Welcome back to the Gentleman's Gazette.
In today's video, we'll discuss two implements for making your clothing look it's best: irons
and steamers, the pros and cons of each, and which might be best for you.
If you follow the Gentleman's Gazette for any length of time, you're probably aware
that how you wear your clothing is just as important, if not, more so than the clothing
itself.
What do we mean by this?
Simply put, just because you might be able to afford designer labels, that doesn't mean that they're going
to look good on you if the fit is poor or if the garments are improperly cared for.
We've covered fit in a number of other videos but today's video is another installment in
our long-running garment care series covering two appliances designed to eliminate unsightly
wrinkles from your clothing -- the iron, and the garment steamer.
Each of these works in a different way and has its own advantages and disadvantages.
But before we get to a head to head comparison, let's cover a bit of history.
We'll start with the clothes iron, also called the steam iron or flat iron which is an appliance
that when heated is used to press the wrinkles out of clothing.
Metal pans, filled with hot coals were used to smooth out fabrics as far back as the
First Century B.C.E in China.
Fast forward to the 17th century, where handles were attached to thick, triangular slabs of
cast iron, which were then heated in fires or on stovetops.
Other designs, instead of solid cast iron slabs were box irons that could either be filled
with hot coals or heated iron rods.
By the late 19th or early 20th centuries, there were many irons in use that were heated using
fuels such as kerosene, ethanol, whale oil, natural gas, or even gasoline.
Some houses were equipped with a system of pipes to distribute gases to different rooms
in order to operate different appliances such as irons, in addition to lights in the home.
And despite the fire risk, liquid-fuel irons were sold at least in the United States and
in rural areas up to about World War II --at which point they were largely supplanted by
newer electric-powered irons.
The invention of the resistively heated electric iron is credited to Henry W. Seeley of New
York City in 1882, however.
Meanwhile, credit for the invention of the steam iron goes to Thomas Sears.
The first commercially available electric steam iron was introduced in 1926 by the Eldec company
of New York, but it wasn't initially a commercial success.
The patent for an electric steam iron was issued to a Max Skolnik of Chicago in 1934.
Four years later, in 1938, Skolnik granted the Steam-O-Matic Corporation of New York
the exclusive right to manufacture steam-electric irons.
It was these irons that achieved popularity and led the way to a more widespread use of
electric steam ironing during the 1940s and '50s, which continues up to the present day.
Meanwhile, commercial fabric steamers have been available since the early 1900s; employed
early on by professional cleaners before spreading to home usage but compact models are a fairly
modern innovation.
Some sources indicate that more portable models came about because of the popularity of men's
hats in the first half of the 20th century.
At the time many people use a tea kettle to steam out wrinkles in their hats or to re-block
them.
Garment steamers made this job much easier.
Today's fabric steamers come in three basic sizes: the commercial floor models used at
dry cleaners and manufacturing plants; the mid-sized models for home or small businesses
like tailors; and the most recent evolution of the fabric streamer which would be the mini steamers
used for quick touch-ups and for travel.
There's our historical section out of the way.
With that said then, how does each appliance work, more specifically?
Again, starting with the iron, most domestic irons typically range in operating temperature
between 250 °F which is 121 °C to about 360 °F or 182 °C.
Ironing works by loosening the bonds between long chains of molecules that exist in fibrous
materials like fabrics.
With the heat and the weight of the ironing plate, the fabrics are stretched and then
maintain their new shape after they cool.
The hot plate or sole plate is typically made of polished aluminum or stainless steel and
can sometimes be coated with a friction and heat-resistant plastic.
The heating element is controlled by a thermostat that switches the current on and off at a
certain rate to maintain the desired temperature.
In the case of the steamer and as the name implies, steam is the primary agent to remove
wrinkles from garments rather than heavy pressure.
The steam, sometimes along with slight pressure from the steam's surface, relaxes the fiber
of the garment rather than flattening it.
A jet of steam, (either from a wand at the end of a hose, or a smaller, compact
unit) is generally directed at the surface of garment which can be hung from a hanger.
As we said, the steamer is generally held a bit away from the fabric but more pressure
can be applied if necessary.
To generate steam, steamers typically heat their water to anywhere between 200 and 400
degrees Fahrenheit, though the larger stand-up models will usually allow for a temperature control.
The higher settings are typically used to steam wrinkles out of denser, sturdier fabrics
like cotton and linen while cooler settings are used for more fragile fabrics.
Portable steamers are typically without temperature controls and as such, they tend to run cooler
on average.
Simply put then, both irons and steamers use heat to remove wrinkles from clothing though
an iron uses the aid of pressure where a steamer uses the aid of moisture in addition to the
force of gravity.
Most modern irons now have steaming functions as well to take advantage of using
moisture.
But this doesn't mean steamers are obsolete, far from it in fact.
Those are the general mechanics of these two appliances.
Now, let's cover the pros and cons.
An iron is going to provide a clean and crisp finish overall and will be more efficient
than steaming on heavy and durable fibers and weaves, like linen, wool, and denim.
