Introduction to Buying an Iron
Irons used to be big and heavy, and quite difficult to operate. But today irons are lighter and much more efficient, helping you straighten out wrinkles on almost any type of fabric you might own. Although many clothing fabrics today are advertised as "wrinkle-free", they could still use an occasional touch-up to make sure you look your best. Certainly most cottons and linens need to be pressed, as they are softer fabrics that are prone to wrinkling.

Iron manufacturers today are making their products more powerful and simpler to use, with the intent of making ironing a faster and easier chore. Newer irons heat water faster for steaming, shut off automatically when left on, use retractable cords and many more advanced options.

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Types of Irons
There are four main types of irons available today: Dry irons, steam irons, steam/spray irons and steam-generator irons. Each iron is suited to specific needs, which are explained below.

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Dry Irons
Dry irons use only the soleplate of the iron to heat the clothing. These are the simplest and lightest type of iron available, and often have only the basic options. They are not suited for fixing big wrinkles or creases, but are better for quick work on thinner fabrics.

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Steam Irons
Steam irons have a built-in water tank. The water is heated together with the iron soleplate, and the steam is released during ironing to help smooth out wrinkles. This is especially useful for ironing natural fibers, such as linens, as well as heavyweight fabrics. The steam goes deeper into the fabric than the soleplate which helps achieve better results more quickly.

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Steam/Spray Irons
These irons shoot steam through holes in the soleplate or through a special spout at the top of the iron directly onto the fabric. This can be especially useful for heavyweight fabrics like denim, which would otherwise require a lot of heat and pressure if using a dry iron. So if you're planning on using the iron extensively on these fabrics, a steam/spray iron may be best for you.

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Steam Generator Irons
These irons heat the water separately from the soleplate so the soleplate heat won't be compromised by the steam generation. This provides a hotter ironing surface and better steam production, enabling faster results than other irons. However, these irons are heavy and quite expensive, so purchasing one would be worthwhile only for someone who has an extensive amount of ironing to do, like in a large household for example.

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Iron Features
The following is a list of features that are found on irons and their explanations:

Temperature control- very important for ironing different types of fabrics, as each type needs a different heat setting. Found standard on irons today.
Auto shut-off- most irons now have this option, which is an important safety mechanism. The iron will shut off if it reaches a certain temperature or has not been moved for a certain amount of time.
Soleplate material- iron soleplates today are often made from Teflon or other non-stick materials, and can be cleaned quite easily.
Self-cleaning- some irons have a self-cleaning capability, where a burst of steam is used to clean the soleplate.
Cordless- another new option, which can make the iron much easier to operate. The unit is heated on a base and then can be removed and used for a certain period of time. Not recommended for long ironing jobs, as it will lose heat and need to be reheated on the base.
Retractable cord- quite a nice feature which saves the user from having to wind up the thick ironing cord.
Vertical steamer- some steam irons have a vertical steaming option for use on hanging garments, curtains and the like.
Water filter- steam irons used to require use of distilled water only, or face having to clean out the water tank from scale build-up. But a built-in water filter for trapping calcium and other deposits means one can use regular tap water even if the local water is considered hard.
Digital display- a newly found feature is a small LCD which displays the iron's information- soleplate temperature, water meter, fabric-type setting and more.

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