The Beldray guide to irons

Understanding the Specs: Features to consider

When shopping for an affordable iron for clothes, you don't need to get bogged down in premium tech specs. Finding a true value for money steam iron comes down to just a few ironing basics:

Steam Burst

At the push of a button, a steam burst function will blast hot steam through the fabric. This helps to make fibres softer and easier to smooth out.

Water Spray

For when a steam burst isn't enough, a water spray applies cold water directly onto a troublesome area of your clothing. You can then iron out difficult creases with ease.

Cord Length

For corded irons, a good cord length can make a huge difference if your space is limted and you strugggle to find a suitable place to iron

Understanding the Specs: Features to consider

To get a premium steam iron for clothes that matches your aesthetic and your routine, keep an eye out for these essential high-performance features:

SureTemp technology

SureTemp technology is a feature which allows you to easily iron all fabrics without needing to adjust the temperature; removing the guess-work from having to pick the right setting

g/min

This is a unit of measurement for steam output. The higher the numbner; the more steam! This number may be assosiated with "continuous steam output" (which is when your iron is set to keep generating steam as you iron) or is sometimes for describing how much steam will be created when using a steam burst function.

Soleplate / Dual Precision Soleplate

The soleplate is the business end of your iron; it's where the heat and steam meet the fabric. A good quality iron will use a good quality material, something strong and smooth is ideal. Ceramic soleplates ensure friction-free gliding and are generally considered to be the best. A Dual Precision Soleplate is where the plate is pointed on both sides, allowing you to move the iron easily in either direction.

Anti-calc

Much like your kettle, irons can also be prone to limescale or calcium carbonate build up. An anti-calc iron is designed to prevent or remove this build up.

Understanding the Specs: Features to consider

To power through massive laundry loads without stopping, you need to understand the difference between standard appliances and commercial-grade power setups.

Steam Station

A Steam Station or Steam Generator Iron has a larger base unit to hold more water and usually more powerful boiler whilst the traditional iron and sole plate section are connected by a tube. This allows the iron head to be lighter but also deliver more power and more steam for longer.

Bar Pressure

Bar pressure measures how forcefully steam is driven through the fabric. High pressure means the steam instantly penetrates multiple layers at once, allowing you to iron just one side of thick denim jeans or cotton duvet covers to get flawless results.

Digital LED Screen

Whilst some irons opt for a traditional mechanical control wheel or SureTemp control, a digital iron with an LED screen gives you a clear visual indication of exactly what mode your iron is in and what kind of fabic is best suited for that mode. Combine the LED display with an intuative touchscreen and switching between modes on the fly has never been easier.

Vertical Steam

Some irons are capable of producing steam even while in a vertical position. This makes them ideal for ironing curtains without needing to take them down first.