My old iron was driving me crazy with the auto shut off feature when I was quilting. My SIL is a seamstress and uses a steam generator iron for sewing garments. She recommended that I get one when my old iron gave up. Well, I gave up on the iron before it gave up on me! I bought a "Monster" steam generator iron from our Shopping Channel here in Canada. What a machine!!!! You can turn the steam off and the iron plate stays hot for piecing. When you want to steam the final quilt top to set the seams, WOW!! It works so quickly and those seams are perfectly flat when you are done. I also use steam to press my fabrics when I prewash them (and I prewash all my quilting fabrics) I just wondered if anyone else out there uses one. I have seem loads of posts on irons, but nothing on the steam generator ones. BTW, it was the "special of the day" and I paid $78 for it. Score!!!! My SIL's is a professional model and was $400!!