Think I need/want a new iron
 

My iron is just over 16 years old, and I guess I don't NEED a new one yet, this one still gets hot, but I do think it would be better to have a newer one for quilting.

But I've never bought an iron. I didn't buy the one I have. It was a Christmas gift (I did ask for one) from my parents the Christmas b-4 I graduated. I wanted one to take to college. This one has been through a lot. I'm pretty surprised it's still going actually!

Anyhow, what on Earth should I be looking for when looking for a new iron? I don't even know what's out there. Are there things I should avoid?
If you could get any iron which one would you choose and whY?

Thanks in advance for your input. :)

My last iron I bought cost me 12 dollars. It's a Proctor Silex one. I don't use water in my irons, if I need some steam I spritz the fabric. Less chance for it to spit rusty colored water onto your white fabrics. It heats up well, I should know by the tiny burns on my wrists. I have owned a few of them they are good.
I have owned Black and Decker irons too, those are good ones also. Sunbeam is another.


I have heard horror stories here on this forum about Roweta irons. They seem to catch on fire at will. Now for a 100 dollar iron you should expect it to not do this.
Nothing you are going to buy nowadays will be as well built as your current one.

I have a Black and Decker cheepie, love it!

Don't forget no matter which brand you choose, make sure you have a "play" and see if the shape/weight is good for you. If it feels comfortable, that's half the battle. Price is not necessarily and indicator of quality....there are some great irons out there that don't cost the earth. I currently have a Philips and it is really efficient. Mine has a calc clean system which stops it gunking up with hard water and it also switches off automatically if left unattended (I am inclined to get distracted). I had a Rowenta and it behaved very badly - spewed "rusty" water and the bottom dropped off after about 2 years. I always tip the water out of the reservoir every time the iron is off for a long period or being put away in the cupboard.

Chasing Hawk is right.....nothing you buy new today will last as long as your current one. Unfortunately it's that way with every bit of household equipment.

Skip Rowenta! My first one in the 90's had bad wiring problems after 2 years. Could have caught fire. I finally bought another about 5 years ago. After 2 years it started to spit and sputter. Not worth the cost. My very first iron was a Sunbeam or Hamilton Beach and lasted about 18 years. Now they last about 3 - 5 if I use steam. Research how long you have til the auto shut off kicks in. Nice safety feature, but is annoying since the iron seems to shut off a bit too often when I'm piecing. And ALWAYS unplug your iron when finished. They may be off, but there have been fires anyway. Looking forward to seeing input from other folks.

we have an inexpensive black and decker with automatic shut-off. it works fine...steam or dry. we have been using it for quite some time.

Good reminder about unplugging....I should have mentioned that:)

1. There seems to be an inverse relationship between cost and quality. Price goes lower, quality goes higher.
2. Love the auto shut off.
3. Love the steam
4. Retractable cord is nice

I'm one of the few here that like my Rowenta. I've had 2 and both have lasted over 10 years each. First one died after one too many falls on the floor. Having said that, I would first say, find your budget that you want to spend. Yes, definitely check the 'feel/heft' of the iron. Old adage used to be 'the heavier the iron, the less work YOU have to do'. But that might not work for you. If you're going for steam, check the instructions regarding water BEFORE you get it home. Some require distilled water, others don't. It truly makes a difference in how long they will last. And ALWAYS unplug when you are done. Those little gremlins that tip them over when you're not home can easily flip that switch to 'on' when it tips/falls.

I bought a cheap Black and Decker several years ago at Walmart. A few of my friends liked it so much that they bought the same model and like theirs as well. This past spring my iron was acting up so I decided to replace it but I wanted higher wattage. I found this one on Walmart.com (also sold in my store. I picked it up the next day) and I love it. It is 1500 watts as compared to my original one.
I like it a lot - and it has a really long cord which is awesome! I love my new iron.
If you get it, be warned, they have plastic film over the sole plate.. don't get excited to iron and heat up your iron without taking it off.....

I am one who always forgets to turn off my iron, but not my room lights. So finally I plugged my iron and lights into the same power strip, one that has an on/off switch, and put the strip up on a table (no bending down!). Now when I leave the room and turn the strip off, the iron goes off too. I too have a Proctor Silex, cheap and reliable.

Am I the only person who hates the auto shut off feature? I've been in the market for a new iron too. My old Black and Decker finally died on me. It was a good iron. I bought a used one at Goodwill. Works fine but that auto shut off drives me crazy! It also has the 8 second down cut off. I spend more time unplugging it than anything it seems. So this weekend the hubby and I went iron shopping while we were out. The only one I could find that didn't have auto shut off was a really cheap feeling plastic one. Did NOT want that! I like a nice heavy iron with a pointy tip. I came home and ordered the one from Vermont Country Store. Should be here this week and I can't wait!

