Two of the most important things one should have in order to properly care for their clothing is (1) an incredible iron that produces a ton of steam and (2) a sturdy ironing board. (Well, that is of course in addition to luxury hangers.) If you invest in quality, these items should last forever.
At a minimum, a good ironing board should provide a sturdy surface on which to press, include a 100% cotton pressing pad, and permit the current of steam to pass easily through the garment and pressing pad.
Our Reliable C30 Deluxe Ironing Board is a great example that meets this minimum threshold. At $109, it is reasonably priced considering the build quality. In addition to a sturdy frame, it has a grated ironing surface to increase the flow-through of steam.
The next level in quality is a pretty large step-up financially, but the yield is quite large also. Beyond a simple ironing board, you move into professional vacuum boards. The Reliable C81 Ironing Table is as close to professional as you can get without being in the dry cleaning business. It makes ironing effortless and allows for an easy press to be achieved.
The next level in quality is a pretty large step-up financially, but the yield is quite large also. Beyond a simple ironing board, you move into professional vacuum boards. The Reliable C81 Ironing Table is as close to professional as you can get without being in the dry cleaning business. It makes ironing effortless and allows for an easy press to be achieved.
The secret to these professional ironing boards is in the integrated vacuum, which literally vacuums steam out of the garment after pressing. This enables the press to "set" much faster and more firmly than it typically would otherwise.
Note: steam used during ironing softens the fabric fibers. This allows for wrinkles to be pressed flat. However, if the steam is not removed, or if the fibers remain damp, then the press will not hold. This is why PROFESSIONAL irons, such as all Reliable irons offered on our website, only deliver steam at the front of the iron leaving the heat on the back portion of the sole plate to evaporate steam and set the press.
One of the best features of the C81 is the up-air setting, which reverses the airflow direction and pushes air up instead of sucking air through the pressing pad. The results are soft knit items, like polo shirts and sweaters (with a pressing cloth) pressed without wrinkles in the fabric due to the pressure of the iron. This is hard to describe, but anyone who has tried to press a polo shirt knows what I'm talking about.
