Irons with water filter cartridge

Water purification cartridge

— a specialized cartridge is designed to "soften" water and shield the iron from scale. Typically employing ion exchange, the cartridge replaces calcium and magnesium salts in water with sodium salts, preventing the formation of insoluble deposits and significantly reducing scale. However, replaceable cartridges have drawbacks, including a finite lifespan and the necessity for regular replacement. It's important to note that they don't offer complete protection against scale, leading some models to integrate this function with self-cleaning, as discussed in the relevant section.