Which iron is best for quilting?
12-19-2010, 08:40 PM
#41
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Cheshire, Massachusetts
Posts: 838
Originally Posted by Fabaddict
just read the c ommments from above and thought I would add my two cents - I have a Rowenta, it does get hot, does not have an auto shut off, but leaks - if I use steam, I have to empty it every time - have had a few cheap irons in the mix and most have been ok - the last one I bought was a shark - it leaks like a sieve (worse than the Rowenta) and shuts off when ever it feels like it - has even shut off while I am using it. All the problems with that one started the day the warranty expired or I would take it back. I would love a reliable iron that does not have auto shut off that would last more than 90 days. Cheap/inexpensive doesn't matter to me - I just want one that will work properly
12-19-2010, 08:56 PM
#42
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Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: South San Francisco
Posts: 2
You would not believe what I have gone through looking for the perfect iron. Back in the early 90's I had bought a Sunbeam steam iron which was very simple and cheap. I saw in the consumers report that it was the best iron to own. I sew and quilt a lot which requires my iron to be on all the time. Finally my iron cord broke so I was in the search for another Sunbeam. To my disappointment all irons regardless of brand or price has this stupid auto shut off which was so frustrating. I have been searching for the right iron for over a year. I have gone through Rowenta, Black & Decker, the new Sunbeam convertable steamer & iron, Oliso and few others. I had returned all of them over the past year. I now own a very cheap one from Target which cost me less than $15. by Black & Decker. It's not the best but will do for now until I find my ideal iron. If you know of any steam iron with no auto shut off please let me know.
12-19-2010, 10:00 PM
#43
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: northeast Georgia
Posts: 662
I bought an iron from Sears about 15-20 years ago for $40. It lasted until a year ago!! It was a great iron. I used it with water. It had a self-cleaning feature, auto shut-off, and completely variable heat settings. I don't remember what the brand was. I'd sure like to get another one like it. Oh, I believe it was Norelco. I guess they don't make it any more.
12-20-2010, 12:05 PM
#44
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Central Texas
Posts: 180
The Oliso is a very interesting iron--when you take your hand off the top of the handle, little feet (about a half-inch tall) immediately come out of the bottom to hold the iron off the surface of your ironing board. This means you don't have to bend your wrist up constantly to set the iron up vertically. When you want to use it again you just put your hand on the top of the handle and it's ready to go again, so you can just push it away from you, soleplate down, let go of it and reposition your fabric or stop ironing temporarily. If you have carpal tunnel syndrome or arthritis in your wrist this would be an excellent choice. Only problem with it that I have is that after you unplug it you can't go back for that "last bit of heat" in the iron because of the little feet that have come down.
Not sure that I explained that quite right, but you get the general idea.
Dana
Not sure that I explained that quite right, but you get the general idea.
Dana
12-20-2010, 01:41 PM
#45
Super Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 2,943
I've had a few irons. My friends have had more. One friend goes through Rowenta's and the newer style irons quite rapidly.
I prefer my cheaper little Black & Decker. When at the Houston Quilt Festival I finally splurged and bought the IronShoe to put on my iron and the ironing board cover from BoNash. My iron has never been incontinent and the cover of the ironing board cleans easily after spraying or fusing or whatever. Much better than the cover I made from Joann's teflon material.
ali
I prefer my cheaper little Black & Decker. When at the Houston Quilt Festival I finally splurged and bought the IronShoe to put on my iron and the ironing board cover from BoNash. My iron has never been incontinent and the cover of the ironing board cleans easily after spraying or fusing or whatever. Much better than the cover I made from Joann's teflon material.
ali
12-20-2010, 04:15 PM
#47
Super Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Western MA
Posts: 2,720
Originally Posted by danade
The Oliso is a very interesting iron--when you take your hand off the top of the handle, little feet (about a half-inch tall) immediately come out of the bottom to hold the iron off the surface of your ironing board. This means you don't have to bend your wrist up constantly to set the iron up vertically. When you want to use it again you just put your hand on the top of the handle and it's ready to go again, so you can just push it away from you, soleplate down, let go of it and reposition your fabric or stop ironing temporarily. If you have carpal tunnel syndrome or arthritis in your wrist this would be an excellent choice. Only problem with it that I have is that after you unplug it you can't go back for that "last bit of heat" in the iron because of the little feet that have come down.
Not sure that I explained that quite right, but you get the general idea.
Dana
Not sure that I explained that quite right, but you get the general idea.
Dana
12-20-2010, 05:37 PM
#48
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Here and there
Posts: 1,669
Originally Posted by mrs_uncle_fuzzy
The most important thing about an iron for me is auto shut off, I had been known to turn around and drive an hr back home to check the iron and the coffee pot before I got ones with auto shut off, for me at least it gives me peace of mind when my mind is in pieces.
I have two irons, an inexpensive GE that I bought at WalMart and a Rowenta. I like to take the GE to workshops, but the Rowenta is my baby--it is heavy and hot and really shoots out the steam when I need it.
froggyintexas
12-22-2010, 09:16 AM
#49
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Oregon coast and Arizona desert
Posts: 467
I sew a lot and do not like the auto shut off feature, but do like the safty it provides. So I plug everything into a surg protector and when I'm done sewing or going to leave the house, I know it's all off if I just turn the surge protector off. I borrowed an iron until I find one I like and I hate the auto shut off features I'm constanly shaking it to turn it on and the bottom is sticky and turning brown. Already cleaned it, but it's going down hill fast from the use of starch. It's a t-fal. I know now a stainless steel bottom and no auto shut off is what I'm looking for.
12-22-2010, 09:26 AM
#50
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Central Oklahoma
Posts: 396
Originally Posted by Shorebird
Originally Posted by DesertLake
I say "quilting" because my husband can walk around in a wrinkled T-shirt, but goodness, my fabric better not have a wrinkle in it when I'm cutting it. I finally wore out my iron, the poor thing had one good year of quilting before it went. The good news is I get to buy a new one. But which one??? No small choice here. Which iron do you have/like? Do the folks who have the cordless ones or the docking stations like them? I can get 50% off at Jo-Ann's this weekend. Please share. Thank you!
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