Need Advice...Irons...what is your preference...Auto-Shut off or do you prefer NOT to have Auto-Shut off...and why? I quilt as well, and it seems every time I go to use the iron if it has Auto-Shut off..it's cold! If you have an auto-shut off iron that you love...what brand and model is it? Thanks!

Auto shut off has saved my hide several times . I have to catch little sewing spells when I can. Between work days and home chores. I had the non auto shut off one, and after the awakening in the middle of the night with the fire alarm going off and the house full of smoke , I learned . Yes, auto shut off is for me . I still cant manage to get back to that sewing room when I want to , so someone has to look out for me !

I have one from WalMart - I had kept looking at irons everywhere I went and they had gotten in some different ones and I spotted this one. It has auto shut off, but I just give it a shake and it's ready to go in a few seconds. What I don't like about it is it has an annoying beep reminder that I didn't unplug it! So, I guess you could call it a semi-auto-shut off! I love the amount of steam vents - which was what I was looking for and it also has the longest cord I've ever had on an iron. This one I've probably had over 5 yrs. - not sure how long. But the reminder beep is what I hate about it! - it drives me nuts!

Well, I just came from Costco and bought the Sunbeam Professional iron with a gazillion micro steam holes in the plate...unfortunately it has auto-shut off, but it doesnot kick in until after 20 minutes...I thought I'd give it a try..it was under $30...If I don't like it, Costco will take it back, no problem...Don't want to spend $100 for another Rowenta that will only last 18 months...Ugh!

1 comment

by pcteddyb 19 Aug 2012

This sounds like one I may need to try! I have wanted to try one with the micro steam holes - maybe it will not spit so much and under $30 seems like a reasonable price.

My Rowenta just bit the dust,so I'm on the hunt for a good inexpensive one.Someone suggested "The Dollar Store". I see Walgreen has one on sale

I wish the PTBs would stop trying to save us from ourselves. I hate auto-shut off. Am using a cheapo Walmart iron right now. I did like the reset button on earlier irons I had. My bedroom is my workroom, so I use a small board on the bed, and pack it all up when I need to. It gets plugged into the surge bar that the machine is on, and when I am done, all get unplugged at the same time. Never left the iron on in all the time using one.

I love Rowena..... Have had one for 15 years ,,,, LOVE IT !!!

I do and don't like the auto shut off. I have a Rowenta with the large water resivor and it is always ready. I am real bad about leaving the iron on when I leave home. But then I do the same with the stove and the oven. But when I am sewing it sure is a pain for the iron to be off when I need it next. Don't know if they have a combo. Hugs & Stitches, Liz

I have auto shut off on my iron and I hate it. Everytime I get up to use it it has shut off. I have not been able to find a iron that doesn't have auto shut off so guess I'll have to just live with it. #&^%$##

Hi dragonflyer, I have an auto-shut off iron called Tefal Primaglide with an Ultra Gliss Ultra Glide diffusion soleplate. It cuts off when not in use and you just have to shake it and it heats up straight away! I love it. Love Chris

2 comments

by oigelcox 18 Aug 2012

I have the same iron it is great nothing sticks to the soleplate so there is no trouble keeping it clean. Hugs Joyce

by dragonflyer 18 Aug 2012

Thanks...I'll have to check it out and see if it's available in my area...

When I bought my light little Black & Decker iron it's what I could afford - it's a good small size and at that time it was the cheapest of the known brands. It has a thermostat so it stays on while I sew but I never finish sewing jobs without unplugging from the wall. That's a firm habit now. I left it on all night once and it didn't miss a beat.
AlmaG.

Rowenta pro .....

My old Black and Decker recently wore out, it was just 22 years old... I love everything about the Shark iron my son gave me except that annoying auto shut-off. I'd like to be able to control whether or not to use the auto=off.

I'm on my second Rowenta professional with auto shut off and if it weren't for the auto shut-off detail I'd have long ago burned down our house. It does shut off when I'm quilting, but I found that if I lower my ironing board to my sewing chair height I could sew and turn my swivel chair around and iron, then just spin back around to the machine and keep on going. It does heat back up quickly also if it happens to go off before I'm finished. I LOVE mind and hope that I can find another one that is made in Germany and NOT made in China. I have heard from several that the ones from China do not hold up and leak water.

1 comment

by jrob 17 Aug 2012

*Mine* not mind.

