I agree with you about the auto shut off. I won't buy an iron without it. I always worry that I will forget to turn it off. My sewing room is upstairs and sometimes I don't get up there for days. Sometimes no one goes upstairs for days. I would worry about burning the house down. I installed a smoke alarm in there also. Once the iron is heated up it reheats very quickly. I usually turn it back on before I cut my chained pieces apart.
Safety first!