Six Sigma Blogs

Ironing is, for most people, a bit of a chore. It’s something that needs to be done, but very few people enjoy it. You can watch TV or listen to music whilst you’re ironing in order to relieve the boredom a little - but it’s never going to be what anyone would consider fun.

However, many people now have the opportunity to significantly reduce the amount of time that they spend “doing the ironing” thanks to changes in technology. Steam generator irons have now become available to the general public. In the past, they were the preserve of dry cleaners and professionals. Users commonly report a 50% reduction in ironing time when using a steam generator iron.

In terms of appearance, steam generator irons look quite similar to conventional steam irons - but with a large base unit. It’s the base unit that makes the difference. Steam generator irons don’t have any water inside the iron itself - that large base unit is actually both a water reservoir and boiler which is used to generate large volumes of high pressure steam. This is fed to the iron by means of a hollow connecting tube.

Using the above technique, steam generator irons produce much more steam than a conventional steam iron. It is also at a higher pressure. This large amount of high pressure steam penetrates deep into the fabric of whatever you’re pressing and makes it easier - and faster - to remove creases and wrinkles. The end result is better and, as previously mentioned, you can cut your ironing time in half like this.

Steam generator irons do tend to cost a little more than traditional steam irons. However, considering the time savings, plus the improved quality of the finished garments, you may be quite happy to pay the price. Discounts are often available both online and offline. If you know what you’re looking for then you might just be able to snap up a bargain.

There are five main criteria that you should consider when selecting a steam generator iron:

1. The quantity and pressure of the steam.

2. The amount of water that can be held in the water tank.

3. The soleplate.

4. The ease of cleaning.

5. How user friendly it is.

Steam output is usually specified in grams of steam per minute. An output somewhere in the range of 70 - 140 g/min should be adequate. Steam pressure in the range of 4.5 and 5.0 bar is desirable and should allow you to achieve the time savings previously mentioned.

Make sure that the water reservoir is a decent size for you so that you don’t need to keep stopping to refill it. A 1.4 litre tank should provide enough steam for a couple of hour’s worth of ironing. Larger tanks are also available.

The soleplate should be durable and should glide easily across the fabric to be pressed. Materials such as stainless steel and ceramics tend to make good soleplates.

If your house is supplied with hard water, then you will need to make sure that you avoid any accumulation of scale in your iron. This can reduce the efficiency of the device and also shorten its useful working life. The Tefal steam generator iron range incorporates a very handy scale trap which can simply be unscrewed, cleaned under running water and then replaced back into the iron. Other manufacturers use different techniques, including removable cartridges. Chemical treatment is another possibility, if a somewhat little less convenient one.

When it comes to ease of use, this will be very dependent upon the requirements of different users. However, it’s a good idea to pick a model which has a long enough connection between the base unit and the iron so that you can position the base on the ground should you wish. This is especially useful if you have a small ironing board.

A detachable reservoir which can be taken to the sink for filling directly under the tap might be useful. Many people will find this easier. A fast heat up time after filling is definitely desirable. A heat up time of no more than a couple of minutes should be achievable with the majority of modern steam generator irons.

Discover how you can cut your ironing time in half by using a Tefal steam generator iron - it’s a lot faster and the end result is better as well

An ironing board is, without doubt, a mundane item of household equipment to which the majority of people give very little thought. However, it is an essential item for any household and, if you choose the wrong one, then you might end up with badly pressed garments, take more time than you need to when ironing and even put unnecessary strain on your back.

Most people today use steam irons - or even steam generator irons, which are becoming ever more popular. In this case you definitely want to get an ironing board which has a mesh construction. This allows the steam to pass through the fabric of the garment being ironed, through the cover of the ironing board and through the top of the board itself. It helps to prevent the ironing board cover becoming soggy due to condensation after a few garments have been ironed.

The cover of the ironing board should present a smooth surface to facilitate ironing. It should be secure and not prone to slipping. An elasticated cover, possibly with one or two cross-ties at the centre, is generally a good design which won’t move about as you iron. A metalised cover will reflect some of the heat and this will help to smooth the underside of the garment whilst the top surface is being ironed.

