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From: jenny-o
Date: 03-14-2006, 01:58 PM (1 of 19)
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Ok, just realized I left the iron on all night. It seems to be a little wonky with the temperature settings lately too so this is my excuse for a new one. I know the Conair has been getting rave reviews here but I am just wondering about the ones with timers. How long do they stay on? I'm usually good at remembering to turn it off but I've got little ones running around here and I just thank goodness no one went near it. Jen |
User: jenny-o
Member since: 08-28-2005 Total posts: 132 |
From: DorothyL
Date: 03-14-2006, 04:01 PM (2 of 19)
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I think it varies how long they stay on. Most turn off pretty quick. Some people don't like them but I got tired of going back every time I left the house to make sure I turned the iron off. The real question to ask, I think is how long it takes for the iron to heat back up. The one I just bought I have to shake it to make it start heating again. It's not a Conair. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: debsews
Date: 03-14-2006, 08:03 PM (3 of 19)
| I have a Black and Decker for the sewing room with an hour shut off, the one in the bedroom where I iron everything before I wear it is also a Black and Decker but it has an 8 minute shut off. If the iron falls flat it shuts off in 45 sec or less. I liked it for that reason but for the sewing room I wanted something that would stay on a lot longer. They do vary in the shutoff times and you just have to try them out. I haven't used a Conair. I also had a GE cordless that had an hour shut off. |
User: debsews
Member since: 09-16-2005 Total posts: 254 |
From: HeyJudee
Date: 03-15-2006, 07:24 AM (4 of 19)
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I agree with Dorothy about heating up. I have a B&D that has the auto-shut-off but not sure if it is one hr or 10 min. I usually turn it on and off by a button on the base when I am sewing. The first time I use it for my sewing time, it takes longer to heat (think it has to heat the water as I like to use steam) but after the first time, it heats up fast - less than a minute - and I can start ironing. I got this one after I once left my iron on from Friday through to Monday night...and had been away for the weekend. So for me, I wouldn't care if it shut-off after one minute....I like knowing that I don't always have to worry whether I unplugged it or not.
TTFN from
Judy |
User: HeyJudee
Member since: 01-25-2005 Total posts: 1366 
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From: beachgirl
Date: 03-15-2006, 10:13 AM (5 of 19)
| I read somewhere that this lady had a night light plugged into the same outlet as her iron. That was if the night light was on she knew her iron was still on when leaving the room. Guess it works for her & might for others. I'm so araid of fire I always unplug mine before leaving the room.Mine does have a shut off & doesn't take long at all to heat back up. |
User: beachgirl
Member since: 08-31-2004 Total posts: 615 
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From: swartzrn
Date: 03-16-2006, 08:54 AM (6 of 19)
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I have a Black and Decker as well with an hour shut off. It's good b/c I will get side tracked (have a toddler in the house) and walk away. I do not have a "sewing room" YET so the iron is in my bedroom so she cannot pull it off the ironing board. If she's napping or hubby home, I bring out to my breakfast room so I won't be running back and forth. I am very happy it has the auto shut off for when I don't have the luxury of bringing the iron into where I sew.
Julie
"To see the future, look into a child's eyes." |
User: swartzrn
Member since: 02-17-2006 Total posts: 436 
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From: crazy4quilting
Date: 03-16-2006, 10:16 AM (7 of 19)
I have a small Rowenta, which I have had for over three years now. Last year, I thought I would treat myself to a new sleek model "The Shark". This iron did about everything or so I thought. I basically had it and used it for two months. It worked great/fabulous, I felt like a Shark "PR" person whenever I disuccsed how well it worked. I was even determined to sell my Rowenta. Well, one night, I turned it off/unplugged it, etc. The next day nothing....it didn't even turn on.  The power light was on, and that was it. I'm still using my Rowenta and have learned my lesson. Sometimes pretty and sleek are not always better. 
A Girl Can Never Have Too Much Fabric!
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User: crazy4quilting
Member since: 03-14-2002 Total posts: 51 
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From: DorothyL
Date: 03-16-2006, 10:47 AM (8 of 19)
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Libby Ortiz I just got a Shark. I find I have to really shake it sometimes to get it to heat up again after it turns itself off. I'm not overly enthused about this iron but I'll use it til it wears out. I tend to go through them pretty fast. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: crazy4quilting
Date: 03-16-2006, 03:45 PM (9 of 19)
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Hi Dorothy, I'm glad you like it. I loved mine too, till it didn't work. I tried shaking it too, but nothing happened. It is a wonderful iron though. Maybe I just got a defective model. I just hoped that after paying $49.99 that it would have lasted longer than 2 months.  I finally went out later and got a Singer Steam Press. I was doing a lot of iron-ons, etc. and needed some real heating power.
