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I want to buy a good iron to use for pressing. I do a fair amount of sewing and am looking for an iron that will be good for tailoring and general sewing, attaching iron on interfacings, etc. Any advice will be much appreciated.
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I swear by my Naomoto Hi-Steam gravity feed iron. Have had it about ten years. Mine is a 5 lb. iron but does all that you want. Also comes in 6 lb. I think. Wonderful for wools and tailoring.
*I bought a Rowenta several years ago..about $100. Love it! Use it on all kinds of fabrics. I used to hate to iron anything however my Rowenta has turned tedious work into creative enjoyment.
*I love my Rowenta.
*Melba:I have been trying to decide which iron to buy for home use and sewing projects... I'd like to learn more about gravity feed irons with a suspended water tank like a Naomoto, versus one of the irons with a large separate tank that sits on an extension of your ironing board - I'm not sure if they are considered gravity feed as well. Euro Pro, Rowenta, Bernina and Pfaff have all developed one for the home sewer market; they all have 32 oz. capacities.Can you explain the benefits of a gravity feed iron over a traditional home-use iron? Is it primarily the large water tank, or other differences as well?Thanks a lot for your help.Joan
*Hi Jan, after years with the Rowenta-Iron (Professional) I bought an iron with a large separate tank that sits on an extension of my ironing board. I was disatified with my last Rowenta. I filled in this water you should use and the steaming was each time lesser. So I bought this other. I made some tests. I decided for a Laura Star at last. It is Swiss made and walks with tab water. The tank is relatively small. The sole is a little bit smaller than the Rowenta and it gives much more steam (pressure). You can steam vertically, very useful fleshing up suits etc. If I had more money to spend I would have bought the knittax iron. The pfaff is made with much plastic, so I didn't want it. Rowenta has omething like Pfaff, to much plastic. I sought the relativ small water amount would be a mistake. But the refill is done in 2 minutes. So I'm quiet happy. The only obstacle is the pipe connecting the iron to the tank. But It is VERY satisfying to let out a real powerfull steamjet. WOW. Like driving a sports car.Heidi
*Heidi:Thanks for your info on the LauraStar; I just saw it for the first time in a Williams-Sonoma catalog. I appreciate the comments on the Pfaff and Rowenta "steam generator" models - I'd just seen an article on these in the new Vogue Patterns magazine.Did you consider the Naomoto gravity feed or just "steam generator" models like the LauraStar?Which LauraStar did you buy and where? Williams-Sonoma offers 3 models, for example, but perhaps there is a less costly place to buy it from.Thanks!Joan
*Joan, doing all my researches I didn't found in Germany any gravity feed iron. I saw one once in my life. The tank of distilled water was on a shelf and the water ran into the iron?? Is that the type? I tell you why I decided for Laura star steam max. It has a reasonably price: about $ 250. The tank and heating unit is small. It runs with tab water and needs no chemicals or else. It has a cork-handle and is heavy enough doing pressing and light enough doing normal ironing. The steam controlling is very easy done with your thumb. The fabric don't get wet. It steams vertically. And last it is transportable I can take it to the family room and iron while my television is on. Bad is the information-politics of this brand. The homepage is so old and holds none information to speak of.The Rowenta steam generated iron and the Pfaff (about $ 200)needs a chemical which must be replaced after some time. (about $ 7). The big one from Pfaff needs distilled water and costs about $ 300. There are some cheaper italian irons too. They are not bad but I could not get information about who are doing repairs.The death of all these irons is the calcium in the water. I sew one-two pieces a week (from blouse to coat) and I iron laundry for 2 peoples. I have only natural fibers like cotton, wool, silk, linen and rayon. I have the feeling the fabric is smoother ironing it with so much steam or weight. And be sure about one: it is quick (especially doing all the creased suits of my husband). I've read in the past discussions about gravity irons. If I remember well, I saw some good results over the Naomoto(korean??). David Coffin recommends a gravity iron. I'm sure you will decide right.Heidi
*Help. I have a Euro-Pro Model 1000 Steam iron system with the board. I have not been able to locate them on the net. I need a new cover and the book does not have any phone numbers. I would appreicate any info.Sharone-mail [email protected]
*Good Morning, I have just read your messages about steam irons. It was very informative. I also had written a message, but I ended up with it in the section for removing buildup on the bottom of irons. Wrong section. My question is oon the larger steam irons, Euro Pro medel 1000 steam, Laura Star Steam Mix and the Gravity flow irons. Where can I obtain information about them? Such as where can I purchase one? also get information about the systems and how they work?Thanks, Lou [email protected]
