Capacity is an important factor when purchasing a washing machine. Wash capacity refers to how many kilos of dry laundry will fit in each washing load. The capacity you need is driven by four major factors: your par levels of linen, the number of people and estimated personal garments, your required turn-around times, and the number of hours per day/per week your laundry will be operating.
We’ve created a general guide to washer capacities, but we recommend speaking to one of our laundry experts for a deeper analysis on the right capacity for your business:
The length of the roller and its diameter are important factors when choosing an ironer that’s right for your business.
Consider the lengths and types of linen that you will be ironing, as this will determine the length you need. Longer rollers allow for super king sized sheets and blankets. Shorter rollers are appropriate for smaller items or if you don’t mind folding the linen in half.
The diameter of the roller will determine the quality of the finish and efficiency of the ironer. The bigger the diameter, the more contact the linen has with the roller, producing a better finish and processing linen more quickly.
Pressure is another important aspect of ironers, possibly the most important aspect. Pressure is created by padding and springs around the roll. By investing in a quality pad, you will increase throughput, need to replace the padding less, and deliver high quality finish on your linens. If you intend to iron at temperatures above 185 degrees celsius, then you will require a Nomex pad because it has a higher heat tolerance than polyester pads.
| Roller Length | 1000mm | 1200mm | 1400mm | 1600mm | 2000mm | 2794mm | 3048mm | 3454mm |
| Roller Diameter | 250mm | 300mm | 330mm | 400mm | 500mm | 600mm | 800mm | 900mm | 1050mm | 1300mm |
Some ironers come with the option to have lanes. There are options for 1, 2, 3, and 4 lanes, which can be beneficial depending on the type of linen processed and the quantity. Opting for a model with 4 lanes allows for all configurations. The less lanes, the less options.
Budget plays a big factor in any purchase decision, but when considering your budget for an ironer there are a few more elements to consider than just the price tag of the machine.
The biggest cost in operating a laundry in Australia will always be labour. For this reason, it’s important to note how many operators are required for your ironer of choice. Whether you choose to add on a feeder, folder and/or stacker, will also affect the number of operators required within the laundry. It’s worth sitting down and doing the math, as often businesses will find that automated add-ons such as a feeder will pay for itself within a year or two because of the labour costs they eliminate. We highly recommend speaking with a laundry professional to assist you in working on your calculations.
Another big decision when investing in an ironer is roll-heated versus chest-heated. For roll-heated ironers, the temperature is distributed through the roll itself. Whereas, with a chest-heated ironer the temperature source is on the underside of the chest. Chest-heated ironers are used in laundries with high-production as they are much more efficient at heating and produce much higher throughput. Roll-heated ironers are a great option for laundries with small production because of their size, affordability, ease of use and simple maintenance.
One of the more popular heating options for ironers, in particular roller ironers. It can be efficient at producing & maintaining heat.
Electric is another popular form of heating in commercial ironers, usually used in smaller, roller ironers.
Can be challenging to maintain heat and pressure. This type of heating is found in chest-ironers and requires a boiler.
Also referred to thermal heating, oil heating is used in chest-ironers. It's very efficient at producing & maintaining heat.
This can affect the choice of ironer, and may also mean that you need to have a some time in the dryer. It’s important before deciding on an ironer that you know what other machines are in your laundry, as whether upfront costs or time is of more value to your business. For some more upscale ironers, linen can be taken straight from the washing machine and into the iron. Other ironers will request that a specific percentage of residual moisture be met before the linen can go into the ironer. This may mean that linen will require a brief time in the dryer before moving onto the ironer. This is especially true if you have a low-moderate spin washer. For these reasons, we highly recommend speaking with a laundry professional to ensure your business needs are met and your overall laundry setup has been considered in your choice of ironer or finishing equipment.
Caring for your iron regularly will help you continue to get the best out of it, as well as extend its life. Simple actions such as reading the manual, gaining feedback from your staff, and regularly cleaning the machine to prevent build up of wax and dirt, can make a big difference in looking after your ironer.
When purchasing a commercial ironer, we strongly recommend signing up to regular machine servicing. Even the best commercial laundry brands require preventative maintenance to ensure they are performing at their best and keep on top of any wear and tear before it becomes a costly breakdown. It's important you partner with a laundry team you can rely on. Check out our industry leading Protection Plans to learn more.
It's inevitable that over the years, especially as your ironer begins to age, that it will break down. Commercial finishing equipment are solid and durable, but with any machine that is used as often as they are, it's expected they may fault from time to time. That's why it's important to partner with a laundry team who are quick to respond and have spare parts on hand, ready to get your machine up and running ASAP. Learn more about our Urgent Repairs Service.
Speak with our laundry experts to help you with machine selection, technical information, site issues, and any other laundry support you need.
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