Irons | The best of 2022

Irons are one of the many appliances present in all households, whose usefulness is to remove creases from clothing, which can occur both after several days and immediately after washing in the washing machine and, why not, even after a possible complete drying cycle, especially if you own an entry level dryer. In this regard, if you are interested in finding out which are the best dryers, we refer you to our dedicated article.

Read also: Dryers | The best of 2022 Closed this parenthesis, for this article we will try to recommend the best irons to buy, paying attention to both the simple steam models and the boiler ones, the differences of which we will deepen in the second part of this article, where we will explain in the simplest way possible how to understand if a certain model will satisfy your needs or not.

The best irons

Rowenta DW5325 Focus Excel Philips GC4909 / 60 Rowenta Silence Steam Pro DG9222 | With Philips Domestic Appliances PerfectCare 6000 boiler | With

boiler

Rowenta DW5325 Focus Excel

An iron comparable to the previous one, both in terms of ease of use and performance, is the Rowenta DW5325 Focus Excel. Thanks to its technical features, it will not leave any water stains on the laundry, also allowing you to complete the ironing quickly thanks to the powerful 2,700W motor, which produces up to 170 grams of steam per minute. The materials with which it is made make it resistant to scratches and it is worth pointing out the tip of the plate, created in order to allow you to reach the thinnest folds. An iron far above the average, and one of the best sellers in Italy.

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Philips GC4909 / 60

With a patented 6-layer coating and a power capable of releasing 250 grams of steam per minute, the Philips GC4909 / 60 is probably the best iron of the category, if we exclude the models with boiler that we will analyze later. Its performance will allow you to penetrate deeply into the fabrics, eliminating every slightest crease where probably with another model you would have encountered more difficulties. Another feature that makes this model better than others in the same category is the presence of an intelligent reminder, which will notify you when it is time to remove the limescale. Undoubtedly a concentrate of technology, which can be seen, if you like, also from the design.

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Rowenta Silence Steam Pro DG9222

Let's go back now to a Rowenta brand product, since the well-known brand also produces excellent solutions for irons with boilers. Among the various models, we recommend the Rowenta Silence Steam Pro DG9222, not only because it is the top of the range of the company, but also for the simple fact that it is a model that will allow you to obtain a perfect ironing. Its powerful jets of steam will eliminate even the most rebellious creases with minimal effort, all to the advantage of ease of use and saving time. The laser plate is treated in detail and has 400 micro holes, the size and position of which are designed to allow the steam to be incredibly precise and direct.

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Philips Domestic Appliances PerfectCare 6000

Philips also produces irons with boilers and, just like the model mentioned above, we are facing the best of the technology present today in this category of household appliances. If you are looking for the top, the Philips Domestic Appliances PerfectCare 6000 is another model that you should consider, especially if you are looking for the solution with the largest tank. We inform you, in fact, that this iron has a capacity of 1.8 liters, more than enough to iron all the clothes at your disposal in one go. From jeans to silk, from linen to synthetic, with the Philips proposal you will get the maximum satisfaction regardless of the garment or materials on which you have to remove the creases, also thanks to the fact that you will not have to adjust the temperature, since it will be the iron. ironing to manage it and avoid any burns.

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How to choose an iron

To ensure that an iron is excellent and able to satisfy the needs of those who will use it, it must have a certain type of characteristics that we will go into further on below. Thanks to our advice, therefore, you will know how to choose the most suitable model for you, as well as understand if you are facing a high-level or simply discreet solution.

What types of irons exist?

As you will have seen, we have produced this article taking into consideration irons in a generic way, that is by evaluating the market proposals concerning both models with internal tank and those with boiler. Since these are types with substantial differences, the first factor to consider at the time of purchase is precisely the type of iron.

Models with internal tank are recommended for those who prefer an iron as easy to handle as possible and capable of generating steam practically instantly. On the other hand, however, they have a rather limited tank, usually no more than 0.3 liters, forcing you to refill it often if you need to iron a good quantity of clothes. Furthermore, these models tend to have a lower peak power than those with boilers, but still more than enough to allow you to remove any form of crease.

As you may have guessed, the irons with boilers, on the other hand , first of all, they enjoy a much larger tank and that is why they should be taken into consideration by those who are used to ironing a lot of clothes and clothes. Furthermore, thanks to the external boiler, these models can boast a higher power which, although in the vast majority of cases it is not necessary, could help you eliminate the most hostile creases in the blink of an eye. The downside of these solutions is comfort and handling not at the levels of the other type, obviously due to the presence of the boiler. Furthermore, in this case it will take a few minutes for the iron and its boiler to generate steam.

What power should an iron have?

As you know, the iron it is a household appliance which, unfortunately, has a significant impact on energy consumption. The high-end models, that is the ones we have selected, easily exceed the 2,000W threshold, necessary for them to generate steam in a few minutes. In this regard, we believe that an appliance of this category should not have a power lower than 1,500W, since otherwise you will have to wait about 5 minutes before starting to iron.

