Without a doubt Rowenta. Absolutely hate Auto Shut Off. Even cheapie ones have it.

I bought my Roenta 16 years ago at Costco in Alaska, and have never had a single problem with it. My fav, iron. I also have a Sunbeam I use for my fabric painting, to set the colors. No problems with it either,so far. It has a no stick bottom. Then I have several flat irons I used to heat on a wood stove to do my pressing, when we lived in a cabin with no elec. Never have had a problem with them :-) Now use them as book ends and door stops.

I like the iron I'm using but I don't use steam. The holes do get plugged with starch and I remember years and years ago my Mom had a iron that she used all the time, but when the plate got to the point where you couldn't clean it anymore she bought some kind of teflon sheet to put over the plate and just folded the very edge up on the sides to hold it on. It worked. I would like to get one to put on mine but I can't figure out exactly what I'm looking for. Anyone know what I'm talking about?

Thanks

Here are a couple of iron sole covers I found on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Innovative-Hom.../dp/B002FVU9XA
http://www.amazon.com/IMCG-C2616-Iro.../dp/B000V9YI30

I have found excellent irons at thrift shops for about $6. Bought a Rowenta new years ago (for many $$$) that made several unscheduled trips to a concrete floor. Dh kindly glued it and duct-taped it together; still works great! But I have found similar Rowentas at thrift shops. Some quilters buy them, don't like the auto-shutoff (which has undoubtedly saved our house from fire more than once), and donate them. Have also found good irons at garage sales for $3; a lot of people just don't iron clothes anymore!

I like a heavy iron. The auto shut off is a pain for me but I deal with it. I don't like paying alot of $$ for them because I'm so hard on them. But would like to follow this thread for some more info.

I have a Black & Decker that I like and haven't had trouble with! It's a good name, too.

my favorite iron right now is a $12 black and decker from walmart. it has lasted 3 years so far (my $159 iron lasted about 4 months) it stays hot and does a good job. i never ever put water into an iron so i have not had any problems with leaking, sputtering, or any related issue. i use a spray bottle and mist what i want to steam...seems to save irons.

I have a Black & Decker now that I like much better than my Rowenta - went Kaput in <2 yrs! Never again

I have a Shark. Have had every kind on the market and several Rowentas. This Shark puts out killer steam if steam is your thing then I would get it. Otherwise the Black and Decker was my second choice.

I go through alot of irons because I am bad about shutting them off, drop them alot and have ruined several with fusible. Now when Target or Walmart has a great price on a mid level iron I buy an extra.

Because our water is very hard, I buy the cheapest iron with lots of steam (currently the Sunbeam Steam Master) from Walmart or Ocean State Job Lot... use it for about a year then replace it when the steam starts to be yucky brown.