Steam or dry iron - which is better?

by Logan S. Natural doctor

There'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.

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