Sole materials: advantages and disadvantages

Looking into the store, you can see lot of marketing tricks related to the most important part of any iron - the soleplate. After all, the safety of things, the time required for ironing, as well as the convenience and durability of operation depend on its quality. Manufacturers talk about proprietary technologies and innovative alloys, which is true to some extent, but in fact only 3 main materials are widely used for the manufacture of soles - aluminum, ceramics and stainless steel. They are the basis for the creation of ironing surfaces. Further, there is already process of improvement, optimization due to additional coatings, layers and their combinations, which will be discussed below. Let's determine what advantages and disadvantages the main sole materials have.

Aluminum

Aluminum came to us from the past and is still actively used. I think many people remember how parents ironed things through an additional damp cloth, for which there were reasons. The aluminum sole is prone to strong heat and damage to fabrics, especially delicate ones (silk, velor, microfiber, etc.). The metal is quite soft, so it is prone to deformation and scratches even when in contact with buttons. More than once, the appearance of shining gloss on clothes was noticed. But most of the shortcomings were partially smoothed out over time by the use of anodized aluminum and additional coatings. Among the main advantages of the material are the following:

  • Low cost
  • Light weight
  • Rapid heating and cooling
Irons with aluminum soles

Stainless steel

Stainless steel is considered the most reliable and is often used in the premium segment in conjunction with other innovative technologies. It is worth noting that stainless steel is fairly heavy metal, significantly increasing the weight of the iron. Many attribute this to shortcomings, although in fact it all depends on the situation. With daily ironing in large volumes, discomfort and excessive stress on the hand are indeed possible. But for domestic use, the increased mass can even be useful, for example, when processing dense thick fabrics (tarpaulin, jeans, upholstery materials), and the time spent is usually insignificant to lead to fatigue. It should also be taken into account that even carefully polished stainless steel surface has slightly lower slip coefficient than ceramic or enameled one. The main benefits of coverage include:

  • Resistant to scratches, chips, deformation
  • Uniform heating
  • Long heat retention
  • No oxidation (corrosion)
  • Increased effectiveness on dense and stiff fabrics
Irons with stainless steel soles

Ceramics

One of the most popular materials in the production of modern low-cost and mid-level irons. The main feature of ceramics is smooth sliding. The soleplate seems to float above the fabric, providing fast and efficient ironing. In general, the surface has optimal properties at low cost. The disadvantage of ceramics is clearly considered to be the likelihood of scratches, chips, cracks due to physical impacts - impacts, falls and even collisions with metal fittings of clothing. Therefore, many brands resort to the use of alloys with the addition of titanium ( titanoceramics), nickel and chromium ( cermets), which increase strength to some extent. The advantages of the surface include:

  • Smooth and easy gliding
  • Non-stick properties
  • Easy to clean surface with damp cloth
  • Uniform and fast heating
  • Good heat retention
  • Minimal risk of damaging clothing

It is impossible to say for sure which material is better. Each of them has key advantages and disadvantages that determine the scope of their use, intensity, and cost of the process in terms of time and resources. Aluminum will allow you to start ironing in the shortest possible time due to its increased thermal conductivity, allowing you to quickly bring your clothes into proper shape. Ceramics provide comfortable ironing on any surface in large volumes, and the strength and durability of stainless steel will appeal to any housewife who does not want to worry about the safety of the surface.

Irons with ceramic soles

Types of iron sole coatings

In an effort to improve the quality of the working surface, manufacturers often resort to the use of additional coatings. This can be thin coating or full layer applied on top of the base material. This is done to reduce the cost of production, increase abrasion resistance, minimize friction and improve non-stick properties. All this applies to metal soles (aluminum, stainless steel), since ceramics and its subtypes are considered quite effective in these matters. Let's look at what types of sole coatings have proven their right to life after many years of implementation.

Titanium

Titanium coating ranks first in strength, wear resistance and reliability. This is an option for lovers of various accessories on clothes, which tend to cause scratches and other mechanical damage during ironing. Titanium is considered an expensive pleasure, so it is most often used in premium models with stainless steel soles. It has low coefficient of friction and pronounced non-stick properties. Disadvantages include an increase in cost and time for the iron to reach operating temperature.

Irons with titanium soles

Teflon

Teflon (tetrafluoroethylene polymer) is fairly versatile material that is used in various fields - medical equipment, tableware, appliances.

