What To Look For In A Steam Generator Iron
For most people, ironing is considered to be a necessary evil. It’s a thankless – and seemingly never ending – task. Watching TV or listening to music can reduce the boredom a little – but it’s still a less than appealing household chore which few enjoy. Any method of minimising the amount of time devoted to ironing would be welcome in the majority of households.
You could always send your clothes to the dry cleaners of course – or consider employing a maid. There are even companies which offer a service whereby they pick up your washed clothes and return them pressed and ironed. However, these are somewhat pricey options.
A more viable alternative (for most people at least) would be to take advantage of advances in iron design and use a steam generator iron. Whilst these may look very similar to conventional irons, they have a completely different construction – and this provides a number of positive benefits.
In contrast to a standard steam iron, steam generator irons have no water in the actual iron itself. They use a larger base unit which fulfils the dual function of water tank and boiler. They produce considerably more steam – which is at a higher pressure – than a conventional iron.
The steam is fed to the iron using a hollow connecting hose and, because it is at high pressure, it penetrates deep into the fabric of the garment being pressed. This makes it easier – and faster – to iron. The fact that there is no water in the iron also means that it is lighter and easier to use. The net result is an improvement in the quality of the finished garment and a reduction in the amount of time spent ironing. Most users report a reduction in ironing time of around about 50%.
Be sure to pick an iron with a high steam pressure – a value between 4.5 and 5.0 bar is best. You may also see irons whose capacity is stated in grams of steam per minute (gpm) – in which case you will probably want to pick one with an output of somewhere between 70 and 120 gpm.
You should also ensure that the size of the water reservoir is sufficient – so that you don’t need to keep stopping ironing to top up the water. A removable water tank will make filling easier – and some irons have the facility to top up the reservoir whilst using the iron – which will avoid having to wait whilst the iron heats up again.
You may also want to consider a number of other factors such as the inclusion of an anti-scale system (especially important if you live in a hard water area), the length of the hose between the base unit and the iron (especially if you have a small ironing board and want to position the base on the floor), the material of the soleplate and the overall usability of the iron.
Steam generator irons do cost a little more than standard irons. However, considering that they can cut the time you spend ironing in half – whilst simultaneously giving a better quality end result – they really do represent great value for money.
Slash your ironing time with a Tefal steam generator iron – you’ll be surprised at how much quicker it is. Check out our steam generator iron buyer’s guide and you’ll know just what to look for.