*HeidiI just read your message about Laura Star Steam Irons.Three years ago I bought one for $800 at a home improvement show and it was the best investment I ever made in my life, even at that price. About a month ago it just quit. I was devastated. When I found this site here on the computer I was thrilled to see that other people liked it as well and were looking for it also.Did you find a location to purchase it? I had the one that had the tank connected to the ironing board itself. It was heavy as a unitand rather awkward to stand up and fill with tap water, but the iron itself was light weight. I want another just like it. It made ironing a snap. Please help me locate LauraStar. Thank you in advance.Kay
*For another forum I have written a commentary about how irons work and why they give us trouble. I chose to copy that article for all of you to read. First we were discussing the use of the Polder Iron Rest. Some one wrote in because they thought that the irons needed to be in the semi-down position so that they might not plug up and cause crude to collect. [She had a brand new domestic iron.] In the first part of this commentary I am addressing her statement. This article is long but it is packed with my researched information. I will post it on the next. It is too long for one post.Paula
*This article was written by Paula White, member of the Professional Association of Custom clothiers on November 27, 2001."Nice try, the PolderIron Rest seems work for you, but you have the reasonsincorrect, but you are doing some thinking. In thepast I have used an iron rest on the end of my ironingboard just like the one you are talking about but of adifferent brand, I liked it because it made a safenest for my iron so that it wouldn't be accidentallyknocked off the board and it was quicker to pick upand set back down. The Polder Iron Rest holds the iron at about a 45degree angle. Steam irons can NOT be sat down flat. If a steam iron is in the flat position and left overnight all of the water will have dripped out. Ifthe water does not drip out that iron has cloggedholes and cannot not produce steam for the samereason.The problems that we have with irons are spitting, nosteam and irregular temperatures. I will try toaddress why we have each of these problems byexplaining how steam irons work. Steam irons have awater tank which is above the sole plate. Irons donot heat the water that is in the iron. There is ahole for the water to drip through one drop at a time,the hole is high up on the tank so the water can onlydrip through this hole when the iron is laid in thedown position. The water hitting the hot metal platecauses steam to escape thought the tiny holes in thesole plate. If the iron is not as hot as needed whenyou start to iron you clothes it will cause the waterdroplets to sizzle rather than steam, this causesspitting. Also if you continually use the burst ofsteam feature it will cool off the hot plate too muchso that it can't create steam fast enough from thosedroplets, more spitting.A clogged iron will not allow the water droplets todrip through when they are supposed to, we getimpatient waiting for steam when no steam is coming sowe hit that burst of steam button causing irregularamounts of water droplets to escape, some of thesewill make steam and some of the will sizzle and spit.There is a lot of trouble with uneven temperatures andsettings that are too low. Steam is for high tempsonly. If you want a low temp for something do not tryto make your iron steam. Most steam irons are madefor domestic use only, they are not intended to be onand hot all day long, many thermostats become shotbecause the got overworked/overheated and cannotregulate them selves properly anymore. [I know a lotof people like that too.]Now let's have a little lesson about how to properlypress a garment. Four things are important for a goodpress job; steam, heat, cooling, drying. Steam willrelax the fibers and allow you to reshape them as youwish, heat will set the fibers, but then you mustallow the fabric to cool and dry before you move it orelse you have wasted your effort and the press jobwill not be set. This is why many people like theEuro-Pro Ironing system with a vacuum table. Thevacuum table draws air through the fabric to cool anddry it.My preference is to use wood. I use a wooden boardfor my pressing, it is a large piece of 3/4" plywoodcovered with wool from old blankets and has a heavycotton cover stapled over that, I also have madeseveral fitted covers with elastic on the edges for myboard so it is always clean. And I use a wholecollection of different wooden pieces to help me withmy pressing, most important is a small block of woodthat fits nicely in my hand that I use for blocking. Everything I press something ie a seam I always pressmy block of wood onto that area until it is dry andcool. The wood will cool the fabric and draw out themoisture quickly. A clapper is