has a high energy consumption. However, the economy mode is also there.

Panasonic NI-W920

The Japanese company, known as a manufacturer of music and video devices, produces quite decent, besides, relatively inexpensive irons. It is economical, like the rest of the company's products - it heats up quickly and does not absorb much energy at a solid power.

These are just a few examples of irons, where the price matches the quality. Among the products of other well-known firms you will find models that are in no way inferior. The main thing is that the manufacturer should be well-known and already have a good time.

Now you know everything you need to choose the best iron for your home and enjoy it for a long time. Listen to the above recommendations, then the selection of the optimal model will seem to you an interesting entertainment, rather than a difficult and incomprehensible task.