Choosing a Steam Iron. Types, Models and Options. Owners’ Reviews

Woman’s choice: iron with a steam generator, steam generator or steamer?

Time goes on, more advanced models appear with additional options on the market of home appliances. Concept of “iron” has lost its original meaning.

Let’s try to sort out the existing models of steam generators and learn how to choose the best model according to your taste and needs.

Contents of this article:

• The household steam generator for clothes
• How to choose a steam generator?
• Steaming clothes
• Iron with steam generator
• Choosing a model and type of steam generator

The Household Steam Generator for Clothes

• Purpose

Household steam generators are intended for ironing and cleaning any fabric and clothing without use of maintenance products. The result – is excellent, and the process – is extremely simple and takes a short time.

• Options

1. Household steam generator irons perfectly steams any fabrics using powerful steam jets.
2. It cleans and removes stains from the surface of clothes.
3. This technology removes any stains from the carpet, including stains from red wine, blood, juice and coffee.
4. It cleans tiles and sanitary ware.

• Operating Principle

Steam generators produce dry steam with temperatures of 140 to 160 ° C. It perfectly irons any textiles materials and removes various types of dirt on clothes, carpets, tile and glazed tile.

• Types of Steam Generators

1. Steam generators are equipped by individual water heaters, which are intended to form vapors.
2. Steam generators with function of instantaneous steam generation, in which a certain amount of water is supplied to a red-hot heating element, and generates steam instantaneously.
3. Steam generators where water is pumped from one of the boilers with cold water into another, in which steam is generated.

How to Choose a Steam Generator?

Deciding how to choose a steam generator depends on how you intend to use it. If it is necessary to reduce time for cleaning and an ironing, the steam generator will be appropriate. It will instantly transform water to steam. Such steam generators are very convenient because you need not wait for boiling water. It is possible to get it to work in a couple of minutes after plugging it in.

Nevertheless, the most qualitative steam is produced by steam generators with an individual water heater. Time for preparation of such device is rather long, but the steam gets the hottest.

How to be told, “a fly in the ointment”. So, some consumers prefer to use the ordinary iron in the old manner. The steam generator doesn’t meet the demands because of big dimensions, high cost and expensive service.

• Reviews from Owners of Steam Generators

Veronika:

I am an owner of a steam iron Laura Star System which has been produced in Switzerland. I have re-read the many reviews about steam generators and ironing systems. Thanks very much to the girl consultant who simply convinced me that this system is necessary for the person who is constantly sewing.
I want to share with you my impressions from working with this system. I chose the Magic S 4 model. I was spending more time with  the old device. In some fabrics it was necessary to underlay a slice of whatman paper under a seam that it wasn’t printed. But this doesn’t happen with the new system. Nothing is printed on the surface of fabric. Anyway, time will show, maybe it was lucky with this fabric? It is possible to iron a strip with buttons. You must overturn a shirt buttons down, buttons “sink” in a soft substrate and we courageously iron, the buttons won’t melt. As a result strip with buttons is ironed perfectly.

Elena:

I have been using Philips GC 8350 for 3 years. I don’t know how cartridges save from crust, but the model doesn’t solve this problem. Approximately in a month, when I hurried too much, I had only one fresh white shirt, this iron started to “spit” a brown bubbly foam which then stiffened into beige spots on the fabric. It can be removed only if it is wash again. Thus, I became angry when I finished ironing the shirt, and brown foam appeared right at the end. The self-cleaning mechanism in this model isn’t present. So, I must use hot water directly in a boiler, then I shake this heavy device in hands, and then I pour out dirty water in a basin. In a month have problems with the crust again.

Steaming of Clothes

• Purpose

Steaming smoothes creases and other roughnesses on fabric with the help of a powerful vapor jet. Under the influence of high-temperatures steamed fabric fibers don’t stretch as under the influence of the an ordinary iron, but become volumetric and elastic. Vapor in a steam iron heats up to temperature of 98-99 °C. Thanks to it the fact that fabrics are not damaged and bent or form shining spots on products like knitwear, wool, synthetic fibers. The steaming works in vertical position. Сlothes are smoothed perfectly. You needn’t use an ironing board.

