[EllenMCM]

I’m in the middle of the shirt.

We just worked out the holiday budget, so this is not a good time for me to run out and pick up a new iron. I’m hoping I can borrow one from my mom. If she even has one. I left a message on her phone.

Does anyone want to recommend a reasonably priced, highly effective iron that might be on sale after the holidays?

[Nicole]

I love my (two) Tefal irons. They get nice and hot with lots of steam. I kill irons and this brand has lasted the longest.

[cybele727]

I have a Rowenta I use dry with a spray bottle.

When I saw this topic, first I said oh no! Then I laughed, giggled even. Where else on earth does someone post about a dead iron and get sympathy?!

[EllenMCM]

Yeah, it’s pretty much sewing boards or nowhere.

My mom did have an iron, and I drove over to her house to borrow it. I think she got it as a wedding present. It comes from the land before safety features. Fabric flattens itself in fear before it, though. I think we’ll get along just fine until it shorts out too, or I accidentally burn the house down. Whichever comes first.

[Tamara]

I have a Tefal iron also but it is a replacement one from my original because our roof came off when my eldest was a baby and so it was replaced on insurance.

My mum has the very old irons as door stops – you know the kind that had to be heated on the stove? I woukd hate to go back in time and use the “innovative” gadgets of the day. I totally draw the line at using a washing machine with a wringer! My great grandmother had her thumb squashed using it and wash boards belong in a “bush band”.

So glad you got to borrow your mum’s iron. It may not be the most desirable method of getting one, but maybe it coukd be put on the Christmas list?

[EllenMCM]

I am definitely putting a new iron on my Christmas list!

I will not, however, be getting one as a present from my mom. She views irons as a fascist instrument of women’s oppression. She is not a crafter.

[Tamara]

@ellenmcm well I sort of feel the same way. My family are forbidden to buy me household appliances such as irons for my birthday, mothers day or for Christmas. I was grateful to receive one as a wedding present though and if they explain that it would be strictly for sewing needs, then I guess it would be acceptable.

I guess that is probably why some of us possess two 😀

[mcholley1]

Ive killed two rowentas in the past year. I’ve learned belatedly that you should never overfill them with water. I’m currently using mine with a spray bottle as well.

[dubhels2003]

He he he, @ellenmcm your mum sounds great! I am of the same opinion as her, but due to my crafting I’ve had to buy one which I use in secret. I feel like I’m selling my soul to the patriarchy every time I brandish it, which makes patchwork a hotbed of internal philosophical conflict and very demoralising 😉

(Love my basic panasonic iron, nothing fancy, basic steam iron does the job.)

[scgoble]

I have a Rowenta and I hate it. It has leaked almost since day 1. I’m of the opinion that if I pay $100 for an iron, it shouldn’t need “hacks” or coddling to do what I need it to do. The next one I buy will be a gravity feed, which means I’ll be sticking with this damn Rowenta until we get a new home with enough space for such a thing.

The feminism aspect of all this is pretty funny. I’m a staunch feminist; I get on many a nerve in my family when some issue “gets me going.” But now I’m a stay-at-home mom who sews, bakes and keeps the house. That’s some serious internal conflict. Feminism means making our own choices though! So if what you want is an iron, you get yourself an iron!! 🙂

[Rpankow]

I had a rather pricey Rowenta as well and it had a short life. (sigh) I believe they just don’t make them like they used to. Mine worked super in the beginning, but then I noticed it started to leak more and more as time went by to the point it was running down the electrical cord! After some research, I learned that the seal used to keep the water in would heat up with the iron. It would melt and get distorted to the point where it wouldn’t hold a seal at all.
I vowed to not bother with an new expensive Rowenta again. I did decide to get a Shark and so far have been quite happy with it. It puts out quite a bit of steam. It does like to “go to sleep” quite easily, especially when creating something like bias tape when you have the iron down for long periods of time. That’s easily fixed though :). Not having a good, reliable iron can be so frustrating! It’s almost as bad as having your machine in the shop!

[cybele727]

Oh this has so many levels of smiles.

@ellenmcm and @dubhels2003, I walk around in wrinkled clothing and refuse to iron clothes except for the following: my daughter’s clothes that *I* made and anything my son needs for a photograph or concert. Otherwise, it is totally an instrument of feminine oppression. My husband asked me once to iron for him. I believe my response was something along the lines of &!@< the patriarchy. 😉

Also, the reason I use my Rowenta dry is exactly as @excytin says. The seal melted and water was literally running down my electrical cord. Not my idea of safety. I continue to use it, rather than buy a new one because a) cost, b) it works really well otherwise. So that is why I use a spray bottle. I get better control anyways, so I probably will always use a dry iron with spray bottle. I should mention that we have a second cheap iron in the basement for anyone who feels the need to unwrinkle their own clothing (ahem- I’m looking at you, hubby!) 🙂

[Nicole]

Don’t take my ironing from me, it is how I sort my world!

A basket of crispy cotton and linen, dried in the sunshine, pressed smooth and hung on beautiful coat hangers and put away.

I would never get to watch telly if I didn’t iron 😉

[Tamara]

@scgoble I completely agree!

[Alison Cummins]

My husband gave me a Rowenta and a double-wide ironing board for Christmas one year. I was so thrilled!