ironing board covers - advice required for a novice!

[Ragglefrock]

My husband has asked for a new ironing board cover for his birthday (?! Im getting him something nice too!) - having only ever ironed twice I have no idea what makes an ironing board cover good or not?! Please can anyone advise?

Interesting man...

IMO the best covers are the slightly padded plain grey ones with spots or perforations. I dislike the fancy picture ones, as the picture shows through the garment you're ironing, and you can't see if there's a stain or mark. The grey ones reflect heat back, the perforations let steam through, and the padding reduces creasing. I generally gets me from John Lewis, as I have a very large ironing board and can rarely find the right size elsewhere.

Measure the maximum length and breadth of your board. If you can't find the right size, get a bigger cover rather than one that might only just fit.