How the steam function has changed in irons over the past 10 years?
Every housewife knows that hot moisture and steam help smooth out fabrics because it improves heat exchange in the fibers, helping to straighten them by wetting them. Experts believe that the moisture content of the material during ironing should be close to 15 percent of the weight of the garment.
The steam function in electric irons evolved a long time ago, some 80 years ago. The steam function was implemented in the Steemelectric for the first time. It was a kind of electric kettle with a soleplate. Water boiled inside, producing steam which was released through the bottom plate. The iron did not have a thermostat and could not be used for dry ironing: steam was always present.
In today’s irons, this feature is practically mandatory. It is realized in three ways in the devices: constant steam, steam impact and vertical steaming.
Drop, drop, don’t brake the iron
Over the last ten years, the permanent steam function has undergone a series of metamorphoses. The combination of good steam and dry ironing became a regular feature.
Dry ironing – a prerequisite for comfortable operation at low heat of the iron soleplate. When working in the first and in some models, the second mode, when the water drops on the thing easy sliding soleplate is no longer possible: this water is not able to instantly turn into steam – not enough heat. In short, the drip “brakes” the iron’s movement, which is inconvenient. And sometimes it is even harmful, because there are fabrics which do not need or are contraindicated to moisture.
Drop-stop irons stopped the water from leaking and made sure the soleplate would stay really dry, even if you poured a full load of water into the appliance.
Now models without this function are only concentrated in the lower price niche, for example, Polaris PIR 1605 iron costs 610 Dollars. $20 . At the beginning of the century a model without an anti-drip system could be found in the middle segment, an example of that is the Philips Elance Plus HI 418 which cost $38.
And yet low temperature ironing with steam is sometimes necessary, this feature is now available, the iron heats the soleplate to the desired temperature in mode 1 or 2 and at the same time, the steam. You can see this feature in the new Braun TexStyle Control irons, for example.
The steam constant has become more weighty
The second change is in the constant steam function. Ten years ago the average steam output was 20-35 grams per minute. For example, steam force up to 15 g/min. used in Moulinex Atoll, Bosch TDA 1302 models 20 g/min. – Tefal Ultragliss Coldless, Scarlett Marcel SC 131S 25 gpm. – Moulinex Atoll 400, Siemens TB 11620, Bosch TDA 8320 30 gpm. – Siemens TB 11310, Rowenta Leser DM 940 35 g/min. – Philips Elance GC 3025, and the Philips Azur 4000 GC, which was rare at the time, was rated at 40 g/min.
Now the advanced models have already stepped up to the next level, providing much more intense constant steam, in some manufacturers twice as powerful – up to 50 g/min. These are, for example, Tefal FV9450, Braun TexStyle 740/SI18720, Rowenta DW 9035, Marta MT-1140, and the device Magnit RMI-1432/RMI-1433 unfortunately, withdrawn from sale has twice as much constant steam – up to 105 g/min.
Steam booster
Much more tangible changes that took place with the steam blow. Recall that this function provides fast and powerful penetration of steam jets into the fabric fibers, which is used for ironing very dry, stiff laundry and especially unyielding folds.
The force of steam impact at the beginning of the century was 30-85 g/min. For example, the Tefal Virtuose Auto-stop iron has 40 g/min., Rowenta Aqua Clip DE 423 – 45, Panasonic NI-1500Z, Philips Elance Plus HI, Moulinex Atoll 400 – 50, Tefal Ultragliss Coldless – 60, Philips Azur 4000 GC – 80, Rowenta Professional Laser DM 940 and Philips Elance GC 3025 – 85 gpm.
Now the average steam ejection rate is 100 to 150 g/min. For example, 95 g/min. – at Braun TexStyle 540/ SI6595, Tefal FV5177 Aquaspeed TC
100 g/min. – Electrolux EDB 5120, Philips GC 4425, De’Longhi FXN 22, Panasonic NI-U756 110g/min. – at Bosch TDA 7630, Electrolux EDB 5130
120 g/min. – Tefal FV9347, Braun TexStyle 730/SI17780, De’Longhi FXN 24 A 130 g/min. – Bork IR TWV 3724 GY 150 g/min. – Philips GC 4610, Tefal FV9430, Bosch TDA 7650.
