I found a pretty decent iron at WalMart for $7. I take it to classes and sewdays. It stays in the trunk of my car. It's been going strong for over a year, but it's only used a few times a month. A friend of mine buys the cheapest iron at WalMart, uses it until it dies a horrible death then buys another one. She said by the time the iron dies, it's covered in goo and gunk any way from fusible, starch, and glue.