Ironing is a necessary evil for most people. Every week textiles of all kinds have to be ironed and ironed up every week or even every day. Smoothing works best with the help of steam, which eliminates wrinkles and creases even more effectively. Steam ironing stations are ideal for particularly efficient ironing.
Such an ironing station is not only practical for those who regularly have to smooth out huge laundry mountains – for every household and for every household size, such a device can be a valuable aid in everyday life. We have realized a comprehensive steam ironing station comparison for you and introduce you to some of the best stations for the efficient smoothing of textiles.
Top 10 Steam Ironing Stations
- Steam unit holder - suitable for all popular steam units and normal irons (max. 39 x 29 cm)
- Extra stable worktop - sturdy four leg frame (25 mm diameter steel tube). No wobbling
- Ergonomic - adjustable to 7 different heights (75 - 98 cm)
- Exceptional 5 bars of pressure ideal for removing wrinkles from hanging garments or drapes and or smoothing and shaping sewing projects
- Micro steam 400 Stainless Steel Soleplate. Power cord length : 1.9 meter
- Constant High Powered Steam - available at the touch of a trigger, the powerful steam makes ironing fast and effortless
- STAINLESS-STEEL SOLEPLATE W/ MICROSTEAM HOLES - Scratch-resistant stainless steel for smooth, easy gliding across different garments; 400 microsteam...
- POWERFUL STEAM - Heats up in just 2 minutes; generates 120g of high-pressurized, wrinkle-removing steam for professional results; energy-saving Eco...
- XL WATER TANK - 40-Oz. capacity means more time spent steaming and less time spent refilling; 90 Min. of continuous steam on a single tank. Power cord...
- Super smooth gliding and the precision tip helps to reach the hard areas easily and allows excellent ironing and wide steam head allowing wide...
- XL WATER TANK - 40-Oz. capacity means more time spent steaming and less time spent refilling; 90 Min. of continuous steam on a single tank
- CONVENIENT DESIGN - Indicator light that shows when tank needs a refill or when cleaning is required; compact size; locking system and built-in cord...
- TUBE FRAME CONSTRUCTION An ironing board's quality is decided by the way the frame is made. The Board 550VB is made using tube frame construction,...
- HEATED SURFACE To ensure the inside of The Board 550VB stays dry and rust free, a heating element comes on as soon as the power switch has been turned...
- LAUNDRY RACK A convenient laundry rack is supplied with The Board 550VB. The rack doubles as a catch tray when ironing longer garments like dresses or...
- Professional iron station that produces dry, pressurized steam
- The fastest and most efficient way of ironing
- Includes the 6000IS boiler/steamer, 2100IR iron, and 7-foot steam hose
- TUBE FRAME CONSTRUCTION - The Board 200IB ironing board is made using tube frame construction, which offers maximum rigidity and stability
- DOUBLE WISHBONE LEGS - This ironing board features a double wishbone leg for maximum stability. Lead free, high gloss white finish will continue to...
- EXTRA STRONG FOR IRONING STATIONS - When used with an ironing station there’s no need to worry as the support is extra strong
- UP TO THREE TIMES MORE STEAM than regular irons, 1750W
- Up to 60 minutes of ironing per fill up
- Natural cork handle, Anti-scale boiler, Anti-drip pro-grade aluminum soleplate, Thermostatic control
The history and development of the iron and steam stations
If you look at the history of ironing, you will find its beginnings in the 15th century. While people in previous generations did not attach much importance to smooth fabrics, this changed at that time. This could not least have been due to the fact that innovative processes have made it possible to produce ever finer and more valuable substances, thus showing people their status.
The first irons worked with hot coal
Of course, anyone who could afford the expensive fabrics also liked to show them and wanted them to be in perfect condition. But the wrinkles were not as easy to remove as dirt, for example, so people had to come up with something to get the fabrics completely smooth. Eventually, it was found that crumpled fabrics became smooth when heat was applied. From this idea arose the first irons. The first models had a smooth metal sole, a cavity filled with hot coals, and a handle to guide the sole.
Further developments in the iron sector
Charcoal turned out to be impractical because it left marks on the clothes that could hardly be removed. So they developed the ironing devices further and put into the cavities above the bottom plate glowing iron plates, which were previously heated in oven. The first electric ironing devices originated at the beginning of the 19th century and were the breakthrough in everyday life with household work. They were much lighter than their predecessors, they were much safer and also much more efficient.