But these are average figures, and if we talk about the maximum achievements, the most powerful characteristics of steam blow currently have models Rowenta – 200 g min. this is more than twice as powerful as the most advanced models of 10 years ago , Bosch – 180 g/min and Philips – 170 g/min.
It is interesting to note that the steam blow of the iron used to be about twice as powerful as the intensity of the regular steam supply. Nowadays, this is only true for basic, simple models, but for more sophisticated products, the difference is 2.5x, sometimes 3 to 4x or even more.
For example, the steam stroke of Braun TexStyle 760/SI18890 iron is 120 g/min., and constant steam is 50, the difference is 2.4 times Electrolux EDB 7540 has 100 and 40, the difference is 2.5 times Philips GC 4740 has 170 and 40 4.25 times Rowenta DW 9025 has 200 and 45 4.45 times Bosch TDA 7677 has 180 and 40 4.5 times Rowenta DW 8021 has 200 and 40 5 times . Now for the prices – they have also gone up.
For example, a Philips iron with a very powerful constant steam rate of 35 g/min. and a punch of 85 g/min. cost $63, the modern model Philips GC 4730 with the maximum for the brand features 40 and 170 gpm. sold for $117 3,500 Dollars , t. e. Almost twice the price.
Another example: the Rowenta with 30/85 g/min steam. At that time it cost $75, the modern Rowenta DW 9035 iron 50/200 g/min. costs $120 $3,600 .
Vertical steam always gets the job done
In household irons this function appeared thanks to Moulinex engineers. It makes it possible to direct steam on vertically placed things, including curtains, coats, and jackets on shoulders.
This kind of treatment allows you to take care of difficult, capricious garments without direct contact with the soleplate. Vertical steam is clearly directed from the soleplate, with high density and more force, so it doesn’t scatter, and it reaches its destination.
Ten years ago, this handy feature was only available in the best appliances. Right now, of the 800 irons on the Internet, only a quarter of them don’t have this feature and only half of them don’t have a steam system at all .
Modern soleplates have become more “smart”, greater use is made of geometry which determines the location of the holes, their outline round, oval and the steam guides. Every manufacturer takes a different route to create the most effective steam.
Philips, for example, uses a SteamGlide soleplate that combines small holes for a slippery effect with larger ones that ensure a stronger steam flow to remove creases.
The nose of this soleplate has a Steam Tip mechanism with elongated holes for concentrating steam at the tip.
The Rowenta Microsteam 400 soleplate has the same hole pattern, with four rows around the perimeter and a big nine-row block around the heel, for a total of 400! On Gold Fusion, Rolsen uses 21 large holes along the heel and 148 small holes along the perimeter in three rows.
Braun’s Sapphire soleplate TexStyle Control range has over 120 steam holes: some are triangularly shaped on the tip, allowing steam to escape forwards, and the holes are arranged in three rows along the side line and in a diamond shape just below the center.
The Resilium soleplate Electrolux also uses the triple-row system, with nearly 100 holes around the perimeter and progressively larger around the edge, while the Glissium soleplate Electrolux has larger holes of 45 that direct steam forward and around the soleplate area. Cera glissee soleplate irons Bosch have over 100 perforations to optimize steam and heat distribution across the soleplate.
Making steam in three ways. At a minimum
But it’s more interesting to see if there have been any design changes since then. In recent years, several patents have been granted, confirming discoveries in this area. For example, a development with which steam is generated by the operation of a piezoelectric atomizer similar to those put in inkjet printers .
The solution provides more than a 20-fold reduction in water consumption. This invention is also interesting because it allows not only water, but also special liquid for starching, fragrance softening or fingering to be poured into the iron compartment, since no heating up to boiling, which would be harmful to these compounds, takes place.
Besides, there are registered inventions, when steam is generated by ultrasound as in humidifiers . There is a patent for an iron with a drip evaporator in the form of a disk, in which, thanks to a clever scheme of steam flow in any position of the device does not leak water to the soleplate.
As for discoveries already implemented in on-sale models, such as the Steam Force pump technology in Rowenta irons. Developers assure that it provides 30 percent more steam.