Nope - I dislike that too! My first Rowenta (a gift from hubby) has an automatic shutoff. I tried and tried to get used to that iron, but it was constantly shutting off on me. I finally went out and got another Rowenta that didn't have that auto shutoff feature, and I'm sooooo much happier!! :)

Come to think of it, I still have the auto shutoff Rowenta somewhere in my quilting closet. I really need to find that iron a new home. :)

I just bought a new iron, too. I bought a dry iron from Vermont Country Store. A lot of the time I don't want to use steam, (applique and embroidery) and I hate the little dots the steam holes leave on your fabric, whether your steaming or not. It was $ 30.00, I really like it!

I had an iron for years too, and it finally broke. I went to Wal-Mart and bought a GE, and I love it. I bought about 3others that didn't work, before i bought the GE. Now i finally found one that I really love for quilting. It has a very long retractable cord, but doesn't get in the way, for I have it plugged in all day long. It's a great iron!

I have been happy with my Shark iron. Pricier than a Black and Decker, but less than a Rowenta.

Perhaps look at the Black & Decker Classic. This model has been around for years. It costs about $30.
I also set my iron on a tile trivet. :)

I purchased a Delonghi 1750 watt iron and am in love with it!! I was a rowenta user and believer until the 4th one started spitting and stained a shirt I was ironing. You would think I would have learned after the first iron started to spit, but no it took me four!! Guess I am a slow learner!! Thank goodness it was not a finished quilt. I finally had had enough and went shopping. I got mine from kohl's online and it was on sale for 59.00. It is well worth the money. If you like steam, this iron is for you. If you don't like steam, just don't put any water in it. This is a heavier iron.

I just purchased another T-Fal. It costs about $40.00. I previously had a T-Fal and loved it. Used it in my business. Then I got a Rowenta. I always wanted one. What a disappointment. It has been leaking from day one. Store went out of business, so I could not return. I got it out of my system (Rowenta) and now I hope my new T-Fal is just as good as the first one.

I unplug mine when I leave the sewing room at the end of the day.

My last iron would blink when it shut itself off. So if I happened to have forgot to unplug it at night, you could see it flashing in a dark room. Was a good reminder for me in case I forgot.

I have a cheapy that I picked up at Walmart as well. Its not the bottom of the line, but a mid-range. I think it cost about $30. It has an autoshut off timer, 4 steam settings (no steam to lots of steam) and an "This Iron is Hot" indicator. I wouldn't go with the cheapest (had one of those, it leaked water everywhere) but there is no reason to spend a hundred dollars.

Great advice above. i looked for: Auto shut off, great steam, good size water compartment so you don't have to refill too soon, not real heavy,

Thank you all for the input. I have been away from the board for a few days and love that I came back to so many great replies. I think I will just start my search at Wal-mart or Target or Costco. Does Costco sell irons? They have a great return policy in case I'm not happy with it. I think the one thing that I want to change most about my iron is that the bottom is--how do I describe it?-- not smooth. It's not got nicks in it or anything, but I want a slick bottom and this one has a little bit of a texture that has bugged me with certain fabrics.

So, thanks to your great comments I'll be looking for an iron with the following:
A slick bottom
Lots of steam
Nice and heafty, but not too heavy
No auto-shut-off (That bugs me too! And I always unplug my iron, hopefully this will continue)
Priced around $30ish-$60ish
Pointy tip
And then I guess I'll just hope for the best.

Thanks again for the help!

I gave up on the Rowenta and like my Black and Decker Digital Advantage. Also, if you put Irons in the search category you will get lots more useful information.

Came across this thread at the right time. I am now in the market for a new iron also. I had two Rowenta irons and ended up pitching them both. Leaked everywhere! My daughter came to stay for a while and bought a new iron to use. She bought a Sharp. I like the Sharp, but I have fibromyalgia and some carpal tunnel and it is just too heavy for me. And, like many of you, the auto shut off drives me nuts when I am piecing! I never used to unplug the iron, but have now gotten in the habit (after my daughter nagging me), so I will look for one that is not auto shut off. Anyone have an Oliso? I would never spend that much on an iron, but just curious if people like that one or not.

I got a Shark at Target. I like it, just doesnt' give steam very fast.

My 8 year old Rowenta started smelling like it was burning inside over the holiday so I threw it away and ordered this Black and Decker from Amazon.com. I really like it! It heats up fast, it will beep before it starts the automatic shut off and it's a nice weight. Feels sturdy in my hand. I always unplug my iron when I turn off the machine for the day!

I loved my Rowenta but didn't want to spend the $$ to replace it after reading all the horror stories here, seems the quality must not be there any more.

I had a Rowenta, but it started spiting water and after reading all the fire stories, I got rid of it. I now have a very inexpensive Black and Decker and I really like it. I did decide that if I need steam, I will spray the fabric and I do not put water into the iron. Works real well so far. I've had the iron almost 2 years and it works great.
Sue

I have a Reliable with auto shut off, but that can be bypassed. It's in the manual.