The best steam irons - features of choice

Ironing is one of the most disliked household chores for most people, regardless of gender or age. Things do not want to become smooth and beautiful, the iron is heavy, hot, long, difficult. But, fortunately, at the moment there is a huge range of modern and powerful irons that allow you to deal with ironing 3 or even 5 times faster. The most important thing is to be able to choose the very best iron that will turn such a household duty into a holiday for many years.

What is the difference between a steam iron and a regular one?

Electric irons are a thing of the past - what can we remember about them? Short cords fixed in one position, rapid overheating of the sole, the constant need to either iron damp laundry, or moisten already dry clothes, trying to smooth out established folds. Well, if you forget about the turned on iron, or overexpose it to things for a few seconds, then you can't save your favorite blouse, and you can even start a fire.

Fortunately, these irons have been replaced by new, improved models - irons with a steam generator. They have a fundamental difference from their more outdated comrades - the presence, in fact, of a steam generator. Conventional irons work by heating their soleplate to a certain temperature set by a regulator. Accordingly, the ironing of things occurs due to the effect of high temperature and the weight of the iron itself.

The steam iron also has a heated soleplate, but it has a lot of holes. Above the sole is a reservoir of water, which, due to the increase in the temperature of the sole, turns into steam. It is due to the intense steam, as well as the weight of the iron itself and the sole area, that even the most wrinkled products are perfectly smoothed.

Advantages and disadvantages

Of course, like any other product, steam irons have their advantages and disadvantages.

The advantages include the following features:

Despite this, there are also disadvantages. And although there are far fewer of them, they are also worth mentioning:

Fortunately, most of the shortcomings are successfully eliminated by most manufacturers, so the main negative factors are only a somewhat impressive cost and the inability to provide complete silence.

Distinctive features - how to choose an iron?

When choosing a steam generator iron, you need to pay attention to several important aspects:

• is the number of holes in the sole;
• the volume of the steam generator itself;
• iron sole material;
• power;
• some additional options.

Let's take a closer look at these features.

Iron sole

There are several main types of materials from which iron soles are made, these are aluminum, stainless steel, cermets, ceramics, titanium and Teflon.

1. Aluminum can be considered one of the best metals for irons - it conducts heat well, that is, it heats up quickly and cools down just as quickly. However, it has a significant disadvantage - this metal is very soft, so scratches, dents and chips appear on it very quickly. Accordingly, the ironing efficiency is greatly reduced.
2. Stainless steel or stainless steel. Its main advantage is low cost and extremely high durability. An iron with such a sole is loyal to all kinds of damage, has good sliding on any product. However, stainless steel is quite capricious in its care and itself is somewhat heavy.
3. Metal ceramics and ceramics appeared not so long ago and have already won the love of consumers - ideally smooth surface, quick heating, ease of maintenance ... But increased fragility. There are literally a few unsuccessful or abrupt movements, and chips or even cracks appear.
4. Titanium and Teflon can rightfully occupy the leading positions - excellent coverage, good sliding, ease of maintenance. In addition, high durability. However, an excellent picture can often be overshadowed by the cost of irons with such a coating.

Iron power

The modern market can offer models with a wide variety of power - from mini-road models with a power of 100-200W, up to 3000W, used in professional institutions.

The best option for the home are models with a power range from 1500W to 2000W. Such models perfectly smooth out a variety of folds, and are well suited for both people living alone and for large families.

The most important thing when choosing is to clarify the accuracy of the power setting. If the regulator does not allow fine tuning, then it is worth considering.

Number of holes

This is the case when more is better. The more holes are located on the soleplate of the iron, the better and more thoroughly the ironing of a wide variety of folds will be carried out.

It is also worth paying attention that the nose of the iron is narrow and maneuverable, with a lot of holes. It is worth remembering that the main work lies precisely on the nose, the rest of the sole just completes what was started.

Steam generator volume

Here, of course, it is better to rely on your own preferences, but it is worth remembering that a small volume will require much more frequent topping up of water, and a very large one will provide a large iron weight, and, possibly, its cumbersomeness. The optimal volume of the steam generator can be considered approximately 500-1000 ml.

Useful features

Almost all irons with a steam generator of modern generations are equipped with a steam boost function, that is, a single release of steam of a special intensity. When buying such irons, you should familiarize yourself with the presence of the following nuances:

• the ability to adjust the supply of steam and its intensity. The more adjustment levels, the more precisely you can adjust the effect of steam on different types of fabrics, which guarantees high quality smoothing;
• models with a steaming function are best chosen with an anti-drip system - then even when ironing at low temperatures, there will be no traces of water or streaks
• for convenience and versatility, it is better to choose models with a vertical steaming function - this will allow you to smooth curtains or outerwear, avoiding difficulties with their placement on the ironing board.

It should be noted that irons with a regular steaming function are not suitable for working in an upright position due to the location of the steam generator. Therefore, when choosing an iron, you should assume in which planes you will work with it.

Also an important detail is the ironing board - any flat surface will not work with the irons in question, you will need to purchase a board that has holes. However, almost any modern board meets this requirement.

