The Black & Decker Professional Steam Iron

All my life, people have made fun of my obsession with ironing. I iron everything. I hate wearing wrinkled clothes. I hate seeing my kids in wrinkled clothes (although it still happens because they throw their clothes into piles even after I iron them!), and I really hate seeing my husband in wrinkled clothes…something he has no problem doing.

Along with my ironing obsession, I also have a very poor memory, so one of the most important traits of my irons is auto shut off. I wish every appliance in the world offered this feature, but I will settle for it in my irons. That is definitely one of my favourite features of the Black & Decker Professional Steam Iron.

 

This iron is HUGE! I love the big soleplate. It is stainless steel and really does glide easily over everything. It worked great on the traditional ironing board, but I wanted to try it out vertically. The package says that the ultra-powerful steam burst remove tough wrinkles on hanging garments. I had a t-shirt that had been rolled in a ball and could use a good iron, so I decided to use it as my test subject.

This is a light cotton t-shirt. I hung it on a hanger and held the iron about an inch away and used the steam feature. To be honest, I’m very particular about my ironing, and when I finished I thought that the vertical option didn’t work that well. Now that I look at the pictures side by side, I realize that it did take out a lot of the wrinkles. The shirt still needed to be ironed, but it only took a couple of minutes to iron. I don’t think I would use the vertical option very often, because I found the iron a little heavy to hold upright like that, but I think it is something my husband would do if he chose to go wrinkle free.

Here are some ironing tips for my fellow iron obsessed readers.

Before You Start

• Easier ironing starts in the dryer. To prevent wrinkles from setting in, remove laundry from the dryer while still damp.
• Most irons are specifically designed to use tap water since their anti-scale features clean the water as a matter of course. Caution: you could actually damage your iron by using pure distilled water, scented or softened water because these types of liquids contain mineral elements that become concentrated when heated, causing spitting, brown staining or premature wear on your appliance. When ironing, pay attention to your iron’s temperature. If it sizzles when applied to the fabric, lower the heat. The Black & Decker Professional Iron ($59.99) has an easy-to-read digital display that lets you confirm the right temperature at a glance to prevent overheating before your plate hits the fabric.

 

Choosing the Right Iron for You

The SolePlate

• Aluminum – The lowest priced irons usually have aluminum plates, which can cause a problem with sticking (you don’t get a smooth glide as the iron moves across the fabric).
• Non –Stick Coated– Most often light weight, glides smoothly. This soleplate is easier to clean especially if you use starch.
  •  Caution: soleplate can scratch easily if used over sharp ends like zippers often
  • Stainless steel – Known for the easy glide, even heating and its durability. Surface will not scratch easily and will have a longer life.
  • Ceramic— Ceramics are usually thought of as more delicate, but in truth, ceramic plates provide better glide and are just as durable as their metal counterparts (it’s only a ceramic coating over metal.)

 

Number of Holes

• Ironers tend to think that more holes on the plate equals a better iron. In reality the number of holes doesn’t actually affect performance. It’s more about the amount and pressure of the steam coming out of the holes. If you have a hundred holes on a plate but it delivers weak bursts of steam, you’re not going to get the results you want.

Beveled for Buttons and Zippers

• Special design details or shaping can come in handy when ironing over things like buttons, zippers and pleats. Some irons have a slimmer design or at least a slimmer thickness at the tip to help you maneuver around special design details on your clothes. The Precision Point Iron by Black & Decker ($39.99), makes ironing the trickiest parts of your garments easy. Because of its shape, the Perfect Point Steam feature allows you to flawlessly smooth out every last part of your item.

The Weight of your Iron

• Heavy irons have greater pressing capacity but can be tiring to use. Lighter irons reduce muscle strain and glide more easily but, on the other hand, may require more back-and-forth repetitions to eliminate creases in garments.

 

How to Iron

• Here’s something that may surprise you: never iron in circular strokes or you’ll end up stretching the fabric. Instead of running the iron over a wrinkly spot several times, iron lengthwise and level those ridges with a burst of steam.
• If your garment is lined, be sure to press the lining separately. And don’t forget to check the lining fabric. It may differ from the main garment and require a different temperature.

Your Iron’s Best Features

Vertical Steam

• Vertical steam is useful for hanging garments such as suits and dresses, especially those made from delicate fabrics. Ensure you hold the iron a few centimeters from the garment in order to avoid burning.
• Skip the ironing board altogether with the Steam Advantage Iron by Black & Decker $29.99). Its stainless steel plate allows for a stick free experience with your on-hanger pieces.

Burst of Steam

• A steam-burst feature provides additional, instantaneous power on demand, smoothing out difficult creases or for creating sharp creases on trousers.

Continuous Steam Output

• A consistent steam facility makes ironing easier and more effective because of the steady impact it has on ‘taming’ textile fibers. Black & Decker Steam Power Iron *($59.99), lets your iron do most of the work for you. It disburses continuous steam with the touch of a button for a wrinkle free guarantee.

‘Nice to Have’ Additional Extras

• Anti-drip system for producing steam at low temperatures without ‘spitting’
• Misting spray for dampening stubborn wrinkles
• Narrow tip for fitting into tight spaces like cuffs and collars
• Second row of steam holes for wider steam distribution
• Auto -Off Feature gives you peace of mind whether you forgot to turn off your iron or whether it accidentally falls over or down when you step away for a single moment.  No burn marks on your clothes and no fire hazards in your home.

• A self-cleaning feature enables you to disperse boiling water through the steam vents to clear mineral buildup; clogged steam holes can impede the flow of steam and lead to leaks. Several higher end iron model include a self-cleaning button.