Before going on a trip, it is important to properly prepare your suitcase, taking along what is necessary in order to last throughout the trip. Nothing should be left to chance, so as not to miss anything and be able to fully enjoy your stay. But not easy to keep clothes well ironed once out of the suitcase, you will have to use practical tips to restore them or just invest in a travel iron.
To keep style and outfit wherever you go, easy to transport and store it is the essential ally in all circumstances. It is therefore important to choose the right iron for more functionality.
What is the best travel iron?
A travel iron is a device that, without a doubt, will get you out of a lot of trouble, this for its practicality, ease of use and portability, helping that all the garments that you carry in your luggage always remain in excellent condition.
Choosing a quality model will not be complicated, especially if you are clear on what you are looking for, starting with the size of the equipment that, logically, must be small to enter your things without adding too much weight and in this comparison, you will find the best market options.
Rowenta DA1510F2 Vertical Steam Travel Iron
The Rowenta travel iron is perfectly suited for trips abroad thanks to its bi-voltage. With a patented Micro steam 200 soleplate, it diffuses continuous steam at a high flow rate which smooths out wrinkles. Cordless, it can reach even the most difficult corners with its ultra-precise tip. This iron has good autonomy with a 70 ml tank and simplified vertical steaming.
Duronic Travel Iron SI2
A perfect mini iron to carry on any trip, it has a small size that you can carry in your suitcase without problems.
Taurus Easy Travel Iron
A small plate with a ceramic sole in its base for a better displacement on the surface of your garments.
Ansio travel iron
It is an ideal steam iron to carry on your next vacation, with folding handle for easy storage.
Travel Iron Severin
A convenient and economical iron that you can use for dry or steam ironing, is ergonomic and with an adjustable thermostat.
Travel Iron GPF
With less than 1 kilogram of weight, this small and versatile travel iron is ideal to carry in any suitcase.
What is a travel iron?
The travel plates are characterized by being much smaller models than a conventional iron, so they are the perfect option to carry in your luggage.
The use of this equipment is equal to one of regular size, they work with steam or dry and have the advantage that most of their models have double voltage, so they can be used in different places without problems, you can also find a vertical use iron to apply steam.
Why travel iron is necessary?
Whether you travel constantly or because you want to have your perfect outfits during the next vacation, an iron is a great tool to take away from home for several days, since it is a compact way to keep the clothes you take out of the suitcase without wrinkles.
The travel plates, in addition, allow you to save money, by not having to go to a specialized site that is responsible for stretching your clothes.
Is the travel iron effective?
Obviously the effectiveness of a travel iron depends on its power to which we can add the steam flow, the pressure it provides and the surface of its soleplate. A travel iron is generally used to help out when travelling. Its power is therefore not necessarily as high as that of a conventional iron. With a travel iron, you can have a power of around 300 Watts to 1800 Watts. A low power travel iron will not provide the same result as a common steam iron. So it makes more sense to choose a device that offers around 1000 Watts.
The soleplate of a travel iron is often smaller so that you can quickly find a place for the iron when travelling. A small iron soleplate makes ironing longer than with a larger soleplate that covers more fields at one time. The steam that is not hot enough and low pressure lengthens the ironing time. A travel iron can give satisfactory results provided that its characteristics are good.
What should you consider when choosing a travel iron?
It’s time to buy and you do not know how to choose the best option, so you only want your new plate to be cheap, without looking at anything else, which can become a mistake.
So that you do not end up choosing a model of bad quality and instead choose a plate of a good brand, it is necessary that you think about certain factors:
Soleplate of the iron
The soleplate of the iron is the hot surface with which you eliminate the wrinkles of your garments and this can be made in different materials, each one with advantages and disadvantages. Among the most used are:
- Stainless steel: Stainless steel is much cheaper than other materials and distributes the heat in a proportional and fast way, but can be easily scratched with buttons or closures, affecting its operation.
- Ceramic: This type of iron has a steel base or other material that will be covered with ceramic, material that offers a non-stick surface that moves easily through different fabrics.
- Aluminium: Aluminum plates are a much more affordable option than the previous ones, in
addition , they are usually less heavy and will be ideal for quick touch-ups.
Corded or cordless
You can choose between models that recharge and do not need to be connected, like others that have a cable. It is important that, in the case of seconds, they have a double voltage, allowing the use of the iron in different places.
The Power
A powerful travel iron is an irreplaceable tool when travelling. When travelling, you don’t always have the time to spend a lot of time ironing clothes. High power allows the iron to reach the correct temperature more quickly to start ironing. With a travel iron with a power of around 1700 Watts, you can be sure that you won’t have to work long to iron a coat.
Warm-up time
Depending on the number of watts that the equipment has, it will heat less or faster, therefore, if you are looking for a travel plate that heats quickly, you must choose a model with a higher number of watts.
Temperature
You can not ignore the temperature of the equipment, it must be able to adjust to provide you with more versatility, in this way you can iron different types of fabrics.
Water tank
If it is an iron that emits steam, it is necessary to have a tank to store water, this will also help to eliminate wrinkles better.
Steam flow
Steam flow and pressure also play a very important role in the efficiency of ironing. A travel iron with a high vapour flow rate is essential to quickly and easily relax the fabric fibres. High pressure and a large flow of steam are particularly indicated when ironing a thick fabric.
When the steam is sent to the laundry with high pressure, it passes through the laundry more easily and touches the fibres deeply. The steam flow is expressed in grams per minute (g / m). Ideally, a flow rate of around 30 to 45 g / minute is to be sought for good performance. The pressure is for its part expressed in bars.
Weight and size
Even though there is no standard size for a travel iron, it is necessary that it has a small and appropriate size for your luggage, since, after all, these are characterized by their portability and the same applies to the weight of the equipment.
Easy to use
Surely you want an iron that is easy to use and that does not give you a lot of problems and for that, the digital controls are the best option, but, if you have problems to see what they say, the manuals will come better.
Long cable
In the case that you use a cable iron, it is necessary that they have one that is long enough to work comfortably.
Anti-drip
If you plan to iron delicate fabrics, water can damage them, so it is necessary that the equipment has an anti-drip system.
Auto shut off
For your safety and that of your entire environment, it is recommended that the iron be auto shut off, this will ensure that after a period of inactivity, the equipment switches off automatically.
Maintenance for a travel iron
The maintenance of a portable iron remains the same as that of the larger models. Simple actions such as cleaning the sole and emptying the tank after each use slow down the deposit of tartar. Using demineralized water instead of tap water decreases the amount of lime and other minerals that can settle in the water tank.
Descaling is, however, the most essential maintenance operation for quality maintenance of a portable iron. A solution of white vinegar or a descaling product helps get rid of tartar on the sole. After applying the descaling solution, clean the soleplate with a damp cloth to remove any residue that has come off.