Useful add-ons

These functions and options do not have to be present on irons, but their presence can greatly facilitate the ironing process.

1. Automatic shutdown function.

An extremely useful thing if there is some distraction. Allows the iron to turn off automatically after a certain amount of time in a certain position. Different models have different variations of this function, so it is worth choosing individually.

2. Anti-scale function.

In conditions of not the best tap water, iron manufacturers care about their durability. Therefore, different models are equipped with different devices that allow the device to live for a long time. The most common are ceramic rods, a self-cleaning system and water softening cartridges.

It is worth saying that each of these options has its own pros and cons:

• So, ceramic rods well get rid of calcium salts and sediment, but, firstly, not everywhere water is saturated with this particular mineral, and, secondly, the efficiency is not as high as we would like;
• The water softening cartridges must be changed steadily. Of course, their change depends largely on the frequency of use of the iron and they very reliably cope with their mission, but the need to remember this is also somewhat unpleasant;
• The self-cleaning system seems very attractive, but, unfortunately, even despite the latest developments, they are still far from ideal results.

3. 3. The function of moisturizing the fabric - helps to cope with even the most capricious folds.
   4. Wireless models.

Classic wired irons are good for everyone, especially considering the modern ball connection of the wire and its various lengths. However, cordless irons with a base have the highest maneuverability. They have a good indication of temperature and power, and during periods of being at the base they are recharged.

About ratings and best models

Brand	Power	Weight	Boiler volume	Max. Steam pressure	Vertical steaming	Steam blow	Scale protection	Auth. Disconnection	Anti-drip system	Self-cleaning
Kitfort KT-922	2400W	2.3kg	2000ml	4bar	there is	not	there is	not	not	there is
Scarlett SC-SS36B01	2000W	3kg	750ml	2bar	not	there is	not	there is	not	not
Tefal SV6038 FASTEO	2200W	3kg	1200ml	5bar	there is	there is	there is	not	not	not
Tefal GV6361E0	2200W	3.18kg	1200ml	4.8bar	there is	there is	there is	there is	not	not
Tefal SV6040	2200W	3kg	1200ml	5.2bar	there is	there is	there is	not	not	not
Philips HI5912 / 30	2400W	3.2kg	1100ml	4bar	there is	not	there is	there is	not	not
Philips GC8750 / 60 PerfectCare Performer	2600W	3.2kg	1800ml	6.5bar	there is	there is	there is	there is	not	not
Philips GC9682 / 80 PerfectCare Elite Plus	2700W	5.1kg	1800ml	8bar	there is	there is	there is	there is	not	there is
Braun IS 5022WH CareStyle 5	2400W	3kg	1400ml	6bar	there is	there is	there is	there is	there is	not
Bosch TDS 8080 /	2400W	4.9kg	1800ml	7.5bar	there is	there is	there is	there is	not	there is

Which models are good enough for home use, and which ones will not lose their relevance in 2020?

Kitfort KT-922

One of the most worthy budget models of irons with a steam generator. Despite the fact that the company is Russian, the quality of their products has already won the trust of consumers, so there is an opinion that in 2020 this manufacturer will be able to win even more sympathy of the population.

The advantages of this model:

Disadvantages:

Scarlett SC-SS36B01

The Russian-Chinese trade mark, familiar to many for its simple and budget models. It is from the point of view of the ratio of price, quality and efficiency of work that we consider this model.

Advantages:

Disadvantages:

Tefal SV6038 FASTEO

A French trademark, familiar to many and distinguished by the special quality of its products.

This model has the following advantages:

Disadvantages:

Tefal GV6361E0

Another model from a French company. The iron is convenient for home use by ironing lovers, and the cost does not cause a heart attack.

Benefits:

Disadvantages:

Tefal SV6040

The model with a more powerful steam generator is also suitable for permanent home use.

Benefits:

Disadvantages:

Philips brand steam irons have earned the love of many consumers over the years. This Dutch company is developing in step with the times and strives to provide only the best technology.

The selection includes several models of different price categories.

Philips HI5912 / 30

Benefits:

Disadvantages:

Philips GC8750 / 60 PerfectCare Performer

More "advanced" model. Ideal for ironing in a large family. The titanium sole guarantees the extra durability of this iron.

Benefits:

Disadvantages:

Philips GC9682 / 80 PerfectCare Elite Plus

This model is practically indispensable for large volumes of ironing, especially if you want to finish this lesson faster.

Advantages:

Disadvantages:

Braun IS 5022WH CareStyle 5

The German manufacturer provides an optimal price / quality ratio for all its products and guarantees a long service life.

Advantages of the model:

Disadvantages:

Bosch TDS 8080

Another German company that produces excellent household appliances. This model is perfect for quickly ironing large amounts of things.

Advantages:

Disadvantages:

Conclusion

Thus, we can judge that it is quite easy to choose a good iron, given all the small nuances, such as the presence of certain functions and materials of the device itself. Of course, the cost of the desired iron also plays an important role, but sometimes it is better to pay more once and use it for many years.

Do not forget to check the correctness of filling out the warranty card! Good shopping and pleasant ironing.