We do many things to make ourselves presentable in front of society. Be it a wedding, a business conference, or simply meeting someone for a coffee, we make sure that we dress our best and look fresh. An iron is one of the small appliances that help us in achieving that neat look.
This article will advise you on how to choose an iron depending on your various needs, and in the end, we will recommend ten products from top brands in the market like Bajaj, Black+Decker, Singer, and Inalsa.
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Table of Contents
Iron has several parts to it that can be manufactured with various materials and designed in different ways. For example, the soleplate material can be aluminum or stainless steel and can have a non-stick coating too. In this buying guide, we talk about the various factors you have to consider before buying an iron.
There are three types of irons available in the market—dry, steam, and travel iron. Each has its own merits and demerits. And one could be better than the other too, depending on your lifestyle and the clothes you wear.
Dry iron is the most common type of iron available in the market. It will have a soleplate, which is the part of the iron that gets heated up, made of stainless steel or aluminum with a non-stick coating to ensure that the hot iron doesn't stick to the clothes and also enables smooth movement while ironing.
Dry irons can further be categorized into lightweight and heavyweight. The lightweight ones are easy to operate as it will be less tiring to your arms and doesn't add much weight to your travel bag if you decide to carry it. But you may have to put pressure on it while trying to get rid of stubborn wrinkles.
Heavyweight irons may be difficult to pick up and use for long periods of time, but the heaviness and the heat work together to smooth out the wrinkles faster than a lightweight iron. Because of the sturdy design, this type of iron tends to last longer too.
Steam irons do the job of removing wrinkles from clothes much faster than dry irons. Just pour water into the water storage, wait for the iron to reach the desired temperature, and press the button to release the steam. You can steam clothes while they are hanging to prepare them for ironing or do it while you are ironing them.
The more holes the soleplate of iron has, the more steam will come through, and the faster the ironing process will be. Since the iron uses the heat of the soleplate to generate steam, you may have to wait for the iron to reach the desired temperature to start ironing or steam again. To reduce the waiting time, you can opt for one that has a higher wattage.
If you press the steam button before the iron reaches the correct temperature, there is a chance of water dripping from the holes and wetting your clothes. So wait till the light indicator is ready for use. Nowadays, you can find steam irons with a self-cleaning mechanism to prevent dirt and impurities from clogging the holes of the soleplate.
Sometimes it may not be practical to carry an iron, even if it is lightweight. You may iron your clothes before packing, but if you find any wrinkles when you are getting ready for that business meeting, having a travel iron may prove very useful.
You can find travel irons that are compact, foldable versions of regular irons, and also ones that can fit in your palm. Travel irons with foldable soleplate will help you iron collars easily. They also have temperature controls and steaming functions like regular irons.
You may find that travel irons have less wattage compared to regular irons, but since the soleplate is smaller, it won't take much time to heat up as one might think.
Yes, heavyweight irons may help you smooth out those wrinkles faster. But if you are ironing many clothes in one go, you may find your arms getting tired quickly. To avoid such situations, buy a clothes iron that is lightweight.
You will be able to move the iron easily and quickly on your clothes, and if you want to carry it for traveling, it won't add much weight to your luggage.
But the problem with lightweight irons is that you may have to put extra pressure to remove the wrinkles. As a workaround for that drawback, companies have added steam function to lightweight irons to minimize the effort required.
As we all know, the higher the wattage, the quicker the soleplate reaches the desired temperature. But the wattage becomes especially important in steam irons. Since the iron uses the heat of the soleplate for producing steam, you will have to wait for the iron to reach the pre-set temperature after you have used the steam function a couple of times.
Compared to a 1000 watt steam iron, a 2000 watt one will reach the required temperature quickly for you to resume ironing your clothes. So get a steam iron with higher wattage to save time.
But if you are opting for a cordless iron with a rechargeable base, the higher the wattage, the quicker the battery runs out. So choose one depending on your lifestyle and how many members your household has.
The soleplate material determines how long your iron lasts. A stainless steel soleplate is much more resistant to corrosion and abrasion compared to aluminum, but aluminum heats up quickly. The choice is yours, depending on your lifestyle and preferences. A good combination could be stainless steel soleplate and higher wattage-longer lifespan and faster heating.
Nowadays, irons come with a non-stick coating on the soleplate. You can find teflon, ceramic, American Heritage, titanium, and many more coatings, each having its own merits. Apart from stopping soleplate corrosion and abrasion, non-stick coatings also make it easier for the iron to be moved smoothly on the fabrics.
The temperature required for ironing different fabrics is different. For example, the optimal temperature for ironing silk is 140-165 degrees celsius, while cotton requires 180-220 degrees celsius. Setting the correct temperature ensures that your clothes don't get damaged due to extra heat.
Buying an iron with fabric type denoted on the temperature control will ensure that you don't accidentally set the heat too high that could damage your clothes. Most irons will have very few fabric types mentioned on the temperature control dial.
If you are someone who pays a lot more attention to the fabric type you buy, you may need to choose an iron that has more temperature settings and more fabric types denoted on the dial.
Ironing can be a difficult task sometimes if the thick cord gets in your way. You may find it difficult to position the iron comfortably for a smooth ironing experience. With a cordless iron, you can place the cloth on the ironing table and position yourself on any side you want. You can even switch hands without worrying about the cord interfering with your ironing.
