The majority of people will consider ironing to be a dull and boring household chore. Listening to music or watching television whilst you iron can help to reduce the tedium (a little) – but it’s still a task that most people would prefer to avoid. Any way of reducing the amount of time spent ironing would be gratefully received in the large majority of households.
Certainly you could send your clothes out to the dry cleaners – or hire a maid. Some professional ironers will even pick up your freshly washed laundry and return it neatly pressed if you like. Of course, you need to pay for all of these options and they will be too pricey for most people.
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.
Unlike a conventional steam iron, a steam generator iron has no water in the iron itself. Instead it uses a base unit which acts as both a water reservoir and heater. This produces a good deal more steam than a standard iron – and the steam is at a higher pressure.
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%.
When choosing a steam generator iron, be sure to go for one which has a high enough steam pressure. Somewhere between 4.5 and 5.0 bar is good. You will often see the steam output quoted in grams of steam per minute (gpm). A value between 70 and 120 gpm is desirable.
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.
Other factors to consider include the length of the connecting hose between the base unit and the iron, the material of the soleplate, the ease of use and the inclusion of some form of anti-scale system.
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.
Ironing is a dull task at best. Cut it down to size with a Tefal steam generator iron – you’ll be pleasantly surprised at just how much time you can save.
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