I iron made the other lights blink madly a few days ago, then last night it crackled and started smoking! :shock: It was a Shark that I've had less than 6 months I think--and the steam button stuck after having it a week. So...off to Wal-Mart to see what I can find.

I bought a Sunbeam Classic...and just used it but the bottom does not glide! The Shark had a stainless bottom I think and this is teflon??? Hate it!! Does it get better or am I returning it tomorrow for the $6 one??? :|

My teflon iron is the same way- does not glide. I have been using it for 6 months and it has not gotten any better.

I have a Rival with the teflon bottom and I never had a problem with it sticking. It was bought at Walmart.

Thanks--I'll return it tomorrow. Ugh!!

I saw that one there... but I want to stick to the stainless bottom--loved it on the Shark--didn't love much else about it though. :roll:

I must tell you that I can't use the steamer because it just leaks all over the place. I don't blame you for wanting the stainless steal bottom, I would prefer that too but mine was given to me and it works great except for the steamer. LOL!!

I have a leaky SHARK too.... I contacted the manufacture( since I had already gotten rid of the box/recpt. They gave me a phone # to call to a repair center and an address to ship it too... that was the extent of their help ( I'd had it a couple of weeks) I won't buy another shark.... I love the stainless bottom. Shipping there and back plus be with a iron for weeks?? ( we do iron clothes here too) I decided to just leave poor review/feedback on their product, and customere service instead...I paid #70 bucks for this thing!!

I'm on my third iron in about a year and a half. 2 Rowentas and now a cheapy off beat brand. The Rowentas started leaking like sieves. The last one just ran water all over. What a mess. They never did produce much steam, then just went to the leaking thing. I had a great old Rowenta for years before the bad ones. You took the reservoir off to fill it. I loved that iron, but it finally gave up the ghost. The new one has a stainless steel sole plate, it steams pretty good, does not have auto off, and is small and lightweight. It feels like the 20 dollars I paid, but at least it works. What is the matter with irons these days??

I should add...At least it works, so far. Don't think I will pay over $50 ever again.

Well you know the say in you get what you pay for. LOL seriously sometimes its better to pay a little bit more.

I have a Black & Decker from Kmart that I bought nearly 10 years ago at least. It was the cheapest one they had because I had a "good" iron in storage, I just couldn't get to it. I never did use my good iron again, and the cheapy still works great, even though the teflon is pretty much gone.

I have a shark as you describe, my lights flicker too, as the temperature drops from whatever you have it set the light will flicker and the next lowest setting will then come on, which appears as if it's blinking but, it is not. If temperature starts to drop shaking the iron from side to side will turn it back on. I love my shark. It keeps really hot

I think most things these days even expensive are made so much cheaper and poor quality than back in the day. Back in the day you had single working families that couldn't afford much so stuff had to be built to last, now a days it seems like stuff is built to last a year or less, you never know what you are going to get, vacuums irons, sewing machines, cell phones, cars, houses, even toys like barbies now look super cheaply made.

I don't think irons with teflon sole plates get as hot as the stainless plates. And they never glide as nicely as the stainless plates.

I like the teflon bottom on mine. It gets hot enough to burn my fingers, iron the fabric smooth and it doesn't get all stuck up with starch after awhile like the stainless ones do!

My iron with the teflon bottom is a Black and Decker from Wal Mart and it is many years old and still works fine.

This is why a teflon coated iron will never get as hot as a stainless iron.

http://www.ehow.com/about_5032728_sy...eflon-flu.html

The best iron I have used so far and I have a Rowenta, Oliso, and even the Chi iron is the Reliable Iron. (I seem to be an iron magnet when it comes to finding mom a gift) It has a separate steam chamber so it can't drip or leak. I had one non stick coated sole plate and it was awful. The coating peeled off when I tried to clean it.

Welll, I meant the lights in the room... not the one on the iron. :wink:

This iron does set a seam well--I'll give it that--better than the Shark was doing. But, it feels like I'm running over my fabric with sand paper! :|

my last iron had a stainless steel bottom and I loved it but it got dropped :-( and i foolishly bought a teflon one which as you said does not glide. i wish it would break but unfortunately it keeps on going. My next iron will have a stainless steel sole maybe I should accidentally :twisted: drop my iron....but then i would have less to spend at the craft show in a couple of weeks...

