8 of the best ironing boards to whizz through post-holiday laundry

These best ironing boards can help tackle creases no matter how small or large your space

The best ironing boards: Leifheit ironing board in bedroom
(Image credit: Leifheit)

On the hunt for the best ironing board? The only way to get the chores done in a timely fashion is to purchase one of our top picks. While some of us love ironing and think it's therapeutic, most of us loathe it and think it's boring. Unfortunately, it's a necessary evil we *mostly* can't escape.

The easiest way to make ironing as quick and hassle-free as possible? Apart from the obvious of purchasing a decent iron, there's also the factor of a good quality ironing board. This way you can zip through that pile of laundry in no time at all. Below, we've listed the top ironing boards you can buy right now from large options to small ones, wall-mounted, table top and even a super lightweight one for Nan.

Find tips on how to do laundry to get the most from your wash; and don't miss our laundry hacks for all the shortcuts you need. Head to our cleaning section for all things washing machines, tumble dryers and much, much more.

WHAT IS THE BEST IRONING BOARD YOU CAN BUY?

Why you can trust Real Homes Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

In our opinion, the best ironing board you can spend your money on is the Brabantia Ironing Table with Steam Control. It's strong and sturdy, safe and also has a tray. Read our full review below.

THE BEST IRONING BOARDS

Best ironing board you can buy: Brabantia Ironing Table with Steam Control, light grey branded cover

1. Brabantia Ironing Table with Steam Control

Best ironing board you can buy: reduce drips and iron safely with this steam control board

Specifications

Best for: Steam Generator Irons
Dimensions: L149cm x W49cm x H77-96cm
Weight: 9kg
Tray: Yes

Reasons to buy

+
Drip tray included 
+
Child safety lock  
+
Height adjustable

Reasons to avoid

-
Must remember to empty the bowl before folding away
-
Pricey

Looking for the best overall ironing board to spend your money on? The Brabantia Ironing Table with Steam Control is it.

What makes it great?
Steam generator irons can be hefty things, which is why having a strong and sturdy ironing board is required to hold it. This ironing board has been specifically designed with this in mind, and has a large enough tray table to hold the iron and its generator for quick and easy ironing. It also features a drip tray and works to reduce condensed steam and drips on clothing. 

Extra features
For those who have little ones, you can have peace of mind the board is secured with a child safety lock, so no accidents can happen. 

Good to know
Remember to empty the drip tray before folding away otherwise you’ll have extra mess to deal with. In our opinion, this is the best ironing board you can buy.

Shop more Brabantia products at Amazon

Best for piles of ironing: Minky Ergo Plus Ironing Board, black and blue cover

2. Minky Ergo Plus Ironing Board

Best for piles of ironing: flexible board for comfort when ironing, and our top pick of the best ergonomic ironing board

Specifications

Best for: Ergonomic
Dimensions: L144cm x W38cm x H94cm
Weight: 7.26kg
Tray: Yes

Reasons to buy

+
Flex guide to stop cord tangling 
+
Comfortable for use both left and right handed 

Reasons to avoid

-
Quite large as the height can't be adjusted

The Minky Ergo Plus Ironing Board is said to provide complete comfort when ironing. 

What makes it great?
It's spacious and designed with safety in mind, including a flex guide to stop the iron cord from tangling and a wide tray to keep the iron stable. The Prozone cover is made from 100 per cent cotton and features a heat reflective coating for easier crease removal. Our favourite part is that it's easy to use whether you're left or right handed.

Good to know
Customers have said this board is bigger than expected, so you’d need a dedicated utility space to really make use of its ergonomic design, but overall it is sturdy and easy to clean with a removable board cover. This is our pick of the best ironing board for when you've got piles of washing to get through.

Find more Minky products at Amazon

Vileda Total Reflect Ironing Board

(Image credit: Vileda)

3. Vileda Total Reflect Ironing Board

Best ironing board for ease of use: This iron board ticks all the boxes and more

Specifications

Best for: Easy
Dimensions: L130cm x W44cm x H74-97cm
Weight: 6.38kg
Tray: Yes

Reasons to buy

+
Kid safe
+
Height adjustable
+
Foam and foil layer in cover

Reasons to avoid

-
Not the easiest to store (in terms of size)

The Vileda Total Reflect Ironing Board is the best ironing board for those who are after something which is easy to use.

