What To Look For When Choosing A Steam Generator Iron

Ironing is, for most people, a bit of a chore. It’s something that needs to be done, but very few people enjoy it. You can listen to the radio or maybe watch TV whilst you iron in order to lessen the boredom a bit – but it’s always going to be a dreary chore.

However, during the last few years there have been some changes in iron technology which can help to significantly cut the amount of time devoted to ironing for many. Steam generator irons are increasingly available to the general public. In times past, they were mainly used by dry cleaners and professionals. According to user feedback, the use of a steam generator iron can cut your ironing time by as much as 50%.

As far as appearance goes, steam generator irons look pretty much like conventional steam irons – but with a large base unit added. It’s the base unit that makes the difference. A steam generator iron has no water in the body of the iron – the large base unit is acts as both a water reservoir and boiler which generates large quantities of high pressure steam. This is fed to the iron by means of a hollow connecting tube.

Using the above technique, these irons generate a lot more steam than a standard steam iron. It is also at a higher pressure. This high pressure steam penetrates deep into the fabric of whatever you’re ironing and makes it much easier – and a lot faster – to get rid of any creases and wrinkles. The final result is of a better quality and, as previously discussed, you can halve your ironing time like this.

Steam generator irons do tend to cost a little more than traditional steam irons. However, considering the time savings, plus the improved quality of the finished garments, you may be quite happy to pay the price. You can quite often find some good discounts on offer both online and offline. If you know what you’re looking for then you might just be able to grab yourself a bargain.

There are five main criteria that you should review when choosing a steam generator iron:

1. The quantity and pressure of the steam.

2. The capacity of the water reservoir.

3. The material and general design of the soleplate.

4. Ease of cleaning.

5. The ease of use.

Steam output is normally measured in grams per minute. Something in the range of 70 – 140 g/min should be sufficient. A steam pressure level in the range of 4.5 and 5.0 bar is desirable and should see you achieve the time savings already discussed.

Ensure that the water tank is a decent size for you so that you don’t need to keep stopping to top it up. A 1.4 litre tank should give sufficient steam for about two hour’s ironing. Larger tanks are also available.

The material and general design of the soleplate should be durable and should glide easily across the fabric to be pressed. Ceramics and stainless steel are usually good choices for the soleplate material.

If you live in a hard water area then you need to make sure that you avoid any build up of scale in your iron. This can reduce the efficiency of the device and also shorten its useful working life. The Tefal steam generator iron features a very clever scale trap which can simply be unscrewed, washed under running water and then replaced back into the iron. Other manufacturers use different techniques, including cartridges that trap the scale and can be withdrawn and cleaned. Chemical treatment is another possibility, if a somewhat little less convenient one.

As far as ease of use goes, this will be very dependent upon the perspective of individual users. However, choosing a model which has a long enough connection between the iron and the base unit so that you can position the base on the floor instead of at the end of the board if you want is a good idea. This can be a good option if you have a smaller ironing board.

A reservoir which detaches and can be carried to the sink for filling directly under the tap might be a useful feature. Many people will appreciate this type of feature. A quick heat up time after filling is also desirable. A heat up time of no more than a couple of minutes should be achievable with the majority of modern steam generator irons.