How to choose the right type of iron for your needs

Irons and Boards

There are different types of iron that, traditionally, have been used for different jobs. In tailoring many differing shapes and sizes of iron are made, but for general ironing there are more limited choices. Here at DrClean we aim both to explain the differences between irons and give you the opportunity to purchase professionally styled irons, that can give you that professional look with your clothes, while saving huge amounts of time while ironing.

There are also numerous ironing boards to choose from and the major difference between most is in the covering that you iron on. However, once again there is a difference between professional and household boards and as you might expect, the professional board gives far better results while saving you both time and effort.

Here we describe irons and boards so you can take an informed decision on which would be best for you.

Different Irons

What should be the major consideration in your decision to buy a suitable iron foryou use?

The answer depends on your exact usage, how long you currently spend ironing, to some extent the board you're going to be using and - of course - your budget

The video on the right will give you the low-down on our Pro-Iron for Home Use - but if your budget doesn't stretch to that then the information below should help you decide.

Flat Irons

Any iron without steam can be considered a flat iron. They are normally light and very maneuverable and with the use of a sprayer will produce exceptionally good results. These are the oldest kind of iron, and the originaly would have been placed over a fire to heat them up.

It's a simple tool but it's often the case that simple is best

Steam Irons

The majority of irons on sale are steam irons and they are popular because steam softens fabrics and this, plus the addition of heat from the sole of the iron, sets the finish. The steam is delivered by dripping water onto a hot plate, the evaporated steam then puffs out of holes on the bottom of the iron. They often come with extra features that are meant to improve ironing but the only one worth searching for is extra stream, all the others add no more than you would get from a spray bottle and an ironing shoe (which you might not want to have on all the time).

Home Iron with Reservoir

In cases of irons intended for home use that have a reservoir, generally as a the base for the iron to sit on, that contains a reservoir that boils water and is available as a continuous stream of steam. The steam is deliverd by depresdsing a button on the iron body.

Apart from being continuous the jet of steam is also generally stronger than available from a "Steam" iron. If you are ironing a batch then we would expect this typeof reservoir to last about 45 mins per fill.

Pro Iron With Reservoir

Professional irons have a separate boiler as they often need more steam capacity to enable the ironer to iron for longer before refilling.

Reservoir sizes vary from 1.2 ltr up to 5 ltr, but all should have variable and continuous delivery of steam. The variable steam allows you to reduce and increase the flow based on how much you need for a particular job. The irons themselves are normally heavier than household irons, as professionals want the iron to do as much work as pssible for them.

You can also often use the iron as a steamer by just holding it up to a garment and pressing the button. This type of iron will speed up your ironing and is clearly the best choice for the widest variety of materials, but these features come at a price.

Ironing Board Choices

An ironing board makes a big difference in how swiftly you iron and the quality of the finished product.

There are numerous ironing boards to choose from and the major difference between most is in the surface that you iron on and the overall sturdiness of the board itself.

The video on the right will give you the low-down on our Vacuum Board for Home Use. We do have even sturdier boards but if you're an occasional ironer we explain the choice of boards below.

Home Boards

Normal boards are made of a solid or mesh base held up by adjustable legs often including sleeve board (shown above the board).

The board surface is often a mesh of metal, allowing steam to travel through the board.That is essential for a build up of condensed liquid not to build up and affect the ironing and cover of the board.

If you have a lot of ironing to do then a major problem is the build up of water on the board and ironing board cover. Any dampness can be transferred to garments, leading to poor ironing as the garmant then dries on the hanger or folded, and either takes on the creases of folding or re-creases with the original creases that were there before drying.

A worse problem from condensation on the board is dirt being transferred to garments. Water wicked through a board can pick up unwated dirt and that can be transferred onto the garment, which can prove very difficult to remove.

Vacuum Boards for Home Use

A vacuum board is one that both heats up and has a fan to take steam away from the board and the clothes.

The vacuum helps stabilize garments put on the board, effectively working as a third hand that keep the fabric in place. Also when the vacuum is applied it sucks the fabric down towards the board, making it easier to see and feel if there are any creases on the underside of a garment. That, in turn, makes for better quality ironing the first time you go over anything.

The heat of the board adds to the heat of the iron, allowing you to reduce the irons temperature and still get a good job done. Both the heat and vacuum dry off whatever is on the board, finishing a garment on the board instead of on the hanger or when folded.

Sleeve Boards

Sleeve boards are small irons specifically designed to get into smaller areas, where a normal iron would be too large.

They are generally used for sleeves, hence the name, bt can be used for any part of a garment that doesn't fit on the irons main body easily.

In reality these are mostly used by professionals who don't wish to place a crease in an arm of a dress, jacket or shirt.

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