DIY Network

Buying Irons Tips to help you purchase the perfect iron From "Home Made Easy" episode DHME-116

Carolyn Forte, Good Housekeeping Institute's home care director, joins host Stephanie Lydecker and shares tips on buying the perfect iron. She reveals what features to look for in an iron.

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	Carolyn shares tips that should help you choose the right iron to meet your needs.
	Figure A
	Figure B

Buying an Iron

• There are quite a few options on the market. The most important performance feature of an iron is how well it steams, but unfortunately that is not something you can tell in the store.

  Note: Most irons will last five to seven years, but most of them break when they fall off the ironing board! If your iron is cracked or stops steaming, it is time to purchase a new one.

• The number of holes in the soleplate (the bottom on the iron that gets hot) are not an indication of how much steam an iron will produce.

• Hold the iron in your hand, make sure it is comfortable to hold, the controls are easy to read and use, and the water tank is easy to fill.

• Generally with irons, you get what you pay for and you should expect to pay about $50 or more for a quality iron.

• A well-made iron will feel substantial in your hand. If an iron is too lightweight, you'll have to work hard to get the wrinkles out. It should have some weight behind it, but not be too heavy to push or lift.

• Look at the buttons and dials. Make sure the dials are easy to reach with your fingers.

• A large water tank means fewer trips to the faucet and a removable tank is easy to fill. You need a full length water tank so you can see when the tank is nearing the empty point. Some irons now come with removable water tanks.

• You can also purchase irons that have button grooves for ironing around buttons (figure A). You shouldn't iron over the buttons, and it helps you move around the buttons.

• Irons have gone really high tech in the last few years. The main thing that has changed is the settings — how many there are and where they are located on the iron.

• Make sure the spray and steam burst buttons are easy to reach and push. You can buy irons that have the fabric settings on top of the handle instead of underneath—making them easier to access. You can also purchase irons with digital settings instead of manual ones. This makes the temperature control much more precise. Some digital irons even offer you a choice of seven fabric appropriate settings.

• Keep the soleplate clean (figure B). If you have any residue on there it will transfer to your clothes!

• There are a few irons on the market that have fun features like a retractable cord for easy storage or one that has an extra long steam burst to knock out deep wrinkles in heavy fabric.

• Make sure the cord is attached to the back rather than the side so that it will stay out of your way.

• You should always look for irons with the auto shut off feature. It is a wonderful safety precaution and invaluable.

GUESTS :

Carolyn Forte
Home Care Director
Good Housekeeping Institute
E-mail: cforte@hearst.com
Website: www.goodhousekeeping.com