What makes it great?
Featuring both a foam and foil layer inside its cover to stop condensation on the board, the Vileda Total Reflect makes an easy and fast job of de-creasing clothes. It can fit all size irons on its tray including steam generators, and the board can be adjusted to your height so those who are under 5ft5 don't struggle to reach (we know the pain). Our favourite feature is its child safe system that locks the board so it can't collapse if someone crawls underneath or brushes past it. 

Good to know
While the ironing board is large so ideal for tackling bigger laundry items, those with limited floor space or storage space may want to do some measuring before they purchase.

Shop more Vileda products at Amazon

Ironfix Wall Mounting Ironing Board, white fixings with grey patterned cover

4. Ironfix Wall Mounting Ironing Board

Best wall-mounted ironing board: save space in the home with this wall-mounted ironing board

Specifications

Best for: Space saver
Dimensions: L56cm x W35cm x H14cm
Weight: 10kg
Tray: No

Reasons to buy

+
Saves floor space 
+
Can be swivelled both left and right  

Reasons to avoid

-
No tray table
-
Small in width
-
Pricey for what it is

If you’re sick of your home looking like a launderette all the time, then this Ironfix Wall Mounting Ironing Board is the best ironing board for you. 

What makes it great?
It's wall mounted, so it can be easily fixed inside a utility cupboard or somewhere else discreet and its swivel mechanism allows a 180 degree range so you can lock it left or right depending on your home and what’s comfortable for you. 

Good to know
It doesn’t have a tray table which means it might not be ideal for large steam generator irons, but for smaller, basic irons this board provides plenty of space. The best ironing board for households with treasured floor space, we think.

Shop more wall mounted ironing boards at Amazon

Best small ironing board: Leifheit Airboard Small Lightweight Ironing Board

(Image credit: Leifheit / John Lewis)

5. Leifheit Airboard Small Lightweight Ironing Board

Best small ironing board: a compact and lightweight board for quick ironing

Specifications

Best for: Quick jobs
Dimensions: L144cm x W40cm x H75-88cm
Tray: Yes

Reasons to buy

+
Super lightweight
+
Efficient reflection cover
+
Quite nice looking

Reasons to avoid

-
Not recommended for use with steam generators

Looking for a lightweight ironing board to be used by someone who is less able or elderly? Or simply just fed up of lugging your current heavy board out the utility room every few days? Enter: Leifheit's Airboard.

What makes it great?
This ultra-light board is designed for popping up at a moment’s notice and features and thermos-reflection cover which allows for faster, more efficient ironing. If you’re short on space, it can be easily stored out of the way at a weight of just 3.3kg. The height is also adjustable for comfort and a safety lock ensures it won’t unexpectedly jump out at you in the middle of the night.

Good to know
This ironing board isn't recommended for use with steam generators; all in all, this is a reliable ironing board for everyday use and our pick of the best ironing board for quick jobs.

See more Leifheit products at Amazon

Best wide ironing board: Brabantia Titan Oval Ironing Board, grey concentric circle-pattern cover

6. Brabantia Titan Oval Ironing Board

Best wide ironing board: extra-wide for ease of use, this is our best ironing board for worktops

Specifications

Best for: Wide worktop
Dimensions: L184cm x W50cm x H61-102cm
Weight: 6.7kg
Tray: No

Reasons to buy

+
Easy to iron suits and shirts 
+
Flexible height adjustment 

Reasons to avoid

-
Very big – may be hard to store for some

Struggle to iron larger items? The Brabantia Titan Oval Ironing Board is your best ironing board option.

What makes it great?
Ironing shirts can be a real pain, and you end up spending more time moving the garment around than getting the creases out. However, with this ironing board, you can expect a much wider worktop which makes ironing shirts and suit jackets really easy. This ironing board is incredibly sturdy with rubber feat that ensure it doesn’t wobble when in use, and customers love how easy it is to adjust the height so no hunching over is required.

Good to know
It doesn’t have a tray table but it does have a designated heat resistant end which allows you to have peace of mind that the iron is safe when not in use. We think this is the best ironing board for those who are after something extra wide.

