Iron is an indispensable tool in the house, without it it is impossible to achieve a pleasant appearance for all family members, which is why it is imperative to acquire it.
Many, when asked about how to choose an iron, fall into a stupor, it seems to them that there is no difference between them. However, this is far from the case, therefore, it is necessary to learn to understand them.
Alas, ironing is impossible to entrust to automation, and not all automation is suitable for individual fabrics and materials. That is why it is necessary to select the iron in the store as carefully as possible, only then go home with it and use it for its intended purpose. The brand of the iron in this case can also play a role.
How did irons come about?
Previously, a pan served as an iron. Hot coals were poured into clean dishes, and then they were drawn along the surface that needed to be smoothed out.
In ancient Russia, the function of the pan fell on the ruble and roller. On the roller it is necessary to wrap the clothes that needed to be ironed, after which they were passed along it with a ruble - a special corrugated board that has a handle on the end.
But this method did not suit women, since only rough materials could be ironed in this way. It was simply impossible to iron delicate fabrics in this way, which is why something else was required. As a result, an iron was created with which today's women and men put their clothes in order.
In Ancient Russia, the first irons appeared in the middle of the seventeenth century. Then the question of which company to choose an iron did not bother their owners, because there was only one model. Iron items for ironing needed to be heated on the stove. At home, there were usually at least two irons. One was used, and the other at that moment was heating on the stove, then they were swapped.
What stroked our predecessors?
In the eighteenth century, the production of irons was put on stream, and users had the opportunity to choose. All foundries produced household utensils and delivered them to stores. In the houses they used ovens with hinged lids; hot coal was loaded there. There were special holes in the sides that needed to be blown in order to maintain the temperature of the coals.
Types of irons periodically changed. In the late nineteenth century, an electric iron was first created. An official patent for it was obtained in 1882, then it was presented at one of the exhibitions in Paris. In the middle of the 20th century, a steam iron was created, which was not suitable for home use and was used only in industry.
But the electric iron is widespread among housewives. Of course, the first copies of this household item of utensils were quite ugly, but progress does not stand still. Today in stores you can find a huge number of these items, and many are wondering which iron is best to choose.
Types of Irons
At the moment, there are three types of these household items: simple, with a steam generator and steam. The first ones are practically no longer available, and finding them for sale is quite difficult. This is due to low demand for these products. If you know everything about the choice of irons, your attention will be attracted to steam-type samples with a steam generator.
It is very important to know how to choose an iron with a steam generator correctly, since its cost exceeds the usual price by about 4-5 times. They can be used if you plan to iron a lot and often.These types of irons are used in workshops, laundries, salons, etc. Steam devices are most often used in everyday life.
Iron elements
First of all, many housewives are interested in the sole of the iron. Which one to choose and which is the highest quality? Manufacturers have long been trying to answer the question of how to reduce friction during ironing and protect the sole from various kinds of damage that are inevitable in contact with clothing elements.
Among other things, a well-made sole should distribute thermal energy evenly over the entire surface of things. Manufacturers use a wide variety of materials to cover the sole: aluminum, stainless steel, non-stick aluminum, cermets, and chrome steel.
Sole Covers
Stainless steel is one of the commonly used coatings. Many home appliance manufacturers offer irons with this coating. The material is strong enough, heats up quickly, moves easily around the fabric and is easy to clean. However, irons of this type are much heavier than aluminum-coated appliances.
Aluminum soles are used by some European iron manufacturers. At the same time, household appliances quickly heat up and cool. The cost of such irons is much less than models with steel soles. However, they have a very serious drawback - the aluminum coating can be easily damaged.
Ceramic coating on irons is the best option. A device with such a sole easily moves along the fabric, does not crush it, and is also easily cleaned with a damp cloth. Tefal irons are very popular, because they were created using special material with increased resistance.
Power irons
If you know how to choose a good iron, then you have an idea about the parameters and capabilities of the device that you plan to use in everyday life.
Otherwise, you can consult with specialists of the store where you plan to purchase household appliances.
In addition, you can ask friends and acquaintances what to choose an iron, reviews sometimes work better than any advertising.
First of all, you need to pay attention to the power of the device, which is based on heating elements (heating elements). It depends on her how quickly the iron heats up. It should be remembered that the heating rate will affect the cost of electricity.
For permanent use, irons with an average power (up to 2000 W) are recommended. Such devices are not too expensive, and their maintenance does not require excessive cash costs. Medium power irons are suitable for processing all types of fabric: synthetics, silk, cotton, etc.
Temperature and steam
High-quality irons from manufacturers that have established themselves on the market are able to maintain the temperature set by the user evenly. This plays a huge role, especially when it comes to processing silk and synthetics, which are very sensitive to temperature extremes. It is enough to just slightly exceed the temperature bar of 120 degrees - and you can destroy a good thing.
Many are interested in how to choose an iron with vertical steam, in which steam is supplied in the appropriate position. Such an iron is very convenient to use for processing a jacket, coat and other clothes. For this, they do not need to be removed from the hanger. At the same time, the turbocouple provides an enhanced steam supply (twice as much as usual).
There are irons on which when a certain button is pressed in front, water is sprayed on the fabric. This is convenient enough if you need to smooth the folds next to the cuffs, etc.There are irons that give out steam jets with a nozzle, so ironing can also be facilitated.
Tank and basic safety requirements
It is important that the iron tank is large, then it can work for quite some time. It is desirable that this household item has an anti-drip system that protects against leakage of water from the holes. Water may leak when ironing at a low temperature, when steam cannot form. The only thing some users listen to when deciding on which iron to choose is reviews. Remember that this is not always true. If someone tells you that they are not using an anti-drip system, do not follow his example.