Shot of steam

Another typical feature of an iron, which goes hand in hand with the pure power of the appliance, is the so-called steam shot, i.e. a single jet of steam fired with force, useful for smoothing out particularly deep and difficult creases. On average, a model capable of releasing 200 grams of steam per minute is considered good, but if you want the most difficult creases to go away instantly, a solution that boasts a 400 grams per minute jet, such as the Philips, would be preferable. Domestic Appliances PerfectCare 6000, which can even count on a jet of 600 grams.

How is the soleplate of the irons made?

The soleplate is an indispensable element of the iron. ironing, since it will come into direct contact with the clothing. The best manufacturers usually make it out of steel or ceramic. While both are fine, it's worth pointing out that the former are the strongest, but sometimes they don't turn out to be ideal between buttons or cuffs. The latter, on the other hand, are perfect on more delicate fabrics and distribute heat evenly, but are more fragile, forcing you to use the iron gently to avoid scratching the plate. Other materials known and used to make the plate are:

Teflon: smoothness is its strong point, but it also offers good heat distribution. Excellent for those who want to finish ironing quickly. Aluminum: the homogeneity of the heat is not its strong point, except in the tip of the plate, which makes it suitable only for precision work. Therefore recommended for shirts. That said, make sure that the holes in the soleplate are evenly spaced, so that the steam distribution is as consistent as possible. Another aspect to consider, which we have already partially addressed in the typology section, is the size of the iron plate. The larger it is, the faster it will allow you to iron, although it will make the appliance less comfortable. However, we always try to recommend a model with a large soleplate, as it provides a quantity of steam that is not only uniform, but also of high quality, for better wrinkle removal.

What safety systems must irons have?

Although they all integrate different safety systems by now, you should still check their respective method of operation. The most common safety systems include an automatic shutdown function or anything that prevents water dripping. The auto power off function may differ depending on the manufacturer. Some models turn off automatically if they are not used after a certain period of time, while others begin to cool after leaving them upright for a certain period of time. Although these precautions are useful for the safety of the appliance, it is still advisable to disconnect the iron from the power socket when it is not in use.

As anticipated, you should also give some importance to the function anti-drip, since the latter prevents the iron from spilling water from the soleplate, eliminating the risk of any droplets falling onto electrical cables or clothing.

What information should the display of the irons?

Most modern irons have a digital display, allowing you to view settings for heat, temperature and other useful information. If the model you are about to purchase has a digital screen, make sure it offers the best ironing experience by showing you not only the intensity of the heat, but also information about the exact temperature.

Others aspects to watch out for

Depending on your personal needs, there are other features that may come in handy but are not as essential as those mentioned above. However, we believe you should be aware that there are also battery-powered irons. The latter can be practical and convenient, but obviously they are not as powerful as the models with cable and must be constantly heated on the base. It is a good choice if you have very few power outlets or if they are far from your ironing station, but it is also true that traditional irons almost always have a cable long enough to allow you to reach the socket comfortably. electric.

A good iron should also have an integrated descaling function. This is very important to reduce limescale and, consequently, extend the life of the appliance. Also check if the product implements an automatic shutdown feature for safety and consider the weight, dimensions and control panel if they are suitable for your needs.

What temperature to set on the iron?

To avoid damaging the garments, you need to know how to set the temperatures of the iron according to the type of fabric you are going to work on, and that's why we decided to dedicate a paragraph to this specific topic as well. Below you will find a list of the main fabrics with their respective recommended temperatures.

Nylon -> Less than 150 ° Lycra -> Less than 150 ° Acrylic -> Less than 150 ° Acetate -> Less than 150 ° Velvet -> Less than 150 ° Silk -> About 150 ° Polyester -> About 150 ° Wool -> About 150 ° Cotton -> About 200 ° Linen -> About 200 °

How long does an iron last?

The life of an iron depends on its quality and the frequency with which the appliance is used. An avant-garde model like the ones shown in this article can last up to 10 years, while the entry level ones could have a life expectancy of a few years, especially if they are of an unknown brand.

What water to add in the iron?

Since the formation of limescale is a factor that must always be taken into consideration for the correct functioning of the appliance, it is very important to pay attention to the type of water that is added to the iron each time it is used to iron clothes. In fact, not all waters are the same, but there are those with a high and low degree of hardness, which could ruin the appliance prematurely if the water is too hard. It is usual to use that from the tap, which is not wrong, as long as you are sure of receiving water that is not very rich in limestone. This is quite difficult for those in sea areas, where the water tends to be harder. If this is the case for you, it is advisable to add distilled or demineralized water to the water at home, in this way you will be sure that the iron does not suffer from limescale. It is strongly not recommended, however, to use water from dehumidifiers or from any product that could work as a flavoring.