Most of us iron clothes every single day, or every couple of days at least. Our current iron may not be giving us the kind of quality we would like, or perhaps, your current one is beginning to give problems. Using such an iron is tiresome, especially when you have many clothes to iron. Having the right iron can make this chore simple and effortless. There are a number of irons available today, ranging from portable ones for travellers, lightweight irons for home use to heavy duty irons for laundry shops and dressmakers. The different types of irons have their own set of features and choosing the right one is very important. If you are planning to buy a new iron, here are some quality checks and features you need to look for.
Types of irons
Dry irons
Dry irons are the most basic ones and are typically quite inexpensive. They are lightweight, have basic controls but rarely more features than that. When ironing clothes with a dry iron, you need to sprinkle a little amount of water on clothes to get the best press. If it’s very little ironing you need to do, there are a bunch of models available that you can check out here.
Steam irons
These irons create a smoother press and help remove wrinkles on cotton and linen fabrics. Steam irons have a small water tub inside, which produce steam to moisten clothes while pressing. These type of irons are a bit more expensive than dry irons. Besides just these functions, steam irons are packed with features such as auto-shut off, self-clean mechanism, over heat safety protection, etc. However, these features may differ from brands and models.
Portable irons
This type of iron is for frequent travellers who want their clothes wrinkle-free and always presentable. Compared to standard irons, they are smaller, lighter and are easy to carry in a bag or suitcase. Portable irons come in both, dry and steam types. Some portable irons are even cordless which makes them convenient to use.
Design and Build
Irons are made up of hard plastic and metal. When buying an iron, the most important thing to consider is the size of the handle. A handle that is too big for small hands, can be uncomfortable when you’re spending half an hour to an hour ironing. Choose a design that is comfortable for you.
Weight
Irons with large metal bases are quite a lot heavier. Most of the newer models are lightweight and do not put much load on your arm. When buying an iron, you can consider this to see if the iron you are buying is comfortable and easy to lift. Steam irons can be a bit heavier than dry irons. The flip-side to a heavy iron is that you don’t need to put much pressure while ironing.
Power and wattage
When choosing an iron, remember that higher the wattage, better the performance. This means the high power iron will heat up really fast, and help remove creases and wrinkles on clothes with ease. Though, higher wattage irons are more expensive you may want to consider if you need the kind of heating for clothes that you wear often.
Types of soleplates
The soleplate is also known as the heat plate that is fitted to the bottom. While selecting an iron, make sure you choose a wider soleplate with thin and tampered head. This helps cover more area over fabric and reach into tight pleats and under buttons. The most important thing to check is the soleplate metal. Typically, there are four different soleplates metals –
Aluminium soleplate
Irons with aluminium soleplate heat well, but can get scratches on the surface after years of use. Aluminium plate becomes sticky easily after ironing lots of clothes and is hard to clean.
Ceramic soleplate
Irons with these surfaces are durable and help distribute heat evenly. Irons with ceramic soleplates are smooth on any kind of fabric, giving a good ironing experience.
Non-stick soleplate
A soleplate surface is non-stick to reduce sticking of clothes while ironing. This type of irons are easy to maintain and clean by using a very little cleaning agent.
Stainless steel soleplate
Irons with stainless steel soleplates are durable, corrosion free and scratch resistant. They help make ironing easy and effortless.
Easy-to-fill water tanks
Most steam irons have a small water tank inside. You can fill the water through a small hole near the handle and cover it to prevent spillage. Some irons have a see-through water tank, which let you know the water level while filling and avoiding overflow. Besides this, there are models with removable water tanks that are easy to refill water. You can even clean this small water tank regularly if needed.
Steam vents
There are mainly three types of steam vents and they differ from model to model. Irons with variable steam vents allow you to control the amount of steam produced by the iron. Depending on the fabric, you can choose to turn it high or low.
Some irons have vertical steam vents. It offers the benefit of variable steam irons, but for heavy clothes such as jeans, bed sheets, curtains, etc. Lastly, there is shot-of-steam vent function in irons that help produce more steam on pressing a dedicated steam button on the iron. If the fabric has too many wrinkles, you can choose to give it extra steam.
Temperature controls
Look for an iron that have easy and precise controls on it. Check to see if all the settings are easily noticeable and adjustable. Almost all irons have a temperature settings dial just below the handle, make sure it is in the reach while ironing your clothes.
Cord swivels and cordless irons
The iron cord moves the way you move the iron. It starts getting in the way while ironing clothes, which means you need to hold it in one hand. Keeping this in mind, manufacturers have designed irons with a 360-degree cord swivel mechanism. This feature lets you move the iron in any direction, but the cord stays in one place.
For more suitability, you can also consider buying a cordless iron. These irons come with a separate heat plate, which can be kept at one position. While ironing, you need to first connect this heat plate to the electricity plug and place the iron on it, to heat. Cordless irons retain heat for a few minutes at a time.
Warranty
Warranty offered on irons differs from brand to brand. Most brands offer two years of warranty in case of any failure or damage to the product may be repaired or the product replaced. For more details on warranty terms and conditions, you can speak with a respective person selling you the product or check it on the brand’s official site.
If you are looking for buying a new iron, we hope this information comes handy. We have a variety of models that you can browse through here. For a more hands-on experience, don’t hesitate from visiting one of the nearest Reliance Digital store. To find the nearest store to your residence, simply click here.