meant for thispurpose, but you can get by with just a little scrap board if you wish. One of my favorite wooden tools isa 24" piece of stairway railing that I use under seamswhen pressing them open.And now I want to tell you why I like the gravity-fedsteam irons. There is no water in the iron so therewill not be any spitting, as long as I don't hit thesteam button it will be a totally dry iron. The wateris in a bottle hanging from the ceiling above my iron. The iron has an electric pump that will allow waterthe flow/drip into the iron to become steam. Ithoroughly steam an item first, then dry press it, andthen I will cool it with my wood blocks. You do nothave control over steam coming from the domestic steamirons. Gravity-fed steam irons are meant to rest inthe sole-plate down position and can produce steam inany position. This iron cannot spit unless I happenedto click the steam button several times before theiron has had a chance to heat up, this allows water torun down on the heating plate while it is too cool tocreate steam. The 5# weight of this iron is ofbenefit.. You will grow to love it.Besides collecting antique sewing machines I alsocollect old irons. I would like to tell you about twothat I think are really neat. I have an early modelsteam iron. It has a detachable water tank on therear of the iron with a sole plate attached to that. You can easily snap the plain old dry iron in and outof the steam unit as needed. I know this old ironstill works because my two year old grandson pluggedit in and we found it about twenty minutes later ontop of the blackened, smoking carpet of my livingroom. [Hardwood floors will be replacing that carpetsoon.]Our fellow dressmakers who have gone before usprobably thought that it was a modern invention to getto use a CORDLESS and SELF-HEATING iron. This onemust have been a' beauty', I think it was a nightmare. I have an 8# iron that is heated internally by coal. You remove the top cover and add coal or charcoal andthen light it. The iron has a regulator stickingabout 5" out the back so you can adjust thetemperature by controlling how much air is fed intothe iron. The iron has ribs on the inside to helpdistribute the heat, a chamber for the ashes, it hasseveral holes along the sides that are covered with ascreen, and there is a hole for the smoke to escape.When we sometimes complain about the tools that wehave to work with try to imagine the dear originalowner of this iron making a wedding dress for herdaughter. Smoke, ashes, burn marks... who knowsmaybe the whole dress got burned up in the process!"I have no affiliation with any brand of iron including Pasific Steam, Rowenta and Euro Pro, or with the Polder products.Paula White
*I bought a Laura Star about 7 months ago - has a tank on one leg of attached board - very powerful steam. steams at any angle. uses ordinary tap water. cost about $1200 ( in Australia) ... I hated ironing and it is now a far more pleasant task. drooled over the Laura Star for 5 years before deciding to fork out the money -wish I'd done it years ago.I'm a convert. NB I have linen on my bed ( yes linen - the real stuff) ... I iron it ON THE BED ... tilt ironing board so board is upright - use iron as normal - demonstrators at home show will show you how.AussieJo
*Hi: I am a home sewer, and would like to own a decent steam iron that will give me good results. I have been looking for a moderately priced steam generator iron, and am considering the Euro-Pro. I picked up, for trial purposes, a Euro-Pro EP8001. It is a "plastic" iron as opposed to a "metal" one. It has a tank that ostensibly provides two hours of continuous steam. I have also considered the EP8010, which seems to hold about 1 1/2 hours worth of water, and it is a "metal" iron with a cork handle. Firstly, as both the plastic and metal irons weigh about the same, I would like to know if anyone can provide me with an idea of whether plastic or metal makes a substantial difference. Does anyone have experience with the EP8020's removable tank? Is it worth the price difference? Pricing I am able to get on these are as follows: EP8001 - $109 plus shipping and tax; EP8010 - $99 including shipping and tax; and the EP8020 $249 (approximately).Any suggestions will be most appreciated. Thanks.
*To Annette, Sorry but I don't think that the Euro-Pro is the way to go. There has been so many complains about the Euro-Pro on other forums. They have a problem with overheating etc. There has been units that have melted through the base. Rowenta irons also have problems with a bad thermostat, I have gone through three of them. I bought a gravity-feed iron about six years ago, love it, I have never had any trouble what-so-ever. On the other forums, especially the one for professional dressmakers the consensus is the Gravity-feed it the only way to go for serious sewers, domestic irons are for the laundry. I have never heard of anyone being dissatisfied with any brands of gravity feed irons.JoeyP.S. There are other posts here about the Euro-Pro, read them before you spend your $$$. Check search.
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