Iron recommendation needed

[marcela]

My old iron appears to be on its last legs, sparking a bit and making clicking sounds. Anyone have a good and cost effective iron they would suggest?

[maco]

I have the Black & Decker D2030. I sew, so I specifically wanted one with some good weight (so I don't have to bear down on it; it can actually do the "pressing" pretty much by itself) and with independent steam and temperature controls. It can also be used upright for steaming.

[Reddleman]

We've had a few second-hand over the past two decades.  All worked but pretty much had issues.

Oddly, we ponied up for a Rowenta.  The more expensive ones are actually made in Germany and really well made.  While I'm a pretty "frugal" guy, I don't regret this one.  If I don't stupidly knock it off the ironing board onto the floor, it may be the last one I buy.

[GuitarStv]

I replaced all my dress shirts and pants with the wrinkle free variety several years ago, and haven't used an iron since.

[chouchouu]

We got the tefal aquaspeed iron, it's made in France and a bit pricey (about 70 euros) but its so fast and efficient it quickly makes up for the price in time saved. You could check Craigslist for moving overseas sales, I think if you get something that retails in the $100 range it's probably decent and will save you time.

[Drifterrider]

I have a Black and Decker steam iron I got from WalMart for under $25.  Good weight, good steam.

I wear cotton shirts and pants and the good steam plus the irons weight makes ironing easy.

[Dee18]

Just buy one that feels good when you hold it...comfortable handle and the weight you want.  I use a spray bottle to mist clothes rather than the steam function on an iron because water deposits where I live are a pain.  come to think of it, haven't seen my iron in ages since I know hang dry my clothes.

[patrat]

We have a rowenta. It has steam and a self retracting cord, that was our criteria. Like it.

Honestly though, I think you need a gasoline powered antique clothes iron. :-)

[Hotstreak]

I switched from an Iron to a hand held steamer and will never go back.  Highly rated model was on amazon for about $40.  It heats/ready for use in 30 seconds, has high/low heat settings, and multiple attachments for different fabric types & a creasing tool.  Once heated, I spend about 30 seconds per shirt (after out of the dryer or after a day of use).

[gardenarian]

I have an inexpensive iron that I've had for years. It works fine.

I recently got a steamer on sale at Target (around $15?) because we moved and all my draperies got crushed. It works great and I will be using it in place of the iron, except for when I need fine pressing for sewing. I looked into renting a steamer and it cost more than buying one. I hate having lots of gadgets.

If you don't sew and just want to get the rumples out of your clothes (no fine pleats or anything) I would suggest a steamer. Easier and faster than an iron, and no board needed.

[CowboyAndIndian]

Oddly, we ponied up for a Rowenta.  The more expensive ones are actually made in Germany and really well made.  While I'm a pretty "frugal" guy, I don't regret this one.  If I don't stupidly knock it off the ironing board onto the floor, it may be the last one I buy.

+1

I hate the GE and Black and Decker ones. They would never warm up enough to iron wrinkled cotton shirts.

The Rowenta is a champion. BIFL.

[Alchemisst]

Has anyone had experience with the steam irons that look extra large with the extra water container

[chasesfish]

Given that I no longer iron shirts, I can't offer a valid opinion...

[lutorm]

Personally, I'm partial to cast iron. It doesn't really rust out here in Hawaii like wrought iron or mild steel does, and it's much cheaper than alloy steel.

Sorry! ;-P

[draco44]

Oddly, we ponied up for a Rowenta.  The more expensive ones are actually made in Germany and really well made.  While I'm a pretty "frugal" guy, I don't regret this one.  If I don't stupidly knock it off the ironing board onto the floor, it may be the last one I buy.

+1

I hate the GE and Black and Decker ones. They would never warm up enough to iron wrinkled cotton shirts.

The Rowenta is a champion. BIFL.

Yes, Rowentas are gold standard in the world of irons and provide long-term value. If this is an important purchase for you, get one of those.

But as with any "what should I buy question," depending on your needs and how often you iron, however, you may not need something fancy. I once got a basic cheapo iron that met my needs from Freecycle.

[RetiredAt63]

Oddly, we ponied up for a Rowenta.  The more expensive ones are actually made in Germany and really well made.  While I'm a pretty "frugal" guy, I don't regret this one.  If I don't stupidly knock it off the ironing board onto the floor, it may be the last one I buy.

+1

I hate the GE and Black and Decker ones. They would never warm up enough to iron wrinkled cotton shirts.

The Rowenta is a champion. BIFL.

The "old way" to iron cotton shirts was to dampen them first. 
Sprinkle water all over the shirt. Roll it up so the dampness could spread evenly.  Set iron to high, iron.  It worked in the 1950s.

[CowboyAndIndian]

Oddly, we ponied up for a Rowenta.  The more expensive ones are actually made in Germany and really well made.  While I'm a pretty "frugal" guy, I don't regret this one.  If I don't stupidly knock it off the ironing board onto the floor, it may be the last one I buy.

+1

I hate the GE and Black and Decker ones. They would never warm up enough to iron wrinkled cotton shirts.

The Rowenta is a champion. BIFL.

The "old way" to iron cotton shirts was to dampen them first. 
Sprinkle water all over the shirt. Roll it up so the dampness could spread evenly.  Set iron to high, iron.  It worked in the 1950s.

The problem with the GE/SunBeam/B&D was they never went hot enough. I guess some management consultant told them to limit the heat since they might get sued if someone got burnt!

[DaMa]

I use a Black and Decker that I've had for 20+ years.  The problem is that they don't make them like they use to.  I am a quilter, have attended many quilt retreats, and we use irons a lot.  Many of my peers have bought Rowentas, and they are rarely satisfied.  I would not pay the premium for one.

If I had to replace mine, I'd look for one that felt heavy as that seems to really make a difference.