Steam or dry iron - which is better?
by Logan S. Natural doctorThere's nothing more satisfying than
a perfectly pressed outfit. A smooth, wrinkle-free shirt can make its wearer
look more professional. But before you whip out the ironing board and go on an
ironing spree, you need to decide which kind of clothes iron is better. Do you
go with the classic, time-tested dry iron, or do you go with the
technologically-aided steam iron? Each one has its benefits, but only one will
prove more practical.
What are their differences?
The most apparent difference is in
their name. Steam irons utilize steam from water in its tank to eradicate
wrinkles; dry iron uses its weight and flat surface to press a garment.
That difference sounds small until
you need your iron for specific uses. If you need a heat transfer for things
like patches, shirt logos, or even your quilts, a dry iron is your best bet.
The dry iron's smooth surface ensures that heat is applied evenly everywhere.
Heat coverage on steam irons is a bit tricky to manage because of the steam
holes.
Meanwhile, steam irons are great if
you’re pressed on time. The water/steam and heat combo work well on wrinkles.
With just a press of a button, you can release steam to loosen the fabric and
glide the iron across in just a matter of seconds.
Dry iron advantages
There's a reason why dry irons have
been in use for a long time: it works. Regardless of whether you need hot coal
or the plate to turn hot on its own, a dry iron performs its function with no
fuss.
Advances in technology eventually
allowed us a higher degree of control with the dry iron's temperature, but its
function remained the same throughout. It didn't matter whether you were
ironing silk or polyester - the dry iron handled them all equally.
Steam iron advantages
Water has always been a companion
when ironing clothes; some wrinkles are too persistent to be treated with heat
alone. Water loosens the fabric, helping the iron do its magic.
The downside is that you always had
to prepare a separate container of water during an ironing session. It's not a
particularly difficult task to set the iron aside and get some water for
spritzing, but it's a delay nonetheless. Therefore, when the steam iron was
introduced, the concept caught on.
If you thought a modern dry iron is
convenient enough, wait until you see a steam iron. All of its controls are
within your finger's reach: temperature setting, adjustable steam and water
output, self-cleaning mechanism, etc. There's a lot of technology packed inside
one small iron.
And the best thing of all? You can
use a steam iron as a dry iron. If you're pressing clothes that don't need
water, such as silk, all you have to do is leave the steam iron's water tank
empty. The plate will heat up as usual, and you can do your work without having
to worry about steam.
Which one is better?
Trying to decide which iron is
better is not a fair assessment. A steam iron is an evolved dry iron: it has
all the good qualities of a dry iron, along with the convenience of a water
bottle. Ignore its water capabilities and a steam iron functions the same way
as a dry iron.
So, the next time you go shopping
for an iron, pick a steam iron. It's like having a 2-in-1 appliance: you get to
enjoy all the good qualities and none of the annoying parts. A steam iron
provides flexibility whenever you need it, and you can't beat that.
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Created on Feb 26th 2019 01:44. Viewed 1,763 times.