After all the himming and hawing deciding what iron to buy-and after all the comments on this board about different irons, I set out to buy the Oliso. I settled (mostly because of the difference in price-wanting to justify buying a new machine too), on the Shark Professional at Walmart. Got it home, collected rain water (luckily, it rained at that time) and proceeded to use it. Although being fairly heavy, I was really happy-until it leaked from the bottom-OK, I thought, it's new and will stop once it is used for the first time. Well, it stopped for a few sessions, and then started again. I was always wiping up water from the ironing board which leaked from the bottom (not the sole plate holes). I got fed up so just packed it up and took it back! I think I will just continue using my 6 year old cheap Walmart GE lightweight for a while until I can afford the Oliso I wanted in the first place. (got my new machine-which I LOVE, by the way!) Anyone else have this problem?

I recently had to buy a new iron because my old standby quit working. I guess after 15+ years it was tired...LOL

Anyway, I went to KMart (hate WalMart) and bought a Shark. I don't remember what model it was but after 3 days I took it back. I hated it! I know they all shut off automatically after 8 minutes or so but what I really didn't like was you had to shake it to have it wake up and come back on and when it did it was at the lowest temp. setting. After resetting it to cotton you had to wait for it to warm up...AAARRRGGGHHH!!

I tried another iron and didn't like it either, so I reluctantly went to WalMart and bought a "cheapie" for $7.00 and love it! Go figure :)

I bought an expensive (but on sale) Rowenta and leaked from the beginning, since I got such a good deal on it, I kept it. Now I iron with a mister and don't fill the iron with water. Works great.

It is such a pain to pay good money and not work the way we need them too.

The best iron on the market right now is Reliable Digital Velocity V100 Steam Iron. It has a separate water chamber inside the iron, only steam can get out. The auto shut off can be turned off or on.

I have a rather inexpensive Panasonic iron that has been the best iron I have ever owned. And I had a Shark vac once and it was a piece of %$#@@@.

I have a Black & Decker Classic, and I love it! :)

I have a relatively cheap Costco Rowenta that I think I've had for 3 or so years. Totally happy with it, doesn't leak and stays hot. I'm easily pleased perhaps, but can't think of anything to gripe about it.

I haven't had much success with Shark products either. I had a Black & Decker iron that I liked. When it bit the dust I got a Rowenta, the lower end model. I don't like it as well. Last week I was ironing some material that I'd washed, still damp, and was having trouble getting it dry. I ended up using my little travel GE iron (c. 1960) that I bought on ebay a few years back. It gets really hot, doesn't shut off, and I finished the job in half the time even though the iron plate is smaller than the Rowenta.

If the Rowenta say made in China it's the less quality made one. There are still some Rowenta left that say Made in Germany. That is the quality Rowenta. Lowe's here has the Made in Germany Rowenta. I guess when the stock in the warehouse runs out they will all be Made in China.

My DH got me an iron for our anniversary last year (romantic, huh?) and it's a Rowenta. It says Made in Germany and he bought it at Target, where it's on sale right now for $85. I love it and would pay that much to get another one!