It's ideal for any garment in need of a sharp crease, like dress pants for instance, and
should also work well on dress shirts.
An iron will also provide greater control and precision given that you'll be able to easily
maneuver the solid plate rather than the more random dispersal that steam will provide.
In terms of drawbacks, irons are easy to use on smooth fabrics and large expanses of fabric
but they're going to be trickier on things like sleeves, pleats, and curved surfaces.
There are workarounds for this of course, such as using things like a tailor's ham or a sleeve board
but this is obviously going to require extra equipment.
On that note though, be sure to watch our video on essential ironing materials, as well
as our series on how to iron different kinds of garments.
You can find our ironing playlist, here.
Perhaps the biggest drawback of irons is that they post a greater risk of burning or otherwise
marking clothes if they're left in place for too long.
Finally here, everything required for the ironing process will take up more real estate
in your home.
Not just because of the accessories we just mentioned, but also because of the ironing
board.
While you can get away by placing a towel over a flat surface like a table in a pinch,
having a true ironing board is of course, ideal.
And while most ironing boards can be folded and stored, the fact of the matter is that
all of your ironing equipment is still going take up a bit of room.
Meanwhile, steamers work especially well for heat-sensitive materials like silk and synthetics
as well as delicate materials like wool, velvet, and corduroy.
With that said though, steamers do have the ability to remove wrinkles from almost any
kind of fabric, with a minimal risk of scorching.
They're ideal for freshening up items between washes and they do well with garments where
iron would be unwieldy, like structured jackets.
The newer, portable-sized steamers while not necessarily as powerful as their stand-up
counterparts, are ideal for travel as well.
Also, most steamers are easy to use.
The user simply needs to hang up their garment, fill the steamer’s water reservoir and plug
it in, wait for a few minutes, and then go over the article with a sweeping motion, allowing
the steam from the wand to straighten out any wrinkles.
Steamers are generally faster than irons as well, as you don’t have to lay your garments
out on a flat surface and keep re-positioning them as you work.
Whether hand-held or stand-up, steamers typically aren't going to take up as much room as
an ironing setup either.
When using a steamer with a hanging garment, you won’t create creases as you aren’t
flattening the fabric against a hard surface and you’ll easily be able to see how the garment
naturally hangs.
This is in contrast to an iron, where if you've got multiple layers of fabric on top of one
another, you might be wrinkling one portion while smoothing out another.
Steamers, therefore, are generally going to be more user-friendly overall.
Disadvantages of steamers, meanwhile, include having to spend more time on thicker fabrics,
not being able to set creases as exactly, and possibly tiring out your operating arm
depending on how much time you’re spending and how many garments you’re steaming.
It is also possible to over-steam as well at which point you might start to loosen the
seams on some garments.
Before we reach our final verdict then, let’s sum up and cover some general safety tips
for both irons and steamers.
First, neither appliance is recommended for leather, suede, waxed fabrics, or anything
that might melt when heated.
It’s always a good idea then to check the cleaning guidelines on your garment’s tags
before attempting to use an iron or a steamer on them.
When in doubt, it’s always a safer choice to go with a cooler operating temperature especially
when using an iron.
And of course, whether you’re using an iron or a steamer, you should always be aware of
where the heated components are in relation to your skin so you don’t burn yourself.
You’ll want to avoid touching the plate and the steam nozzle on an iron and avoid
putting your opposite hand in the path of the steam from asteamer’s head.
Monitor both appliances and always remember to turn them off once you’ve completed your
work.
Some irons and steamers do include automatic shut off functions but you shouldn’t always
rely on these.
Finally, it’s important to keep children and pets away from either of these appliances
when they’re in use.
So then, with all that’s been said, which is the better appliance?
The iron, or the steamer?
The answer is, we recommend both.
You might not be surprised to hear it, given everything we’ve laid out in this video,
but the fact of the matter is that each appliance has its own best uses, where the other would
be lacking.
In short, an iron is better if results matter to you.
While ironing takes a bit longer and requires a bit more expertise, it provides a level
of polish a steamer can’t.
Meanwhile, a steamer is easier to use, more versatile overall, and provides generally
good results on both delicate and average weight fabrics.
It’s ideal for touch-ups and for use while traveling.
The well-prepared gentleman then should ideally have an iron and a steamer in his garment
care arsenal.
In today’s video, I’m wearing a casual outfit good for doing some garment care around
the house.
I’m working monochromatically here within the grayscale as you can see by my black cardigan
sweater made more casual with its two front pockets and my gray and white stripe shirt.
The shirt does have some French cuffs, but I’m wearing a simple black links in them
and I’ve got the cuffs configured in a barrel style so that they fit better under the sweater
sleeves.
My trousers are plain gray in a medium to charcoal gray shade and my shoes are plain
black penny loafers from Allen Edmonds.
And rounding out today’s outfit are my socks, which are from Fort Belvedere.
They’re also in a dark gray color but their burgundy and white clock pattern provides
a little bit of additional visual interest.
You can find the socks as well as wide variety of other accessories, in the Fort Belvedere shop here.