to the plane of fig1 are open to expose matrix 305 to water within reservoir 3 element 304 is installed to be in contact with water in reservoir 3 soleplate 1 contains a heating body 100 made of aluminum and defining the walls of steam generating chamber 2 soleplate 1 further has a tubular resistive heating element 101 a closing plate 102 and a cap or liner 103 that is in thermal communication with heating body 100 closing plate 102 constitutes the upper wall or cover of chamber 2 liner 103 constitutes the external ironing surface of the iron and is intended to be in contact with articles that are being ironed chamber 2 has a zone 200 shown most clearly in fig2 into which water drops are delivered from system 4 zone 200 in which steam is produced is extended across soleplate 1 by a second zone 201 that is closed by ribs 202 and a screen 203 screen 203 is an element preferably made of an expanded metal such as stainless steel optionally plated with a thin layer of gold screen 203 is tightly clamped between closing plate 102 and the bottom of chamber 2 in order to assure an excellent electric contact between plate 102 screen 203 and heating body 100 an electric potential difference is established between screen 203 and heating body 100 as a consequence of the different characteristics of the two different.