The Best Ironing Boards for Your Clothes

Ironing boards are long, flat, horizontal boards (usually with one pointed end) covered with soft, heat-safe material and supported by two or four legs. The legs are usually foldable to allow for more compact storage. Since they’re covered with heat-resistant fabric, you’re guaranteed a secure place to press your clothing whenever needed. Here are a few ironing boards that we recommend.

Buying Guide for Ironing Boards

Why buy an ironing board?

While you could theoretically use any flat horizontal surface in your home to iron your clothes, these surfaces most likely won’t be properly shielded from or resistant to heat. So, if you iron clothes on an unprotected surface, you risk damaging or burning holes in it or worse. That’s where ironing boards come into play, as they’re specifically designed to take the heat. They also provide a great shape, size, and height to make ironing every inch of your button-ups easier and safer.

What should you look for in an ironing board?

• Size: Standard ironing boards are around 13 to 15 inches wide and 45 to 53 inches long. This size will be suitable for most homes and items of clothing. However, extra-long and/or extra-wide models are available if you want or require some bonus space in which to iron. You might also want to keep an eye out for models with adjustable legs to modify how tall or low the ironing board is for its user. If you have limited space at home or don’t mind a smaller-than-average ironing board, you might prefer a wall-mounted model. While both narrower and shorter than standard ironing boards, they’re incredibly compact and won’t take up any extra floor or storage space in your home. Plus, you won’t have to put in as much effort to fold and unfold it each time you iron clothes.
• Stability: Since ironing your clothes requires handling a hot, heavy metal tool, you’ll want to take steps to ensure that you’re as safe and secure as possible during this task. Buying as stable of an ironing board as possible is a big part of that. You don’t want the board collapsing or toppling over on you when a hot iron is resting on top of it, after all. A model with four legs will be more stable than an ironing board with two. The legs should be made of sturdy, durable materials like steel or aluminum. If they’re collapsible and/or height-adjustable legs, make sure that they have some sort of locking system. Nonskid feet will provide extra stability while also protecting your floors from accidental damage and scratches. For wall-mounted models, be sure that they have plenty of fastenings and anchors to hold them firmly in place, that the frame is made of sturdy material, and that they have as high of a weight capacity as possible.
• Materials: Most modern ironing boards will be made from plastic, compressed or perforated wood, and solid or meshed metal (usually steel or aluminum). Metal mesh is considered to be the superior choice. Although plastic and wood are more lightweight, they don’t conduct heat the way that metal does. Heat and steam aren’t as easily transferred through these surfaces, making them less efficient to iron or press clothes on. Plastic boards, even if they’re reinforced with wood, are also prone to cracking. Metal is the most durable and heat-transferable material, and a metal mesh board provides these benefits while weighing less than a solid metal model. In terms of the fabric that covers your ironing board, you’ll want to look for one that’s either thermo-reflective or that’s made of coated cotton or a similar fiber (preferably both). The thermo-reflective fabric reflects the iron’s heat onto your clothes to make ironing them a quicker task. Cotton or fiber fabric is strong and durable, and with a specially treated coating, it’s also resistant to scorching and stains so that it won’t catch fire or become heat damaged.

What can you expect to spend on an ironing board?

Ultimately, the price range will vary according to your ironing needs and the features in each model. You can find plenty of affordable and quality options for daily and long-term use, many priced within the $25-$50 range. The higher-quality options will cost up to $160, depending on the brand and design. For example, wall-mounted ironing boards will usually be more expensive than freestanding ones.

Our Picks for the Best Ironing Boards

Pros: The shape and size of the ironing board ensure that the heat and steam from your iron are distributed more evenly across your clothing, so you’re not stuck with stubborn wrinkles in some spots and perfectly smooth fabric in others. The cover is 100% cotton, with a polyurethane foam pad over a perforated steel board for maximum safety and efficiency during the ironing process. The two T-legs have non-skid feet to keep the legs stable and your flooring safe. They can be adjusted in height anywhere up to 35 inches tall and have a patented leg-lock system that makes this board easier to fold up and store away when not in use. If you don’t like the neutral gray charcoal cover color, this model is also available with a solid sky-blue or geometric-gray patterned cover.