The size and shape of the board that you select will depend, to a large extent, on the type of things that you usually iron. Whilst a smaller board may be easier to store and work around, it will normally mean that the garment being ironed needs to be repositioned more frequently. Ironing the shoulders of shirts and blouses will be easier if there is a marked taper on the “pointy” end of the board.

Scissor action legs are pretty much the norm. It should be possible to adjust the height to a level that suits you and doesn’t cause any back strain. If you like to iron from a seated position then legs which have a curve on them - so that you don’t bang your knees on them - are a good idea. The legs should provide good support. A broad T-piece, or legs that splay to a good width and have a connecting bar, are usually good options.

The support for the iron should be strong enough to support the iron’s weight. For a traditional steam iron a wire frame type of arrangement is generally sufficient. Due to their large base units, steam generator irons can be quite a bit heavier than normal steam irons. A slightly longer board which just uses a heat resistant plate on its surface may be better for this type of iron. Alternatively, the base unit could be placed on the floor - as long as the connecting hose between the base unit and the iron is long enough to allow this.

Ironing is a thankless task at best. Cut it down to size with a Tefal steam generator iron - you’ll be delighted at just how much time you can save.

On the face of it, steam generator irons and traditional steam irons appear to be pretty similar. However, steam generator irons have a different construction and a different mode of operation. They use a larger base unit as both water tank and boiler - unlike a traditional steam iron there is no water in the body of the iron itself. Steam generated in the base unit is supplied to the body of the iron via a hollow tube.

As a rule, steam generator irons cost a little bit more than conventional steam irons - but they offer the user a number of advantages. It’s worth taking a few moments to review the important points before you decide which iron is right for you. The main items to consider when making a comparison of different steam generator irons are the steam pressure, the water reservoir capacity, the soleplate, ease of cleaning and overall usability.

PRESSURE OF STEAM: The steam drives moisture and heat into the fabric of the garment being ironed. This makes it easier to remove wrinkles and creases as it causes the fabric to become more flexible. The higher the steam pressure is, the deeper it is driven into the fabric and the better the finished results are.

Steam generator irons usually have their output quoted in grams of steam per minute. The higher the number, the more steam is produced and the easier it is to iron. Typical values range from 70 to 140 grams per minute (g/min).

You will also see some irons with their steam pressure quoted in bar. Again, the higher this number is, the more steam that will be produced and the better the finished results will be.

WATER RESERVOIR SIZE: Steam generator irons normally have a generously sized water tank. This means that you will be able to do a fair bit of ironing before you need to top up the water. The exact duration will vary based upon the type of fabric being ironed - but you should get a couple of hours of ironing out of a 1.4 litre tank.

If you do a good deal of ironing then you may wish to consider getting one of the larger tanks available. If you have an ironing board which is relatively small, then you might want to make sure that the tube which connects the reservoir to the iron is long enough for you to work with the base unit positioned on the floor rather than on the ironing board itself.

It’s also worth considering how easy it is to fill the reservoir. Many of the better steam generator irons have removable reservoirs to make filling easier. It’s a lot better than messing around with jugs of water. Some also have the facility to top up the reservoir even when the iron is in use - which avoids you having to disconnect it and then wait for it to heat up again after filling.

THE SOLEPLATE: The soleplate of the iron should glide smoothly over the surface of a range of different fabrics - whilst still generating enough friction to remove any wrinkles and creases. It should be durable, tough, scratch resistant and easy to clean. Soleplates with ceramic coatings are widely used these days and are a good option.

EASE OF CLEANING: The majority of modern irons, whether steam generator irons or conventional steam irons, use ordinary tap water. Depending upon where you live, this will typically contain a variety of different minerals - including both calcium and magnesium. This can result in scale deposits as the water is heated and evaporates.

If your house is in a hard water area, then you will definitely want to go for an iron which has some type of anti-scale system. Some iron use a special detachable anti-scale cartridge - others use water to loosen the scale and then flush it out.

USABILITY: As already discussed, you may find it preferable for your iron to be positioned on the floor rather than on the board - which needs a long enough hose connection.

Most people will find a removable water tank to be a convenient feature.

Other features, which you may or may not find appealing, include automatically rewinding power cords, fast heat up systems, easy clean soleplates etc.

