I have a full size Rowenta steam iron which I love. Only issue has even been the plug connection to the cord and DH fixed that for me. I also have a small travel iron that could be used for seams but it doesn't work for beans in terms of getting hot enough. The little clover triangular iron gets plenty hot enough but is not stable enough to leave set up anywhere except upside down in a coffee mug.

I have a Sunbeam that shuts off automatically if I prop it up. Through out my whole life every time I propped an iron up I would burn myself. Then got smart and found an antique trivet for an iron. Used it until my exH used it for a prop out in the garage. Never thought of it being there. Found the trivet shortly after I filed for divorce and pitched it at him. Sorry I got off track. Anyway I found in the store an iron rest that's made out of the same stuff some of the new bakeware is made of. My iron doesn't shut off anymore if it's in the ironing position. Paid too much for it though. $50.00 (current DH wanted it and does use it so I guess that's OK. I still have my old iron that 30+ years old for back up.

Sandy, I think we have the same iron. It's made by Continental and costs about $40 on Amazon. I either use water or spray starch, depending on how stiff I want the fabric. I originally bought it because I was just starting to do fusible applique and always had little spots that weren't fused because of the steam holes. And it gets hot quickly and stays hot as long as it's on.

I did spend a lot of money on my two irons but they are worth every penny. I have the Reliable (orange colored Velocity) that I use for quilting. I paid $60.00 for it from All Brands. It was an "open box" purchase. I absolutly love it and it can be programed to stay on. It absolutely does not drip and you can turn the steam on and off as you press. My other Reliable is the more expensive one @ $150.00. Some people may laugh at this but I have spent that much replacing Rowentas every year so I indulged. I do hope to have this iron for a life time. It is the blue colored one and I use it for my clothes. It has a good weight and absolutely does not drip. I love this brand of iron.

I will never buy another Rowenta as long as I live. So many failed and one caught fire.
peace

I guess I am in the minority, I prefer the auto shut off on my older Rowenta irons. Here is the humorous stories of what happened to my first two Rowenta irons. First one had an invasion of ants getting into the detachable water tank but they refused to exit. Still thousands of little dead bodies still in the water tank. I have tried over the years to flush them out but so far little success in that venture. The second, I accidentally placed the iron on a small section of puff paint on the front of the t-shirt when I was making a T-shirt quilt. I have never been able to get the paint residue off the iron sole. It has a Teflon iron plate so I can't use anything to abusive on it. But there is NOTHING worse than having your iron go belly up except for having your sewing machine DO THAT!! That is another story !!!

Passing along what I learned from Anita Grossman. She uses dry irons because they don't stretch the fabrics like steam does. When she needs steam she sprays water or starch on the fabric. She recommends picking the irons up used and she likes the heavy weight and the sharp point of the old irons. I really enjoy her conservative and efficient way of sewing. She may have a steam iron, but from what I've seen in her Craftsy and youtube classes she uses the dry iron. I'm going tomorrow to get one. Like most of you I've had trouble with the spewing and auto shut off.

I have about half a dozen irons at any one time. I find good vintage irons at yard sales and thrift stores and when one of mine acts up it goes in the trash. I found two of the Black and Decker Classic irons on clearance for $8 at Lowes several years ago. They are good irons. So far the Continental dry iron has been the best for quilting. I bought the Reliable and my DD borrowed it and has never brought it back. She keeps 'forgetting'. LOL I don't mind. She irons her clothes. I don't do clothes.

Walmart use to sell cheap dry only irons. I decided to buy a backup iron. The cheapest iron was 25.00 or so. Of course they were out of those. They had a couple for 50.00 or 60.00. I left without a back up iron.

Have used all kinds of irons. My mother owned one iron I was forbidden to touch and she had one I could use. For some reason I can break any iron after only a few months even mum never could work out why. So are you the same and must accept whether cheap or expensive I could break it.

I have the same one and love it! It doesn't take that long for the elements to heat up and so I can't complain about it at all, except maybe that it is not totally automatic - that being set the iron down on fabric or clothing and it does all the work for you. Ha Ha!!!!! I'd pay a million for that little puppy!!!!!! Edie