Cons: Ultimately, there are better heavy-duty ironing boards that are available on the market. This particular product is more suitable for average-sized households. It also doesn’t come with a smart hanger, unlike other ironing boards, which would help you easily solve any storage problems that you have.

Bottom Line: Classical laundry boards are simple yet effective tools, and this model is no exception. At 53 inches long by 13 inches wide, this product provides you with a solid, safe, and stable surface on which to iron and press your various clothes. Use this board to complete a routine house chore with incredible ease and efficiency.

 

Pros: This mountable ironing board can be hung right on the wall. It folds down for ironing and folds up against the wall when not in use to create an incredibly convenient ironing station. If you live in a smaller apartment, condo, or home, or if you own an RV and want a place to iron your clothes while on the road, this laundry board is the perfect option. The built-in lock and release lever allows you to open and close it without any hassle or fumbling. All of the mounting hardware, anchors, fasteners, and instructions come included with your purchase. The frame is made of sturdy perforated steel that can support up to 25 pounds when mounted properly. And the cotton slipcover is durable and can be removed and washed in the washing machine and dryer for your convenience. The board itself is 36.2 by 12.2 inches in size, which is large enough for most garments, even if it’s not quite as large as a standard laundry board.

Cons: You’ll have to assemble this option on your own and secure it into the wall. If you live in an apartment where you can’t create holes in the wall, this isn’t for you.

Bottom Line: As convenient as laundry boards are to have on hand, traditional ones aren’t the most space-efficient. If you have a small laundry room or home and want a more compact ironing board, try this amazing, wall-mounted option.

 

Pros: A tabletop ironing board like this one offers another alternative to the traditional freestanding models. At 32 inches long by 12 inches wide, this tabletop board provides you with a decent size for ironing, and at only 6.1 inches tall, it’s still incredibly compact and portable. The short but sturdy metal legs, designed to rest on tabletops or countertops rather than on the floor, further collapse and fold flat to make it even more compact and easy to store. The MDF wood board ensures that it’s lightweight, and it’s covered with a ribbed aqua blue cover and foam pad for a safe ironing process. For extra safety purposes, there’s a retractable metal rest on which to place the iron to keep it safely away from your clothes when not in direct use.

 

Pros: This foldable and ultra-convenient ironing board is incredibly compact, providing you with greater storage options. You can keep it in your closet or bedroom, or you can hang it on the wall. The four-layered pad on the board also offers incredible heat-resistance, allowing steam to escape with better efficiency.

Cons: This ironing board might be too small for larger households. Its cover’s print might not appeal to everyone.

Bottom Line: This ironing board has a compact, built-in hook and high-quality materials. If you need an ironing board that you can take with you while traveling, or one that you can easily store, then this is the ideal option.

 

Pros: With this ironing board, you can save money without compromising when it comes to quality and performance. The board comes with a removable cover that you can wash when needed as well as cotton padding for optimal support while ironing your clothes. It also has a fun pattern so that you can do your chores in style.

Cons: This is far from a premium ironing board. It’s very simple in terms of its design and overall functionality. It’s also not the best option when it comes to storage purposes.

Bottom Line: Don’t let the price fool you. This ironing board will support your needs and allow you to iron your clothes with minimal issues. With a clever and simple design, the board allows you to iron loads of laundry quickly to return to your normal daily activities.

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, you’ll want to find an ironing board that has the right surface, size, and adjustability for your needs. Think about how you plan on using it and whether you need to take it with you while traveling. Think about your living situation and the size of your household. Since there are so many models on the market, you should easily find one that makes laundry day much less of a chore.