You need the right iron to make clothes look good. When choosing it, several parameters should be considered. Here are the main ones.
- single quality. Today, manufacturers produce soles from various materials. It can be stainless steel, ceramic, cermet, aluminum, teflon, titanium.
Stainless steel, for example, can scratch buttons, zippers and other parts, while ceramic has a non-stick coating layer, but it must be handled carefully (if dropped, scratches may appear on it, and as a result, the iron will stop working). Cermet is resistant to drops and damage, but is heavier. As for aluminum, over time its surface becomes “sticky” and therefore wrinkles or damage may appear on clothing. The Teflon soleplate is durable, resistant to drying, glides easily, but at the same time it is easy to scratch, chips quickly form on it. The sole has only one drawback: the high cost.
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Strength. The heating rate and level of the iron depend on this. This parameter can vary from 220 to 3000 W, but for home ironing, 2000 W will be enough.
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ergonomics. In other words, it’s ease of use. For example, the handle of an iron should be comfortable to hold, it should be shockproof, heat resistant. Typically, these irons are distinguished by the fact that their bodies are made of stainless steel.
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temperature control. You should be able to easily change the temperature of the iron. To do this, take care of a steam or dry iron with a temperature controller.
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flexibility of movement. In this sense, retractable cords would be more convenient. Some models of irons even have a cord that can rotate 360 degrees. There are also wireless options.
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Weight. The best for clothes, according to the author, is an iron weighing less than 1.5 kg. In addition, if you constantly iron many things, choose an easier model.
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Water tank capacity. The best choice would be a steam iron, the tank capacity of which will be 200-300 ml. In addition, it is best to purchase an iron with a transparent container.
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technology. If possible, buy an iron with an automatic self-cleaning function (so you do not need to constantly descale the iron), with an anti-drip system, with a water spray function. As for the steam supply, 30 g/min is sufficient with the “Continuous steam supply” function and 90 g/min with the “Steam boost” function.
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Auto shut-off function. This will prevent the possibility of fire if you forget to turn off the iron.
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warranty and price. Top brands will give you 2 years warranty. If we talk about the price, then a steam and dry iron can cost 1000-10000 rubles, depending on the characteristics.
Source: Ferra
