Many people do not mind going hiking with a wrinkled t-shirt, especially while being on vacation. However the situation changes if one is travelling for a conference, business travel or a wedding. In such cases, having a wrinkle free dress shirt is essential. It is fairly easy for shirts to get wrinkled in luggage and the thing is that many hotels do not provide ironing facilities. In such cases, a travel iron becomes very handy.
Most travel irons are fairly inexpensive and one can easily find a few models for sale on Amazon:
Swan SI3070N Travel Iron – Having an average customer rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars, the Swan SI3070N is the highest rated travel iron on Amazon.com.uk. More than one reviewer wrote that this is a “great little iron” and one user even wrote that she prefers to use this small iron than with her standard size one.
The Swan travel iron includes features available in the larger models as it has a variable temperature control, stainless steel soleplate, warm up indicator light and a steam button. This iron has a capacity of 100ml and comes complete with pouch. The SI3070N supports dual voltages of 110/120V and 220/240V, which means that is can be used practically anywhere in the world. This iron has a power rating of 900W or 1100W, depending on the voltage.
The water tank on the SI37070N can hold up to 100ml (3.4oz) of water, which is pretty good when considering the small size. Currently sold at £14.33, which includes free delivery to the UK, the Swan SI3070N is a really cheap travel iron when considering the features it includes and the high user rating.
Russell Hobbs 14033 Travel Iron – This small iron is another good seller on Amazon.co.uk. Costing £11.40 as of today, it is slightly cheaper than the Swan SI3070N. However the water container is a bit smaller at 80ml. Having said this, one reviewer wrote that it is possible to iron 6 pieces of garment before having to refill the iron.
The 14033 comes with a 1.8m (70.9in) cable, a measuring jug and supports dual voltages. On the negative side is the fact that it does not include a cover for the water sprout and according to one customer, this causes water to splash on the clothes while ironing.
SteamFast SF-717 Home-and-Away Mini Steam Iron – The SF-717 has a high number of positive reviews on Amazon.com. The water tank can hold up to 1.4oz (41ml of water), which is not that great but still enough to iron 2 or 3 items before refilling. On the positive side is the fact that it only heats up in 15 seconds and the fact that it includes a pretty long cable.
The temperature on the SF-717 is variable. This steam iron comes with a measuring cup and a heat-resistance travel bag. The SF-717 supports dual voltages but on the negative side is the fact that it is only sold in the USA. Also on the minus side is the fact that it only has a power rating of 420W and thus the steam is not very powerful. The SteamFast SF-717 Mini Steam Iron has a selling price of $26.29, which includes free shipping to anywhere in the US.
Sunbeam GCSBTR-100 Travel Iron – Weighing less than 1lb (0.45kg) and measuring only 6.5 inches (16.5cm) from front to rear, the Sunbeam GCSBTR-100 is a great compact iron for people who travel. Reviewers on Amazon.com were particularly impressed with the speed at which this little iron heats up. One particular reviewer wrote that he tried this iron on a heavily wrinkled piece of canvas and he was very satisfied with the result.
Another Amazon customer wrote that he owned four traveller irons in the past but the GCSBTR-100 is the first traveller iron that does not leak water. This small iron has a dual voltage capability and a power rating of 800W. The Sunbeam GCSBTR-100 is incredibly cheap at $10.04, which includes free shipping in the US. However it not shipped outside of the States.