The best ironing boards you can buy
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We can't guarantee that buying a good ironing board will make you feel happy about ironing, but you’ll be able to do this chore more effectively with the Brabantia Ironing Board with Solid Steam Iron Rest. It's a great ironing board that is versatile and stable with a wide iron rest that can hold steam irons.
Nobody likes ironing, which is probably why so many clothes boast wrinkle-free or wrinkle-resistant fabrics these days. You might feel like purchasing an ironing board is a waste of money, what with all the innovation in textiles, and using that as an excuse to avoid the chore of ironing sounds like a pretty good deal to inherently lazy people. I admittedly may be projecting my own feelings and laziness regarding ironing here.
The bad news for those of us who are lazy when it comes to household chores like ironing is that plenty of clothing still requires ironing. Even for those of us who don’t like ironing, there is a sense of satisfaction at how freshly pressed clothes make us feel like we’re looking our best.
The best way to have success with most household tasks — even ones that we may not like — is to have the right tools to do the job. You can make your ironing jobs go more successfully with the best ironing boards, as they offer features to deliver better results faster. We've found the five best ironing boards you can buy, but before we get into our picks, here are some things to think about befre you buy.
Designs of ironing boards
Although it’s tempting to look at ironing boards and assume that they’re all basically alike, that’s not the case. The differences are subtle, but they do exist, as The Sweethome and Irons Expert discuss.
- Built-in: Some people prefer an ironing board that’s built into a cabinet or drawer in the laundry room. This provides a smart use of a limited storage area.
- Iron rest: Newer ironing boards often have an area at the end of the board designed to hold the iron safely when it’s hot. The iron rest needs to be well-designed so the iron has no possibility of tipping over while it sits in place.
- Stability: The legs of the ironing board need to be able to sturdily support the weight of the iron, the weight of the item, and the weight of you leaning on it (which we all do on occasion). You don’t want an ironing board collapsing unexpectedly on you.
- Height design: It’s more comfortable to iron clothing or other linens on an ironing board when the folded out board sits at waist height. You won’t have to stoop over to perform the task, which can be hard on your back. Some ironing boards offer an adjustable height design to provide comfort to people of varying heights.
- Weight: Some people don’t want a really heavy ironing board, as it could be difficult to carry and store, according to The Ironing Room.
Features of ironing boards
Sure, we acknowledge that you don’t technically need an ironing board to do ironing. Just place a towel on a countertop and you’re ready to iron. But the ironing board certainly simplifies the process, allowing you to do it more comfortably and successfully than your makeshift, DIY “ironing towel.”
- Cover: Although you can purchase an ironing board cover separately, having a good cover included as part of your board is a nice option. Some covers are thicker with padding than others, which keeps any screws or bolts on the board from poking through your clothes. Additionally, covers should have some sort of non-stick coating for good results, according to The Spruce.
- Free-standing: Most ironing boards are free-standing, which means they are able to be moved anywhere in your home. Because the free-standing board folds up flat, it becomes easier to carry.
- Mini boards: If you live in a small home or have limited space in your laundry room, a small ironing board can be a good idea for avoiding clutter. You’d set this type of ironing board on a table or countertop, as explained by Iron Expert Labs.
- Surface space: As discussed by Mimi’s Quilt Shop, some ironing boards are wider or longer than normal, which can be beneficial when ironing certain items, such as quilts.
- Storage options: With free-standing ironing boards, the board folds up flat, allowing it to fit in a thin space for storage. Some smaller boards may be mounted on the wall, folding out whenever you need them. Others hang over a door, making them instantly accessible.
We've done the research to find the best ironing boards around in all of the most popular categories. Read on to see which of our top picks is best for your needs. You should also check out our guide to the best clothes steamers.
Although the Brabantia Ironing Board with Solid Steam Iron Rest is our top pick, for various reasons laid out in the slides below, you should also consider the Bartnelli Multi-Layered T-Leg Extra Wide Ironing Board, the Honey-Can-Do Collapsible Tabletop Ironing Board, the Minky Ergo Ironing Board, and the Hafele America Wall-Mounted Ironing Board.
The best ironing board overall
Why you'll love it: The Brabantia Ironing Board with Solid Steam Iron Rest has a sturdy build, multiple board covers and widths, and a strong iron rest area.
