An iron is an essential home appliance that you must have. Everyone in your family, be it a student, professional, or office worker, needs freshly ironed clothes to make a good impression. Wearing wrinkle-free and neatly ironed clothes makes you appear smart and reflects your charm and personality.
If you are looking to buy an electric iron online or at the store, you would know there are different types and models. And it can be confusing which type of iron is the best. As a first-time buyer, it would be helpful to understand the difference between the steam iron and dry iron so that you can make the right choice.
In this blog, we compare both types of iron for clothes, and you can then decide which is better suited for your ironing needs.
Water Tank
One of the most prominent and conspicuous differentiating factors between dry and steam iron is the water tank. A steam iron has a small built-in water storage tank for heating and steaming.
The water tank in the steamer iron for clothes usually has a capacity of about 150 ml, which you can use to sprinkle on the clothes before pressing the hot iron or to steam the clothes, especially those made from delicate fabric, and to make them crease-free.
Whereas, in dry iron, there is no built-in water tank. It works by heating the surface to a specific temperature based on the setting you choose and smoothens the fabric.
Power Consumption
Generally, a steam iron has a higher wattage and, therefore, consumes a higher amount of power compared to a regular dry iron. This is because a steam iron needs more power to heat the soleplate and the water to produce steam.
On the other hand, a regular dry heavyweight or lightweight iron like the Vesta 1200 Watt GD 201 Lightweight Automatic Dry Iron offered by Wipro Appliances consumes less power and produces sufficient heat to press the clothes neatly and smoothly.
Soleplate
Another significant distinguishing factor between dry iron and steam iron is the soleplate. Generally, all iron boxes have a soleplate made of high-quality metals like copper or iron. These plates have a solid and smooth metallic finish.
Some of the best steam irons for clothes, like the Vesta 1380 Watt Cordless Steam Iron by Wipro Appliances, come with a ceramic coating on the soleplate for smoother operations and ease of ironing. Also, the coating prevents overheating of the plate and avoid damaging or burning the clothes due to excessive heat.
The steam irons have a perforated soleplate, which allows the steam to pass through, allowing you to spray steam on the fabric. However, this makes it difficult to clean.
The sole plate of dry irons is also made of tough material. It has a smooth coating with no holes on the surface, which makes it easy to clean.
Spraying Function
In term of functionality, the steam and dry iron are quite different. The steam irons have a spraying function that allows you to spray water over the clothes while ironing or you can even spray steam to smoothen out the creases.
These irons have a switch on the handle that allows you to easily use the spray function. And the steam coming from the iron softens the fabric that makes ironing easy and faster.
As the term itself says, a dry iron does not have a steam or mist-spraying function. It has a simple operation method. You simply adjust the temperature setting as desired according to the fabric of the clothes you are ironing, and you get perfectly ironed clothes.
Easy of use
In steam iron, you must fill the water tank, and it may take some time for the water to get heated and produce steam. For some users, especially the old aged ones. But some of the modern models, like the Vesta 1380 Watt Cordless Steam Iron by Wipro Appliances, take about one minute to heat the water and produce steam.
Dry ironing machines are perhaps one of the most easy-to-use home appliances. You just need to plug in the iron box. You don’t need any additional setting other than adjusting the temperature button and setting it according to the fabric.
Other features
Typically, a steam iron has a wide range of features like steam and water sprayer, LED light indicator, temperature setting, etc. These features allow you to customise the setting and get an enriching ironing experience.
In contrast, the dry irons have limited features like a temperature know and 360-degree swivel cord, which make them easy to use.
Usage
Your choice of iron largely depends on the usage. If you iron your clothes regularly or every day, buying a steam iron would be better as it has many features and allows quick and best ironing results. Also, by using the steam functionality, you can keep the quality of the clothes maintained for long.
If you don’t iron your clothes regularly or are looking for an iron box that is easy to use and has simple functionality, dry iron would be the best choice.
So, there is no definitive answer to whether a steam iron is better than a dry iron or vice versa. You must know your needs, have a budget in mind, and purchase one accordingly.