SUMMARY: Be sure to choose a high enough steam pressure for your requirements. Select a water reservoir which is large enough so that you don’t need to keep stopping in order to top it up. Ensure that the soleplate is of a suitable material and design. If you live in a hard water area, make sure that some anti-scaling system is incorporated.

Cut out the drudgery of long ironing sessions with a Tefal steam generator iron - you’ll be amazed at how much time you can free up.

Are you one of the many people who likes kitchen gadgets? Most people who cook are very fond of or even hooked on kitchen gadgets. Naturally, some kitchen gadgets are more helpful than others and some are positively indispensable.Who could do without a cooker, a kettle or a coffee maker? Mixers and blenders are popular items too and electric tin openers and knife sharpeners can be found in many kitchens. How much cooking would you be able to do if the electricity was cut off?

People have always loved labour-saving devices, the only aspect that has changed is that the majority of the modern kitchen gadgets are electric these days. We had a water-driven potato peeler when I was a child. It was connected to the tap by a hose and the water drove a wheel which span an abrasive wheel which took the skin off a pound or two of potatoes.

We also had a hand apple corer and a garlic press, but that all. On the other hand, our kitchen has several electric gadgets, including a juicer, a rice cooker and a bread-making machine.

My wife’s favourite kitchen device is the rice cooker, but then she is Thai and eats quite a bit of rice. In deed, the rice cooker is only turned off to wash and refill it. It leaves a lovely sweet smell in the air which is not dissimilar to fresh bead, if you cook Jasmin rice, which is Thailand’s best.

When I lived in Britain, my kitchen was full of labour-saving devices, but some of the items I used to use only once a month over there, I now see being used every day. For example, I had a wok and a bamboo steamer which I used once in a blue moon, now all my food is cooked either in a wok, in a bamboo steamer or on a barbecue.

Similarly, I had a pestle and mortar which looked good on the top of the cupboard. It gave the impression that I was a real cook, but I never truly found a use for it. Now my wife uses a massive granite pestle and mortar to prepare every meal. It weighs approximately ten pounds and is large enough to mix a cake in; the broad end of the pestle will fill half an orange (I use that as a juicer, that is how I know).

My favourite kitchen gadget is the bread maker, but then I am European and am very partial to bread. Where I live though, in northern rural Thailand, the bread is quite sweet by Western standards and took me a few years to get used to. Now I can make my own and I really like it, although getting strong flour is not so easy.

I like to put the ingredients in the bread machine before I go to bed and set the timer so that the bread is cooked when I wake up. You do not require an alarm clock with the smell of fresh bread emanating from the kitchen! Now all I miss is cheese, but I have not seen a cheese-maker yet.

Owen Jones, the author of this article writes on quite a few subjects, but is at present concerned with solid fuel cookers. If you would like to know more or check out some great offers, please go to our website at Electric Freestanding Cooker.

If you are about to remodel your kitchen, now might be the time to change your older appliances or acquire ones that you have never had before, maybe something like a dishwasher. Perhaps you are already wondering: should I get a dishwasher?

If you are asking yourself whether it will integrate into your kitchen layout, you can rest assured that it almost definitely will. I can say that because kitchens were standardized decades ago although many people still do not realize it. Regular sized kitchen units and standard sized kitchen appliances are 600 millimetres wide and 600 millimetres deep or long, that is 600 x 600 mm looking down on it. 600 mm is roughly two feet

Then there are double units for particular purposes like the sink unit which is 1200 x 600 mm and half units of 300 x 600 mm and even two-thirds size units of 400 x 600 mm. Standard appliances are 600 x 600 mm and slimline appliances are 400 x 600 mm. Worktops are 600 mm wide.

Contractors and professional kitchen remodellers are well aware of this helpful information, so when they design a kitchen wall, they make the wall divisible by 600 mm in length. Consequently, a kitchen may have walls of 6000 mm (6 metres), 3000 mm (3 metres) or 4000 mm. 4000 mm would give you,say, six standard 600 mm appliances or units and one 400 mm unit or slimline appliance or one 1200 mm sink unit four 600 mm units and one 400 mm slimline appliance.

