Titanium iron sole: pros and cons
One of the components of a neat appearance is well-ironed clothes. Due to the varied composition of the fiber, the use of synthetic threads, and the presence of stamped patterns applied to the surface of the fabric, ironing an item can sometimes be quite problematic. Of course, no one doubts that every self-respecting housewife knows how to fine-tune things. But to make this process easier for yourself, it is better to use a high-quality iron. And the first thing you need to pay attention to when buying a device is its sole. After all, it is she who comes into contact with clothing and ensures ease of sliding and results.
The content of the article
Features of titanium iron sole
The titanium sole of the iron is a base made of high-strength steel, on top of which a layer of titanium is applied. Titanium belongs to the group of metals and has high resistance to mechanical damage, wear resistance, and low thermal conductivity.
Thanks to these qualities of the metal, the iron becomes more convenient to use. But if you compare it with other options, doing this objectively today is problematic. After all, titanium began to be used in the production of irons quite recently.
Therefore, a titanium sole is a “dark horse” that will reveal itself a little later, when will last for several years and will most clearly express all its obvious advantages and possible disadvantages.
Reference! In addition, not all brands currently produce irons with such a coating.
pros
The advantages of titanium coating when used for ironing include:
- Resistance to mechanical damage (wear resistance). In order to scratch this metal, considerable effort must be made. Therefore, zippers, metal buttons, and locks on things do not leave scratches. In addition, if you drop such an iron, it will remain intact. Unlike ceramic products, which can simply crack if dropped.
- Titanium has a low coefficient of friction, so it is sufficient glides well on different fabrics. And if you add the absence of scratches from mechanical damage, then the glide becomes even better.
- Long service life – the hardness, strength and low destructibility of the metal ensure that the product can be used for its intended purpose for a very long time without losing its qualities.
- Non-stick effect. The titanium alloy sole has pronounced non-stick properties. Thanks to this, it is almost impossible to ruin clothes. If you keep the iron low and hot on the fabric for too long, a yellowish burnt stain will form. But complete burning is practically excluded.
- Uniform heating over the entire surface of the sole. Titanium heats up quite evenly, and the temperature is distributed equally - from the nose to the base of the sole. Thanks to this, ironing becomes better: any hard-to-reach places, such as ruffles, flaps, gathers and folds, become accessible.
Minuses
But, despite a lot of positive aspects, still an iron with a titanium sole has certain disadvantages:
- Long heating time. Due to the low thermal conductivity of metal, you will have to wait a certain time after turning on the iron for the sole to completely warm up. The same goes for cooling. Compared to aluminum, ceramics and cermets, titanium takes much longer to cool down.
- Amount of electricity consumed. Due to the longer heating period, more electricity is naturally consumed. But that's not all. Due to the specifics of the metal, maintaining the temperature in it also requires more energy.
- Increased mass. Due to the fact that in this design of the iron the sole consists of two layers of metal - stainless steel and titanium, the weight of the product increases significantly. Therefore, when ironing you will have to put in effort, which will be especially felt by teenagers and women. This difference is especially noticeable when compared with a ceramic or aluminum sole.
- Price. Titanium coating is one of the latest developments, so the price of such irons is much higher.
Reference! If we take into account the longer operation declared by the manufacturer, then most likely the price will later justify itself.
Buying tips
When purchasing, you need to pay attention to the following factors:
- The massiveness of the iron. The titanium sole itself will be quite heavy.
- Provide presence of functions – vertical steaming, levels of steaming and steam output, etc.
- Spout shape: thanks to it, it is possible to iron hard-to-reach places.
- Ergonomic handle – this is an important detail: since the mass of the iron is quite large, the convenience of the handle plays a key role. It is the correct design that will allow the hand to avoid overexertion.
Important! Location of steam outlets.For high-quality ironing of the most remote and hard-to-reach areas of clothing, the holes must be located evenly over the entire surface, including the nose.
When buying an iron, you should not save money. After all, a high-quality, high-tech product from a trusted manufacturer will not only last longer, but also iron things better.