USED in an electric iron. One is made of a ribbon resistance wire wound around a sheet of mica. Which is Mica PRESS tungsten strip & most commonly used in the steam iron.This type of element is PLACED on the top of the sole-plate.The other type of element is made up of a round resistance wire (Nichrome), coiled on a ceramic form and cast directly into the sole-plate which is most commonly used in dry iron.Electrically there is no difference between steam irons and dry irons. A steam iron has a small RESERVOIR mounted above the heating element. A control valve on this allows the water to drip slowly into recesses in the sole-plate.