Hello again! I have been in the market for a few weeks for my first iron, and I was hunting diligently for the perfect iron to do what I needed. Specifically, I was researching brand names for different irons and what people have said about the brand overall on websites like Etsy and Amazon. Many people quoted many different brand names, commenting on things like sputtering water from steam irons, the auto turn-off features, how quickly the iron heated up / how hot the iron got, the length of the cord, the ability of the iron to stand up without falling over, the durability of an iron after being dropped several times, and the overall "life" the iron held.
In the end, my search came down to a Black & Decker or a T-fal. I ended up purchasing the T-fal FV4476 Ultraglide Easycord Steam Iron, which goes for about $42 on Amazon.com, but I found it in Wal-mart for about $35.
After using my T-fal for the first time today, I'm already loving it for a first iron. I love the ceramic plate vs. a metal one, as I feel like a metal plate would be harsher on fabrics. It also has a very nice range of heat settings from lukewarm to very hot! It works well for what I need an iron for.
I also used this iron today to experiment with Heat n Bond Fusible Interfacing (Extra Firm) that I got at Wal-mart for about $2, and it worked wonderfully fusing the interfacing onto the fabric. Interfacing on weak fabric makes the fabric feel stronger, more durable, and like it's an expensive furniture fabric but for much, MUCH cheaper! It's great for making throw pillows and the like.
However, I'm not a fan of this type of interfacing, as it doesn't want to stick on the corners and seems to tear away easily from the fabric. I have tried the interfacing on cotton and two pieces of flannel, held the iron down with different pressure and lengths of time, and it turns out consistently the same each time. Maybe I am using it wrong? Do all interfacing products behave this way? This is my first time, but regardless of the slightly weak corners, the interfacing does make the fabric feel like it's more durable and expensive.
Here's my impression of each brand based on what I read from people who have purchased or used these irons. This is simply my own opinion of each brand after reading fellow sewer's opinions. I have not personally used each brand, and I do not recall the specific details of everything that went wrong with an iron of a specific brand, so use this list as a guide for which brands you should take a look at first before buying an iron. :)
Remember that any iron you buy could have any of the problems I listed earlier, but as a fellow iron-shopper, hopefully this can point you in the right direction.
Shark - I didn't see too many users of this iron, but many of the reviews that I read stated these irons are not worth the money and should generally be avoided.
Black & Decker - The reviews were about 80/20. Many people liked this brand.
General Electric - I saw one person mention this brand of iron. I'm not sure if they even make irons anymore or are in business, but the user raved about her GE iron, saying that she loved it and had been using it for many, many years (I believe it was around 20 or 30 years!) before it finally needed to be replaced.
Hamilton Beach - The general consensus seemed to be "eh".
Rowenta - Easily the most commented on brand that I had seen during my search. So many people who have purchased this brand complained of water sputtering, a short life of around 6 months, and pretty much every other complaint you can think of. There were a few users that loved their Rowenta irons, however, but it seems the decent Rowenta irons were made in the past when they were manufactured in Germany. Nowadays, Rowenta irons are manufactured in Mexico/China, and these appear to be the models people are complaining about.
T-fal - Another brand that had reviews of about 80/20. Some people were not fans but most users said they liked their T-fal iron.
Sunbeam - I did not see anyone who had tried this brand.
Panasonic - Another brand I did not see anyone comment on, even though it is one of the highest rated brand of irons on Amazon.com.
Now, remember these are simply guides based on what I read from other users of these irons. There's still a chance you could get a great brand-new iron with Rowenta that you loved, and there's still a chance you could get a total piece of crap with Black & Decker. It's the luck of the draw sometimes, but if you want the best odds of getting a decent iron, aim for a Black & Decker, Panasonic, or T-fal, and read the Amazon.com reviews before you go out and purchase your iron. Make sure the iron you choose has the options you need.
Pricing - Some people debate purchasing a cheaper iron ($20 - $50) or an expensive iron ($100+). From what I read, many people did not have good experiences with the expensive irons, and you are better off staying with an iron under $70. Price really doesn't seem to matter on whether or not you get a "lemon" iron, but you don't want to dish out $200 for an iron only to end up with one of those dreaded "lemons".
I hope you enjoyed my post! Thank you for reading and good luck in your search for an iron!
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