Any suggestions for a very lightweight iron? Or steamer?

Why? Then you also have to have a converter and adapter - too much. Just use an iron from your hotel.

If you must iron do what Emily suggested. Why not just bring a small spray bottle of wrinkle releaser and spray and hang?

We are going on the 21 day grand tour. Are you saying that their are irons at the places we stay at?

As others note, there are a number of no ironing options starting with no iron fast drying travel clothing (my preference, but I'm a male). I carry a 230v with euro plug iron for skiing, but its heavy and would likely not be allowed as a carry-on. http://www.tognar.com/toko-t8-wax-iron-230v/

That said, through the power on the Internet searches, one can find 230v options. You may be more interested in Amazon's (or other vendor's) "dual voltage travel iron" selections including: http://www.amazon.com/Sunbeam-GCSBTR-100-000-GCSBTR-100-Travel-Iron/dp/B0057UMYAW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1405785407&sr=8-1&keywords=dual+voltage+travel+iron
I have no idea how effective the Sunbeam is, but it says "dual voltage". The description also does not address the plug. My Toko iron has a euro plug. The Sunbeam may need a plug adapter.

The usual disadvantage of light weigh irons is the temperature swings. The light plate and econo temperature controls usually result in wide temperature swings. Iron lightly and keep it moving if you are ironing delicate heat damageable material.

Wow. I love the quick responses on this forum. Thanks for the suggestion on the iron. I clicked on the link and reviewed it and bought it. I had been looking at travel irons alot heavier. Only .9 of a pound.
I will probably use it to hurry along whatever is not drying in time to pack back up. Thanks to all.

You will still need plug adapters to be able to use it in Europe.

Many hotels will have hair dryers that you can use to help the drying process as well.

I have not been on this tour yet, but on the other tours I discovered that if you have enough time between when you arrive at your hotel and your dinner/evening plans, do your wash then. That will give you an extra few hours of drying time over doing it when you are ready for bed.

I don't carry the fabric release just because I don't have room in my 3-1-1 bag, but I do carry an empty small spray bottle. If your clothes get wrinkled, lightly spray with water and hang overnight and most of the wrinkles will fall out.

I'm seconding Pam's suggestion of hair dryers. I regularly blow warm air into socks, sleeves, and pants legs as I hang them to dry; it warms them up and speeds the process greatly. Then I'll give the damp things another shot of warm air later.

I also take a bag of balloons and blow up several to slide into sleeves and pants legs. That seems to help with wrinkles as well as with drying speed.

I think you may be surprised on how others on tour will be casual, no one on our tour brought or used an iron.
Some hotels do not want you to iron in room either.

While I don't recall any signs in hotels forbidding ironing in one's room, I also don't recall European hotels of the price range I stay in that have ironing boards. Now that you are procuring a travel iron, what do you do about an ironing surface?

A travel iron is an absolute waste. For the first three trips we faithfully carried a travel iron for "touch-up" and never used it. And a heavy high wattage converter. In preparing for the fourth trip wife was unable to find the iron just before leaving. A little up-set because she was sure that she had put it away with the other travel stuff. I was no help. But I had a vague memory of the dog carrying it to the Goodwill drop off just down the block. Must have gotten to it when it was on bed after we unpacked from the last trip. Subject has not come up during the past 20 years and besides the dog died a few years ago. Still have the converter.

The advantage of dual voltage device rated for both 120 & 224v is not needing the heavy voltage converter. However, read the instructions to see if you need to manually switch the device to 220-240v while in Europe. Bad things happen to 120v irons on 240v power.

Carrying ones own iron or whatever comes down to personal values and choices. My wife goes nuts when I wear shitrs with a few (OK many) wrinkles but it doesn't bother me. On the other hand I prefer to use my own iron on my skis rather borrowing someone iron. (Re no ironing in hotels. Not a problem at ski venues. Hotels have been accommodating.)

When I first started traveling many years ago I did buy a small, quite light, traveling iron. Waste of money and space - it was never warm enough to be effective and besides I hate ironing and it is the last thing I want to do on vacation! So now I pack clothes that travel well. I may be a bit wrinkled on occasion but so is everyone else. I also think most of the hotels will have an iron on hand for guests to use. I have had irons in rooms on Rick Steves tours - not that I ever indulged!

Neither. We prefer to take some sort of "wrinkle free" clothing with us on our travels. And some store bought or homemade wrinkle release works great. Just let it hang while you take a shower. The steam will help get it wrinkle free. It worked on a dress my girlfriend brought that she wore on a few days of our 18 day trip.

suewbe,

let us know how it turns out and how many times you use the iron.

happy trails.

I'll post that answer Ray. if I find it a bother, I'll donate it to the current hotel/host. I understand they are family run, so they would probably keep it.

I am only taking the RS backpack/roller combination. It is smaller than other styles. I am keeping it at 15-16 # max. Expecting the weather to be hot, I brought extremely light shortsleeve blouses and didn't want to buy a new wardrobe of microfiber (?) clothes. I will have nothing else but my moneybelt. I expect to be quite comfortable. Cheers!

Here's a secret- even if there is no iron in the room (there rarely is, even in high-end hotels), many hotels can provide you with an iron upon request. You just have to ask.

I am in the Celtic Hotel in London right now. A lady asked at desk for an iron today and was told to bring her clothes down, that they had an iron but she had to use it in the laundry area.

Hotels that don't have ironing boards in room ( is most hotels) do not like burn marks on furniture or carpets.

The hardware store will have small, triangular wedge of rubber that will serve the same purpose as an iron. You did want to use it as a door stop, didn't you?