Bed Linen

[la vache!]

I have a press - I love it - I get 21 duvet covers + 21 bottom sheets + 52 pillow cases and loads of tea towels ironed each week in about 4 hours. However, it is not good with pure cotton thick sheets unless you get them absolutely flat to start with.

It takes me 3,5 hours to do 18 beds worth with my Calor steam iron.

[CarolineH]

My press (bought as a present by my dear Mum when I started, love her!) is a Singer Magic Steam Press CSP-1 - the base rotates so that you can feed vertically - sitting with the unironed sheet in your lap and feeding it forward through the press.

I know people who have a non-rotatable base, but can't quite see how this would work because you would have to iron across the sheets (difficult to explain - but the hinge sits at the back, long side of the ironing board).

LV that's pretty impressive, too - is yours an iron that sits on it's water reservoir? I've often wondered if they were any good? However, I like the idea that I can do mine sitting down, watching the TV!

[Ju]

Might have known we would end up talking about ironing

I have a roller Iron - I wouldn't be without it now. 32 duvet covers, 32 sheets and 80 pillowcases in about 5 hours.

[CarolineH]

Ooooh! Now I'm getting excited Ju!! (How sad )

Does it roll through automatically? - how do you cope with creases? I imagine that folding flat an imaculately is even more important than with my steam press?

I get really anal about my washing - my Mum laughs at me when she comes to stay, because I won't let her hang it out or fold up to bring it in - she just doesn't fold it right !!

[lasourcetranquille]

Luckily we only have a double and two singles to do so don't need a press, roller or whatever!

So I take that the higher the thread count the harder it is to iron? In which case the 180 thread satin stripe or 200 thread sheets should be fine. After 6 months or so we've only had compliments about our IKEA sheets but they aren't easier to iron after tumble drying!

I've been comparing current prices for 200 thread flat sheets if you're interested:

Richard Haworth - S (178 x 290) - £13.39
Out of Eden - S (30cm skirt) - £10.95
King of Cotton - S (178 x 254) - £10.57

Richard Haworth - D (230 x 290) - £16.82
Out of Eden - D (30cm skirt) - £13.95
King of Cotton - D (228 x 254) - £12.91

Richard Haworth - K (280 x 290) - £22.75
Out of Eden - K (30cm skirt) - £15.95
King of Cotton - K (270 x 270) - £14.67

These include current sale prices, and VAT at 20% isn't it?

[charles cawley]

Back to ironing.

I use one of those things with a separate reservoir and feed pipes. It is excellent and a radical step better than traditional irons which carry their own distilled water.

It is a bit of a bother getting all the kit out but the time and work it has saved me is radical. I only do my own shirts etc: but have once or twice dealt with Egyptian Cotton.

With the right kit it makes things much more practical.

[greenbarn]

Just received an email from Richard Haworth if anyone's interested:

For a limited time only enter the promotional code EB12 in the checkout and receive 15% off your order. Hurry though as the offers ends 1st February 2012. Offer valid on online orders only.

[CarolineH]

I'm opening this discussion up again.

I'm in the market for a new iron (due to some guests dropping and breaking one. I've replaced it with my normal iron and thought I'd go for a steam generator system for me.

Is it worth the extra expense - and can anyone recommend a make and model?

[la vache!]

Do you mean an ironing press that lots of people on this forum have, or an iron with a steam reserve? If the latter, I can highly recommend this Calor Pro Express turbo. I've had a couple of others, Philips, but this is the best so far. Ironing is almost a pleasure with it and there is a large reserve so you aren't filling it every half an hour.

[CarolineH]

Do you mean an ironing press that lots of people on this forum have, or an iron with a steam reserve? If the latter, I can highly recommend this Calor Pro Express turbo. I've had a couple of others, Philips, but this is the best so far. Ironing is almost a pleasure with it and there is a large reserve so you aren't filling it every half an hour.

Yep, LV, that's the sort that I was thinking of - I've already got a steam press that I use for my sheets, so this would be just for personal use for clothes. That's a lot more money that I'd want to pay, though. I was looking at this one. I guess that for the price, it must be significantly inferior to yours - but I can't justify something more expensive. Are there any pointers or do's and don'ts?

[la vache!]

Sorry I didn't read the rest of the thread, I forgot you had a steam press.
I don't do much personal ironing (we live in jeans and T shirts) but yes it is too expensive for that. I'm very impressed with the Calor marque though, so the one you are looking at is probably a good bet. Calor beats Philips for me, based on previous experience.

[French Cricket]

Mine's a Rowenta - must be nearly 10 years old now (had it in the UK). I wouldn't go so far as to say that ironing's a pleasure with it but it does the business - and like you LV I only ever iron linen, never clothes (life's too short. And in any case unless guests are around I don't wear any for much of the year )

As far as pointers go Caroline I'd say go for the highest steam pressure you can afford, and the biggest reservoir you can afford. They do all feel different in the hand though, so you might want to try one or two locally before you splash out? For example, the Domena range seems to be really popular here but I just can't be doing with holding them ...

[la vache!]

For example, the Domena range seems to be really popular here but I just can't be doing with holding them ...

I had one of those too. Hated it, for the same reason as you, FC!

[lasourcetranquille]

That Calor Pro one is 100€ cheaper here (but 15€ postage)..

[lasourcetranquille]

Can anyone recommend a steam press for sheets?