If you’re looking for a great all-around ironing board, the Brabantia Ironing Board with Solid Steam Iron Rest delivers. This board is so good, it’ll always be in perfect working order, which eliminates some of your excuses for skipping the ironing.
The Brabantia ironing board is available in a wide design in case the standard board width isn't enough for your needs. You can choose from about half a dozen ironing board pads with different colorful designs to make ironing a little bit more enjoyable.
The Sweethome says this is the sturdiest standard sized ironing board on the market right now. The board includes a child safety lock that ensures it will not fold down accidentally.
The Ironing Room review also highlights the sturdiness of the Brabantia board, as it features a frame with four legs made from 25mm diameter steel tubing. You can adjust the height of the ironing board between 30 and 38 inches.
The Brabantia board contains an iron rest area for a steam iron, which is a great feature because it’s a little wider than most iron rests.
One Amazon reviewer who likes to quilt says the Brabantia offers just the right size and sturdiness for ironing both light and heavy quilts. Although this is a lightweight ironing board, one Amazon buyer says it’s difficult to fold down this board when you’re done using it, because the legs stick.
Pros: Excellent stability in a four-leg design, various widths of ironing board models available, adjustable ironing board heights, strong and wide iron rest to fit steam irons, includes child safety lock to avoid accidental collapses
Cons: Price is a little high for people who infrequently iron, unit can be difficult to fold down
Buy the Brabantia Ironing Board with Solid Steam Iron Rest on Amazon for $65.95 and up to $106.36 (price varies by size and color)
The best wide ironing board
Why you'll love it: For those who regularly iron large fabrics, such as curtains or quilts, the Bartnelli Multi-Layered T-Leg Extra Wide Ironing Board can handle the work effectively.
If you often have wide fabrics to iron, such as curtains and quilts, you’ll love the 51-by-19-inch ironing space on the Bartnelli Multi-Layered T-Leg Extra Wide Ironing Board. Finding storage space for this behemoth may be a little difficult — even when it’s folded down — but you’ll be amazed at how much faster you can complete your ironing tasks.
The height of the ironing board is adjustable to between 30 and 38 inches. No matter what height you’re using with the Bartnelli board, it remains sturdy. The Irons Expert review likes the child safety lock on this ironing board that prevents the unit from collapsing.
If you often iron in a location where you’re worried about the board scratching your floor, the feet of the Bartnelli ironing board contain materials designed to prevent scratching. However, another Amazon buyer said the board did not remain sturdy on hardwood floors, as it tended to slide.
The Jen Reviews review likes that the board is designed to dissipate moisture from steam ironing, preventing the possibility of rusting over time.
Another Amazon reviewer admitted this ironing board has a higher cost than some others, but it’s a long-lasting model.
Pros: Wide ironing space works great for large items, rust resistant design, feet on the ironing board don’t scratch the floor, adjustable height of the surface of the board, includes a child safety lock
Cons: Price is higher than average, board’s feet may slide around on hard flooring
Buy the Bartnelli Multi-Layered T-Leg Extra Wide Ironing Board on Amazon for $129.95
The best table top ironing board
Why you'll love it: If compact is what you need in an ironing board, the Honey-Can-Do Collapsible Tabletop Ironing Board was built with you in mind.
For a small space, even a freestanding ironing board that can fold down flat may be too large. If so, we like the Honey-Can-Do Collapsible Tabletop Ironing Board … and it’s not only because of the company's funny name.
This tiny board measures only 32 by 12 inches, but the board makes the most of the available space. It includes a retractable iron rest and small legs to lift the board about 6 inches above your table top, which makes the whole unit more efficient to use versus having it lie flat on the table.
It folds completely down for easy storage, and you can choose to hang the board when storing it, which the Ironing Zone mentions as a helpful feature. All Kitchen calls this Honey-Can-Do ironing board a great value that’s portable enough to allow you to work almost anywhere, including at a laundromat.
One Amazon buyer called the Honey-Can-Do ironing board a perfect model for an apartment. Another Amazon reviewer liked the size of the unit but felt the materials used in this inexpensive ironing board were of a poor quality.
Pros: Small ironing board is great for apartments, lightweight unit that you can carry anywhere, very low price point, folds flat for easy storage, includes a retractable iron rest, relatively sturdy unit
Cons: Quality of board materials are poor, longevity is a question mark, not wide enough for larger items needing ironing
Buy the Honey-Can-Do Collapsible Tabletop Ironing Board on Amazon for $7.58 and up
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