Comparison Tefal Ultimate Pure FV 9865 vs Philips PerfectCare Expert Plus GC 8942

— Household. Ordinary irons, designed for everyday household use. They can have different capacities and sizes, which allows you to easily select a device for almost any need, from an unpretentious bachelor's life to a large family.

— Travel (compact). As the name suggests, these are irons designed to be used while traveling and designed to be constantly transported. They are compact, light weight, often equipped with a folding handle. The power of such irons is usually small (rarely exceeds 1500 W), and they are poorly suited for permanent domestic use.

— With steam generator. These household irons feature a unique component—a steam generator connected to the iron via a special hose. This setup enables prolonged steam ironing for several hours. However, the primary drawback is their bulkiness.

— Ironing system. These sets include an iron, a steam generator, and a dedicated ironing board. The steam generator and iron are securely fixed onto the board, ensuring maximum convenience and safety during use. The ironing board itself is designed for efficient moisture removal and often comes with additional features like suction, blowing, and/or heating (refer to "Ironing Board" for more details). The main drawback of ironing systems is their high cost. Consequently, for domestic use, acquiring such a setup may not be pr...actical. However, in professional settings like laundries or ateliers, an ironing system can be indispensable.

— Ironer. The classic ironer consists of two surfaces that can be tightly pressed together. The lower surface serves as an ironing board, while the upper one handles the ironing process. Depending on the model, the upper half of the press, or both surfaces, can heat up. The key distinction from traditional irons lies in the fixed working surface, preventing fabric movement or stretching during processing. With a large working area, these devices offer high-speed ironing, suitable even for sizable items like bed linen. However, they are limited in tasks involving fabric contraction, stretching due to heating, or handling bulky items. Ironers are best suited for large-scale classic ironing and processing numerous large items, making them valuable in settings such as hotel and sanatorium laundries.
Note that ironers in our catalog also include various devices that do not fit into any of the other categories — for example, industrial-level roller ironing systems. However, such devices are relatively rare.

The power consumed by the device during operation.

In general, more powerful models are considered more advanced — at least because the high power speeds up the time to heat up to operating temperature and allows you to achieve higher steam performance. On the other hand, such power significantly affects the dimensions, weight and price.

Among classic irons, power up to 1500 W corresponds to the entry level, it is mainly typical for travel models. An indicator of 1500 – 2000 W is considered average, and values of 2000 W and more are typical mainly for professional devices. In the presence of a steam generator, the power increases noticeably, and among ironing systems and presses there are models with a power of up to 6 – 7 kW.

Iron soleplate cover. This surface is in direct contact with the fabric, and therefore the type of coating is one of the most important characteristics.

— Aluminium. Aluminium, being a simple and cost-effective choice, offers advantages such as low weight and rapid heating. However, it is prone to quick scratching, diminishing ironing quality and potentially damaging processed fabrics. Overheating may cause aluminium to stick to fabric, posing cleaning challenges. As a result, "pure" aluminium is often found in the most budget-friendly or compact irons. Some manufacturers employ special technologies in aluminium soleplates to mitigate these drawbacks to some extent.

— Stainless steel. Inexpensive and at the same time very practical material, the most common version of the metal soleplate in modern irons. True to its name, "stainless steel" is highly resistant to corrosion, yet it is durable, free of scratches and burrs, glides well and is easy to clean. Of the significant shortcomings of this material, one can only note a rather large weight.

— Ceramic. The main advantage of ceramics is that it glides much better than steel or aluminium. In addition, this material is easy to clean and practically does not scratch. On the other hand, ceramic soleplates are quite fragile and can break or chip from a strong impact.

— Metal-ceramic. Material generally similar to the ceramics described above; may be somewhat stronger due to the addition of metals, but in fact it all depends on the specific composition.

— Tourmaline. Another type of ceramic material containing tourmaline is a natural semi-precious stone. A feature of tourmaline soleplates is a natural antistatic effect, which is especially useful when ironing light fabrics: such fabrics will not stick to the soleplate due to static charge.

— Titanium/ceramics. Metal-ceramic (see above), which includes titanium. This metal is characterized by high strength and wear resistance, which has a positive effect on the overall reliability of the soleplate.

— Teflon. Teflon (polytetrafluoroethylene) enables smooth gliding of the iron over fabric and offers non-stick properties. This coating is easily cleaned, resists sticking to clothes, and remains relatively clean even in situations like overheating and burning through materials. However, a notable drawback of Teflon is its high sensitivity to scratches, necessitating caution when ironing items with metal buttons, fasteners, or decorative elements.