Or an ionisation function that produces particularly fine vapour particles steam cloud , which can penetrate more easily into fabric fibres due to their size and flow pressure. It is used by Rolsen and Philips Ionic DeepSteam . And Panasonic irons allow you to choose the steam temperature that best suits your clothes.
Why the Hole Wars have subsided
The soleplate of any steam iron is a complex structure that is not only subject to heating it is also responsible for the direct release of steam through special holes. It’s hard to believe, but the placement and number of holes has been one of the stumbling blocks in the technical competition between different iron manufacturers since the middle of the last century.
Specialists have coined the ironic term “holey wars” holey wars to capture the essence of this struggle. Nowadays the fervor on this subject has somewhat subsided, and the manufacturers try not to increase the number of holes that optimally provide efficient steaming all over the soleplate.
Steam supply method, size of holes and presence of guide channels are taken into consideration – all these provide steam “accent” on soleplate spout and peculiar cushion over its whole area.
The irons ask for water
You have already understood that the steam function is now being used more intensively. But for a powerful steam, you need a sufficient amount of water, and hence a roomy reservoir.
But simply increasing it is not possible: the size of the iron and its weight is determined by ergonomics, so we have to find the best ways. And it has been found. In irons of ten years ago it was possible to pour an average of 100-200 ml, less often 300 and even 320 ml of water. But there were some record breakers too, like the Philips Azur 4000 GC with 350 ml and the Bosch TDA 1503 with up to 425 ml!
Nowadays the 300 ml capacity has become more widespread as evidenced by the big list of examples from different manufacturers: Braun TexStyle 540/ SI6595, Tefal FV5246, Moulinex IM 3070 Brio, Electrolux EDB 5130, Delonghi FXN 22, Panasonic NI-U756, Vitesse VS-667, Vitek VT-1244, Severin BA 3244, Morphy Richards 40557.
At the same time, the number of irons with bigger capacities has increased, and in different price niches: Ariete 6225 Extra Vapor – 310 ml Rowenta DW 9035 – 320 ml Irit IR-2057 – 330 ml Philips GC 4641i – 335 ml Tefal FV9430, Philips GC 4425, Supra IS-0400, Rolsen RN5150, Bork IR NWV 3316, Gorenje SIE 2400 T, Ariete 6206 – 350 ml Rowenta DW 8021 – 375 ml Braun TexStyle 740/SI18720, Bosch TDA 7630, De’Longhi FXN 24 – 400 ml.
Power, price and strength
For successful steaming no less important power which guarantees effective work of all device, including heating, maintenance of necessary soleplate temperature and steam formation.
Now the minimum power of a steam iron is 1100 Watt excluding travel mini-iron which only very simple Irit models have, the price from 340 rub. $11,3 . Ten years ago you could buy a 1000 watt iron for $20.
Power averages have now shifted upward slightly. If 10 years ago it was 1200-2000 watts, now it is 1700-2300 watts. Devices with 2,4 kW power are not rare, for example, Philips GC 4425, Braun TexStyle 740/ SI18720, Tefal FV9430, Bosch TDA 7630 more than 100 models 2,5 kW – De’Longhi FXN 24, Bomann DB 774 CB, Redmond RI-A207, Bosch TDS 1035 not more than 10 models 2,6 kW – Rowenta DW 9035, Tefal FV9450 only 6 models .
You can also come across more powerful appliances, all from the Bosch collection: the 2.75 kW Bosch TDA 7677 and the discontinued 3 kW Bosch TDS 1130. You can understand how much this is by comparing the power consumption of an oven in a stove or separate , which is 2.4-3.2 kW.
Steam-normal phenomena: an overview of the iron market
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Can you provide more information on the steam-normal phenomena in the iron market? What exactly does it refer to and how does it affect the industry? Is it something that occurs frequently or is it a rare occurrence? Thank you.
This article provides a comprehensive overview of the iron market, but there’s one question on my mind. How does the fluctuating demand for iron affect the prices and availability of steel products in the global market?
Is the iron market on Steam experiencing normal fluctuations or are there any specific phenomena that I should be aware of as a reader of this text?