There’s not much doubt that an ironing board is a dull and mundane item of household equipment to which very few people give much consideration. Nevertheless, every home will have one. It is an essential household item and – if you pick the wrong type – you could well finish up with poorly ironed clothes, take longer to get through your ironing than you need to and even strain your back.
Most people today use steam irons – or even steam generator irons, which are becoming ever more popular. In this case you definitely want to get an ironing board which has a mesh construction. This allows the steam to pass through the fabric of the garment being ironed, through the cover of the ironing board and through the top of the board itself. It helps to prevent the ironing board cover becoming soggy due to condensation after a few garments have been ironed.
Ironing will be easier if the cover of the board is smooth. It should be secure and with no tendency to slip or move whilst pressing your garments. A cover which is elasticated around the edges, possibly with a couple of cross ties under the bottom surface of the board, will be unlikely to move around on you when you’re ironing. Choosing a metalised cover will mean that some of the iron’s heat is reflected. This will help to smooth the underside of the garment whilst you are passing the iron over the top surface and may reduce ironing time.
The size and shape of the board that you select will depend, to a large extent, on the type of things that you usually iron. Whilst a smaller board may be easier to store and work around, it will normally mean that the garment being ironed needs to be repositioned more frequently. Ironing the shoulders of shirts and blouses will be easier if there is a marked taper on the “pointy” end of the board.
Height adjustable scissor action legs are pretty standard these days. Make sure the range of height adjustment is suitable for you and set the board at a height which doesn’t cause you any pain or discomfort in your back, neck or shoulders. If you prefer to iron sitting down (many people do) then it’s a good idea to choose a board which has curved legs. That way your knees won’t bump against the legs when you’re seated. A broad T-piece type of foot, or splayed feet with a connecting bar, will provide a good solid platform for you to iron on.
The support for the iron itself should be sturdy enough to take the weight of the iron. Wire type extension platforms are usually okay for standard steam irons. The extra weight presented by a steam generator iron may mean that a longer board which just features a heat resistant plate on a slightly extended surface is better. Alternatively, the base unit of steam generator irons may be positioned on the floor – as long as the connecting hose between base unit and iron is long enough to permit this.
Ironing is a thankless task at best. Cut it down to size with a Tefal steam generator iron – you’ll be astonished at just how much time you can save.