I also have the Continental dry iron that I just got about 2 months ago from Vermont Country Store (mail order). It is absolutely wonderful, has a great weight and lo and behold - it has an OFF setting! Miracle of miracles!
The only thing I don't like about it is that the cord is located too far down on the handle of the iron so that when I try to set it down on the ironing board (standing up on the heel of the iron), the cord is in the way and makes the iron very unstable and it has fallen off the board. I was able to grab it before it burned my carpet. Maybe if the part of the cord that attaches to the iron was flexible (it's very stiff), it wouldn't have that problem. Fortunately, my ironing board has a Polder iron caddy attached to it, so I have had to get used to using it. I still wish I could set the iron down on its heel. Oh well.
Anyway, I sure do love this iron a whole lot more than my expensive Rowenta (which does not have an OFF setting)!