10 Best Ironing Boards to Buy in 2022

2022-04-24 07:31:51 By : Ms. Lakita Lai

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From basic to professional level ironing boards, these top picks make it easy to keep your clothes wrinkle-free.

Ironing can be a tedious job — even lugging the ironing board out of the closet can feel like a chore itself. But having a good ironing board can make all the difference. Whether you're interested in using a traditional or tabletop ironing board, or an ironing mat, the ideal ironing surface provides a smooth place to lay clothing flat for the best crease-free results. It should stay stable without wobbling and shouldn't feel like a workout to set up and put away.

Here at the Good Housekeeping Institute Cleaning Lab, we do a lot of ironing, especially when we test steam irons and garment steamers. All of this ironing means we are constantly evaluating ironing boards in the lab as well. In fact, we even do an "iron tip-over test" where we measure how much force it takes to knock an iron over when it's resting upright on the end of an ironing board. Most irons break when the board gets bumped and they fall to the floor, so this is a way for us to check both the stability of the board and the durability of the iron.

In recent years the team has logged hundreds of hours ironing fabric swatches for steam iron testing, cotton shirts for evaluating the wrinkle-preventing performance of clothes washers and dryers, and even the Good Housekeeping Institute lab coats we wear, so we know a great ironing board when we see one. When we test ironing boards, we assess how easy they are to open, close and set up. We also evaluate how smoothly they operate, if they are stable or wobbly, and the weight and bulkiness of the board while carrying it. We look at how much ironing surface they provide, the amount of padding, and how well the cover handles steam and moisture. Helpful add-ons like iron rests, sleeve boards, cord holders and clothes shelves are also taken into account. Below are our picks, a mix of ironing boards we've tested in the lab, editor favorites and those that are highly rated and reviewed online. Here are the best ironing boards of 2021:

This is a favorite in the Cleaning Lab because it has just about everything you could want in an ironing board. It’s loaded with convenient features like a solid metal iron rest that can hold regular or steam irons, adjustable height, slip-resistant feet on widespread legs and a wide ironing area that makes the task at hand easy. The top cotton cover stays taut and since it’s replaceable, you can pick a cover design you like from the variety the brand offers. There is also a built-in child safety lock to prevent it from collapsing while in use.

This ironing board includes a lot of the features of higher-end ironing boards, but at a fraction of the price. It has an iron rest to set the iron on when not in use and a handy garment shelf underneath the board to hold folded freshly-pressed garments. The vented mesh top helps provide optimal steam flow and the legs are made of lightweight sturdy metal with non-skid rubber feet. It’s also highly rated at Bed Bath & Beyond, though some reviewers say the padding could be thicker.

Save some space with this small but mighty ironing board. It’s slightly over 23 inches long and 14 inches wide so it’s compact enough to store in a closet or underneath a bed. It has foldable legs so it can be set on top of a table or any flat surface to iron. Almost 1K reviewers on Amazon rated this board 5 stars, praising it for being wide enough to iron on but compact enough that it’s convenient to store. Take note though, this isn't the best board to iron long sleeves on because the end of the ironing board is rounded rather than tapered.

For those looking to save some floor space, this ironing board hangs over a door. It’s easy to install with over-the-door hooks that hold the board in place. The ironing board folds down when needed and can be locked in place to lay flat against the door when not in use. It also has over 3,000 reviews and a 4.5 rating on Amazon, with reviewers saying that it’s compact and not cumbersome to use.

Despite this ironing board having a steel construction, it’s one of the lightest folding ironing boards compared to others on our list. It weighs approximately 7.5 pounds and is one of the most popular ironing boards on Amazon with a 4.4 star overall rating and over 2,200 reviews with one shopper saying, “I like that the weight and dimensions are smaller and I can carry it from one room to another.”

If you need a tabletop ironing board, this one from Home Essentials is a great choice. Our Home Appliances and Cleaning Products Lab Director, Carolyn Forte, likes this one since it sits higher off the table which means your clothes will wrinkle less. It also has a retractable iron rest to keep your iron handy while working. And when you’re done ironing, it comes with a hook so the board can be stored over a door. It's perfect for touch-up ironing or when you're in a hurry and don't have time to fuss with pulling out a full-size board.

Here in the lab, we have been impressed with many Homz products for how well made they are. Though we haven’t tested this specific ironing board, it's the only one we've seen with heavy-duty legs that also expand widthwise plus hefty non-skid grippers on all the feet for added stability and to help minimize wobbling. It also has an iron holder with slots to hang your clothing items when you’re finished ironing.

This ironing blanket makes it easy to iron on any flat surface, like the bed, a table or the countertop — however, just e sure the ironing surface underneath the blanket can safely handle some heat and moisture. The top pad is made with 100% cotton and it has a non-skid backing to hold the blanket in place while ironing. It's perfect for travel, touching up one item on-the-go or for those without any space to store an ironing board. When finished, it rolls up and stays closed with a hook and loop fastener.

This all-in-one ironing center was installed in our Cleaning Lab years ago as a space saver and we've found it is a great way to keep your ironing board out of sight and your laundry area in order. The cabinet — which is mounted onto or recessed into the wall — holds an ironing board that folds down and pivots. There's also a built-in 60-minute timer, a light and an electrical outlet. It also has enough room to store your iron and the door has a rod to hang clothes up after ironing. “It's so sleek and out of the way!” says Forte.

Forte says she was amazed by the Miele FashionMaster after testing it in the lab. For anyone who does a lot of ironing, like professional sewers or quilters, the Miele FashionMaster is an ironer's dream. The ultra padded adjustable ironing board works with fans to inflate delicate garments for more gentle pressing or suction thicker materials, like jeans, to the board to help intensify the steam for better wrinkle removal. It pumps out professional level steam pressure to penetrate thicker clothing like blazers. In addition to the iron, there's a garment steamer, an extra-large built-in water tank for long-lasting steam, an LED readout display and a silicone pad to rest the hot iron on. Both the iron and steamer tuck neatly away in a storage chamber and the board folds down vertically so the entire system and can be tilted and rolled away for easy storage. According to Forte, there is a bit of a learning curve but once you master opening and closing it, it's easy to use.