Prizzi now offers Battistella steam generators for the US market, built for 120 V. Two models are on our site: the Vaporino Maxi 2.8 L and the Barbara 27 Portable 4.5 L, each with Battistella's EOS iron. Both are semi-professional machines for home sewing rooms and small workshops. Battistella is an Italian maker from the Veneto region that marks both models "Made in Italy", and both are ETL Listed for the US and Canada.
Who is Battistella?
Battistella B.G. S.r.l. is based in Rossano Veneto, in the province of Vicenza in northern Italy. The business started in 1975 as a small maker of ironing boards, and the company now marks fifty years in business. Today its range is ironing equipment: steam generators, ironing boards with and without a boiler, automatic machines and presses. Its catalog files the Vaporino and the Barbara 27 under "semi-industrial", the class for small workshops and tailoring businesses where quality for the price and low power consumption matter.
Made in Italy
Both models carry the "Made in Italy" line in Battistella's instruction manuals. Battistella says that its own technical office designs its steam generators. For a tailor, an alteration shop or an atelier, that means buying from a European manufacturer that publishes manuals and data sheets for every model.
ETL Listed: what it means and why it matters in the US
ETL is a certification mark used across the US and Canada. It is issued by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL), a lab that OSHA has recognized to certify products. A product with the ETL Listed mark has been tested to the same US safety standards as a product with the UL mark, and regulators and inspectors across the US and Canada accept it. The letters come from Electrical Testing Laboratories, which Thomas Edison founded in 1896.
Battistella's USA versions are on the list: commercial electric steam irons, Vaporino Maxi (mod. 2016 USA) and Barbara 27, 27/RP, 31 and 31/RP (mod. 2010 USA), including the portable version. They are certified to UL 60335-1 and UL 60335-2-3 for the US and to CSA C22.2 No. 60335-1 and CSA E60335-2-3 for Canada. UL 60335-2-3 is the US edition of the international safety standard for electric irons; it also covers steam irons with a separate boiler of up to 1.3 US gal (5 liters), which is the case for both machines. The listing covers the USA versions of the machines, and those are the versions we supply. The ETL Authorization to Mark is on each product page as a PDF.
It matters at work. OSHA's electrical standard (29 CFR 1910.303) says that electrical equipment in a workplace must be approved and that listed or labeled equipment has to be used the way its listing says. A listing from an OSHA-recognized lab makes it much easier to show an inspector that the equipment is approved.
The two Battistella models
Both are on our site with prices, spec sheets and downloads. Both are steam generators: a boiler under pressure feeds steam through a hose to an iron that carries no water tank, so you can press for hours between fills, which a conventional steam iron cannot do. Both come with the EOS iron, which has a cork handle, its own thermostat and a switch on the iron that releases the steam. Battistella's manuals recommend an anti-sheen shoe for delicate, blue and black garments. The EOS Teflon iron shoe is sold separately as an accessory.
| Vaporino Maxi 2.8 L | Barbara 27 Portable 4.5 L | |
|---|---|---|
| Power | 120 V, 60 Hz, 1700 W (boiler 1000 W, iron 700 W) | 120 V, 60 Hz, 1700 W (boiler 1000 W, iron 700 W) |
| Socket | 120 V, 15 A | 120 V, 15 A |
| Boiler | 0.7 US gal (2.8 L), stainless steel; 0.6 US gal (2.3 L) of water | 1.2 US gal (4.5 L), stainless steel; 0.9 US gal (3.4 L) of water, level glass |
| Working pressure | 41 psi (2.8 bar) | 41 psi (2.8 bar) |
| Ironing time per fill | about 3 hours | about 3 to 4 hours |
| Weight | 18.1 lb (8.2 kg) | 25.4 lb (11.5 kg) |
| Size | 14.2 x 10.2 x 11.0 in (360 x 260 x 280 mm) | 9.8 x 11.4 x 14.6 in (250 x 290 x 370 mm) |
| Iron | EOS, 700 W, included | EOS, 700 W, included |
| Version | White, without a pressure gauge | Portable |
| Use limit | up to 10 hours a week, 40 a month | up to 20 hours a week, 80 a month |
| Safety listing | ETL Listed, USA version (UL 60335-1, UL 60335-2-3) | ETL Listed, USA version (UL 60335-1, UL 60335-2-3) |
Power, boiler, pressure and use limits are from Battistella's USA manuals; the weight and size of the Barbara 27 Portable are from Battistella's data sheet.
Which one should you choose?
Choose by workload. Battistella designed both machines for ironing domestic garments and sets a use limit in its manuals: up to 10 hours a week (40 a month) for the Vaporino Maxi and up to 20 hours a week (80 a month) for the Barbara 27, spread over several sessions. That makes them semi-professional machines, a good match for a home sewing room, a home-based business, alterations and tailoring in a small workshop, or a small atelier. The Vaporino is the compact, lighter choice for occasional jobs. The Barbara 27 has a larger boiler, a longer run per fill and twice the weekly allowance, which suits a workshop that presses most days. Battistella's warranty does not apply to use for purposes other than those written in the manual, so stay within the use limits. If your iron will run all day, you need a larger industrial machine than either of these.
Using a steam generator safely
- Power: both models draw 1700 W, so use a protected 120 V, 15 A socket, avoid multiple sockets and extension cords that are not rated for the load, and do not run another high-wattage appliance on the same circuit.
- Water: use potable tap water with no additives, and drain the boiler every two or three uses, as the manuals say, only when the unit is cold and unplugged.
- Refilling: the boiler cannot be topped up under pressure. Unplug the unit, turn the valve plug one full turn to release the steam, wait 5 to 10 minutes, then refill.
- Safety devices: the valve plug is set at 65 psi (4.5 bar) and doubles as a safety valve. The manuals also describe an internal safety valve, thermostats and an indicator lamp.
- Service intervals: a new gasket for the valve plug every 1,200 hours or 2 years; an internal safety valve and thermostat every 1,400 hours (Vaporino) or 2,100 hours (Barbara) or 3 years; descaling of the boiler every 1,400 hours (Vaporino) or 2,500 hours (Barbara) or 3 years. The manuals give the last two jobs to service centers or the manufacturer.
Questions
Is the Battistella Vaporino ETL Listed?
Yes. Battistella's ETL listing covers the Vaporino Maxi (mod. 2016 USA), to UL 60335-1 and UL 60335-2-3 for the US and to the matching CSA standards for Canada. The ETL Authorization to Mark is on the product page.
What power does a Battistella steam generator need?
Both USA models run on 120 V, 60 Hz and draw 1700 W in total: 1000 W for the boiler and 700 W for the iron. A protected 120 V, 15 A socket is enough.
Does the Vaporino Maxi have a pressure gauge?
No. The USA Vaporino Maxi is the white version without a pressure gauge.
Can I use one in a small workshop?
Yes, within Battistella's limits: up to 10 hours a week on the Vaporino Maxi and up to 20 hours a week on the Barbara 27. For ironing all day, choose a larger industrial machine.
Where is Battistella made?
Battistella is based in Rossano Veneto, Italy, and marks both models "Made in Italy" in its manuals.
What is the difference between a steam generator and a steam iron?
A steam iron makes steam in a small tank inside the iron. A steam generator keeps the water in a separate boiler and sends pressurized steam to the iron through a hose, so the iron stays light and one fill lasts hours.
How long can I iron on one fill?
About 3 hours on the Vaporino Maxi and about 3 to 4 hours on the Barbara 27, according to Battistella.
Is the iron included?
Yes, both generators come with the EOS iron as standard.
See also: the Battistella collection, all steam generators and the portable steam generators.