Well...all of this makes one kind of wonder why they can't make an iron that has an "on-off" feature for the auto part of the shut off. Years ago they made irons with cords that came out the right side...now they come out the back so it's better for us lefties. But then...the younger generation hardly know what an iron or ironing board is.

As an owner of a Rowenta I love it. But It's big ( (use it only for slack and tops)so I bought a "Cheapie" at Target (9.99) tiny little toot but it's perfect size for ironing the quilt pieces. And I can carry it in a little insulated bag I made to quilt classes. Love the shut-off feature on both.

I don't like auto shut off. I had a Rowenta pro series (don't remember the model #) for 3 years. One day while I was ironing it just started smoking and scorched my ironing board cover. Luckily I was right there, grabbed it and threw it out the back door!! I now have a Black and Decker classic iron. I'm just not too happy with the steam output but it does press well.

I have a Rowenta professional with a steam tank separate from the iron... not auto shut off and wouldn't want one. (I decide when to turn my iron off) :)
This is my third one. The first one lasted 6 years, the second one only 2 yrs. I was not going to buy another one but they assured me they had been improved. So far so good... I now only use Spring water or what goes through my reverse osmosis... Do not use distilled water.
MJDG

1 comment

by mjdg 17 Aug 2012

...forgot to add... here in NE Ohio you can find them at JoAnn Fabric, and at Bed Bath & Beyond. At BBB you can use your 20% off coupons.

Thanks Cuties...I had a Rowenta Professional (no auto shut off) for 22 years and it was the bomb! It finally gave up the ghost and I bought another Rowenta Professional (no auto shut off) and it died after only about 15 months...with a one year warranty. The only brand I can find Without the auto-shut off is Rowenta...and I am hesitant to spend another $120 bucks since my current iron only lasted 15 months...anyone know of any other brand that does not have auto shut off other than Rowenta? The only place I can find any brand of iron in our local stores is at JoAnns...everyone else only carry the ones with auto shut off...

Rowenta is more expensive than the average iron but it last 100 times longer. I guess I am different from most but I do like the auto shut-off! I always have so mucg going at one time and I am so slow that it comes in handy for me. I have a less expensive Rowenta in my master bathroom in the walk-in closet. That is where I do regular ironing of clothes that need it but I have a very expensive one in the craft room. They are both over 10 yrs old because I used the expensive one in the craft store yrs ago. I have never had a problem with either of them. I did however order a steam-buggy from HSN several yrs ago and paid way too much for it. It lasted about a year and I sent it back to the factory to get it fixed under warranty. They kept it about 2 months and when I got it back, they had burned the date it was repaired and the date bought under the bottom of it. In the letter that came back with it, they explained that it would be out off warranty in less than a month and that they no longer carried them so no more repairs could be handled through them. I used it no more than another month and it died. I paid over $300.00 for it and used it only about a yr. NOT AGAIN. I loved the way it worked but it did not pay for itself!!! I do have a regular clothes steamer but it only takes out the wrinkles that come from hanging in a closet with other clothes. It was a Christmas gift several yrs ago. It stands in my small bathroom across from the craft room and about all I use it for is sweatshirts after I embroider on them.

My new iron has auto shut off and I hate it. Same reason as yours. When sewing, seems like I walk away for to stitch a little thing, and when I go to press it, the iron is cold. So when I quilt or sew, I use my old iron.

I don't like Auto-Shut off for the reason you stated. I haven't found one that I like. I have for years used the TOL Rowenta, and yes I have to remember to turn it off when I am done sewing....but when I need it, it is ready.

Agree with you. My Rowenta is autoshutoff and when it expires, I will shop for one this isn't. Recently saw a cheap one at Walmart. Such a pain to go to iron when quilting and have to wait. Keeping it shut off when not in use is not a problem because I always unplug it when leaving the room.

Auto-shut off is a good safety. And also saves electricity.
Mine is very old 'rowenta" so does not have this feature.I love the extra steam "puff" it has for my Knit-Weaving.
I have a second "Premier" iron for others to use, so they don't spoil my favourite.
BTW I always use cooled boiled water for them, it has prevented clogging.
Hugs Bev

It is a number of years since I bought a iron so I have to admit I have not come across auto shut off. Something that I aught to look into as I have been known to leave the iron on all day when at work :(

love the Auto-Shut off but i never find a good Irons i bout the Simplicity Iron the cord is to short no luck

I love my cheap Rowenta iron. It does have auto-shutoff, but it doesn't take too much time to heat up. And I don;t stress about wondering if I shut it off.