First steps towards steam ironing station
Gradually electric irons spread in people’s homes around the world. Many of the irons were available with a small spray bottle. This was because it has long been known that moisture is also helpful in smoothing. So it was only a matter of time until the first devices came on the market, in which a spraying device was integrated. Thus, the first steam iron was born in the 1990s. At first, not many people could afford such devices, but over time steam irons have also become accessible to the mass market.
What is a steam ironing station and how does it work?
The operation of a steam ironing station is easily explained. In such a device, a steam iron is connected to a station which generates water vapour and passes this to the iron at high pressure. But all in turn: with a steam iron when ironing hot steam comes out of the special nozzles, which are evenly distributed on the sole of the device. In this way, the textile that is being ironed is moistened, making it faster and easier to smooth.
Unlike traditional steam irons, irons with a steam station are not equipped with a stand-alone tank. The water that is heated is located in the boiler of the base station. The steam generated by pressure then passes through a connecting hose to the iron, which gives off the steam through the nozzles.
The advantages of a steam ironing station
There are several things that steam ironing stations have in common with the classic steam iron. One such advantage is the weight of the iron. Since a water tank can be dispensed with, the weight of the water does not count towards the weight of the iron, so that in some cases it weighs only half. This will be noticeable especially with large laundry mountains and frequent ironing sessions. In addition, the boiler of the steam station is larger than the water tank of a steam iron and this means that you can iron longer without having to refill water. This also represents time and labour savings, which is quickly noticeable.
What are the possible uses of a steam ironing station?
With a steam ironing station, more laundry can be smoothed out in less time than is the case with classic steam irons. It is even possible with an ironing station, ironing several layers of laundry at the same time and achieve the same good results as in a situation. This is because the steam from the base station is forced through the nozzles at high pressure and can thereby reach multiple layers. The station is about three times the amount of steam compared to the classic steam iron.
An ironing station can be used to straighten a wide range of textiles – and it is often sufficient to only treat the fabrics from one side with the iron. The steam that is pressed out of the nozzles ensures that the fabric fibres swell and are easier to shape or smooth. The even distribution of the steam ensures that the moisture also disappears again evenly and the smoothing runs smoothly, without straining the textiles too much.
For whom is the purchase of a steam ironing station worth?
Basically, such an iron station is very practical in any household, because it means less time and less effort than with classic steam ironing. Especially those who need to regularly iron larger amounts of laundry – whether it is because the household is very large or because you want to iron not only clothes but also bed linen and all other household textiles – can really benefit from the purchase.
Cleaning and care of a steam ironing station, All in all, you will not have much work with a steam ironing station, because neither cleaning nor caring is associated with much effort. What you should do regularly is to clean the water tank and the connecting hose. This ensures that limescale does not build up, making devices less durable in the long run and even broken. You can use special test strips to find out how limescale is concerned. These are either included or you can purchase them from a drugstore near you.
How can steam ironing stations differ from each other?
Basically, all steam ironing stations work in the same way, so there are no differences in this respect. However, there are of course depending on the manufacturer sometimes significant differences in the quality of ironing stations. This starts with the material for the soleplate as well as the processing of the connecting hose and goes up to performance and variation possibilities in the base station and in the power of steam generation. There are also some extra features that increase safety and ease of use.
This includes, for example, the drip-stop device, which ensures that only the steam and no water escapes from the nozzles and worsens the ironing result. In addition, most of the modern, high-quality appliances have an automatic switch-off that offers a safety aspect and saves users worrying about whether they have actually switched off the ward before leaving home. For example, there are other differences in how long the water in the tank will last before a new one needs to be refilled. This duration depends both on the size of the boiler and on the amount of steam produced. Furthermore, ironing stations differ in the time they need to heat the water.
The matching ironing board to the steam ironing station
All in all, no special ironing boards are required for steam stations. The model you have at home will also be suitable for the ironing stations. However, placing the ironing stations and ironing on a small ironing board can be a challenge. The base station takes up a lot of space and this should also provide the ironing board. When purchasing such a board, you should be sure to pay attention to the area and make sure that the ironing is not made more difficult due to the insufficient space. In addition, you should not underestimate the weight of the ironing station and opt for a board that can hold this weight too. Steam ironing stations can weigh as much as seven kilograms even when empty, and especially the most economical ironing boards could collapse under the load.
Which manufacturers offer good steam ironing stations?
