quilterpurpledog

Sometimes I'm a slow learner! I purchased two expensive irons and neither one lasted a whole year before they started to leak and spit at me. I purchased a $20 iron at Bed, Bath and Beyond and it is going on three years old and works great in every respect. I do the family ironing with it as well as my quilting needs. Like it very much and will never purchase another expensive one.

sulyle

I have a t-fal iron that I got at Sams Club. I liked it so much I bought a spare but so far I haven't had to use it. I started out with one of the expensive quilters irons and it leaked all over the place. I'll never spend that much on an iron again. No need when the less expensive ones do the job.

fireworkslover

I have a Rowenta Powerglide 2, which is no longer made. I bought mine for $60 in 2000. It does not shut off, which is the reason I bought that one in the first place. It's always been a good steamer when I wanted steam. Sometimes I use it dry and use a spray bottle, which seems to work better to get out stubborn wrinkles. When paper piecing I started using a travel size Rowenta. It worked great for a couple years until the handle broke and the hande would collapse when I tried to use it. It still works (heats) but I can't use it if the handle wants to collapse. So I bought a Rival at Target. I wanted a lightweight iron for paper piecing pressing, since I do that right from my chair and just turn to the right to press, then swivel to the left to cut, etc. I've never put water in the Rival, (even tho I could), but it's lightweight and easy to use for long periods of sewing. I had noticed my wrist would get sore using my full size Rowenta, if I was sitting down when using it. About 5 years ago I was thinking that my Powerglide 2 was probably going to either start spitting or die so I should get a replacement. Since they didn't make the Powerglide 2 anymore, I bought the Rowenta model (at JoAnn's on sale) that didn't have the auto off. It hasn't come out of the box yet!

Diana Lea

Once an iron starts spitting at you is there anything that will clean the inside. I am getting brown stuff. Went to Home Depot and got a$20 iron. Works great.

Sassy08

I clean out my steam iron by puttng white vinegar in it, put it on steam and iron an old towel or rag. I let
it spit and sputter out all of that brown stuff that comes from the minerals in the water. Then pour it out, clean the bottom really well, fill with water and iron an old rag again. It should be cleaned out on the inside, but if not, repeat. My mom taught me to clean a steam iron and a coffee maker with vinegar. It's worked for years for both of us. White vinegar is her "fix-all" for everything. She cleans her oven with white vinegar and baking soda, soaks a clogged shower head in vinegar, and I can't think of all the things she's shown me over the years that white vinegar fixes. (Google Heloise. I think that's where Mom got all of her vinegar tips.) Also, putting some in the washer with new fabric/clothes will set the color and stop fading or bleeding, at the same time helping clean the mineral deposits in the washing machine. Works for me. ;-)

jetayre

I do not worry about having a steam iron. I have Black and Decker and don't use the steam. I don't have to worry about the spitting or the build up of minerals. I do what my mother did....I keep a cloth nearby and dampen it and iron over it. I get the results I want without other problems and a good iron (cheap).

mckwilter

I don't use steam, so found the Continental Dry Iron. It is about as old fashioned as you can get -- no bells and whistles, no auto shut off, and no steam. The sole plate is completely solid, so if you are doing fusibles, you don't have to worry about having one of those little places that didn't fuse. I found it on Amazon.com for around $30. Since I usually unplug everything when I finish, I'm not worried that it doesn't have an auto-shut off.[h=1][/h]

Diana Lea

Thank you Sassy. That was good advice. I will let you know how it does. I will try it in the morning, as it is 1am now.

petthefabric

I have 2 irons: a Black & Decker for quilting and heat set fusible web. It has a "cleaning" button to run hot water through and remove the gunk. Auto shut off-DH insists because I forget to turn it off. I use steam or not and have never had problems. All of them have lasted longer than any other iron. The other for clothing, and in a pinch quilting.

While in a class, we needed a very hot iron, can't remember why. Only the Rowenta Professional got hot enough.

mom-6

I'm one of those people who figure why spend lots of $ on anything that can be easily replaced cheaply. So I have an iron that works great for less than $20. And if it quits working right I can easily get another. (Have the same attitude about lawnmowers).