After my expensive Rowenta went out on me, I go to thrift stores. I bought a Sunbeam for $5.00 and love it. Some irons of course look bad, but this one was like new. Since then, I've noticed several other irons in thrift stores that look new; perhaps the owner bought herself a new Rowenta and gave her older, barely used iron to GoodWill. Since irons do not seem to last more than 3 years, I'll be buying them there!