Although steam ironing stations are just beginning to conquer the market, there are some manufacturers who have some very good models to choose from, and we can generally recommend them to you. The best manufacturers of steam ironing stations include the following:
- Siemens: Siemens is one of the world’s largest companies in the field of electronics and electrical engineering. Accordingly large is the product selection of the manufacturer. This is also evident at the steam ironing stations. Siemens currently has 24 different models in its portfolio. The items are individually designed and there is a wide range of possibilities both in terms of features and prices.
- Tefal: The French manufacturer Tefal also offers a wide range of steam ironing stations and there are a total of 35 models to choose from. In terms of price, there is a wide range and for every budget will find the right device. Together all the manufacturer’s products have a high quality as well as excellent functionality and longevity.
- AEG: AEG products are also among the most popular electronics products in the world. Five different ironing stations are available and prices range from 130 euros to 200 euros.
- Bosch: Among other things, the German company Bosch has 10 models of ironing stations in its product range. These move in the higher price ranges and the costs for the devices are between 170 euro and 430 euro. The manufacturer’s ironing stations are equipped with all sorts of features, such as HygienicSteam Technology, Calc’nClean Perfect and SecureLock System for safe transport.
- Klarstein: The German brand Klarstein also has ironing stations in its portfolio and there are currently many different models available. The Klarstein ironing stations are set in the lower price range and they can be bought from as little as 50 euros. However, the comparatively low prices are synonymous with poor quality, because the Klarstein products are all characterized by excellent functionality.
- Philips: You will also find a good steam ironing station at Philips. The Dutch manufacturer specializes in health equipment and household technology – and also offers a selection of ironing stations. 12 different models are currently available to choose from and each steam station from Philips has individual features and special features.
How much should a steam ironing station cost?
The range of prices for steam ironing stations is very large and both particularly cheap and particularly expensive models are on the market. Already for about 50 euros, you can buy such domestic help and upwards are the prices of up to 500 euros to find. How much money you want to spend on a steam station, of course, depends on the budget and on the individual preferences and requirements.
The higher-priced models are equipped with all sorts of extras and special functions that make ironing even more efficient and make handling even easier. In most cases, such models are also equipped with high-quality materials and have a longer life than is the case with cheaper devices. Furthermore, the more expensive steam ironing stations are usually associated with more power and this affects, for example, the pressure and on the heating time.
You should pay attention to this when buying a steam ironing station
Since you can spend a lot for a good steam ironing station, you should think twice about which device it should be. There are some features to consider when comparing products and buying a steam ironing station:
- Size & Weight: These features are important when space in your home is tight and when it comes to guessing whether to make do with the existing ironing board or need a new one. Of course, these factors do not say anything about the quality of such a device.
- Capacity: There may be many variations depending on the model. The capacity of a boiler says something about how often it has to be refilled and how much laundry you can do with a filling. Note that the overall weight of the steam ironing station increases with the capacity.
- Heat-up time: The faster the required temperature is reached, the faster the work is done. In the long run, even a few minutes can make a big difference.
- Soleplate: Here, above all, the materials and the coatings from which the sole was made are important. For example, there are soles with coatings of ceramic, inox, aluminium, stainless steel or Durilium. Each of the materials has certain properties and says something about ironing quality.
- Extra functions: Whether you need devices such as drip-stop, automatic switch-off and ECO function, you have to decide for yourself. Keep in mind that adding more extras usually means higher total costs.
This differentiates the different materials and coatings for soleplates
We have already briefly discussed the various materials and coatings in the previous chapter. But what did these features say about the quality and functionality of the iron? All in all, soleplates in the vast majority of cases consist of one of the three materials: aluminium, stainless steel and ceramics. The cheaper models usually have an aluminium sole. This material is particularly scratch-resistant, but comparatively rough, which is detrimental to the lubricity. Stainless steel soles can be found on most irons. Stainless steel is also scratch-resistant but slides better than the aluminium soles. High-quality irons are equipped with a ceramic sole. In addition to the base materials, some manufacturers have provided their devices with special coatings to make the sole smoother, firmer and more durable.
Buy steam ironing station online – there are these advantages
Of course, there are also some advantages to purchasing a steam ironing station on-site in a specialist shop. The customer gets a personal consultation and can take the device directly home without having to wait for the delivery times. All in all, there are many more benefits for the buyer when buying online:
- With the vast selection of steam ironing stations on the Internet, no local retailer can match it.
- Consulting offers are also available online – via the customer support of the web-trader.
- You do not have to stick to store opening hours and do not have to leave the house in bad weather conditions.
- Products you buy online are, in most cases, cheaper than local retailers. In addition, there are all sorts of discount offers and bargain offers, with which the attention of the customers should be awakened.
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