Irons
- — 06 May, 2008 13:32
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Other features
There are other features to be considered when purchasing an iron.
Power: The wattage of the iron generally dictates how quickly the iron will reach a set temperature and maintain it during ironing. If you intend to use a lot of steam you would probably want a higher wattage iron.
Safety: Some irons have a safety 'auto shut off' feature that turns the iron off after a preset amount of time when the iron is inactive.
Tank: A tank that is easy to refill or is removable should be something to consider when looking at this type of iron. If you're going to spend a lot of time using it you might want to look into getting one with a larger tank that will save you time making trips to refill the tank. Steam irons should have a clear gauge on the tank to indicate the water level.
Soleplate: The soleplate surface of irons also vary where you have a whole range of different soleplates to choose from such as aluminium, Teflon coated, stainless steel, ceramic and more. Each type of soleplate has its advantages and disadvantages. For example Teflon coated soleplate is easier to iron with than a stainless steel soleplate but the stainless soleplate is more durable and most likely to last longer than the Teflon coated soleplate.
Weight: The weight of an iron can vary dramatically. If you're the type of person who loves to pump iron then the weight of an iron shouldn't matter too much for you, but we recommend that you test out the weight when in-store to see if it will be easy to use over a period of time.
Power cord: Cord length may be another aspect if you don't have a power outlet nearby. There are some cordless rechargeable irons, or ask the sales person if they sell irons with longer cords, but on average an iron's cord length is two metres which is sufficient for most people.
Accessories: To keep your iron in tip-top shape and as good as new then you should look into some of the accessories that you need to maintain the iron.
Purified water: This is to be used instead of tap water which is a lot cleaner and without any kinds of waste minerals that can get stuck in the soleplate and cause the iron to clog up.
Cleaning liquid: If you have used tap water, this cleaning liquid will clear up any gunk from the soleplate's holes and allow steam to pass through normally. It will also prolong the life of your iron.
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