One of the most useful laundry appliances that I own is my auto shut off iron. Having a quality iron means a much more pleasant ironing experience.
Seeing as ironing may be something you will be doing regularly for the rest of your life, spending a little bit extra will make things much easier for you. Particularly when it comes time to ironing things like dress shirts and pants, cheap irons are no fun at all.
Not really being a big fan of dry cleaning, I prefer ironing my clean laundry myself on my own time, and when it is convenient for me. Having an iron is also useful when I need a pressed shirt or slacks in a spur-of-moment situation. For as much I use one, I look at a good steam iron as an investment.
When it came to purchasing my first steam iron, I thought they were all the same. So when I went to my local department store to browse around, I ended up grabbing the first one I saw from the shelf that looked nice, thinking it would work for me.
The first few times ironing with it, everything seemed to be going great. Then one day I hit the steam button, and some brownish, metallic stains started showing up on some of my work shirts. I turned the iron over to inspect it, and it turns out the bottom started rusting. The problem was this cheaper iron that I chose also had a cheaper soleplate coating, so I guess you get what you pay for.
I ended up trying to spray and scrub this dark stain to try and get it out, but it was no use. I ended up having to get rid of these shirts, as they were ruined.
Auto Shut Off Steam Iron with Retractable Cord
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An auto off feature is particularly useful as an anti-burn control if the iron is left flat (possibly touching your clothes) for too long. The iron shuts off automatically to prevent scorching and fires. This feature also doubles as an energy saving control, so if the iron is left undisturbed for several minutes, it also shuts off automatically.
I found this Hamilton Beach Steam Iron to be very commercial/stylish looking, and has great ratings. The continuous steam output design is incomparable, and makes this iron superior in its wrinkle removal. It also features a durable, nonstick soleplate, which allows for a much smoother gliding performance.
The retractable cord feature helps to avoid always having to wrap up the cord each time you are done ironing, while also preventing a tangled mess. This feature also keeps the iron looking organized and neat when storing it.
Steam Generator Iron with Auto Shut Off
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Garment steamers utilize high temperature steam, and can be used to quickly remove wrinkles from clothes.
The portable design makes ironing out wrinkles quick, convenient, and fun, instead of a tedious chore. You may even look forward to doing it!
Traditional irons have the tendency to flatten clothes when ironing. Handheld steamers on the other hand relax the fibers and are gentler, while also eliminating the possibility of scorching. They are perfect for silk garments, which tend to be more delicate.
Personally, the best steam generator iron is this PureSteam Portable Fabric Steamer.
It has thousands of positive reviews on Amazon, its wide nozzle design emits a consistent and powerful steam to help remove those really stubborn wrinkles. Not only does it work well on clothing, but it is also ideal for table linens, bedding, furniture upholstery, and even drapery.
Its water tank heats up quickly, only taking about two minutes, and is easy to store and great for traveling due to its compact design. Additionally, it also includes an auto shut-off safety feature where if the steamer becomes too hot or the water levels become too low, it will shut off automatically.
Steam Iron with Auto Shut Off
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| (Click the Image for More Info on Amazon) |
A good steam iron makes easy work of removing tough wrinkles from fabric. As a safety precaution, it’s also best to find an iron that automatically shuts off after it has been unused for a certain amount of time.
One of the issues I run into that you don’t normally think about is the quality of water you use in your iron. Regular tap water can result in blockage from calcium buildup and impurities, as well as dirty water sprayed onto your clothing.
I found this Rowenta Focus Micro Steam Iron to be very stylish, a #1 Best Seller on Amazon, and packed with great with features. The iron features a stainless steel soleplate with approximately 400 holes, allowing sufficient steam to be distributed, saving time and energy. It also features a stainless steel tip to help precisely maneuver between buttons, along seams, and over collars.
An anti-calcium system prevents impurities for clean steam, and a self-clean system flushes out loose mineral deposits for optimal performance.
The iron uses regular tap water, so there is no need to purchase distilled, and comes with a thermostat knob with low to high settings for heat, as well as options for different clothing materials such as linen, cotton, wool, silk, and nylon.
Additionally, the auto-adjust feature matches the steam output with the temperature of the soleplate.
A low quality steam iron isn’t always the best choice when it comes to your protecting your clothes. I have upgraded my cheap one to this one, and have never looked back. No more rust marks or dirty water stains!