Online Shopping - Buyers Guide For Irons

Ironing is probably the most hated household chore. However the hard work is being taken out of ironing thanks to the developments in areas such as anti-scale and self cleaning devices.

TYPES OF IRON

Understanding the benefits of different irons is important when choosing which iron to buy. For instance, a large family might produce lots of cotton school and work shirts, or denim overalls so will need a heavy duty jet of steam model. A young couple on the other hand might only need a basic steam/spray iron.

Dry Irons
This type of iron is not so widely available today, it dates back to the days when clothes were washed daily and ironed when still damp. It relies on the heat from the soleplate and its weight to smooth the creases.

Steam/Spray Irons
Water drips on the element from the water tank and a small pump pushes out the steam. This function on an iron can be pushed on or off and there is usually a cold water spray/mist nozzle at the front of the iron.

Shot of Steam / Jet of Steam Irons
A button on the iron gives a "burst" of steam. This is gravity fed and regulates the amount of water going through the valve and into the steam chamber. The steam is created in a similar way to the steam/spray irons although this type tends to have more powerful elements, which produce even more steam. This is ideal for using on stubborn creases and denim.

Steam/Spray/Shot Irons
This iron features steam, spray/mist from the front of the iron, and a shot of steam.

Vertical Steaming Irons
These irons allow for steaming creases out of jackets, dresses and curtains without using an ironing board. It comes out at the same pressure as ordinary steam and is often used on silk.

All-fabric Irons
With one element for the steam chamber and another for the soleplate this is an ideal iron for using on delicate fabrics. The iron prevents dripping because steam is produced independently allowing the soleplate to stay at a low temperature.

Cord/Cordless Irons
Irons are also available cordless. When these irons first came out they were not successful as they lost their heat very quickly. Improvements have been made although these irons still fall behind their corded counterparts in performance.

Travel Irons
Travel irons can often be too bulky or not powerful enough. However travel irons are often an essential requirement to a trip away and improvements have been made on their performance and size, although travel irons do not perform as well as the standard sized irons.

IRONS - STEAM GENERATORS

These irons are becoming increasingly popular, especially on the continent.

A boiler in the separate base unit is filled with water and when it reaches room temperature steam is created. When the steam is required it is released by manually pressing a button and the steam travels up through a cord to the iron, thus avoiding dripping. Tap water can be used as scale deposits stay in the boiler, which can be cleaned.

Steam systems work along a similar principle to steam generators, but water rather than steam is pumped from a separate tank into the iron where it is heated.

IRON FEATURES

Drip Stop / Non-Drip
If the temperature of the iron is not high enough to create steam, drip stop prevents cold water from coming through the soleplate.

Auto Steam
This is a relatively new development with standard irons - using one dial. As the temperature is lowered less steam is produced and vice versa.

Variable Steam
This is available on most basic irons. It allows you to select the select the level of steam output with as many as seven settings.

Button Groove
A full-length groove enables easier ironing along awkward buttons and seams.

Higher Power Ratings
The higher the power of an iron, the quicker the iron heats up, so cutting down ironing time.

Safety
An automatic shut off device is activated when the iron has been left on, either resting on its heal or on its soleplate. If the iron has been left unattended on its soleplate it will shut off quicker. Some irons also have clamps that can be attached to the ironing board.

Design And Colour
White tends to be the dominant colour for irons with the features in colour. However there are some coloured irons available and these irons are growing in popularity.

LIMESCALE AND HOW TO PREVENT IT

Limescale is the build up of calcium carbonate in water, which is usually prevalent in hard water areas.

• Large Steam Chamber:- Slower to scale up.
• Anti scale valves:- These reduce the space that water and the accompanying scale can go through into the steam chamber.
• Anti-scale formula:- This is a built in formula to soften the water in the tank.
• Self-cleaning setting:- This forces cold water into the hot steam chamber and flushes out the scale or dust and should be used every six weeks.
• Thermal shock principle:- This works by filling the iron with water, switching it on to its highest heat and removing the steam needle. This draws out the limescale that collects around it. The water is then tipped out along with the limescale.
• Cartridges And Cassettes:- This involves a replaceable cartridge or cassette that removes the limescale from the water via a chemical and stores it.

CLEANING IRONS

Even if the build up of scale is minimal an iron should be cleaned regularly. Friction causes heavy fibre garments to be drawn into the holes in the soleplates. Once the fibres come into contact with the element they burn, with the resulting brown water dropping onto the laundry.

IRONS - SOLEPLATES

Iron soleplates have now been developed to be non-stick, gliding more easily over materials thus reducing ironing time. Soleplates are made from four materials.

• Gloss/satin stainless steel and chrome:- These soleplates take a while to heat up and can produce hot spots in the soleplate.
• Aluminium/non-stick coated aluminium:- These soleplates allow a smoother glide and are more easy to clean.
• Anodised Aluminium:- These soleplates are a good conductor of heat and are made more durable by the anodising process.
• Enamelled Aluminium:- These soleplates often have painted lines, which create leading edges to cut through the friction, which produces a smoother gliding motion.

IRONS - SOLEPLATE HOLES

The number size and position of holes on the iron's soleplate reflect the amount and direction of steam. Many irons have different "zones" producing varying amounts of steam depending on the size and position of the hole. A good spread of holes offers the best steam distribution.

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