Best Ironing Boards 2024

One of probably the least favourite household chores has to be ironing. And with societal norms being what they are now, less people are bothering with ironing their clothes. But if you have pride in your appearance and it matters to you how smart your family presents themselves to the outside world, then you’re in good company.

“Clothes maketh the man” according to an ancient Babylonian saying and it still rings true today. You can judge a man’s character based on how he dresses and how much care he’s taken in his appearance. So if you want to look and feel your best, you’re going to have to sacrifice some of your time and energy on ironing.

There is something almost therapeutic about ironing, it’s usually a solitary task, peace and quiet and the ironing. Maybe you do your ironing in front of the TV while catching up on the programs you missed. Wherever you do your ironing a decent ironing board will make the job easier and more enjoyable.

Best Selling Ironing Boards UK

Why Use An Ironing Board

Some people just use the dining room or kitchen table to do the ironing, and that’s fine. But it can cause problems, maybe the table has an unnoticed spillage, or a stain that is always there, but will that stain be loosened with the heat of an iron? If you use a steam iron you are not only in danger of damaging the table, but also the steam will not travel through the table like it does on specially designed ironing boards.

What Are The Benefits Of An Ironing Board

The ironing board is a common enough object and most homes own one, but why exactly do we use one, what advantages over the dining table do they have? Let’s have a look at the benefits of an ironing board.

Adjustable Height

Most ironing boards have this feature, it allows you to iron comfortably, without stooping or bending. Which should prevent back,neck, and shoulder pain if ironing the weeks washing.

Smooth Ironing Surface

Ironing boards are designed for one specific task, ironing. To this end they have a perfectly smooth surface to allow your iron to glide easily over the clothes.

Heat Resistance

An ironing board is designed to withstand heat, the surface is heat resistant, there’s no fear of the heat warping the table top if you’re using an ironing board.

Iron Stand

Almost all ironing boards come with a stand attached to place the iron between ironing. This allows you to safely adjust the clothing without fear of burning yourself, the table, or a loved one.

Portability

You’re not stuck in one room with an ironing board, you can choose any room you like(as long as there’s a plug socket). This allows you to do the ironing in any room, maybe your husband/wife has most of the clothes that need ironing, you can iron in the room with their clothes cupboards and prevent them from creasing again by hanging up their clothes immediately after ironing.

You know how it is, if ironing downstairs and you get distracted after finishing and the freshly laundered and ironed clothes are perched on the arm of a chair, and either a child or a pet decides that’s where they want to lay.

What Are The Disadvantages Of An Ironing Board

The disadvantages of an ironing board should not be a problem, you see the problems with ironing boards are the particular model doesn’t suit you. It doesn’t meet your needs and this is easily fixed by considering the points in our buyers guide and purchasing the right ironing board in the first place.

The 4 Types Of Ironing Board

Now let’s start to consider getting you the perfect ironing board for your requirements and comfort. It turns out there are 4 main types of ironing board. These are,

Wall Mounted Ironing Boards

The design of these is similar to wall mounted beds, they are attached to a wall on hinges and can be secured up against the wall when not in use. This might be a suitable choice for you, but you need to consider the following points. They can’t be moved to another room, they’re not adjustable so will only be the right height for one member of the family. Plus they are permanently on display, and if that doesn’t bother you, remember they will collect dust.

Over The Door Ironing Boards

These combine the portability of a portable ironing board with the space saving design of a wall mounted ironing board. They can be moved from room to room and mounted on any door. But they are not as adjustable as a regular ironing board or as robust.

Table Top Ironing Boards

Table top ironing boards do exactly as the name implies, they are placed on the table top when you need to iron, and are packed away when not in use. They sound ideal, but they’re generally much smaller than a regular ironing board and are not very easy to use. They’re OK for the odd bits and pieces but are not recommended for a whole wash load of ironing.

Portable Ironing Boards

These are the most popular type of ironing board, and with good reason. Portable ironing boards can be moved from room to room easily, they can be folded flat for convenient storage, and most have adjustable heights for comfort. 

If space is an issue and you don’t intend to do much ironing, you might consider the table top board. If you are the only one going to do the ironing and don’t want to lug the board about you might decide on the wall mounted board.

Again if space is tight but you want more flexibility an over the door type board might be your choice. 

But in all honesty, the most versatile ironing board and the most popular is the portable ironing board.

What Ironing Board Will Suit Your Iron

Do you use a regular iron, a steam iron, or a steam generator iron? The answer to this question will determine the best ironing board for you.

Regular electric irons, the ones with no steam can use any type of ironing board. That’s not to say that any ironing board will do, just that these irons have less requirements.More on this below.

