Thanks for taking the time to read our reviews on the best dry irons on the UK market. Dry ironing is not as popular a choice as steam ironing for the vast majority of buyers in the United Kingdom.
Some people do prefer to use a dry iron though, so we did our usual in depth research, and came up with a list of the top 5 dry irons, that are currently available on the UK market.
Dry irons are preferred by people who have had enough of steam irons. Because steam irons have a water tank, they are always going to be prone to leaking, and when that happens clothes can suffer from staining, water spots or rust spots.
Dry irons will never leak, are easy to clean and maintain, last for years and you can iron all types of fabric with a dry iron. They are not that good at removing wrinkles and creases unless you use them along with a water spray, which most people will do.
We think it is worth pointing out that these are actually really hard to find. That is because the majority of buyers just want an iron that can do normal everyday ironing. Dressmakers and some hobbyists tend to prefer a dry iron for their needs. That is a limited market and explains why there is very little choice. We have however found 5 of them with the Philips dry iron being the most popular.
Top Rated Dry Irons in the UK
Just below we have listed the top selling and buyer rated dry irons, but this time we have shown the important features that include the weight, wattage, colour and size.
Philips Dry Iron GC160/02
- As of now, this is the biggest selling dry iron on the UK market from the well known Philip's brand
- This is a black/silver very traditional looking dry iron
- Measures 23.70 x 11.80 x 10.50 cm
- Weighs 0.8 Kg
- 750 watt iron
- Stainless steel soleplate with no coating of any kind
- It comes fitted with an "Indian" plug so you will need to change that to a UK plug or buy an adapter
Pros
Cons
Tefal FS2620 1200 Watt Dry Iron
- This comes in a white and pale blue colour with a steel coloured base
- It is light in weight at around 1 Kg
- Many buyers bought this as they have had enough with steam irons
- Very affordable price and lasts for years
- 1200 watts of power and the cord length 1.8 metres
- PTFE non-stick durable aluminium soleplate
- Has a power light
- Has a precision tip for difficult areas
Pros
Cons
Most Affordable - Homelife for easy living E156 Dry Travel Iron
- This is a 750 watt dry iron that is suitable for travel
- It weighs just under 1 KG for those who want to use it for travel
- This can also be used as a steam iron, but the main setting is for dry iron use
- The handle folds down making it easier to store and there is also a handy travel pouch
- This iron is also a good choice for anyone at university who just needs a simple basic iron that is light and very easy to use
- The only real downside of this model is that if you want to use it as a steam iron option, then it is awkward to fill the tank.
Geepas 1200W Dry Iron
- This has a non-stick coating for extra glide
- You can easily set the thermostat to the required temperature, and the LED light tells you when the iron is set at the necessary temperature
- It has a button groove for easy manoeuvrability round fastenings and hard to reach areas
- It has a textured handle for an easy grip and for storage
- You can wrap the power cord around the heel rest and store easily
- It comes with a 2 years manufacturer warranty.
Quick Tips for Buying a Dry Iron
When you buy a dry iron, the chances are that it is going to last you for a very long time. Most of the faults or problems with irons are usually caused by water and steam. Those include limescale building up in them, rusting occurring and problems with the boiler.
The soleplates on steam irons also have a series of holes that let the steam out, and these can also get clogged up and rust.
With a dry iron, you have none of that to worry about. The sole plate is smooth and very easy to clean.
- Your focus should be mainly on the quality of the soleplate which should be smooth
- There is no water tank on a dry iron so they will be lighter, however, you want to have what is called a nicely balanced ironing weight, anything from 0.85-1.0 Kg is ideal
- The electric lead should be tangle free and easy to put away
- It should heat up quickly and be energy efficient
As you can see there are a few things to consider when it comes to buying a dry iron that will work for you. The good news is that we have done all of the research for you. We have explained that research below, so as you know that it is accurate and very useful.
How We Researched the Best Dry Iron?
When people buy a dry iron, then all of those buyers will of course use it to do their ironing. Some of those buyers then take the time to go back to where they bought their iron, and will give it a rating and some of those will also take the time to leave a review.
Those reviews, and we are talking here about online buyers, are a great source of very useful information. We look at those reviews from a range of UK websites, collect the information, analyse that information and then rate those irons based on the analysed information.
We then present that information to our readers in an easy to read format. Below you will find a top 7 table which we have ranked by the highest buyer rated first. We include a percentage buyer score marked out of 100%. We also include the model name of the dry iron.
Dry Irons Buying Guide & Buyer's Tips
If you don't know a lot about dry irons, then below we are going to cover off everything you will ever need to know. Some features are far more important than others, so we will place our buying advice in order of importance.
This is a summary guide that includes all of the key features.
Best Dry Irons Brands
Many home owners just like to buy a good brand when it comes to dry irons. The very popular brands in the UK include:
- Tefal
- Philips
- Rowenta
Understand what Wattage Really Means for an Iron
You will usually see this referred to as something like 1200W. This refers to 1200 watts and is what determines one thing with regards to your dry iron. That is how quickly does the iron heat up.
Watts are a measurement of power, and the higher this number is then the more powerful the iron is. For dry irons it is really not that important. In steam irons it is more important as it has to heat a small tank of water.
Types of Soleplates on Dry Irons
Manufacturers use a variety of very descriptive language to describe the soleplate of the iron. Almost all of these will be made from some type of metal, and that is usually steel or aluminium. The slightly better quality dry irons will have an ultra smooth soleplate.
The important thing to note is that there is no requirement for steam holes, and as such, the soleplate is completely smooth and will sit perfectly flat on top of your ironing. so not only is there no need to worry about water spots, you also don't have to worry about any types of snagging from worn holes in the soleplate.
Temperature Control
When you iron different garments you realise that more delicate fabrics need to be ironed at a much lower temperature than say a normal shirt or a pair of jeans. It is very important to be able to adjust the temperature of the soleplate on your iron.
Make sure any iron that you buy has this adjustable feature. The good news is that almost every dry iron does have this but some have a wider range of choices than others. All of them cover the main range of fabrics such as cotton, wool, jeans, polyester etc.
EU Plugs and Adapters
Dry irons are more popular in other countries than they are in the UK. What we found during our research is that most dry irons are made in countries such as India, China, Italy and Germany. They work of a different type of electricity system which uses 2 pin plugs.
Most of these irons will have a 2 pin plug fitted. In the UK our electric system uses a 3 pin plug. Therefore an adapter will be required, one that is used for shaving plugs, or a travel adapter.
Don't rush out and buy one though, as most of the manufacturers will include this inside the box when it arrives.
Dry irons and hard water areas
If you live in an area of the UK that has really hard water, then a steam iron will really suffer from limescale build up. With a dry iron, there is no water tank, no steam so no limescale problem to worry about.
Dry irons are not that popular in the UK. Most UK buyers prefer to use a normal steam iron. The reason for that is simply convenience. Dry ironing is slower than steam ironing. The trade off is that with a dry iron, you never have to worry about the inside parts of your iron clogging up with rust, and as such, they usually last longer.
You also never have to worry about getting rust from dirty water on your clothes, or have to worry about water splashes that you will get from many steam irons. With a dry iron you do need to have more patience as they take a little more time to get creases out of your clothes.
