Irons buying guide

Find your perfect iron

Whether it’s getting through family-sized laundry loads or keeping essential work items looking smart, the right iron can save you time and hassle.

Our iron buying guide will help you find the one that suits your household and lifestyle. Find out about the different types of iron available, with buying tips to help you make your choice.

CONTENTS:

Traditional steam irons

Ideal for everyday ironing.

Is the type of soleplate important?

The soleplate is always in contact with your clothing, so consider a high-quality soleplate that will tackle creases while treating your garments with care.

Palladium soleplates have a scratch-resistant, non-stick surface that cares for your clothes, ceramic soleplates offer a strong, non-stick surface that glides smoothly over fabrics, and stainless steel soleplates let you iron easily – remember to take care around buttons and zips.

Is steam output important?

A higher steam output relaxes the fabric, so the iron can glide over your clothes more easily. It will help you get through those stubborn creases with less effort.

Which other features should I consider?

Anti-limescale systems help your iron perform consistently and last longer. A continuous fill system lets you top the iron up with water while it’s on, saving time. Temperature control technology lets you iron any fabric using one temperature setting.
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Steam generator irons

Best for large laundry loads - cut your ironing time in half.

What is a steam generator iron?

Steam generator irons let you quickly power away creases with minimal effort. They feature a built-in boiler that turns water into high pressure steam for deep fabric penetration.

What is bar pressure?

A higher bar pressure means your iron can generate more steam, which makes removing creases easier. So a higher bar pressure means a more effective iron – ideal for big laundry loads.

Does the size of the water tank matter?

A bigger water tank means you don’t have to refill your iron as often, saving time and helping you get through more laundry in one sitting. Most steam generator irons feature a large water tank.

What is auto shut-off?

Auto shut-off is a safety feature that turns your iron off after a certain amount of time - so you don’t have to worry whether you’ve accidentally left it on or not.
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Jargon buster

Anti-drip

Prevents any water from dripping onto your clothing and forming spots.

Anti-scale

Prevents the build-up of limescale, helping your iron perform consistently for longer.

Auto shut-off

A safety feature that switches the iron off if it’s left idle for a certain period of time.

Bar pressure

A measurement of steam pressure– a higher bar pressure means a more effective iron.

Continuous fill

Allows you to fill the iron without having to switch it off.

Cord length

A longer cord gives you more flexibility – great for ironing larger items. The average iron cord length is around 3 m.

Steam output

Measured in grams per minute - more steam helps your iron tackle creases faster.

Vertical steam

Iron hanging items or curtains without taking them down using vertical steaming.

Wattage

The heating up time of your iron – generally the higher the wattage, the sooner your iron will heat up.
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