The best irons with automatic temperature control

The iron belongs to the middle price category and is the easiest to use model, which provides not only effective, but also safe ironing of things. Smart Temp technology is responsible for this - in other words, one temperature setting for all types of fabrics, from delicate to hard and dense. The device uses low temperature, which eliminates burns and damage to your favorite things. This function will definitely be positively appreciated by users who do not understand the types of materials and do not know how to properly sort laundry. But keep in mind that when processing thick fabrics with complex folds, this temperature may not be enough, so it is better to use a combination of heating the soleplate and applying steam. Since the model has Smart Temp technology, it does not have a classic temperature regulator. Although there are still some settings: normal ironing mode or eco mode, which reduces energy consumption by 20%.

As a steam iron, the Tefal Smart Protect Plus FV 6872 offers two options: constant steam with a power of 40 g/min or a more intense but short burst of steam (260 g/min) for the most difficult tasks. Whatever you choose, the combination of a hot sole and steam not only removes wrinkles, but also disinfects your clothes, killing germs, allergens and eliminating unpleasant odors. Overall, the iron copes well with thick fabrics, folds and creases, is suitable for vertical steaming and has an anti-drip system that prevents water leakage.

To ensure that the equipment lasts as long as possible, the manufacturer used high-quality materials and added some useful features. First up is the Durilium AirGlide ceramic outsole. It is strong, durable, scratch resistant and glides easily. Steam holes are located over the entire surface of the sole: on the nose, on the sides and in the center, which promotes uniform distribution of steam and smoothes the fabric in hard-to-reach places of clothing. Secondly, the auto shut-off function is responsible for the safety of both the iron itself and your home. If you leave the device unattended, it will turn itself off after 8 minutes in a vertical position or after 30 seconds on the sole.

In addition, the iron is equipped with a 270 ml water tank, a 2-meter cord, an ergonomic handle and a well-designed body: the handle bifurcates closer to the base and forms a convenient stand that looks neat and makes the device smaller in size.

The Beko household iron has a good price-quality ratio: for a low price you get a powerful model with a stylish design, advanced functions and everything you need for convenient use. The iron can safely be called a universal iron, which is capable of working with any materials and performing tasks of any complexity. There are several modes for this. The most convenient of them is the smart mode with automatic temperature adjustment. It uses one optimal temperature, which is safe for all types of fabrics, so the user does not have to sort laundry, understand the composition of items and wait for the sole to heat up or cool down when changing modes.

But sometimes there are complaints about the automatic temperature adjustment function in different irons. The fact is that such devices use a low temperature, which cannot burn or damage the fabric, but sometimes it is not enough for ironing dense materials. Therefore, Beko has added several more modes. Eco reduces heat even further to gently iron the finest and most delicate fabrics like silk. Max mode, on the contrary, uses maximum power and temperature to work with the most “capricious” and thick materials: jeans, linen, bed linen folded in several layers, etc.

Apart from dry ironing, the iron also offers steaming. According to the classics, these are two operating modes: a constant supply of steam with a power of up to 63 g/min and a more intense but short burst of steam (280 g/min). These are quite high indicators for ordinary household irons, which contribute to the rapid smoothing of complex materials and deep folds. You can also spray water with a spray to moisten dry and rough fabric as much as possible. The anti-drip system will ensure that water does not leak onto things and does not leave wet spots on them, and a spacious 350 ml tank allows you to iron longer without the need to add water.

But the advantages of the Beko SPA9130B do not end there. The iron has a fairly high power of 3000 W and allows vertical steaming without the use of an ironing board or other surfaces. Control is as simple and intuitive as possible thanks to the presence of a display on the body that displays the selected mode. And the Calc-Clean self-cleaning program will help maintain high performance and extend the life of the device. To do this, the package includes a special stand: just place the iron on it, run the Calc-Clean program and after a few minutes, pour the water out of the stand along with any scale and limescale particles that have come out.

The iron from the Philips PerfectCare series can be called the golden mean between expensive and budget models: it has all the necessary functions for high-quality work, but at the same time lacks some technologies that many do not need and only increase the price tag of the product. The power is not record-breaking, but sufficient for quick heating and effective ironing - 2500 W. The power of continuous steam supply reaches 45 g/min, and the intensity of the steam boost is 180 g/min. Again, more expensive models often have higher performance, but nevertheless, this is quite enough for everyday use. The iron carefully smoothes out stubborn folds and creases and handles dense and delicate fabrics. By activating the steam boost, it can be used in a vertical position, although, of course, you should not count on a full replacement for a powerful steamer. An eco mode is available, which consumes electricity and water more economically without losing the quality of ironing. At the same time, the capacity of the water tank is quite standard for household irons - 300 ml. If you don’t overdo it with the steam boost, one “refueling” is enough to tidy up several sets of clothes. And the “drop-stop” system prevents water from leaking during ironing and the formation of wet spots.

The manufacturer also worked on the sole, because it is one of the main “tools” of the iron. In this case, it is a SteamGlide Plus sole with a 6-layer coating, including a layer of durable titanium. Of course, it is better not to drop equipment from the ironing board, but the sole easily withstands active everyday use, showing resistance to scratches and other possible damage from contact with zippers, fasteners, buttons, etc. In addition, SteamGlide Plus easily glides over any materials, It does not leave behind shiny marks, has non-stick properties and is therefore easy to clean.

