An ironing board is, without doubt, a mundane item of household equipment to which the majority of people give very little thought. However, it is an essential item for any household and, if you choose the wrong one, then you might end up with badly pressed garments, take more time than you need to when ironing and even put unnecessary strain on your back.

Nowadays, the majority of people use steam irons – or even steam generator irons which are growing in popularity due to the fact that they can reduce the amount of time required for ironing. For both of these types of irons an ironing board which has a surface of open mesh construction is desirable. The mesh structure allows the steam to pass through the board, which helps to avoid condensation and soggy garments and ironing board covers when ironing large amounts of items.

The ironing board cover should be as smooth as possible to make ironing easier. It should be well secured and have no tendency to slip. An elasticated cover which incorporates one or two cross ties will usually suffice and will not slide around on you when you’re doing your ironing. A nice shiny metalised cover will also reflect heat from the iron back into the garment and will help to remove creases from the underside of the material whilst the top surface is being pressed.

The shape and size of the board will depend upon what you generally iron. A smaller board may be easier to manipulate and store – but it will generally require more repositioning of the item being ironed. A good taper on the pointed end will be useful for getting into corners – the shoulders of shirts and blouses for example – and will also be good for collars.

Height adjustable scissor action legs are pretty standard these days. Make sure the range of height adjustment is suitable for you and set the board at a height which doesn’t cause you any pain or discomfort in your back, neck or shoulders. If you prefer to iron sitting down (many people do) then it’s a good idea to choose a board which has curved legs. That way your knees won’t bump against the legs when you’re seated. A broad T-piece type of foot, or splayed feet with a connecting bar, will provide a good solid platform for you to iron on.

The iron support, usually positioned at the end of the board, should be strong enough to take the weight of your iron. For conventional steam irons a wire frame type of arrangement is usually okay. Steam generator irons tend to weigh a bit more as the base unit usually contains a greater volume of water. A heat resistant plate on a slightly extended board surface may be better in this case. Alternatively, many steam generator irons are supplied with hoses which are long enough to allow the iron’s base unit to be positioned on the floor.

Have a look at our Tefal steam generator iron buyer’s guide and learn how you can snap up a bargain and cut the amount of time you spend ironing.