— Non- stick. This category includes all types of non-teflon non-stick coatings (see above). The specific composition and properties of such a coating may be different. For example, in some models it is the same PTFE, just not called Teflon (the word "Teflon" is a registered trademark and may not be used without permission). In addition, there are other materials. A common feature of all such coatings is that almost no dirt sticks to them, which greatly simplifies the cleaning of the soleplate.

— Titanium. One of the most advanced options. Titanium is extremely durable and virtually unaffected by chips and scratches, even from falls and other serious "accidents". On the other hand, it does not heat up very quickly, but is very expensive. Therefore, such a coating is rare, mainly in premium irons.

— Enamelled. Typically, these soleplates feature a stainless steel base with a specialized enamel coating. The enamel composition is chosen for both smooth gliding and durability. The primary advantage lies in the reliability of this coating, which is highly resistant to scratches—many enameled soleplates can withstand cleaning with metal brushes. However, it's worth noting that irons with such coatings come with a corresponding higher cost.

The presence in the delivery set of the iron of a special nozzle for delicate fabrics — silk, cotton, etc. Such a nozzle has a smooth surface, and is also designed in such a way as to exclude heating above a certain temperature and the ingress of accidental drops on the fabric when working in the steaming mode. All this prevents tissue damage and allows you to gently and effectively iron them. The nozzle for delicate fabrics is removable and attached to the sole with clips.

Many irons have special settings for sensitive materials, which can eliminate this feature. However, if you have to deal with delicate fabrics often and a lot, it is still advisable to choose an iron with a nozzle.

The maximum steam pressure provided by the iron in constant steam mode. The higher the steam pressure, the better the iron handles with thick fabrics that are poorly permeable to moisture. Note that most modern irons have a steam boost function — in this mode, the steam pressure almost doubles for a short time. Therefore, for domestic use, in most cases, a pressure of 3-4 bar will be sufficient, such irons can easily cope with ordinary fabrics, and for especially thick ones, you can use a steam boost. But in the professional field, it is recommended to use models with more powerful steamers.

The steam supply power provided by an iron is essentially the amount of steam supplied by the device per minute. In most modern irons, the intensity of steaming can be adjusted, so this item usually indicates the maximum power value.

The more steam the iron supplies, the more intense the effect on the fabric, the more dense and rigid materials can be effectively smoothed out without resorting to a steam boost (see below). On the other hand, high performance significantly affects the price, dimensions and weight of the iron. Accordingly, it is worth choosing according to this indicator taking into account the planned method of application — especially since the full power of steam is far from always required, and in special cases the same steam boost can be used.

In travel and simple household irons, the productivity is about 15 – 30 g/min. More than 30 g/min corresponds to enhanced steaming, and the most advanced devices, mainly for professional use, are capable of producing 60 g/min or more (the so-called “turbo mode”).

The steam power supplied by the iron in boost mode.

The steam power is the amount of steam the iron produces per minute. See above for more information on the general meaning of this parameter. And the steam boost mode is a mode of enhanced steaming, when the iron practically “shoots” with a boost of steam; "shot" is usually made by pressing a special button. Steam boost allows you to achieve an intense effect that is not available with conventional steaming; such an impact can be useful, for example, to smooth out heavily rumpled fabrics that would be difficult to deal with in other ways.

A steam boost of 100 g/min or more is said to be sufficient to handle most tough and "unruly" materials. And models with a powerful steam boost from 200 g/min will definitely not leave even the most dense fabric rumpled. However, there are models with more modest indicators — they are quite suitable for those who need an iron for ordinary household ironing. Moreover, high power, usually, affects the cost. Do not forget about irons with a steam generator, where the performance values are higher, since the purpose of the iron is slightly different.

The volume of the water tank installed in the iron.

The water from this container is used to generate steam when steaming fabrics. In modern models of irons, the tanks are made of transparent materials and are provided with a lid at the opening through which water is poured. As for capacity, a large volume, on the one hand, allows you to work longer without refilling, on the other hand, it significantly makes the entire device heavier. Therefore, in classic models, where the tank is located on the iron itself, the capacity is usually small — about 80 ml for travel and 300 ml for household models. But there are also irons with a large water tank, in which the volume can reach 500 ml. But for advanced steam generators and ironing systems (see "Type"), the tank is made separately, and in such cases its volume can be 1 L, and for models with a large tank, figures of more than 1.5 L are typical.

The time it takes the iron to go into working condition. In the case of classic household appliances, this is the time for heating the sole to the required temperature, which depends on the selected mode. For models with a steam generator, this is the time required to heat the water in the boiler.