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Ironing: not many of us enjoy it, but the best ironing board can be the difference between a quick task and a laborious chore.
We tested six ironing boards in April 2022, investigating how easy they were to carry, set up to a comfortable height and how stable they were.
Our tests discovered that its generally worth paying more to get the best ironing board. Doing so gets you a more stable board and a sturdy surface to iron on.
But you don't have to pay top dollar for a great ironing board. Read our reviews to find that best ironing board for your budget.
Prices and availability last checked 12 May 2022
Only logged-in Which? members can view the ironing board test results below. If you're not yet a member, you'll see an alphabetically ordered list of the ironing boards we tested.
Join Which? to get instant access to our test scores and Editor's Choice recommendation for ironing boards.
Cheapest price: £69.99 at Robert Dyas (with spring bubbles cover), also at Dunelm , Amazon , Brabantia
Size when folded (HxWxD): 159x48x9cm
Number of height levels: 7, highest 98cm, lowest 75cm
Different covers: Seven designs available
Brabantia is a really well-known ironing board brand but its ironing boards cost considerable more than retailers' own brands.
Our tests found out if the Brabantia ironing board C is really worth the extra money.
Log in now or join Which? to unlock our test results
Cheapest price: £84 at Dunelm (with titan oval cover), also at Amazon , John Lewis , Brabantia
Size when folded (HxWxD): 164x47x8cm
Number of height levels: 25, highest 102cm, lowest 62cm
Different covers: Five designs available
This large Brabantia ironing board stands out from the crowd visually - the grey patch at the end is a heat resistant zone you can place your iron on, replacing the traditional iron rest you on find the end of most ironing boards
Our tests reveal if it's also stable and easy to use.
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Size when folded (HxWxD): 152x39x5cm
Number of height levels: 7, highest 90cm, lowest 66.5cm
Different covers: Two designs available
This Dunelm ironing board is one of the cheaper ones you can find. When we put it to the test we found mixed results.
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Read our steam iron reviews to find the best for removing stubborn creases
Only available at John Lewis : £45
Size when folded (HxWxD): 159x40x7cm
Number of height levels: 7, highest 90cm, lowest 67.5cm
The John Lewis Classic ironing board is one of the more expensive own brand ironing boards on sale but is listed as a bestseller on the John Lewis website.
Log in now or join Which? to find out how it compares to popular ironing board brands Brabantia and Minky, that you'll pay more for, or whether it's a cut-above the own-brand boards we tested.
Cheapest price: £50 at Amazon , Argos , Minky , also available at Dunelm , Robert Dyas
Size when folded (HxWxD): 159x45x7cm
Number of height levels: infinite adjustment, highest 92cm, lowest 0cm
These extra features sound tempting, but didn't live up to expectations when we tested them. Log in now or join Which? to unlock what we found.
Size when folded (HxWxD): 140x36x9cm
Number of height levels: 4, highest 90cm, lowest 76cm
This ironing board is smaller than the others we tested, and doesn't comes with any fancy bells or whistles.
But at about five times cheaper than the most expensive boards on test, this could be an absolute steal if it gets the job done.
Is this what we found in our tests? Log in now or join Which? to unlock our test results
Don't like ironing, but want crease-free clothes? Read: Why buy a clothes or garment steamer?
If you only tend to press shirts, a small board will do the job. However, suits and dresses will need something a little larger.
The following are the standard ironing board sizes:
But manufacturers don't always stick to these sizes. For example the Dunelm ironing board we tested is 120x38cm, which makes it a slightly shorter size B. Our testing taught us that if size matters to you, best to measure before you buy your ironing board.
Our tests found larger and heavier ironing boards are more stable. However, a larger/heavier board was trickier to manoeuvre.
If you need to carry the ironing board from one room to another, or struggle with lifting heavier items, looking for a lighter board that still offers good level of stability may be better for you.
We also found bigger ironing boards typically extend to a taller maximum height. If you are a tall person, a larger board is more likely to get to a height that's comfortable for you.
Our tallest tester was 5ft 10in, and found ironing boards with a maximum height greater than 92cm were noticeably more comfortable to iron on.
For more tips on how to make ironing easier, read: how to iron
While a basic board will serve most people, if you have big piles to regularly get through, some boards have extra accessories that may be of benefit to you:
We chose six ironing boards sold at popular retailers, ranging in price from cheap to expensive. We paid for all the ironing boards tested, so you can be sure we'll tell you the truth about what we found.
A good ironing board should be easy to carry short distances, set up and adjust to a comfortable height, and be stable while ironing on it. We recruited a a panel of five testers – ranging in height, gender and age – to assess each ironing board on these criteria.
We also asked them, ignoring price, if they would buy the ironing board themselves. If the answer was a yes, or a no, we let you know in our reviews.
As well as user panel assessment, we put each board (set to its maximum height) through three stability tests:
The more force needed to tip or drag – and less height a board dropped – the better its stability was rated.
While ironing boards have holders for your iron, you don't want your board's cover to be ruined if you accidentally place the iron on it while folding up your clothes.
We put our iron on its highest setting face down on each board's cover for 30 seconds. Those with a permanent mark afterwards were penalised.
In theory, the hotter a board's cover gets, the easier it should be to get rid of creases.
We took repeated temperature readings of each board after ironing a shirt for 10 seconds and found no noticeable difference between any of the ironing boards, even those that claim to have special heat-reflective covers.
Even with the best ironing board, no one wants to spend hours battling with a useless iron. See our Best Steam Irons guide to avoid choosing a dud