Marine Electronics

The large majority of households will be fed with a domestic water supply which is defined as "hard water". This is just a definition which is applied to signify water which has a fairly high concentration of minerals in it. Magnesium and calcium are the two most important minerals. According to the World Health Organisation, there are no health problems associated with hard water supplies - but it can affect the effective operation and lifespan of a variety of different domestic appliances.

As a consequence of hard water, mineral deposits can be laid down in water pipes and a range of household appliances. Household appliances which use hot or boiling water are especially at risk as heating the water frees the minerals it contains which then solidify as "scale". Coffee makers, kettles, steam irons, dishwashers and washing machines are all prone to this effect - as are household central heating systems and boilers.

The amounts of minerals that are released depend upon a number of different variables. One of these is temperature - the higher the temperature of the water, the more minerals will be released and the more scale will form. Running central heating systems, washing machines and dishwashers at lower temperature settings will reduce the amount of scale deposited and ensure that these appliances operate efficiently and have a long lifetime. Some soaps and detergents contain anti-scaling ingredients and these can also help to minimise scaling.

Using a lower water temperature with appliances such as steam irons, kettles and coffee makers isn't very practical. Some kettles come with filters built in these days, which can prevent or reduce the incursion of harmful minerals (as well as improving the taste of hot drinks). Some modern irons incorporate specially designed, removable scale traps which make it easy to wash away any scale under a running tap. Other alternatives include periodically cleaning your appliances with special anti-scale chemicals.

Whilst there is no danger to health as a result of hard water, some people may dislike the taste it results in for either hot drinks or boiled and steamed food. On the other hand, there are those who swear that hard water makes better tasting tea than soft water. It's a matter of personal taste at the end of the day. If the flavour of your food and drinks isn't satisfactory, you can always use a water filter. These range from very cheap (but effective) jug filters, to under sink or even whole house filters. These are cheaper than you may think and are really quite simple to install.

Whilst it may seem like a bit of an inconvenience, it's well worth taking a little effort to combat the effects of a hard water supply. Apart from improved efficiency of domestic appliances, using the right detergents, operating at a lower water temperature and occasional cleaning will save you money and extend the life of your household goods.

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

The majority of people will consider ironing to be a dull and boring household chore. Listening to music or watching television whilst you iron can help to reduce the tedium (a little) - but it's still a task that most people would prefer to avoid. Any way of reducing the amount of time spent ironing would be gratefully received in the large majority of households.

Of course, you could send your clothes to the dry cleaners - or even employ a maid. There are even professional ironers who will pick up your freshly washed clothes and return them crisply pressed should you wish. However, these are all rather expensive options.

A more viable alternative (for most people at least) would be to take advantage of advances in iron design and use a steam generator iron. Whilst these may look very similar to conventional irons, they have a completely different construction - and this provides a number of positive benefits.

Unlike a conventional steam iron, a steam generator iron has no water in the iron itself. Instead it uses a base unit which acts as both a water reservoir and heater. This produces a good deal more steam than a standard iron - and the steam is at a higher pressure.

A hollow connecting hose feeds the steam from the base unit to the iron and, since it is at a high pressure, it penetrates deeply into the material of the item being pressed. The end result is that it is easier and faster to iron using a steam generator iron. The fact that no water is contained in the body of the iron also makes it lighter and somewhat easier to work with. This produces a higher quality of finish for the finished garment and reduces the amount of time required for ironing. The majority of users report reductions in ironing time in the region of 50%.

Be sure to pick an iron with a high steam pressure - a value between 4.5 and 5.0 bar is best. You may also see irons whose capacity is stated in grams of steam per minute (gpm) - in which case you will probably want to pick one with an output of somewhere between 70 and 120 gpm.

The size of the water reservoir is another important consideration. Make sure that you pick one with a suitably sized tank so that you don't need to stop too often to top up the water level. A tank of at least 1.4 litres is desirable.

Other factors to consider include the length of the connecting hose between the base unit and the iron, the material of the soleplate, the ease of use and the inclusion of some form of anti-scale system.

Steam generator irons do cost a little more than standard irons. However, considering that they can cut the time you spend ironing in half - whilst simultaneously giving a better quality end result - they really do represent great value for money.

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.