The iron is one of the household essentials, without it it is impossible to take full care of things. But which iron is better - with a ceramic sole or steel? This question is asked by many before buying a new device. Manufacturers offer irons with various qualities of soles. The wear resistance of the device and the comfort of operation will depend on this element. We reveal all the pros and cons of each material and make a reasonable objective conclusion.

Types of soles

Iron soles vary in material and shape. Both criteria are important, they will affect the care of textile items. Consider in detail each nuance.

The form

There are irons with a wider working surface, narrow, with a thin elongated nose and blunt.

A model with a wide sole and a blunt nose will be convenient to iron bed sheets and towels. But for smoothing clothes, especially for children or delicate with ruffles, frills, such a device is not the best choice.

In everyday life, to a greater extent, people use irons to care for clothes, so a model with a narrowed nose and a medium-wide working surface will be the best solution.

What are the soles materials

Today, manufacturers use different materials for the working surfaces of irons. Each coating has its pros, cons, features.

What ironing devices are made of:

  • aluminum;
  • teflon;
  • stainless steel;
  • ceramics;
  • titanium;
  • sapphire.

Aluminum is known to everyone for its low wear resistance. This metal is quite soft, it quickly becomes scratched, deformed, oxidizes upon contact with some substances. An aluminum soleplate often burns, burns through fabric and spoils things.

Teflon is a comfortable surface for ironing things. The material glides well, does not burn, heats up quickly. But it is also rapidly thinning. After a couple of years of active use, the Teflon device will become unusable.

Titanium and sapphire soles are innovative designs by modern engineers. Such ironing devices have excellent qualities, high wear resistance, but are very expensive. Not everyone can afford an iron with a sapphire or titanium sole.

Stainless steel and ceramic appliances remain the most affordable, practical, popular. Consider the properties of these materials in more detail.

Features of ceramic sole

Ceramics as a surface for the soles of irons began to be used not so long ago. Models with such a coating have quite affordable prices, the choice of shapes and designs is also wide. Ceramic material is light in itself, so devices with such a coating usually do not exceed 1–1.5 kg by weight.

The ceramic layer in most models is applied to a thin aluminum or nickel surface. The sole of such devices remains quite thin.

On a note! There are cermet irons on the market. The material is an alloy of inorganic clay and metals. This is a more expensive type of coating, characterized by high strength.

ceramic iron sole

Benefits

The ceramic iron heats up quickly, glides perfectly on the fabric, and has high non-stick properties. The appliance is best suited for ironing delicate delicate materials.

It is very easy to look after ceramics: it is perfectly cleaned even with an ordinary cloth soaked in soapy water.

disadvantages

The disadvantages of this material are also enough. The sole made of ceramics is short-lived. The working area may be covered with chips, scratches in contact with metal clothing.

Even if you use the device as carefully as possible, anyway, the ceramic coating begins to thin out over time and become covered with microcracks. The appliance begins to slip poorly, burn, and cause significant discomfort when ironing.

On a note! There are models of ceramic irons with transverse steel inserts. This improves the properties of the sole, makes it more durable and durable.

Steel coating

An iron with a steel sole is heavier in weight. Stainless alloy is very durable. For many years, such models have remained the most popular on the market due to many positive qualities.

Benefits

Steel is very durable. She is not afraid of scratches, oxidation, deformation, bumps. Of course, over time, minor damage may appear on the sole, but they can be easily polished.

The stainless steel heats up almost instantly, evenly distributes the temperature across the entire sole, retains heat for a long time even when the device is turned off. The sole glides easily over any fabric. There are many ways to clean stainless steel, so there are no problems with care.

If we talk about reliability, then the steel iron in the list of the most wear-resistant takes first place. It should be noted and the affordability of ironing devices with steel soles.

disadvantages

Due to the fact that the sole of the stainless steel iron heats up very intensively, it is necessary to carefully monitor the temperature choice for fabrics. A metal iron can easily damage clothes if the level of heating is set incorrectly.

steel iron sole

Steel is quickly coated and requires regular cleaning. There are no more serious complaints about this material.

On a note! Manufacturers offer steel irons with various spraying, improving the quality of devices. Chrome spraying makes the sole perfectly smooth and easy to slip. Enamel coating has non-stick properties.

Output

So, which iron is better to choose - from ceramics or stainless steel?

If you approach the choice in terms of practicality, durability, then steel definitely wins. Most Soviet irons are made of this metal. And still, many have remained in the house in working condition. This once again confirms the reliability of steel soles.

Ceramics are aesthetically pleasing material, it is comfortable to iron with such an iron, but you should not count on long-term operation of the device. Which is better to buy? Definitely a steel iron.

Models made of stainless steel with a chrome coating are more expensive, but if possible, it is worth buying such a device.

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Useful tips for choosing an iron

  1. The steaming function is very useful. When choosing an iron with a steamer, you need to pay attention to the number of holes on the sole: the more there are, the better.
  2. If there is a steamer, the self-cleaning function will not be superfluous.
  3. The model must have a minimum of 3 temperature setting intervals.
  4. The thinner the edge of the sole, the easier it will be to iron the area between the buttons.
  5. Before buying, it is recommended that you turn on the iron and watch how evenly it is heated.
  6. A short cord will make ironing difficult. The length of the wire should be at least 2 meters.
  7. The rounded back of the sole prevents crushing of the tissue during the reverse stroke.
  8. The sole must be checked for chips, scratches and other factory defects.
  9. The rubber-coated handle is more convenient: it does not slip.

It is not worth saving on buying an iron for a home. Firstly, a household appliance is not bought for one year, and secondly, its main task is to take care of clothes and other textiles in the house. With a high-quality iron, ironing will be easy, pleasant, fast.Most popular and recommended manufacturers give a guarantee on their models, which is also very important. Therefore, it is worth choosing branded devices, of course, not forgetting the above recommendations.