Irons are like jeans, it's a very personal decision and a lot of it depends on what you want. I quit spending $100 or more on an iron because I decided it just wasn't worth it, they don't last any longer than the lower price models. I spent $18 on a Hamilton Beach iron that I found, of all places, at the hardware store. This is where we get into personal decision stuff - it doesn't have an auto shutoff, which was my number one requirement. There are many quilters who want this feature, but not me. I use the steam feature maybe 30% of the time, so lots of steam wasn't high on my priority list. I like it so much I went back a few years later, found the same iron still on the shelf at the hardware store, so I bought another for a backup.