Shop more ironing boards at John Lewis & Partners

Best for ironing shirts: Addis Shirtmaster Ironing Board, blue shirt-patterned cover

7. Addis Shirtmaster Ironing Board

Best for ironing shirts: square edges make it easy to iron shirts and, well, everything!

Specifications

Best for: Shirts
Dimensions: LWH 125x41x93cm
Weight: 5.9kg
Tray: No

Reasons to buy

+
 Rounded edges 
+
 Anti-slip feet 

Reasons to avoid

-
 No tray for iron to rest on 

Ever thought the pointed end of an ironing board was more of a hindrance than anything else? The Addis Shirtmaster Ironing Board may make your life a whole lot easier. 

What makes it great?
The wide board will allow for clothing, especially shirts, to be ironed with ease and with less need to manoeuvre them about the board. The anti-slip feet make this a great choice for hardwood floors, too.

Good to know
If you’ve got a large steam generator, you’ll need a stable surface nearby as this doesn’t have a try to accommodate an iron. In our opinion, this is the best ironing board for shirts.

Shop more Addis products at Amazon

Best tabletop ironing board: Leifheit Airboard Table Top Ironing Board, blue floral cover

8. Leifheit Airboard Table Top Ironing Board

Best tabletop ironing board: ironing is quick and convenient with this table top board

Specifications

Best for: Convenience
Dimensions: L70cm x 30cm x 8cm
Weight: 0.5kg
Tray: No

Reasons to buy

+
Sturdy 
+
Lightweight  

Reasons to avoid

-
Quite small 

For quick and convenient ironing, this Leifheit Airboard Table Top Ironing Board is the best ironing board to choose.

What makes it great?
If you’re short on space then you can simply place this on top of your dining table or a flat work surface to create a makeshift ironing board. It's also super lightweight at 0.5kg, making it a great option for those who are elderly or less able.

Good to know
If you're used to a regular board, this one will take a little getting used to, and it can be tricky to iron larger items of clothing, but for quick jobs it works very well and its lightweight body makes it easy to store and move around when necessary. The very best tabletop ironing board you can buy, in our opinion.

Find more ironing boards at Argos

HOW TO BUY THE BEST IRONING BOARD

Ease of use

The last thing you want is to end up having a fight with an ironing board that won’t stay up, or one that squeaks with every minuscule movement, and if you’ve got a small home then making room for one is another battle in itself. Most ironing boards will come with a tray to place your iron on, and fold down easily for convenient storage. 

Child lock

If you have kids running about, check if the board you want has a child lock, as this will stop it from accidentally collapsing during use. 

Size

When you're buying an ironing board on online, don't just assume it's the standard size; some ironing boards are made for small space living. Nothing wrong with that unless it arrives and is more child-sized that you expected. If you’re really short on space, then table top ironing boards allow you to utilise space you already have (plus you can sit down while doing it). Smaller, occasional ironing jobs will be fine done on a basic board, but if its suits and shirts you’re wanting to press on a regular basis, a wider board will allow for better coverage and accuracy. 

Ease of storage 

Wall-mounted ironing boards are an option for utility cupboards or spare rooms.

Handy, optional extras

You can also opt for ironing boards with additional features such as a hanging rack, a flex holder and sleeve attachments to make ironing a breeze. 

MORE CLOTHES CONTENT:

Annie Collyer
Head Ecommerce Editor

Hi! I'm Annie, and I'm the Head Ecommerce Editor at Real Homes. I've been part of the Real Homes team since 2018, when I joined as Deals Editor. Along with covering major sales events — from Black Friday to Amazon Prime Day — I review home must-haves so that you can buy with peace of mind. Mostly focusing on home fragrance and sleep, as well as a few vacuum cleaners, I've tested pretty much every item you can think of that you need in your home. I live on the outskirts of the city in a two-bed apartment with my husband and my pug, Doug. So I am always searching for compact alternatives and ways to save floor space. What about when I am not typing away? Well, you'll find me enjoying an iced coffee (no matter the season) and trying out the latest brunch spots the city has to offer, or booking my next holiday. Where else can you find my words? Livingetc, Homes & Gardens, Ideal Home, Gardeningetc, and Woman & Home.

SPONSORS