I would have died if someone said that in three years’ time that I’d want an iron for my birthday. I would have thought them crazy and chastised them on the new role of women today and how we don’t want appliances to keep us in our pre-dated gender roles.
But here I am…. buying my own iron for my own (belated) birthday gift, and a lovely new ironing board cover to boot.
From *then* till now, ironing is no longer a chore but a necessary step that enables me to create lovely garments; it’s an essential tool for any sewer and it comes second (dare I say first) to my sewing machine.
When I first started sewing regularly, I was using a cheap $15 iron from target that my dad had bought me in my college years. I didn’t own an iron or an ironing board and he thought it necessary that I own one…. since he was crashing at my place on a business trip/s and had no iron to use for his own clothes.
I don’t even remember the name of it, only that it was blue and white, and that it did a decent job with my ironing, when it wasn’t spitting out calcified junk on things in its remaining years.
Last summer I upgraded myself to a Rowenta DZ 1700 Autosteam (or the updated DW2070–> which seems to be the same model). I was going back and forth between a Black and Decker (of some sort) and the Rowenta. The Rowenta seemed like a *sewers* iron and it was like $30 more money than the B&D… so I assumed it was better.
I was wrong! After a year, this iron is shutting off for no reason (after 30 seconds) and it takes all much of my patience for it to turn on again since I have to twist it to and fro for it to understand that I’m still using it. Plus the edge of the sole plate has a rust spot on it and it’s only a matter of time that it spreads. Great for being stainless steel! Pfffh Not to mention the periodic spitting of calcium steam junk on my fabric. Again… it’s only a matter of time before it ruins something.
Almost without thinking… I saw a great review of irons(namely the B&D D2030 iron) on Madalynne’s site and I just went on amazon and bought it. I figured if I was between these two brands in the past, the B&D one has to be at least as good…. if not better than my ailing Rowenta. (Plus Megan and Consumer Reports likes it too).
I know I use my iron A LOT. But seriously… I’ve only had it a year and it’s not cooperating anymore. My first cheap-o iron lasted me at least 5 years before it stopped cooperating. So for a Rowenta that I paid $70-$80 for should last me just as long, if not longer. Am I right?!
To play devil’s advocate:
Yes, I’m sure there may be better Rowenta models out there that would do the job better than the one I had. And yes… I’m sorry if I’ve offended you & you love your Rowenta and swear by it to others.
But I am done with Rowenta. The name brand has lost all lustre for me and I’m moving on to what hopefully is a lasting relationship with a B&D.
So far… it’s much heavier than the Rowenta but it holds twice as much water. (Yay for not filling it all the time). The weight doesn’t bother me much since it feels like a sturdier machine and so far it’s pressed some silk charmeuse quite nicely as well as the linen dress I’m currently wearing.
But…. only time will tell if this iron makes it past the one year mark without angering me. If that is the case, perhaps I may suck it up and buy a mega steam generating like the great K.King recommends (scroll to the comments).
Thanks for reading today’s iron rant. What kind of iron are you gals using? Do you have a love/hate relationship with your iron too?
In: Sewing
Comments (33)