Teflon coating is the exact opposite of titanium. It is subject to wear and abrasion, reacts poorly to mechanical stress and can quickly lose its properties if used carelessly. The Teflon surface is ideally combined with an aluminum sole due to similar characteristics (light weight, low cost, fast heating), and even eliminates the risk of tissue damage. In practice, it can be combined with other materials. It copes well with delicate fabrics, preventing them from damage. If the user is still able to singe his favorite clothes, the Teflon surface will remain intact. It is enough to wipe it with damp sponge after cooling.

The main advantages of Teflon are increased slip and low weight. You do not feel any resistance during maneuvering, which is why such irons are used in places with large daily ironing volumes - hotels, laundries, hospitals.

Irons with Teflon coating

Branded surfaces

Global brands are actively experimenting with combinations of materials to create their own iron surfaces. And quite few successful developments are already known that have found application in everyday life. Leaders in innovation in this area are Braun, Bosch, Tefal and Philips. Now we’ll find out what surface options they offer and how they stand out.

Saphir by Braun

Hybrid surface based on the mineral corundum (aluminum oxide) with the addition of zinc, chromium and nickel. The final chord is sapphire plating. In practice, this composition has proven to be very effective in terms of strength. On the Mohs scale, the hardness rating is 9 out of 10, second only to diamond. The Saphir surface is resistant to falls, accidental and intentional contact with metal objects, and even rough abrasive cleaning. At the same time, it is quite light for everyone, has good thermal conductivity and easily glides over any type of fabric. In conditions of high humidity, the metal does not oxidize, so the sole is not subject to corrosion.

There are also surface design features that increase the efficiency and functionality of the iron. The heating element is located inside the sole, so it heats it up faster and maintains the temperature during ironing. The system of holes with special guide grooves allows you to create uniform steam cloud for steaming things.

Ceranium Glissee from Bosch

By combining aluminum and enamel, the company was able to create durable and user-friendly surface. The metal provides fast heating, which is transferred to the enameled layer, evenly distributed over the entire surface. The sole incorporates the advantages of both materials - light weight, fast and uniform heating, high slip coefficient, gentle processing of delicate fabrics. Enamel gives extra strength, but contact with hard objects can lead to scratches. Despite this, further operation is possible and the sole does not cling to the fabric, as in metal counterparts. The surface of Ceranium Glissee is divided into separate zones to increase the efficiency of vaporization.

Durilium Airglide by Tefal

The Durilium Airglide outsole is durable, durable and glides on all kinds of fabrics. The developers of Tefal have successfully combined the metal surface with an enamel coating, which has increased immunity to scratches and damage. The perfectly smooth, non-porous structure eliminates the spread of bacteria, mold and is complemented by the Autoclean self-cleaning system. The shape of the surface and the thoughtful arrangement of holes creates an air cushion, which contributes to the ease of movement of the iron and the penetration of steam deep into the fabrics.

It is useful to know that the most important part of the iron, the soleplate, is manufactured under strict control in France, the home of the brand.

Steamglide Plus from Philips

Steamglide Plus is hybrid of stainless steel and ceramic. The result is high-quality cermet surface with good strength and wear resistance. Like the developments of other brands, Steamglide Plus creates an additional steam cushion. This sole can easily smooth out any wrinkles on different types of clothing. There is no need to make any special efforts, because smooth ceramics have good sliding coefficient.

Other brands

It is also worth noting the efforts in developing and improving surfaces for irons of other brands. For example, Scarlett uses its own ceramic-based KeramoPro sole. The manufacturer claims increased non-stick properties and self-cleaning. DeLonghi boasts double Gemini DUAL surface made of metal and ceramic, which allows you to distribute heat evenly and iron delicate items without the use of additional attachments. Panasonic's Round-Ride spherical soleplate is more focused on ironing performance. The teardrop shape allows for better maneuverability and speeds up the process.

So which is better?

It is impossible to clearly determine which iron surface is better. But we can say for sure that high-quality sole is the key to the safety of things, nerves and time. Taking into account modern materials and technologies, it is possible to achieve high efficiency even with the use of low-cost materials, although this approach most often runs counter to durability.

If an ironed shirt is your daily attribute, then you can choose surface with fast heating and low weight. Teflon-coated aluminum is best suited for this, which will ensure speed and ease of the process.

If your clothing style involves large number of fittings (especially iron), then it is better to turn to stainless steel and titanium coating. Enameled surfaces will also do the job well. They are not afraid of scratches, chips and deformations.

Ceramic soles are well balanced in terms of price, quality and ease of use. If you do not iron often, do not have the necessary knowledge about the compatibility of temperature conditions with specific fabrics, and generally want to make your life as easy as possible, then this option is definitely suitable. Ceramics carefully handles any fabric, and the slip coefficient is very high.