Steam Generator Irons are the latest bid by manufacturers to help reduce the time of ironing and make it less of a chore.
The first major difference you’ll notice between Steam Generator Irons and traditional steam irons is the design. A steam generator iron actually has two major components. There is the iron itself, and there is a water container and steam generator apparatus. The steam generator is connected to the iron by shielded plastic tubing. The steam is then transferred through the tubing to the iron.
The more common steam irons, or professional steam irons, as you know, generate steam from water in a reservoir in the irons themselves.
Steam causes heat and moisture to penetrate deeply into fabric making it more flexible for easier removal of wrinkles. The difference with a steam generator iron is that it uses pressurised steam from a separate boiler, which as soon as the system’s switched on, forces pressurised steam through the plastic tubing into the iron at the touch of a button. The pressure is measured in bar – the higher the pressure, the deeper the steam penetrates into the fabric, leading to a better ironing result. The extra steam is enough to reduce ironing by up to a third of the time it takes with a conventional steam iron.
So, being that steam generator irons have two components rather than one, what are their advantages over traditional steam irons to justify the additional expense?
- They do a much better job.
- They offer more flexibility and control.
- They reduce damage to fabrics.
- They are lighter than traditional steam irons.
- They require less water refills meaning longer, uninterrupted ironing.
- They have a higher steam output. The iron’s steam output is measured in grams per minute (g/min), different models can vary from 70 to 140g/min.
- They have a Ceramic soleplate (baseplate)
- The have Anti-scale technology, where limescale is collected in a special reservoir that can be removed and cleaned.
For occasional ironing, where professional quality results are not necessary or necessarily wanted, steam generator irons may be overkill. But many users want those results anyway, so they will buy and use a steam generator iron system. There are even some male users who find that they can do a much better job with steam generator irons than does a typical shirt laundry service.
The main market for these are larger families with a large ironing load, for those doing specialty sewing and craft work, for tailors and seamstresses. Manufacturers claim it is possible to cut ironing time in half and get much better results than with traditional steam irons. Often, both sides of a garment can be ironed at the same time. Creases in heavy fabrics can be made without having to put heavy pressure on the fabric.
Because most steam generator irons can also be used vertically, they can be used as garment steamers. Items such as drapes, gowns, and suits can be steamed. Steam should be available at any angle that the iron is held.
As water is contained in the separate tank, the iron itself is lighter. The tanks hold much more water than traditional steam irons, so that allows longer ironing periods without requiring refills. Naturally, the maximum time possible depends on the make and model, and whether light steam or heavy steam is being used.
The iron’s soleplate should glide smoothly across many types of fabrics whilst still leaving garments crease free. Polished stainless steel is a typical good quality material as it’s scratch resistant and durable. Some brands such as Philips and Tefal have created a finished surface for their top of the range models for maximum performance. Their ceramic soleplate is highly scratch resistant, easy to clean and very durable. They both have specially designed vent patterns with big holes for powerful steam and small holes for improved gliding.
As with all irons, the amount of holes and their position on the soleplate also makes a difference as to how and where the steam’s emitted. The top end or higher priced models usually have the most effective design.
Tap Water contains lots of minerals including calcium and magnesium particles that deposit in the form of limescale once the water is heated or evaporates. Limescale reduces the iron’s efficiency and its life so it’s worth looking for an anti-scale system that uses water to loosen and flush the scale out. Some steam generator irons have a sophisticated anti-calcium cleaning system, that deposits the limescale in a reservoir that can be removed and cleaned. This helps ensure your steam generator iron maintains it’s optimum performance.
Steam Generator Irons can be regarded as professional steam irons, as they all come with the latest technology incorporated into them, and they set the new industry standard for most Ironing and Laundry Companies.