How to choose a steam iron with all the technical features

In the house of every hostess must be an iron. It is necessary for smoothing wrinkles and dents on clothes. In order to choose a steam iron, you need to know the main characteristics of the device.

Options

Before buying, you should pay attention to the following characteristics:

• power;
• power usage;
• material and type of sole;
• cord;
• product weight;
• presence of auto power off;
• iron design;
• the presence of a steam generator or steam station;
• descaling;
• additional functions.

Power devices

This is perhaps the main characteristic of a household appliance. On it you can determine how quickly he is able to warm to the required temperature. The main part of the iron is its heating element.Modern models are equipped with electric thermal helix.

If you intend to use the device only at home, then you should not choose too powerful devices: you just need to choose 1.5 kW. If you are planning to smooth strong shafts on clothes, models with a capacity of 1.8-1.9 kW are recommended. It is not recommended to buy irons with a power above 2 kW. Such products are expensive, and they do not carry much efficiency for the house.

Sole

The sole of the iron directly affects the quality and time of ironing. For production modern irons A quality coating is used that reduces friction with the material, and the work surface is protected from damage occurring during operation. The following materials are used for the manufacture of the sole:

1. Stainless steel. Durable material that is easy to remove. But such devices are too heavy.
2. Aluminum. These irons quickly heat up and cool down quickly. They are practically not polluted, and the total weight of the devices is quite light. But there is one drawback - the sole is easily deformed and scratched.
3. Ceramics. This coating is brittle, but the iron slips well on any type of fabric.If the choice lies between ceramics and teflon, then it is better to stay on the first option, since it is stronger.

Cord

It is better to choose the model that has a hinge or ball mount on the base. Thanks to this, the cord will last for a long time without chafing. On sale there are also special irons without a cord. In this case, the base comes with a heating element. It is inconvenient to use such a device, as it is necessary to constantly heat the base of the iron.

Weight

Before you choose an iron for smoothing clothes, do the following:

1. take the device in hands and estimate its gravity;
2. appreciate the ergonomics of the handle;
3. Try to stroke and pour water into the container.

The weight of the home appliance should not exceed 1.5 kg.

Auto power off

Before choosing a particular model of iron for clothes, it is worth deciding what functions you want to see in the device. The main one is auto power off. It will save every hostess from unnecessary worries and troubles. The iron turns off automatically after 15 minutes in a vertical position and after 30 seconds - in a horizontal position.

Design

You can choose an iron for ironing clothes in any color and design.Everything here is purely individual and depends on the preferences of the woman.

Function "steam generator"

It is difficult to imagine that once our grandmothers and mothers ironed clothes without steam. Indeed, without it, it is difficult to iron large folds and hard-to-reach places. Now, thanks to the built-in steam generator, it has become easy, fast and fun to cope with the procedure.

For steam generation in the iron available special containerinto which fluid is poured. Up to 30 grams of steam can be produced per minute. This steaming is suitable for not very crumpled clothes. If the fabric is overdried and has many folds, then the amount of steam must be increased.

It is better to choose the model of the iron, which is equipped with a regulator of the intensity of the steam supply.

There are models with automatic steam. At a certain temperature, there is an independent release of steam from the holes on the bottom of the device. By the way, they are arranged in such an order that its uniform distribution takes place over the entire surface of the material.

Steaming can occur in two ways:

• horizontally;
• vertically.

Horizontal steaming is a standard ironing of clothes on the ironing board,Steam can be controlled either manually or automatically.

With vertical steaming, you can iron clothes without removing them from the hanger. This is very convenient, however, in this case the power of the device should be high - 1.6-2 kW.

Some models of irons are equipped with a function of steam and water spray. Steam, turbo steam or steam blow is an instant, single and strong steam supply. The option is necessary for smoothing clothes made of dense fabrics, including:

• linen;
• calico;
• jeans.

This option helps to clean the device from scale. The sprinkling function is required for heavily over-dried clothing. At the touch of a button, you can distribute water over the fabric and iron it carefully.

Steam station

In fact, it is the same iron, only without a water container built into it. The steam station has one significant difference from standard instruments - this steam rate. It ranges from 70 to 180 grams per minute. This improves the result of ironing and reduces labor time.

Before choosing a steam station, check how the device is being cleaned.

Additional functions

In order for the steam appliance to bring maximum benefit, before buying, look at what other additional functions should be:

• cleaning and descaling;
• the presence of an anti-droplet system that prevents water from flowing out of the device during low-temperature ironing.

All these little things together will help to get a quality device with a steamer or steam station, which will last a long time.