Ironing Board vs Ironing Mat – Which One To Choose?

Ironing is fun for some people and a daunting task for others. Remember a good companion for ironing is necessary to enjoy this chore.

Ironing board and an ironing mat are two equipment, which makes the process of ironing convenient and efficient.

An ironing board is big and comes in different designs and sizes. On the other hand, an ironing mat is like a pad which can be placed on the top of any surface.

Both of these things are really beneficial. There are some shortcomings as well. To understand what exactly these things are and why should one have it, you will need to read to the end.

If you want to know what is an ironing board and an ironing mat, their types, and ironing board vs ironing mat, which one to choose? You stopped at the right spot.

Stay to the end to find the right ironing equipment for yourself.

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What is an Ironing Board?

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It is a flat surface covered with the cloth used for ironing the clothes. The basic purpose of an ironing board is to iron the clothes.

Apart from that, people also use it for ironing the sheets and some other paper products. Most of these boards are cloth-covered. However, you can also find ironing boards made of some other materials.

To have the best ironing experience and to make your clothes a lot crisp, the surface on which you are ironing should be comfortable and smooth.

Some ironing boards make the process really quick and efficient as they are straight and come with an iron stand.

Types of Ironing Boards

Ironing boards are usually classified into three types depending upon the place where they are kept.

The most popular one among these boards is the portable ironing board.

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You can move this board to anywhere in your house. It is best for those people who are facing a shortage of space in their houses.

Portable ironing boards  are always lightweight, having foldable and extendable legs. You can set this board in almost no time.

Also, it is really easy to carry it anywhere.

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These boards are also well suited to people who do not have much space. As the name suggests, it is attached to the wall. It can be folded when not in use.

Wall-mounted ironing boards   are usually constructed with high-quality material. You can fix it in your closet at any angle you like.

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These ironing boards are meant to be placed on the table. Compared to portable boards, table-top boards have shorter legs. You can place the board on the counter, bed or the table.

Table-Top Ironing Boards  are lightweight and very easy to carry. You can easily take this equipment anywhere in your house. However, it has one drawback.

Due to its small size, you will face some difficulty in ironing long clothes.

Why should I have an Ironing Board?

A stable ironing board will help you in ironing the clothes efficiently. The one with the right material can last long.

Portable ironing boards are best in the sense that their legs can be folded and extended to wherever you want.

Some ironing boards have an iron holder as well. You can purchase the one with rails, drawers and organizers. This depends upon how much complexity you want in your ironing board.

Among them all, it is necessary to purchase the ironing board that is stable. This will ease the process of ironing, and it will prevent accidents as well.

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What is an Ironing Mat?

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As the name suggests, an ironing mat is a relatively thick mat that provides you with a smooth and straight surface so that you can iron clothes easily.

The mat is made of heat-resistant material that does not burn with the heat of an iron.

Ironing mats can be placed anywhere you want. You need to have a flat surface over which the mat can be set up. You can place it on the counter, table, floor, or on the bed.

Some of the mats are even designed to be placed on the washer and dryer. It is nothing strange to iron clothes on it. You will get used to an ironing mat in no time.

Types of Ironing Mats

You will see different ironing mats with distinct features. Normally ironing mats are of two types. These are insulated ironing mats and magnetic ironing mats.

Let us have a look at each one of them.

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These mats are way too thick than the magnetic ones. Insulated mats are really useful in ironing a large variety of clothes. These mats are really good at absorbing moisture and steam.

With insulated ironing mats , you can keep the surface safe. If you are keeping it on a wooden table or bed, a wool insulated mat is great to protect such surfaces from the heat of iron.

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This type of ironing mat contains magnets inside it. This is why it is suitable to be placed on the dryer or a washer. The magnets cling easily to the surface of the washer.

The magnetic iron mat  also has a silicon iron rest where you can place the iron when it is not in use. With this mat, you don’t need to struggle with moving it around.

Just keep it over the washer or dryer and continue the ironing.

Why should I have an Ironing Mat?

Ironing mats are small and portable. This means you can effortlessly carry it with yourself while travelling. It is made such that you can iron the clothes very well with complete stability without any problem.

Due to its small size, you can roll it up and store it anywhere in the cupboard or drawer. The magnetic ironing mat works astonishingly on metallic surfaces.

The magnets inside the mats have a really strong grip, so the mat stays in its place, and it works almost like an ironing board.

Ironing mats are good for you if your house is not spacious. You can press all types of clothes on them without any problem.

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Ironing Board Vs Ironing Mat – Which One Should I Use?

People who find the task of ironing fun also want to have the proper tools. If you do not have a good ironing equipment, then there are chances that you would get frustrated by this chore really quickly.

Sometimes the space is not available to place a proper ironing board. Other times, people think that an ironing board is just an additional expense.

Although ironing boards are usually portable but they are quite heavy weighing between 9 to 20 lbs.

Ironing boards are available in diverse designs with a lot of accessories like organizers, hooks, iron stands, and hanging rails.

This makes the whole process of ironing quite efficient and convenient. Though an ironing board adds to the convenience, but it is space consuming.

People who live in apartments almost always face the problem of space, and they cannot have an ironing board at their home. An ironing mat will do for them in this case.

An ironing mat is simply a mat which might be magnetic or insulated. You can place it anywhere you want.

Make sure the surface is straight and smooth. It usually comes with an iron rest where you can easily place the iron when it is not in use.

If you are having the problem of space in your house, get yourself an iron mat right away. It is made up of insulating material that traps the heat and moisture, thus preventing the surface from iron.

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Conclusion

After a good long debate on ironing board vs ironing mat, the conclusion is simple.

If your house is spacious and you want to have accessorized equipment for ironing, then go for the ironing board. You can pick the right one according to your choice.

You have the choice of table-top, wall-mounted, and a portable ironing board.

On the other hand, if your house is confined and you face the problem of keeping an ironing board, then go for the ironing mat.

You will be stunned to see how you can press a variety of clothes on it without damaging the surface.

With that said, we reached the end of this article. I hope that you picked the right ironing equipment for yourself by now.

Happy ironing!