I'm on the hunt for cheap! Don't get me wrong, I'm certainly impressed with a $200 Rowenta - but I know myself! I know I won't empty the "tap" (eek!) water when I turn it off. I know I won't buy distilled water for it. I won't wipe it down or shine it up, either!
A year or two ago when I bought my last iron, you could still find some that didn't have the auto shut-off. Nothing pulls that $11 or $12 out of my wallet faster than an iron that stays on even when I haven't used it for 7 minutes. Of course, I'm aware of the dangers of leaving an iron on. I've countered that with a goofy routine I do every time I leave the sewing room. I pause at the door, turn and look back at my sewing machine (and mentally say "off"), then I look at the iron ("off") and finally the light switch goes "off".
Anyway, that's not the point. I couldn't find an iron that doesn't have an auto shut-off, but I did find one that stays on for 30 minutes - and it was only $14! However.....
the plastic cover on the water tank is smokey black. Come on! I have 50-ish-year-old eyes. I can barely see the iron!
Here's the new iron with the water filled up to about an inch below the Fill Line:
Is this the most ridiculous iron ever?!!
So I'm curious, what's your favorite brand/style of iron? Do you take good care of it or abuse it? :)
If it is on sale, that is what I buy, because the family will get a hold of it and use it for their clothes. I do have a couple of small travel irons I use when quilting. I don't have time to take care of an iron, I have two cats to feed.
ReplyDeleteLike your good scissors, you have to hide some things from the family. And, of course, you gotta keep those cats happy! :)
DeleteI have used expensive irons in the past with in a year or two they started leaking. Now I use the cheap ones, if they leak after a year or two oh well!
ReplyDeleteI feel exactly the same way. It'd be really hard to throw out a $200 iron!
DeleteI love my TFal iron - an expensive one, close to $100 when I bought it years ago. Hate the Black and Decker I bought to replace my old GE iron. That's why i bought the TFal.
ReplyDeleteYou're supposed to empty the water out when you're finished? Ha!
I think most irons don't want distilled water any more. At least mine say to use tap water. Unless, maybe, you have well water.
I had no idea - I figured every quilter (but me) had a big jug of distilled water next to the iron! That's probably another one of those things that dates me!
DeleteThanks for the good recommendation, Barbara. :)
Your supposed to put water in them? I never use steam when I'm quilting. I was always told it would 'stretch' or distort my blocks. I just us a dry iron. My Rowenta said to use filtered drinking water and not distilled.
ReplyDeleteNow, since you can't see how much water is in there I would say the rule of thumb applies, If you cant see steam coming out, well then you are out of water. Hope you like your new iron.
You're absolutely right - I've always heard that you should press with a dry iron, too. But, interesting enough, I've never taken a class where the instructor wasn't using steam. And some of those instructors have been pretty big names! So I don't know. :)
DeleteGood idea about filling when there's no steam - thanks!