How to choose an iron for a house that gives a good steam effect?

When you come to the hardware store to buy an iron, many people are faced with the problem of choosing a suitable ironing device. Often the buyer can not decide for a long time what is more suitable for him, as choosing an iron for a home is not easy because of the vastness of the assortment of this type of household devices. Even more complicates the choice of the optimal version of the ironing device is that the manufacturers try to make their products original, giving it special performance and features. Therefore, in our time it is difficult to find a classic iron on sale without any additional functions. But on the other hand, modern irons greatly simplify the ironing process, especially if they are equipped with a good stripping system. To purchase a device that can satisfy your requests for quality and functionality, and do not pay extra money for opportunities that you do not need in the process of its operation, it is necessary to fully understand what kind of irons are and how they differ from each other.

Surface quality

Trying to purchase a good iron that suits your needs, first of all you should pay attention to its sole. The type of material from which it is performed affects its properties:

• warm-up time to operating state,
• ability to smoothly smooth various materials,
• resistance to scratching and other types of mechanical impact, operational durability. Most often, the soleplate of the iron is made of aluminum or stainless steel. But in view of the fact that aluminum is a fairly soft metal, it is not practical to use it without a protective coating, since the ironing surface will quickly be covered with scratches from buttons, locks or other hard objects on clothes. On the other hand, the aluminum outsole quickly heats up, as this metal conducts heat very well. The stainless steel does not heat up so quickly, but it also keeps the heat longer, unlike aluminum. The advantage of this metal is its hardness - the outsole made from it is much harder to scratch.

  To achieve rapid heating of the soleplate of the iron and without worrying that its smooth surface will accidentally deteriorate, many manufacturers apply various protective coatings on top of aluminum.

  Let's list the main options.

  • Ceramic enamel , hard and resistant to scratches, but uninsured from chipping caused by pinpoint strokes, as it is quite fragile.
  • Stainless steel , which practically does not affect the heating rate, but makes the working surface practically immune to damage.
  • Titanium layer , absolutely not afraid of encountering solid objects, but having a weak thermal conductivity.
  • Teflon, karelovoe and other types of spraying , not particularly affecting the strength of the sole, but ensuring its good sliding and protection from the sticking of various materials to it.

  The sole of stainless steel is usually well polished, after which it perfectly copes with its function. But some manufacturers chrome it, cover with a titanium or ceramic layer. Recently, a new absolutely unique material called "cermet" was also developed, from which the soles for irons are made, which have increased strength and ideal smoothness. In addition to smoothness, an important factor contributing to good sliding of the iron is the presence on the surface of its sole of special grooves - steam guides. Thanks to them, a kind of air cushion is created between the working and machined surface, which improves the sliding. It is also worth noting that some firms produce irons with a double sole, one of which, if necessary, is removed. They differ from each other in the composition of the material, which allows you to more accurately choose the ironing mode for this or that fabric.

  advice When choosing an iron, pay attention to its weight, as some types, soles, although very high quality, are quite heavy, which will create undesirable loads for hands when ironing large amounts of laundry.

  

  What else should I look for when buying?

  If you liked the quality of the soles of any iron, but you noticed that some of its parts are poorly fixed, then perhaps you should not contact such a product. The reliability of assembly of the product is an important criterion, which indicates that this manufacturer can be trusted. Another important detail in the iron is its power cord. It is important that it has a sufficient length( optimal size - 2.5 m) and was "dressed" in the fabric winding, which will protect it from melting if it accidentally comes into contact with the heated working surface. A number of firms produce irons that are heated from a stand that is powered by a grid. Such devices they do not have a cord that interferes with the normal ironing process. But they are quite irrational in terms of saving time, as we have to constantly wait until the temperature of the working surface reaches the required value.

  It is noteworthy that when choosing an ironing device, its electrical "filling" also deserves attention. First of all, this is the power consumption of the device, which affects the speed of heating the working surface and, accordingly, the amount of electricity used. If you do not have to iron a lot, then 1500-2000 W you will be enough to not spend extra money. If time is more important for you, rather than money, it is better to purchase a model with a capacity of 2500-3000 W, which has a good heater. In addition, as for electricians, the iron must be equipped with a reliable automatic shut-off system and manual temperature control. This allows you to choose the appropriate mode for the device to iron certain types of fabrics and protect it from overheating.

  

  How important is the steaming function?

  The humidification and evaporation system is of particular importance for improving the performance of the iron. Most modern models of this household appliance are equipped with a water tank, from which the liquid is supplied to the heated sole and through the holes in it comes out as a vapor outward. The quality of ironing depends on the rate of steam ejection. Often, for the smoothing of certain fabrics or particularly problem areas, a special push lever is provided in the structure, with the help of which a one-time steam stroke of higher power is created. Some irons, whose steam ejection velocity reaches 100 g / m, can serve as vertical clothes steamer. But, using them for this purpose, you should not forget about the limited volume of the water tank and perform timely refueling.

  Advice

  When buying an iron, make sure that this model has an anti-drip system that will prevent water from flowing from the steam holes in the sole when the device is in a horizontal position and does not warm up to the desired temperature.

  The iron built in the tank is also a source of water for the spray gun, which is present in the design of many models. Before buying it is important to check the efficiency of this system. When the lever is pressed, the water pushed out of the hole in the front of the iron should be sprayed with very small droplets at a distance of at least half a meter. Although the instructions to the irons of most companies have recommendations regarding the use of clean water for the steam generation system, it is nevertheless worthwhile to worry about the availability of special anti-scale protection in the household appliance you purchase. Usually for this purpose in the construction of the iron provides a nest in which the cartridge is placed to soften the water.

  If you have special needs for ironing, then you should get an iron with a steam generator. This device has a large stationary water tank, which is separate from the ironing device and is connected to it by a special hose. The formation of steam takes place in the reservoir itself, and through this hose it is supplied under pressure to the openings in the working surface of the iron. The speed of steam in such devices at the outlet can reach 140 g / m, and its temperature is 160 о С. Another advantage is the large volume of the water reservoir( in some models - about 3 liters).
  

  To those who often travels, a regular iron is unlikely to work, so a number of firms produce special road models with the following differences:

  1. they are more compact;
  2. have less power;
  3. can be without the evaporation system.

  As for power, it is better not to buy irons consuming less than 800 watts. However, such an adaptation will be difficult to pat clothes in an upright position. If you do not have the opportunity to iron on the table, then use a steamer. This device also has a reservoir for generating steam, which is fed through a hose to the special nozzle located on its edge. The only drawback of this device is that you can not do it, for example, with arrows. In any case, your choice will depend not only on sufficient awareness, but also on specific circumstances and financial possibilities.