Irons??

[sikiguya]

I need a nice, heavy duty steam iron for thick tablecloths and denim. What should I look for while out at the thrift stores or on eBay. I don't really care what it looks like (although chrome would be nice), just as long as it does not leak and has lots of hot steam.

Thanks!

Heather

 

[michaelman2]

Heather,
I always find that the irons that have a seperate reservoir are the best you can buy. I have gone through several expensive irons and I really like the Rowenta with the exterior reservior. It will literally blast steam for extended periods, like you will need for the heavy fabrics you mentioned.

 

[maytagbear]

The best iron?

I love old GE irons, or early Black and Decker ones.

Wattage counts, higher the better.

Wait til Laundress gets here. She knows "chapter and verse" on irons and ironing.

I have a newer (2000) Black and Decker, and it's fine for my infequent use.

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[wiskybill]

Thrifty irons....

I have two that I picked up at thrifts. A Rowenta Professional(saw it, had to have it, no gay man can resist one) for $5 and a older GE for $1.50.
I agree with Lawrence the GE's are good and you see them quite often for cheap. I think it steams better than the Rowenta, BUT I look really good using that Professional.

Bill

 

[super32]

my .2 cents

I have had 4 irons in the past 10 years, 3 of which in the past 6 years. 2 of them are/were rowenta. 1 was a maytag cordless. 1 was an 90's B&D. The B&D was ok, not a great steamer. At this time i didnt iron much so it was not a big issue. That iron got lost during a move. I bought a rowenta and it lasted about 2-1/2 years. The maytag could not keep up with me. I constantly had to wait for it to catch up/heat up, which is partly the nature of a cordless. Then it started spiting and leaking. Needless to say it went back. I bought another rowenta and it lasted about 2 years and developed a short in the cord. I sent rowenta a e-mail and they fixed at no charge.

Of all the irons i've had the rowenta seems to do the best with heavy fabrics for me.

Scott

 

[parunner58]

I would also recommend the Rowenta. My wife irons every week after doing the laundry. We have been married 25 years this comming August and she has had many irons. In the 80's she had a Sunbeam and loved it after it died she tried the GE/B&D ones and they all leaked. My mom and sister sew alot and recommended the Rowenta. They are pricey but worth the money. Every so often a local department store had an iron sale and let your trade your old one in and you get an additional $10 off. We say if you can do it go for Rowenta. If you get one go for the stainless steel sole plate, we got the no stick one and it is had to keep clean when using starch or have an ironing accident.

Mike

 

[ironrite]

A New Sunbeam

I found this iron at Target. Hopefully this link works, but it's a Sunbeam Heritage Model 4263. Chrome with white and maroon trim. I like the look, odd that it looks like an old GE. It steams like crazy, good heat control, and the pushbutton on top lights up from red to green when it's ready. Also there's a little sticker on the side that changes color from maroon to black, to indicate if the iron is hot.

Depending what you're coming across in the thrift stores, you may want to look at this one.

http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/602-3409389-2291041?asin=B000CO93ZC&AFID=MSN&ref=tgt_adv_XPSD0500

 

[sudsmaster]

I don't iron much, but...

The GE is one of the last before B&D took over. I bought it new.

The Toastmaster came with the house. It must be pretty old, with the cloth-covered electrical cord. It's a bit heavier than the GE. Never used it. The cord is in great shape, and the sole plate in pretty good shape - just needs a polishing.

 

[sikiguya]

Toastmaster

I just found a beautiful Toastmaster toaster with the same cord and 3 loop design etched in the chrome. It's so pretty!

I love the look of both of them!

Heather

 

[sikiguya]

BUT I look really good using that Professional........

And so, do you iron when all your friends come over so they can see how good you look while doing making a crease in your underwear? ;-)

I have heard good things about the Rowenta so I will have to take a peek at those.

Thanks!!

Heather

 

[sikiguya]

Wait til Laundress gets here

I am afraid she will try to talk me into a mangle or something!

Heather

 

[sikiguya]

Sunbeam

That looks really good and I do use a lot of red in my decorating so it may work for me! LOL

I'll see if my local Target has one to touch IRL. I have a hard time buying things I have never handled before. (Toggle-I don't want to hear what you have to say about that!)

Heather

 

[scott55405]

That new Sunbeam is pretty cool, I have seen it! The Heritage Mixmaster is nice too.

I like the GE, Sunbeam and Hoover vintage irons as well. I do have a Rowenta Professional which works very well too.

 

[whirlcool]

A few years ago we bought one of those Euro-Pro professional steamer irons from HSN. We really like it cause' it heats up like irons used to do. Emits VAST amounts of steam (can also be used as a steamer) and has lights on it to indicate current iron temp vs iron temp setting. It automaticlly shuts down after 10 minutes of inactivity.
The worse iron we ever used was one of those Sunbeam ultra-lights from the mid-late 80's. They wouldn't heat up enough to do a 100% cotton shirt (my uniforms) and leaked water everywhere. Stay away from those. You usually saw them in yellow and an avacodo color.

 

[sudsmaster]

The Toastmaster iron has a fairly uniquie rotating control for the steam/dry setting, instead of a push button.

 

[petek]

Here's a few of my irons.
On the far left is a GE Spray & Steam then the similar GE Steam and Dry (no spray), an old Mary Procter, and the iron I use almost daily, excellent iron, Philips Azur 90.
It's there TOL model, cord retract, tons of steam, anti-calc, self cleaning. Had it over 10 years now and no problems.

 

[michaelman2]

Heather...Rowenta with the seperate water tank...believe me I have used them all. The Euro-Pro is another with a seperate tank that is good. It actually looks like a professional iron, cork handle and all. Generates ALOT of steam.

 

[wiskybill]

Wrinkles..

Heather,
Most of my friends don't iron much anymore.
But I was raised right!

Never leave the house with wrinkles, whether you can see them or not. LOL
Bill...

 

[launderess]

Did Someone Say Irons?

Not a huge fan of steam irons as sooner or later they all spurt, sputter and leak water over my nice clean laundry. Even my Naomoto, Silver Star and Hi-Steam gravity irons will do this under the right conditions.

You say you want lots of steam? You say you want steam and heat than can deal with every thing from denims to silk shirts? Well look no furhter than a steam generator/boiler ironing system. These are those units where the iron is connected to a tank via hoses. Because the boiler provides the steam it is hotter and dryer than what one gets from typical steam irons. Also since the water is heated in the tank, spitting and leaks are quite rare with proper use.

Personally my recommendation is to skip steam ironing all together and "dry iron". Most all my vintage irons are dry irons which I use to iron dry dampened laundry. The finish is streets ahead of any thing one can get from a steam iron, short of a professional steam iron/vacuum table set up.

Launderess