If you will soon be buying a new iron, you probably will pay attention to the length of the wire, stripping and self-cleaning function, and even appearance. But from my own experience I can say that this is not the most important thing. Much more important to choose the soleplate that meets your requirements.
Variants will then be mass. And we must be able to understand them without being distracted by the enthusiastic publicity manufacturers vying precisely praising their wares.
the sole form of - what is more convenient?
Look again at the first picture. See how may vary the size and shape of the surface of the ironing? Choosing from them, think about what you pet more often with their hands - linen or blouses with ruffles and pleats and small children's clothes.
In the first case - the more the sole area and what it is wider, the better. But the complex on a cut, and the little things easier to smooth out the narrow iron with a sharp nose.
Pay attention to the following features:
- The number of holes for the steam outlet. The more, the better and faster will be stripped clothes. On my iron them only 13 - it is not enough. And no holes on the tip, which is also inconvenient for smoothing fine wrinkles.
- Form the back part of the sole. Rounded easily glides over the fabric back, without bending at the same cloth.
- The thickness of the edge. The thinner it is, the easier to smooth out the fabric around the buttons, setting the stage for the work plane directly under them. In today's irons make a special groove around the perimeter of the sole.
Those who stroked everything, choose the iron will be more difficult. If possible, take just two - for clothes and linen.
What material is better
To begin, let's define the qualities of the base material, which are most important to you:
- good sliding. This is the basic requirement for this appliances. Any additional features and chic appearance will be meaningless if the iron will cling to the cloth and let any clues.
- The heating rate and cooling. Someone important to iron warmed quickly, and someone is in a hurry and just do not pay attention to this parameter.
- The impact on the fabric. soles material must be alert and react quickly to temperature control, otherwise you may damage the delicate tissue.
- Durability. It depends on the strength of the base material, its resistance to scratching and pliability cleaning. Here at all different approach, one would buy the instrument cheaper, and a year later it will change no regrets. And the other immediately takes quality iron, and it will not confuse the high price.
Now you can see different types of soles and decide which is best for you specifically.
Steel or aluminum
Blue plates absolutely all metal irons - steel or aluminum. This foundation, which may be an alloy with a certain chemical element or have an additional coating, sputtering. That is, if you see in the title of the adjective "Teflon" or "ceramic", which means only the coating of the sole.
About him a little later, and now let's look at the sole of the material from which more than meet your requirements.
We begin with the steel. Stainless steel - the most common option. Its advantages:
- The corrosion resistance;
- Resistance to mechanical damage;
- Durability;
- The ideal smooth surface;
- Affordable price.
The disadvantage is not too rapid heating and cooling for long. Also impressive weight.
Despite the strength of stainless steel, it is still fairly easy to scratch, especially if you accidentally hold the iron on metal fittings clothes or clean the sole of abrasives.
To improve the strength and corrosion resistance, alloys makers are constantly improving and devising various coatings. For example:
- make the upper layer of the sole of steel with chromium or nickel. They can distinguish color: chrome finish has a bluish tint, and nickel - gold.
- Most durable stainless steel soleplate is considered by the company Saphir Brown. She has deposition of a very hard mineral corundum, To which the genus and are sapphires. But do not think that this is really a coating of precious stone. For manufacturing irons corundum prepared synthetically. A beautiful name "sapphire" is used as a promotional move.
Aluminum soleplate is much lighter than steel, it quickly heats up and cools down just as quickly. And the cost of such irons is attractive for its democratic character. But before you stop them the choice, consider all the shortcomings of this material:
- Aluminum - a very soft metal. The working surface of the aluminum is easy to damage, dropping the iron or just hitting it and the buttons on clothing buttons.
- Too rapid heating can also cause damage to the device itself and, and tissue. If you do not pay attention to the exposed mode, the matter can burn, melt or leave her brilliant tracks. She, in turn, will burn to the sole.
As a result, the appearance of dents, scratches and varnish iron ceases to cope with their functions. After all, what does not slip soles? Only the one that lost smoothness. Moreover, it can be left on the clothes hooks and smudges.
Fortunately, now almost no irons are made from pure aluminum coating. Anyway, I do not see them in the market. His long replaced soles made of anodized aluminum, heat-treated. Or from pure aluminum but with stainless steel coating.
Choosing coverage
It's time to tell you what is on the cover of steel or aluminum base, and that it gives:
- Teflon. All who have Teflon pans are well aware that this material does not stick and does not stick. But exactly as long as it does not appear chips and cracks. The same applies to a Teflon-coated iron: it slides easily on fabrics, does not stick to it. However, to treat him very carefully, so as not to scratch the surface. For example, it can not be placed on a metal stand, which is equipped with a low-cost ironing boards.
- Enamel. Superalloy enamel, externally resembling polished granite, unlike Teflon not easily scratched. Enamel slip outsole too well, leaving no clues on folds and tissue. It perfectly clean. But she begins to crack over time.
- Ceramics. Again, remember the dishes with such a coating. If you choose - ceramic or stainless steel - the first is much more convenient. Easy to clean, non-stick, unlike steel cookware. The same applies to irons. But the smallest chipped on the surface of the brittle material can lead to total delamination of the coating.
- cermet. This composite material is much more wear-resistant than ceramic. Operating Instructions metal-ceramic devices do not require such careful treatment, as Teflon or ceramic products.
conclusion
Now that you know all the features, the positive and negative properties of each material, you can decide which soleplate is the best for you. If the priority of durability and reliability, choose stainless steel with a titanium sapphire or sputtering. If high non-stick properties - Teflon or ceramic on aluminum.
If you have not decided yet, you can get additional information from the video in this article. And if you have already chosen and happy with the result, share with us in the comments revocation.