Such a device readily works immediately after being plugged in. Indisputable advantage of steaming is the possibility to work for a long period of time. Also it is necessary to mention about small size and light weight of the device. The light weight and existence of small wheels allow you to move the steam iron with lightness that is appreciated if you work in a trading hall or in a manufacturing hall.

• Options
  

1. Such a device irons any crumpled fabrics demanding various temperature of an iron in vertical situation.
2. Steaming deletes the unpleasant smell of clothes which arise after transportation.
3. It kills pathogenic microflora, relieves dust mites, perfectly cleans furniture upholstery.

• Operating Principle

Steaming makes wet vapor with a temperature of 98-99 ºС which smoothes any washer-induced wrinkles and folds in fabric. In capacity for water it is necessary to fill in the distilled water. This function is ready to work in 30-40 seconds after plugged in. Steam is supplied continuously with pressure that allows you to iron quickly any clothes.

• Reviews on forum from owners of devices with steaming function

Mila:

I work at a dry-cleaner and we use the Italstream iron. We like its light weight, small size and low cost. It allows us to iron products with rhinestones, beads and other decorations because steam doesn’t spoil it. Most often we use the steaming function for iron of curtains and linens. It works well with synthetic fabrics. However such function also has disadvantages: it works only with distilled water. Besides, steaming function doesn’t work well with cotton fabrics.

Olga:

I bought a Digital Steamer. My friend told me that steam iron of Digital has brass barrels in difference from the Grand Master. Steam iron of Grand the Master are made from plastic therefore they break quickly. I have been using this for one year now and everything is well. 

Iron with a Steam Generator

• Purpose

Irons with a steam generator (ironing systems, steam stations) combine in themselves the iron and a boiler of steam generator. It is intended for smoothing of any fabrics, both outerwear and linen. Irons with a steam generator are also used for cleaning the upholstery of furniture, removal of pile and an unpleasant smell from a fabric surface.

• Options

1. Irons with steam generators iron any fabrics, making ironing time shorter by half.
2. With “vertical steam” function you may iron clothes in the vertical position without use of an ironing table.
3. Irons with steam generator cleans a covering of upholstered furniture.
4. Soft brushes for cleaning of delicate fabrics and a brush with rigid pile for cleaning of rough fabrics are in a set.
5. It deletes smells from upholstery fabrics, and cleans folds on outerwear thanks to a special nozzle.

• Operating principle

Water is poured into the boiler before work. After plugging in, it is necessary to wait 5-10 minutes. Pressure is being created in a boiler during this time which allows it to provide continuous supply of steam with an expense 70g/min. Steam under such pressure gets into fabric and deletes the folds on fabric.

• Reviews from Owners of Irons with a Steam Generator

Oksana:

I am very pleased with the steam generator Tefal. The difference is really felt in comparison with the ordinary iron. Powerful steam irons more qualitatively, and much quicker, process is more pleasant and much easier.

Irina:

We bought the Braun with the steam generator. We weren’t choosing during a lot of time. When my husband saw price his eyes were rounded (he usually reacts quietly), but also I didn’t give up. As a result we gathered enough money for the Braun which was more expensive. I haven’t yet worked before with this iron, but I found instructions for this iron on Internet… I respect Braun production, but an incident occurred at once — I bought the defective iron (water was leaking), some woman complained that her iron had the same problem. But she bought Braun again which more expensively, it was working duly.

Which Iron to Choose? How to Choose the Correct  Model?

Of course, iron steaming will be suitable most of all for using at home. It has indisputable advantages in comparison with the steam generator and irons with the steam generator.

1. Iron steaming needs 45 seconds to be ready to work. The steam generator and the iron with the steam generator will be ready to work in 10 minutes.
2. Speed of work at iron steaming is much higher, than at steam generator and iron with steam generator;
3. Iron steaming will cope with hard-to-reach spots and products with decoration.
4. And, finally, iron steaming is equipped with the easy handle for steam supplying that considerably increases time of continuous work.
5. Besides, iron steaming is cheaper than the steam generator and the iron with the steam generator.
6. Iron steaming for clothes weighs less and moves easily if necessary.

Do you use the steam generator at home or at work? Share your experience with us!