The steam generator is a modern household appliance used for ironing and cleaning clothes with steam under pressure. There are two types of steam generator devices with and without a boiler. Each model has features, pros and cons, which must be considered when buying this convenient and useful device for the care of textiles.
Content
Steam generators with a boiler
Externally, the generator with a boiler resembles a conventional iron, only of large sizes, mounted on a platform in which there is a container with water and an element heating the liquid. The platform is connected to the iron by means of a durable wire through which steam moves under pressure.
The boiler in the iron with a steam generator is the main unit of the device, since it is it that ensures the production of steam. When the water is heated in the boiler, the pressure rises, and hot steam after pressing a special button enters the iron platform.
On sale you can find devices with one water tank and two. One tank of ten is located inside the tank with water, heats the entire volume of liquid and only after that steam is supplied. Two containers of cold water in small portions under pressure enter from the first compartment into the second, where it enters the heating element and turns into steam. Such a device allows to reduce preparation time for work, the steam is less moist and very hot.
A steam generator with a boiler is useful for those families where two to three times a month are ironed for several sets of bed linen, tablecloths and curtains, or for large families. This device has impressive dimensions and is not cheap. However, if you have to iron the mountains of textiles every day, its advantages over the iron are undeniable.
Ironing with a steam iron is faster and brings real pleasure. Now you don’t need to lean on the handle of the iron with force to smooth hard folds and creases. Steam copes with ruffles and ruffles, for ironing which you do not even have to touch the surface of the material. And sheets and duvet covers can be ironed by folding several times. Dry steam easily passes through the layers of fabric, smoothing and disinfecting bedding.
Advantages of boiler steam generators:
- produces dry steam of high temperature (+ 140 ° С + 160 ° С);
- the ability to iron thick materials folded into several layers;
- high-quality vertical steaming;
- a large volume of water in the tank (from 1 to 2 liters); often it is not necessary to add fluid;
- low iron weight, good maneuverability.
Disadvantages of models with a boiler:
- high price;
- bulkiness of the structure;
- noise when heating water.
It is advisable to buy a steam generator with a boiler in the case when you often have to iron a lot, and there is a special room for installing and maintaining this massive device.
Steam generator without boiler
The difference in the arrangement of the steam generator with and without a boiler is the absence of a heater in the water compartment. When connecting the appliance to the network, high-pressure water is supplied through the hose directly to the ironing platform and is heated to a state of steam.
The temperature of steam in a device without a heater is slightly lower than in models with boilers, and the steam itself contains a lot of moisture. Although, according to customer reviews, this does not affect the quality of ironing. Steam generators without a boiler are much more efficient than the usual iron in everyday life.
Devices without a built-in boiler differ from boilers in that they are not too bulky, light in weight and take up little space.In addition, such devices are inexpensive and this is a significant difference between a steam generator with a boiler and without a boiler. Due to the fact that the water from the drive directly enters the platform of the iron and instantly heats up to the state of steam, you do not have to wait until the device comes into standby mode after switching on.
The advantages of a steam generator without a boiler are as follows:
- the device is compact;
- low weight of the iron;
- instant heating of the liquid and quick preparation for work;
- budget cost.
Minuses:
- steam contains a lot of moisture;
- steam temperature no more than + 110 ° С.
Working with a steam generator without a boiler resembles conventional ironing with a strong steam boost. Such a device is used for vertical cleaning and steaming curtains, shirts and trousers, hung on shoulders, jackets and coats. To store a small-sized device, you do not need to allocate a special place, because in size it does not exceed the iron.
How to make a choice between them
Choosing between two types of generators, it is necessary to decide that more important: high-quality ironing with hot steam or quick heating and low weight. Otherwise, the action of all devices of this type are very similar to each other, and the functions and parameters of a particular model should be taken into account, namely pressure and power, volume of the water compartment, composition of the material of the ironing platform.
Power
The quality of ironing, the possibility of vertical ironing and steaming of heavy materials, and the disinfection of fabrics depend on this parameter. You should always remember that the more powerful the device, the more expensive it is.
If you plan to iron casual clothes, 1800 watts is enough. For vertical processing of curtains and carpets, a more powerful unit (2500 W) will be needed. The maximum power of the steam generator is 3000 watts. Such devices are used for ironing products in sewing shops and workshops.
Steam supply
Powerful steam boost guarantees a quick and high-quality textile ironing. Typically, the steam boost in a generator ranges from 2 to 6 bar. Well, when the device has an indicator showing the volume of steam released per minute. In branded models, from 95 to 260 g of steam per minute is produced and this is considered a good indicator.
Steam formation rate
The time taken to bring the ironing tool into full “combat” readiness depends on the presence or absence of a heater. Devices without a separate heating element, in contrast to the boiler, are ready for ironing immediately after switching on. Boilers will need 2 to 10 minutes to heat the water in the additional compartment to a boil and generate steam.
The size of the water compartment
Any steam generator, with or without a boiler, is equipped with a water compartment. During ironing, the liquid turns into steam and its amount decreases. It is better to choose models with a large tank volume, for example, 2-2.5 liters. Then you do not have to constantly turn off the steam station to add fluid to the compartment. If you iron a little, then you can do with a generator with a capacity of up to 1 liter. Such appliances are lighter and cost less.
Iron Platform Material
In addition to other parameters, when selecting a steam generator, you should pay attention to the metal from which the sole of the device is made. Most often, the following metals are used for this: aluminum quickly heats up, lightweight, short-lived, with careless handling of the iron it can leave shiny strips on the fabric; titanium serves for a long time, is used in expensive models, makes the product heavier; Teflon-coated aluminum glides well over the material, heats quickly, does not spoil the fabric.
Equipment
The steam generator is used not only for heat treatment of linen, but also for home care, cleaning of armchairs and sofas, carpet and even tiles in the bathroom. All the capabilities of the device will be revealed if it is equipped with the necessary nozzles for work.This is a conical nozzle for removing dirt from hard-to-reach slots and gaps, a convenient brush for removing stains from a fleecy coating and other devices that make using the device easy and enjoyable.
When buying a device, it is not out of place to check the length of the cord and wire through which steam is supplied. All these points at first glance seem like a trifle, but in fact they are very important for good work with the ironing unit.
The difference between the steam generators consists only in the device of the device itself. If you have nowhere to hurry and there is always time to wait until the iron is ready for work, you need to choose a generator with a boiler. Dry steam of high temperature and high-quality ironing compensate for the high cost and large dimensions of the unit. For those who do not have to iron complex products, a device with instant steam production, that is, without a boiler, is suitable.