Steam Irons are more efficient working with an ironing board that has a metal mesh below the ironing board cover so the steam can pass through and evaporate easily.

Steam generator irons need heavy duty, larger ironing boards with larger than average iron stands to support the base unit.

Ironing Board Buyers Guide

That covers the types of iron now let’s look at the main points to consider before buying an ironing board.

Price

Ironing boards range in price from around £10 to around £150 this is dependent on size, durability, suitability and accessories. It’s definitely not a case of the cheapest is the best or the worst, there are many other factors to be considered that will no doubt affect the price.

Convenience Of Use

The ironing board you choose should be the right size to fit in your home easily, be light enough to be portable and strong enough to take the amount of weight and work you’re going to give it. 

Durability

Look at the materials it’s made from, how strong it is, the design, and does it wobble. Remember you’re going to be using this at least every week, so it needs to be strong enough to do the job.

Weight

Remember that it’s probably you who are going to have to deal with the ironing board on a regular basis and whilst it’s important that it’s strong enough and large enough to do what you need, it doesn’t want to be too heavy. You need a portable ironing board that’s easy for you to move around, and will not tire you out before you even start ironing.

Size

The size of the ironing board is an important factor and is dependent on a few things. For instance what clothing items you intend to iron on it. How wide and long is the ironing area? As a guide, in the UK, ironing boards generally come in the following sizes and are classified by capital letters for ease of reference:

Size	Definition	Dimensions
A	The smallest ironing board	110×30 cm
B	The medium-sized ironing board	124×38 cm
C	The large ironing board	124×45 cm
D	The extra large ironing board	135×45 cm
E	The specialist or 2 extra-large ironing board	135×49 cm

Other things to consider with the board size is storage, wider boards need more space for instance, also the height can cause problems if you store your ironing board in a cupboard with specific height limits.

Height Adjustment

We are all different sizes so most ironing board manufacturers make boards with various height adjustments for convenience, many even have a height variable for ironing while sitting down.

Board Suitability

We mentioned earlier the type of iron you use, this will definitely be a deciding factor in the type of ironing board you choose. If you just use a basic iron, then any type of board will do.

 If you use a steam iron you will need to consider a mesh board that allows steam to pass through it easily and evaporate. 

If you prefer a steam generator iron you will need a heavy duty ironing board with a substantial stand to support the base unit. Plus a stronger design is preferable for steam generator irons.

Also if you use a steam iron or a steam generator iron you should consider an ironing board made from metal and coated in an anti rust material like plastic. 

Iron Rest

Not all boards have an iron rest, they are not considered a necessity, but an iron rest might suit your ironing style. And with a steam generator iron an iron rest is a must.

Sleeve Attachment

Not a regular piece of kit when it comes to ironing boards, but extremely useful if you have lots of shirts to iron. The sleeve attachment makes it much easier to iron shirt sleeves,so if you iron a lot of shirts you might find it useful. Would it be of benefit to you?

Hanging Rack

Another feature offered by some manufacturers is a hanging rack, this is particularly useful if you have a large amount of ironing to do. They allow you the option of hanging freshly ironed clothing, keeping them crease free until you have time to hang them up.

Folding Rack

Like the hanging rack, some companies offer a folding rack as an option for folding and storing ironed clothes on temporarily to prevent creasing until you finish ironing.

Cable Tidy

Some boards have the option of a flex holder or cable tidy to keep the cable away from the iron holder and the board saving you the frustration of a twisted or caught up power cord.

These will only work with regular or steam irons, and are not suited for use with steam generator irons.

Ironing Board Covers

The cover that’s fitted to your ironing board is an important feature, and worth careful consideration in its own right. The cover should be a tight fit, with no rucks or creases. It should ideally be scorch resistant and have a good padded surface. 

Some have reflective surfaces that reflect heat from the ironing board back into the clothes making the job faster and easier. Some have been silicone coated for stain prevention and some even have a non-stick coating to stop clothing from clinging to the ironing board.

As a general rule, the thicker the padding the better the ironing board cover. The best padding is considered by many experts to be made of felt, and covered with either cotton or silicone.

Whilst ironing board covers are replaceable, it’s best to get the board with the most suitable cover for your needs in the first place to avoid any disappointment and added expense.

Brand

It’s always best to buy an ironing board or an ironing board cover from a well known, old, established company. Their products will be better made, and more reliable than some unknown, unheard of company.

Guarantee

Many ironing boards come with a manufacturer’s guarantee, most of these are for 10 years. Any guarantee is only as good as the company that gives it. That’s why you should buy from a reputable company, one that will be around for 10 years, should anything go wrong.

Frequently Asked Questions