Pressing Iron Patented 130 Years Ago by Henry Seely

Coal iron

200 years before the invention of Henry Seely irons were made of cast iron and heated  in stoves. They lost their heat quickly and were not good for ironing of  delicate tissues. To iron one single dress, laundresses had to use several irons of different sizes and stay next to a hot stove. Soon after that, to heat an iron, they began to put coals right inside it. 

In the second half of the 19th century new irons appeared. These ones worked on gas and oil. They were not safe but they lost their heat slower. 

First electrical irons were much more efficient that their predecessors. They were heated by an electric arc. Despite this advantage, these irons were dangerous. They burned the clothes because there was no temperature regulation and they often overheated. 

In the 20s of the 20th century new type of irons appeared. These ones had temperature regulation and could be used for various kinds of tissues: silk, cotton, wool and linen. In the second half of the 20th century the steam function appeared. From that time on, quick progress took place. 

Modern irons have versatile functions including steam regulation, self-cleansing, automatic switching off and other useful functions.

Hamilton Beach Smart Lift Iron with Built-In Stability