What’s unusual about the iron is the lack of a traditional wheel for selecting modes. That's because there are no heating settings - OptimalTEMP technology uses one optimal temperature of about 130 degrees. This means that the device is safe for all types of fabrics suitable for ironing, and the user does not need to understand all the intricacies and manually select the required temperature. The manufacturer even assures that if you leave the iron on your clothes or ironing board, it will not damage them. True, in this case (as in a vertical position or on its side), the automatic shutdown function will work after 2 minutes.

In general, the model is quite convenient to use, which is facilitated by its low weight - 1.5 kg. Equally important, it is designed for a long service life, as evidenced not only by the durable sole, but also by the anti-scale protection. It features a special self-cleaning program that removes limescale and scale deposits and helps maintain performance at a high level. This is not an automatic process, but a manual program that requires periodic intervention from the owner.

The iron from the famous German manufacturer Braun is an advanced model from the “major league”. It has a fairly high price tag, has good power, effectively copes with tasks of any complexity and has several proprietary technologies that greatly facilitate the ironing process. First of all, this is iCare technology - one optimal temperature without unnecessary heating and cooling, which is safe for any materials, from the most delicate to dense. As a result, the iron received a minimum of settings (they relate to steaming), which is most important for inexperienced users who do not understand the types of fabric, the parameters suitable for them and are afraid of ruining things.

Another proprietary technology is the FreeGlide 3D EloxalPlus outsole coating. Thanks to the rounded back and smoothness, the sole glides well over the material in any direction without the risk of forming new wrinkles. Also a plus is the large number of steam holes concentrated on the sides, in the back and on the spout. Due to this, the steam is evenly distributed over the surface, and the pointed steam spout smoothes cuffs, collars, areas near buttons, pockets and other hard-to-reach places well.

Braun TexStyle 9 SI 9281 is designed for both dry ironing and steaming - the latter option is most effective when working with “capricious” materials and complex folds. The power of 3100 W ensures fast heating and high steam performance: the constant flow rate reaches 50 g/min, the steam boost is 230 g/min. Unlike temperature, there are settings here: you can manually adjust the intensity of steam formation depending on the characteristics of the material and the degree of its wrinkles. The steam boost is also useful for vertical steaming - for example, to refresh and disinfect curtains, upholstery, and tidy up clothes hanging on hangers. The anti-drip system prevents water from leaking, even if the iron is not hot enough to steam, and the spacious 330 ml tank allows you to iron a large amount of laundry without the need to constantly add water.

In addition, the model is convenient to use thanks to such details as self-cleaning descaling, which extends the life of the device, the ability to use regular tap water, a long 2.5-meter cord and an auto-shut-off function for the iron after 8 minutes in a vertical position and 1 minute on the soleplate.

The Philips iron is not cheap and its cost is close to the category of powerful, productive irons with a steam generator. To some extent, it can even compete with them, only instead of a large steam generator, you get a more convenient classic iron with a stylish design.

The model boasts a high power of 3000 W, thanks to which the sole heats up almost instantly after turning on the device. But more important is the high steam output: 85 g/min with a constant supply and 260 g/min during a short-term intense burst of steam. These indicators are close to the capabilities of steam generators, so the iron quickly and easily smoothes dense fabrics, even if they are folded in several layers, deep creases and complex folds. The highlight of the device is a special sensor that detects movement and automatically supplies steam when the sole moves across the fabric. But this only works with a constant supply of steam - you have to press a button to release a burst of steam.

The powerful steam blast also allows you to use the vertical steam iron to quickly freshen hanging curtains, suits and dresses right on their hangers. It turns out to be a kind of analogue of a steamer, although it’s difficult to call it convenient: the iron itself weighs almost 1.8 kg, and together with a filled water tank (350 ml) - more than 2 kg, so holding it suspended for a long time is uncomfortable. But the spacious tank extends the time of continuous operation without the need to add water. The anti-drip system will ensure that water does not leak out during steaming and does not leave wet spots or streaks on clothes.

Another feature is the OptimalTEMP automatic temperature control technology. More precisely, the iron does not regulate anything itself - it simply uses one optimal temperature of 130 degrees, which is safe for all materials suitable for ironing, be it silk, linen or thick denim. Thus, the user does not have to sort the laundry and deal with manual settings - they can iron things in any order without fear of burning them and ruining them. In the case of thick fabrics and, for example, wrinkled bed linen folded in several layers, this temperature may not be enough for high-quality smoothing, but a powerful steam supply will come to the rescue.

Philips also took care of equally important little details that, overall, make ironing an easy and even enjoyable process. The high-quality SteamGlide Elite sole provides good gliding without damaging fabrics, is resistant to damage and scratches and is easy to care for. A special container built into the body collects scale and limescale deposits, thereby maintaining high performance and extending the service life of the equipment. All you have to do is clean it periodically. Thanks to its anti-scale protection, the iron allows you to use tap water straight from the tap. The auto-shut-off feature ensures safety: the device will turn off automatically after 8 minutes of inactivity. In addition, most users will positively appreciate the long 3-meter cord, which eliminates the need to organize a workplace right next to the outlet.