Given this makes it quite easy to work out whether you can fit in a standard or a slimline dishwasher. If you have to, you can take out one of your existing 600 mm or 400 mm kitchen units and slot the dishwasher in there. The same goes for any other free-standing kitchen appliances such as a cooker or a tumble-dryer.

The chief advantages of owning a dishwasher are threefold: firstly, they save time; secondly, they keep your kitchen looking tidy and thirdly they save you having to wash up. Most families eat at least three times a day at home particularly on the weekend, so in these households there is a great amount of washing up to be done.

Washing up and drying could take 20-30 minutes a time, so we are talking of saving a minimum of an hour a day. If you cannot find this time to wash up and dry frequently, it will seem as if there are always dirty dishes in the sink, which is not a good-looking sight and it is a magnet for flies. If you have a dishwasher, you can put the whole day’s crockery et cetera in there and keep it for one big wash in the evening.

Lastly, a lot of people really detest washing and drying dishes. Not everyone does, I know, some find it relaxing to day dream while looking out the window, but most people loathe it. With a dishwasher, you will never have to do the washing up again.

As far as styling goes, there are plenty of different styles and colours of dishwashers on the market, but you can also get a dummy panel to match your existing units and screw it to the front of the dishwasher to disguise it.

Owen Jones, the writer of this article writes on quite a few subjects, but is at present involved with thinking about thedual fuel range cookers. If you would like to know more or check out some great offers, please go to our website at Electric Freestanding Cooker.

categories: dishwashers,household appliances,kitchen,remodelling,house,hobbies,decorating,white goods,projects,family,other,labour-saving,time management

The latest trend in kitchen counter tops or worktops, as they are also called, is to cover them in ceramic tiles. The ceramic tiles are the same ones that go on your floor or walls. people no longer want the old MDF plastic coated worktops, pretty as they seemed to be until not so long ago. They are now so old-fashioned, darling! You simply must have a ceramic tile counter top in the kitchen.

There is such a wide assortment of ceramic tiles as well. There are thousands of styles of tiles in dozens of materials. There are stone, slate, ceramic and quarry tiles to name but a few of the materials utilized to make tiles. However, most individuals go for the ceramic tiles for their counter top, because there is more variety and they are less expensive.

Some of the designs obtainable for a ceramic tile counter top are plain, riven, patterned, mosaic, floral, rustic, country or artistic, but really, the world is your oyster when it comes to selecting ceramic tiles. They are also available in different sizes, but the most common are: 25 mm (one inch); 150 mm (six inches); 225 mm (nine inches) and 300 mm (one foot).

As you likely already know from your previous experience with tiling the kitchen and bathroom, ceramic tiles are very versatile. They can be cut or snapped fairly easily, once you get the hang of it and they are easily laid down although some tilers would rather one method and others another.

In Europe tiles are usually laid on lines of adhesive which have been spread with an adhesive applicator. This technique uses roughly half the adhesive you would normally use. In Asia they tend to lay tiles on a full bed of cement. It does not matter which method you use for walls or your counter top as the tiles will not be subject to any weight.

A ceramic tile counter top in the kitchen is an outstanding idea because there is plenty of variety, they are simple to lay, hard-wearing and heat-resistant. It is a surprise that they did not catch on a long time ago.

Some individuals count the ceramic tiles above the work surface as part of the counter top although it is not really. It is part of the wall tiling. Anyway, select your tiles carefully, because you will be seeing them often. A lot of people decide to have an off-white splashback with several picture tiles placed at random but with a panel of six or eight tiles making a fresco in the centre. A granite counter top cut neatly around your hob and sink looks fantastic. This style works best if you have a built-in sink and cooker.

Black is too severe for many, so they might choose a lighter, say, marbled tile. This looks great too. It is all a matter of getting the colours of the splashback and the counter top co-ordinated well, but it is not hard. You could also have a frieze in the ceramic tile counter top. If you are stuck for ideas, just walk around a home improvement centre and look at their show kitchens. What they have in MDF, you can do in ceramic tiles.

Owen Jones, the author of this piece writes on quite a few topics, but is at present involved with solid fuel cookers. If you would like to know more or check out some great offers, please go to our website at Electric Freestanding Cooker.

categories: ceramic tiles,household appliances,kitchen,remodelling,house,hobbies,decorating,white goods,projects,family,other,uncategorised,time management