Newbie--need iron reviews/recommendations

I agree. There's such a large difference of opinion on the quality of these irons that I'm almost convinced the Rowentas being sold at places like JoAnns, Target, etc are manufactured in different places (probably Asia) than the ones sold in high end stores and quilt shops (Germany).

I've had half a dozen irons since I started quilting, and all had drawbacks. Recently I purchased an inexpensive Hamilton-Beach "Retro" iron, and it's performing very well so far. Auto-off switch seems to be set for half an hour; no override, tho. Glides beautifully, the steam holes don't catch corners and create wrinkles, and it has enough weight to do almost effortless dry pressing. Steam controls work, too. My last two irons had "burst of steam" that didn't work after a couple of days.

Let us know what you choose, and why.

I don't have computerized machines, I have old Singers. But I plug them into power strips. Ditto my computers and other expensive electronics. When the monsoon thunderstorms threaten, I have fewer plugs to unplug. Here in Tucson, it seems that the tallest things in most neighborhoods are the electric/telephone lines.

And don't forget to unplug your modem. A lightning strike on the phone line miles away can fry a modem quite neatly, as my dear BIL can testify.

Anything that a protector on the power cord might accomplish is already inside the electronics (Mac, scanners, etc) They can add $0.10 parts and then increase the price by $15 or $100 (because it is now called a protector). That is what you have on a sewing machine power cord.

All electronics contains protection. Protection that can be overwhelmed if the surge is permitted inside the building. A surge not earthed before entering the building can destroy appliances by overwhelming internal protection. We protect appliances by earthing surges where the AC electric enters the building. The device costs typically tens or 100 times less money per protected appliance. One 'whole house' protector properly installed means protection inside everything (including things far more critical such as smoke detectors) is protected.

Responsible surge protector manufacturers provide the 'whole house' protector. Names such as Siemens, Square D, Cutler Hammer, Intermatic, Leviton, and GE provide the 'whole house' protector. Names of profit mongers (their devices do not even claim to provide protection in numbers) include APC, Belkin, and Tripplite.

You want your sewing machine protected? That means the typically destructive surge is earthed before it can enter the building. Any surge permitted inside the building will find earth ground selectively through Macs, dishwasher, or sewing machines. Will a surge that could not be stopped by three miles of sky, instead, be absorbed by some silly little magic box protector? Only myths make that claim. The manufacturer is more careful. The manufacturer would have you assume the word 'protector' means protection. It does not. One properly installed 'whole house' protector means everything is protected - for tens or 100 times less money. Notice the 'whole house' manufacturers have far more responsible names.

Hi Sandy, welcome to the group, I'm sure you'll have a grand time on here. Regards the iron, I bought a Rowenta dry iron which after a lot of searching I found on the internet. It solves the steam problem anyway since there isn't any. Hope this is of help.

Thanks for the review, Carolyn. I just checked out that Retro on the Internet and it's darn cute! Which is, of course, a VERY important consideration in an iron! :-) I couldn't find any other customer reviews on it, but your description is very helpful. A couple of other Hamilton Beach irons got rated pretty high by Consumer Reports so that bodes well. Looks like Target carries it so I'll check that one out next time I'm over that way. Since at this point I'm ready to chuck my B&D Classic out the window with rising frustration (working on a strip- pieced project so there's all sorts of seams to catch every which way!) I may have to get myself an early Christmas present...

Oh...and...yes, I've fried a modem in my time too. Now we just unplug anything that cost us over $50 even though they're all plugged into surge protectors!

Nonsense.

For reliable information on surges and surge protection try:

"How to protect your house and its contents from lightning: IEEEguide for surge protection of equipment connected to AC power andcommunication circuits" published by the IEEE in 2005 (the IEEE isthe dominant organization of electrical and electronic engineers inthe US). And also: "NIST recommended practice guide: Surges Happen!: how to protect theappliances in your home" published by the US National Institute ofStandards and Technology in 2001 The IEEE guide is aimed at those with some technical background. The NIST guide is aimed at the unwashed masses.

Both guides say plug-in suppressors are effective.

More nonsense.

The IEEE guide explains plug-in suppressors work by CLAMPING the voltage on all wires (signal and power) to the common ground at the suppressor. Plug-in suppressors do not work primarily by earthing (or stopping or absorbing). The guide explains earthing occurs elsewhere. (guide starting pdf page 40).

Note that all interconnected equipment needs to be connected to the same plug-in suppressor, or interconnecting wires need to go through the suppressor. External connections, like phone, also need to go through the suppressor. This is not an issue with sewing machines, but is with computers.

- bud--

Bud promotes for plug-in protector manufacturers. Even his own citation (Page 42 Figure 8) shows why the plug-in protector earths a surge, 8000 volts destructively, through an adjacent TV. Ask Bud for the spec numbers that claim his plug-in protector provides protection? He cannot. No such spec numbers exist. Instead, he hopes you will assume the word 'protector' means it provides 'protection'.

Take a $3 power strip. Add some $0.10 parts. Sell it for $25 or $150 (in Radio Shack or Circuit City). With profit margins that high, honesty becomes secondary. Bud is recommending that you spend tens or

100 times more money on plug-in protectors that don't even claim to provide protection. Both the IEEE and NIST also say why. The effective protector connects short (less than 10 feet) to earth ground. If not, then the protector may even earth surges, 8000 volts destructively, through the adjacent TV (Page 42 Figure 8). Bud is not recommending protectors from responsible manufacturers such as GE, Siemens, Intermatic, etc. Bud recommends protectors with massive profit margins AND that will not even claim in numbers to provide protection.