It is very important that the iron also has fire protection. Most of all modern irons have a special function in which the device disconnects itself from the mains if it is not used for 10-15 minutes. Thus it is possible to avoid the occurrence of fire hazard situations.
It all depends on ... the cord
Even if you know how to choose an iron with a steamer, you may encounter difficulties in use, which will be associated with the maneuverability of the cord.
Difficulties can also arise due to insufficient softness or length of the cord, which can usually move only in four standard directions.
It is desirable that the cord rotates 360 degrees around the iron, then you can avoid rubbing the winding.
Irons with power cords are much more practical and cheaper than cordless ones. Their length can be up to 3.5 m. The cord must be connected to the iron using a circular hinge, then it will be possible to protect it from various damages. In addition, the device should have a special place that will facilitate the winding of the connecting wire. This information is useful to you if you do not know how to choose an iron.
Quality cords have insulation that is resistant to high and low temperatures. Then, if you accidentally touch them with a hot sole, it will not melt and will not catch fire. Irons without cords have separate stands with contacts. The power cord in this case is attached to them.
Lightweight cordless irons heat up easily on coasters. Some devices also have the function that a cordless iron can be turned into a regular one. The power cord in this case can provide a constant temperature during ironing.
Additional functions
One of the most convenient devices is an iron with a steam generator. Which one to choose from all existing models, you can decide only by visiting a household appliance store. It is advisable that the iron has a special groove that can be used for buttons. If there is one of the edges of the sole is very thin, so you can just bring the iron under the button and iron the material. High-quality devices have up to 110 openings on the soles that can affect ironing.
Scale may appear on the iron, which you will need to get rid of, otherwise the formation of steam will be difficult. Most devices are equipped with rods that protect the equipment from scale. In some cases, they are made of ceramic. Due to this, it is possible to achieve high-quality protection. Modern technology has the function of self-cleaning from lime and scale, due to this, you can pour ordinary water into the iron. According to many housewives who know how to choose an iron, it is desirable that it has built-in anti-scale systems.
A huge number of functions positively affects the operation of the iron, but it is necessary that it is ergonomic. Manufacturers create rubber inserts with which the device does not slip in their hands. The shape of the appliance and the handle plays a large role, the same goes for weight. Therefore, it is advisable to first hold the iron in your hands.This is the only way to understand whether it will be convenient to use it in the future. This knowledge will further help you when you are wondering how to choose an iron.
Ironing close to professional
Those who iron a lot know very well how to choose an iron for home. They most often choose devices with steam generators, ironing rollers and presses. The former are able to maintain constant steam hydration for up to 240 minutes. Irons are usually connected to the steam generator using a flexible hose.
Steam from this connection enters the device. This helps to prevent scale formation. Using powerful vertical steam, you can easily iron a thin blouse and a thick coat equally well. Pants and jackets can be ironed without touching them with an iron. Intensive steam supply helps to iron even a dense fabric consisting of several layers. Due to this, you can reduce ironing time and save energy costs.
If you need to iron on an industrial scale, you should pay attention to the ironing press. Underwear with it can be ironed even dry. In this case, ironing can be carried out while sitting on a regular chair. The sole area of the press is comparable to the total area of about 10 ordinary irons. With an effort of 45 kilograms, the press provides the highest quality ironing. Small items can simply be laid out around the perimeter of the press, and large items can even be folded in 3-5 layers.
Those who know how to choose a good iron sometimes use ironing rollers. These devices are usually used for ironing tablecloths, bedding and curtains, but no one forbids using them in relation to shaped linen. The ironing process is carried out using a roller with soft upholstery. In the role of the iron here is a kind of “shoe” with a hot sole. Using the skating rink, ironing time can be reduced by about half.
How to achieve maximum security?
Sales consultants who advise their customers which iron to choose know that maximum security can only be achieved by automatically shutting down. It helps to protect the iron from overheating, and housing - from a fire. Disconnecting the iron from the mains in this mode also helps save energy.
In order for the power supply to the iron to automatically shut off, it is necessary that it be in a working horizontal position motionless for 30 seconds. If you take the iron by the handle, the power will turn on again. When tipping the iron on its side, it will automatically shut off within 30 seconds. If the iron was left in an upright position, it will shut off after approximately eight to ten minutes.
Periodic adjustment of the temperature of the sole heating and the intensity of tissue moisturization are the best helpers with which you can choose the most optimal ironing mode for any type of fabric. The protective mechanisms of the iron, which are turned on with the so-called “cold” ironing, will protect delicate underwear from spoilage. On high-quality devices, there is always an indicator of residual heat, with which you can understand if there is a danger of burning tissue.
Design features
It’s not enough just to know how to choose the right iron, you also need to understand which design will be most interesting and convenient for you. It is advisable to choose equipment with soft handles that are not able to heat up. Such irons, as a rule, have a transparent case. Thanks to this, you can at any time find out if there is enough water to moisturize.
The price will depend on the design. All simple-looking irons are about 7 times cheaper than those produced by large manufacturers. When choosing household appliances, you must be guided by your own taste.Style is not the most important indicator that must be taken into account when answering the question of how to choose an iron, but it still needs to be taken into account.
Today there are a huge number of irons. It is not so easy to choose among them, since they are all literally crammed with the latest technologies. In order to make the right choice, you first need to choose the type of sole. Only having decided on it, it will be possible to choose the most suitable model for cost and appearance.
Conclusion
Now you know how to choose an iron for the home, what indicators should be followed and what is important to consider when buying. If necessary, you can get a consultation at a home appliance store.