I have a hamilton beach from Walmart and it has the stainless bottom. I had a shark also that leaked and I return it.

Mind telling us what brand this iron you are using is? Enquiring minds want to know.

I have had a Sunbeam, bought from Wal-Mart 2 yrs ago. self shut off, steam works and no gliding problems

I have an iron with stainless steel plate and love it. So easy to clean with a metaless scratcy pad when it has a build up of starch or whatever. I'm still in 'waking up mode' and not about to walk 50' to where my iron is in my sewing room so I can remind myself of the brand. Sorry 'bout that! Was a cheapie!

Mine has the same problem and it did not get better. I sent a message to Sunbeam about it and they replaced it. The new one had the exact same problem. I did not pursue it any further.

I bought the cheapest one at Walmart I could find. It does good and has lasted for several years now. Has a stainless bottom. I don't think I'd have a Teflon one. Go stainless!!

I have the Black and Decker from Walmart and it has the stainless bottom and I really like it. It also does really good with the steam.

Ugh!!!! That made me want to get an iron with a plain metal soleplate.

I always buy cheap irons and they work just fine. Now I know how to clean them since I saw the post on here. I have several irons I had put away because I could not get them clean. I used the ceramic stove top cleaner on the cold irons and they are just like new. I don't remember who posted this but I sincerely thank them. I had 6 irons I could not get clean. LOL Now I have 6 good irons.

My mother ironed quickly across a piece of wax paper and that made the bottom of her iron glide faster. I have had both teflon and steel and used that method when I thought the iron needed help.
Heat the iron on cotton, lay a piece of wax paper on your board and just skim across it fast.
I don't use steam at all in my irons, a light spray with a bottle of water does the trick for me, no more rust spots or water spots.

Carol J.

I've used both teflon and stainless steel irons over the years and reallyprefer the stainless steel sole plates because they do glide more smoothly. Having said that, you will get used to the feel of the Teflon after awhile if you keep using it.

Bought a good Rowenta ($159. on sale), it started leaking about 6 months after purchase. Then my cat knocked it off the ironing board and it quit working. So went out and bought another less expensive Rowenta, got a little longer about a year and a half. So gave up and bought a cheap ($12.) Proctor Silex with SS plate, still going strong 3 years later and also have an old Black n Decker of my DMIL when she passed that is still going strong. Have 2 old Sunbeam dry irons with the flat sole plates (no holes) that get very, very hot. Use those for doing photos, they work great for cotton fabric just no steam. Cheap too, found at yard sales for $2.00.
Brenda

I found a stainless steel footed iron at good will, 2.55 and that was ??? dont remember i still have it and it works great. i dont know the name because there not one on it.

I have a Rowenta that I have had for years. I did have trouble with water leaking. After reading the instruction book that came with my iron, I use 1 gallon of distilled water and 1 gallon of regular water and make 2 gallons of a mix. I have had no problems since doing that. Just a thought.

I just bought a $6.74 Rival at Walmart and it has been great so far. Don't know how long it will last but at that price.......whatever!

I have a Rowenta and it's OK but the iron I use the most is a $6.99 Proctor Silex I bought at Walgreens in a hurry because I'd forgotten an iron on the way to a class. It doesn't shut off automatically but I am careful and, unlike the Rowenta, it gets hot enough for me.

I saw an iron at a quilt class that when it on and hot, if you leave it flat,it has lifts and sits on them till u want to use the iron again...had no idea how to use this iron ... looked for the button or something???.. finally someone came over to show me... always feel sooo dumb when that happens. LOL!!

I bought a Hamilton Beach Pro at WM and it is great. Glides super and it is also really heavy. I paid $40 but I am in Canada so you might pay less. It has auto shutoff but heats up SUPER FAST.........I was amazed!

i have had my shark for 3 years and love it. no the teflon will not glide like stainless

I had one---an Olisio---and it never steamed properly.