Cordless irons come with rechargeable or non-rechargeable base. In either model, the iron has to be placed on the base for heating up. You may find a rechargeable base useful if you don't have the convenience of placing an ironing table near a power socket.
Inalsa Geyser Titanium is a 2000 watt steam iron with a titanium coated soleplate for quicker heat transfer. Even if you use the steam function continuously, this powerful iron gets heated up quickly for you to resume ironing.
It has a 300 ml water tank that lasts many irons before it needs refilling. There is a self-clean function for clearing dirt and impurities through the soleplate holes. The anti-drip feature will make sure that water doesn't leak through the holes, even if you press the steam button before the iron reaches the required temperature for producing steam.
Bajaj DX 7 is a 1000 watt dry iron with anon-stick coating on the soleplate. The product weighs just 790 grams, making it easier to pick up and glide through the fabric. There are two led indicators—the red light signals indicate that the iron is heating up, and the green light glows when it is ready for use.
The plastic body makes this iron lightweight, but it is strong and durable. Customer reviews show that this iron has good value for money and has lasted several years for many. They have faced no issues with the soleplate or cord even after frequent usage for more than six months.
This 2200 watt cordless steam iron from Black+Decker heats up faster even after the steam function is used multiple times. You will find the cordless feature extremely convenient to use, even in places where you don't have a power socket nearby.
The ceramic coating on the soleplate will prevent static buildup on the clothes that you may find annoying because of the tingling sensation. You will also get a 100 ml measuring cup with this product, so you won't end up overfilling the 350 ml tank.
The anti-drip feature prevents water leakage when the steam button is pressed before the iron has reached the required heat and the self-clean function cleans all the dirt buildup inside the holes on the soleplate.
Usha Goliath is a heavyweight 1200 watt dry iron. Even if you find carrying this iron difficult, the heaviness will smooth out even the most stubborn wrinkles. The 1.8-meter long cord makes ironing bed sheets and clothes with a bigger surface area easier.
This product has a gold-colored, non-stick coating on the soleplate that smoothly glides on the cloth and also prevents sticking. It also has a thermal fuse that protects the iron from overheating. Customers who bought this product find the heaviness to be extremely useful while ironing tough fabrics like jeans.
Singer Sapphire Freedom is a 1250 watt steam iron with a teflon coated soleplate. The key feature of this iron is the automatic cord winder that stores the cord inside a compartment attached to the iron. The soleplate has 41 holes to release more steam that smoothes out the wrinkles faster.
The product weighs about 1500 grams, which you may find useful for faster results while ironing. Singer Sapphire Freedom also has a self-clean function for clearing any dirt and calc build. People who bought this product find the cord retracting feature very useful.
This steam iron from Black+Decker has a stylish design suitable for every modern home. You will find this 2000 watt iron heating up faster and preventing static buildup on clothes. The key feature of this iron is the auto-shutoff function that stops heating the iron if you leave it unused for some time.
Other features that make this iron durable and efficient are the anti-calc and self-clean feature that makes it usable even with hard water. Customers find the build quality to be top-notch, and the water tank with 380 ml capacity to be convenient as it doesn't require filling up very often.
This stylish, ergonomically designed iron from Bajaj is 1000 watt powerful and features a slightly raised temperature control knob for easier adjustment with one hand. Bajaj Majestic one has a curved soleplate that makes ironing over tough spots like buttons easier.
The American Heritage non-stick coating makes the soleplate even better for smooth gliding on the fabric. You will find the iron to be lightweight as it is hardly 1 kg. The product comes with a silicon pad that doesn't melt even if you rest the soleplate on it while hot, preventing accidental skin burns.
An ultra-lightweight dry iron from Usha that weighs just 750 grams. It has a cord length of 1.8 meters that makes this a perfect option for carrying while traveling, even if it is not categorized as a travel iron.
The soleplate is teflon coated to prevent sticking to the clothes while ironing. Customers who bought finds it easy to use as it doesn't have any complex settings to look for; just plug and iron when the light indicator goes off.
Morphy Richards Daisy is a 1000 watt dry iron with an embossed floral design on its body. The product weighs less than 1 kg, so you will find it less tiring for your hands even if you use it for a long time. The American Heritage non-stick coating is a better version of teflon that enables faster movement on clothes.
Customers find the product to be affordable and worth the price for the quality and stylish design. The 360-degree swivel cord allows you to move the iron effortlessly, keeping your hands and wrists stress-free.
This mini portable travel iron has a foldable soleplate that enables ironing collars on both sides easier. You can choose the fabric type, and the iron will heat up to the perfect temperature suitable for that fabric. Even though it is just 60 watts powerful, it heats the small soleplates fast enough, making it a perfect addition to your travel accessories.
The soleplates can be set flat for ironing any type of cloth. To switch on the iron, long-press the power button, and for selecting the fabric type, keep pressing the power button until the light near the fabric type glows.
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That's the end of the article. A few points to keep in mind while shopping for irons is the soleplate material or coating, the weight of the iron, steam function, and cord length. Depending on the comfort and convenience you want, you can even opt for a cordless iron with rechargeable or non-rechargeable base. You can also buy a silicon mat for placing the hot iron that will prevent any accidental skin burns.
Author - Arun F Xaviour
When you purchase products mentioned in the article, part of the sales may be returned to mybest.
The descriptions of each product is referenced from the content available from the manufacturer, e-commerce sites etc.
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