One of the things people often ask me is, “which iron do you use?” I have used so many different ones over the years and I think you’ll be surprised at where I’ve landed… though I do have a couple favorites.
The experts at The Ironing Lab (TIL) and Quilters Review (QR) tested and rated their favorites. According to The Ironing Lab, the things to consider when choosing an iron are: power, steam, weight, and price. Primarily, it works with or without steam, is lightweight and ergonomic, has a fast heating time, a long auto shut off or none at all, and can handle all fabric types. I agree with them… especially that long auto shut off part ;)
I’ve pulled together and highlighted some of the best features of each iron, but to get a full picture and a review, click on the links below.
1. The Ironing Lab awarded Best Sewing and Quilting iron for 2021, to the Rowenta Steamforce DW9280. “This is one of the most impressive irons I’ve ever worked with, also making it our winner. With “incredible steam output, dreamy glide, so easy to check heat settings and it’s so sleek and comfortable. Plus, that precision tip makes seam work so much easier.” Review
2. The Rowenta Focus is considerably less expensive with very similar attributes. “The Rowenta Focus is an incredible all-purpose steam iron which is perfect for quilting and sewing. It has most of the features of the Rowenta Steamforce (shown below) but at around $60 cheaper! “ Review
3. Laurastar Lift is a portable 3 in 1 steam generator that irons, steams, and purifies your fabric. TIL says “ If you want to have an almost unlimited amount of steam production with delicate, even flow, this is a good choice. A little pricey, but worth every cent.” More information
4. Rowenta Steam Generator Quite a bit cheaper than the Laurastar. The 47 ounce water tank and no auto shut off feature offers up to 90 minutes of uninterrupted ironing. Review
5. Rowenta First Class: “This is the best mini steam iron with 1000 watts of power making it quick to heat up.” Collapsing handle. Great for sewing classes. Review
6. Black and Decker Budget Quilting Iron: “If budgets are a concern, this is the best of the cheaper irons we’ve tested.” Includes LCD display and ready alert. Review
#7. Panasonic Cordless: “This is a great cordless iron for sewing classes as well as home use.” Heat resistant case. Portable, Double-sided detailing soleplate. Review
Quilters Review (QR) agrees that the two Rowenta irons, the Rowenta Steamforce (DW9280) and the Rowenta Focus (DG8520), are the two best overall irons for quilters.
Their #3 pick is the Oliso Pro TG1600 Smart Iron. They say: “If you are an avid quilter, we feel that this is the best iron you can buy today. Hovers above the fabric and lowers down with the touch of your hand, eliminating the need to continuously lift and lower your iron.”
Another favorite of QR, is the Oliso TG1050 Smart Iron. “It has scorchguards built in, which lift with the touch of the hand and lower down once you’ve stopped ironing. The beauty of this technology is that it prevents burns and scorching.” And they like the Oliso TG1100 Smart Iron with iTouch Technology, but “it’s pricey.”
Their #6 choice is the CHI Professional Steam Iron. “ “One thing that really makes this iron stand out is the electronic temperature control function. The illuminated control allows you to choose your fabric and the iron chooses the temperature automatically. This completely eliminates the guesswork.”
Rowenta DW6080 Steam Iron: “This was the first energy efficient steam iron in North America, and it saves users 25% on energy compared to the leading iron.”
The Black and Decker Digital Advantage D2030 is their choice for the “Best steam iron for those on a budget”. Auto shutoff, digital temperature controls, stainless steel soleplate.”
Wrapping up the list is the Singer EPS2 Steam Press: “Delivering 100 pounds of pressure, this press delivers professional results with ten times the pressing surface of a conventional iron.” It’s expensive, but lightweight and transportable.
For more about Quilters Review’s picks for 2021, read their pros and cons here.
So, what is my favorite iron? Well, I have the Panasonic Cordless Iron that I love for pressing blocks, but it loses heat when pressing big pieces, cause, well, it isn’t plugged in! I also have the CHI Professional Steam Iron, it is a little new to me but, I love it! I am a steam junky and this iron has great even steam and heat. It also has a long auto shut off time and a pointy little nose for pressing finer piecing… So far I am a big fan of this CHI iron :)
I hope you found something helpful here!
Happy Sunday, and Happy New Year!
Krista
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