S> ...

To quote w_ "It is an old political trick. When facts cannot be challenged technically, then attack the messenger." My only association with surge protectors is I have some.

The illustration in the IEEE guide has 2 TVs. One is connected to a plug-in suppressor which protects it.

It is simply a lie that the plug-in suppressor at one TV in any way contributes to damage at the other TV. The point of the illustration for the IEEE, and anyone who can think, is "to protect TV2, a second multiport protector located at TV2 is required."

Nonsense. Manufacturers for some plug-in suppressors even have warranties for connected equipment.

I recommend you read reliable sources. Both the IEEE and NIST guides say plug-in suppressors are effective.

Then read w_'s sources that say plug-in suppressors are NOT effective

- oops, there aren't any.

Never answered:

- Why do the only 2 examples of protection in the IEEE guide use plug- in suppressors?

- Why does the NIST guide says plug-in suppressors are "the easiest solution"?

-- bud--

As the IEEE, NIST, British Standards, US Air Force, your phone company, your cell company, the electric company, FAA in every facility, et al say everywhere: an effective protector connects short to earth ground. Bud claims otherwise. Who should we believe? The informed homeowner installs one earthed protector from responsible manufacturers such as Siemens, Intermatic, Leviton, Cutler-Hammer, Square D, GE or others. Protects computers inside a sewing machine, furnace, dishwasher, the Mac, smoke detectors, etc for significantly less money. Bud is not promoting for responsible companies.

Bud my troll will post incessantly so that he has the last post. Last word somehow means he need not quote a manufacturer spec number? Did Bud again forget to post manufacturer spec numbers? He posted every number available. Plug-in manufacturers do not claim effective protection in their specs. Bud accurately posted every spec number that claims protection. Near zero protection is sufficient to call it a surge protector. They Then Bud recommends it using myths.

The informed homeowner, instead, installs (and earths) one 'whole house' protector for tens or 100 times less money. A protection 'system' that actually does provide protection according to Bud's citations - and all those other responsible organizations. An effective protector must have a short and dedicated connection to earth. Which protectors does that? One properly earthed 'whole house' protector - a superior solution that costs massively money.

Heh. Remember all that nice stuff I said about Rowenta, because they took my leaky iron back and sent me a brand, spanking new one instead of trying to repair it? Well, thought I would mention, turned out the new one leaked worse than the old one. I gave up. Went back to the circa wedding-shower- gift from 1973 Sears steam iron. I like that iron, even thought DH worries I'll burn the house down with it. Zero safety features really.

Sherry

Sherry

Q.E.D.

John

Being evangelical in his beliefs about plug-in suppressors, w_ trolls google-groups for "surge" to paste his religious tract to convert the heathens.

Still missing - a link to a source that agrees with w_ that plug-in suppressors are NOT effective.

Still missing - answers to simple questions:

- Why do the only 2 examples of protection in the IEEE guide use plug- in suppressors?

- Why does the NIST guide says plug-in suppressors are "the easiest solution"?

For reliable information read the IEEE or NIST guides. Both say plug- in suppressors are effective.

- bud--

I've seen that iron in Vermont's catalogue. Does it get HOT enough? That seems to be another problem with the Rowenta. I stupidly thought since it touted a massive 1700 -or-something-watts that it would get super-hot, then was later informed that's not how it works. There's also a kewl space-age-looking "Shark" iron at Walmart but I have to keep telling myself aesthetic beauty of an IRON doesn't matter..... I used the Rowenta at the LQS when I took classes and ABSOLUTELY loved it. That's why I bought one. Turns out, LQS-owner said that iron was there when she bought the shop, 10 years ago. I think they were just better irons back then.

Sherry

On Dec 13, 12:17 am, Sherry wrote: The iron you saw at Vermont country store is the dry iron I tested and it registered the highest of all three irons I tested. 350 degrees. Of course any iron you buy might not be consistent to that temp. Some might be higher and some might be lower. I think that steam/dry irons might not get as hot because they have steam available to soften the fabric while ironing. Dry irons must rely only on heat, and therefore must be hotter to accomplish the task. I have no way to verify that theory, and I might be wrong, but it does kind of make sense. I do know that the commercial dry iron available from Atlanta Thread Company does get very hot, and does have a much more accurate thermostat. It is also very expensive and is of a more wide/blunt tip design, and useful for clothing ironing, and not as desirable for piecing. I actually like the one that is available from Vermont country store, and am now using it exclusively for piecing. At less than $30, I don't know about it's longevity, but without the water, it is a rather simple appliance with few things to go wrong. Time will tell.

John

Thanks, John. Coincidentally to all this talk about irons, my circa-1973 Sears steam iron has unfortunately crapped out. I am so sad. :-( DH is quite handy and it's now on his workshop table to be fixed. That sounds so weird, fixing an iron, like something out of Mayberry RFD when people actually took toasters and irons to a repairman. I'm still going to order the iron from Vermont. I think I'll really like it, since I hardly ever used steam in the old Sears iron anyway. It got so hot I didn't need to, those seams would lay down flat like they were glued. Thanks again.

Sherry

Sherry

I have a Panasonic iron with a teflon plate and loads of steam. I figure if I can't get a block steamed and blocked into shape and size, it doesn't deserve to live!

Seriously, I really like the iron--it does great for quilting pressing and, rarely, for garment ironing (shudder ~~~~).

Happy quilting,

Lenore

I love love love my little Rowenta travel iron! I bought it on Sharon Schamber's recommendation for one of her classes. She says it's the ONLY one that gets hot enough for her techniques. It's a great little iron!