A Girl Can Never Have Too Much Fabric!
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User: crazy4quilting
Member since: 03-14-2002 Total posts: 51
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From: DorothyL
Date: 03-16-2006, 04:57 PM (10 of 19)
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No, I mean I don't particularly like it. I wouldn't recommend it. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: crazy4quilting
Date: 03-16-2006, 10:39 PM (11 of 19)
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Thanks Dorothy. I think these forums are the best places that we can offer first hand product knowledge to help other people avoid purchasing defective products.
A Girl Can Never Have Too Much Fabric!
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User: crazy4quilting
Member since: 03-14-2002 Total posts: 51
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From: Melanie T
Date: 03-17-2006, 09:56 AM (12 of 19)
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I started teaching my son to sew over spring break this week and he has been making drawstring bags for everyone. We had the iron stay on all night Wed. night because he turned it off before he went to church and then came home and turned it on and forgot. (I checked before church, but....). We went and bought a cheap iron with a timer for us to use. I can deal with the timer frustration for little projects- it is much cheaper than building a new house as I have left it on once before myself. For big projects, I will still use my old iron and drool over higher end models. Melanie
4 little sewing machine mechanics (6, 4, 2, Born June 14) Ontario Canada |
User: Melanie T
Member since: 09-21-2004 Total posts: 155 |
From: LadySloPokes
Date: 03-19-2006, 09:10 AM (13 of 19)
I know I'm outta line here, but I have to let you all know that my Sunbeam iron, given to me a year before my son was born, is still going strong after 28 years plus!! I love the spray mist feature and the shot o'steam, but I use it so seldom that it's always put away right after I finish with. I have to-if I didn't fold the ironing board back up, I wouldn't be able to sit at my sewing desk! The only outlet available to use for my iron is shared with my sewing and serger machines, right behind the desk.... 
Cookie
LadySlo...yes am I, but hey, I'm gettin' there! Are you sure it's supposed to look like this?! Proud owner of Singer Quantum Decor 7322 & Singer Quantum Futura CE 200.. "A balanced diet is having chocolate in both hands!" |
User: LadySloPokes
Member since: 08-15-2005 Total posts: 198 
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From: DorothyL
Date: 03-19-2006, 12:52 PM (14 of 19)
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I know I'm hard on irons. I use mine every day -- usually several times while I sew. And they tend to jump off the table to the floor, although that has gotten better with the table than it was with the ironing board. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: Magot
Date: 03-19-2006, 04:23 PM (15 of 19)
My iron impaled itself into the laminate floor. Bad move. I have never heard of irons with auto timers - here in England I use a switch in the wall... 
love and kisses, Jan
Guts-R-Us Cells a Speciality DNA to order. |
User: Magot
Member since: 12-22-2002 Total posts: 3626 
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From: Sancin
Date: 03-19-2006, 06:48 PM (16 of 19)
I very very frequently forget to turn off my iron. I don't particularly worry about the house burning down as I have done this for a century or more.  I worry less since my iron can't fall. The biggest problems I have had with irons and thus replacing them often is falls and losing their thermostat. The falls stopped when I got a iron cage, from Nancy's Notions. An iron cage is just what it says, a cage that clamps onto the side of the ironing board (I prefer a wider than usual ironing board) that one places the iron in from the top. Just as one would put an iron down. The iron can't fall in any direction as the cage is about 3/4 as tall as the iron, but can tip out if the ironing board tips over - another story. I have found when my iron has been on for 24-48 hours (not intended) that the cord seems a little warm and the thermostat keeping the iron hot is not as functional until the iron has been turned off and allowed to cool for sometime - eventually (about 3-6 months) it never seems to get as warm again.  As you may have guessed I go through a lot of irons (or did until I got the iron cage) so I buy cheap and discard frequently, tho now that they don't fall, they seem to last longer. FYI - I don't intentionally leave the iron on for long periods - I am just a bit of an absent and preoccupied individual. 
*~*~*~* Nancy*~*~*~* " I try to take one day at a time - but sometimes several days attack me at once."
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User: Sancin
Member since: 02-13-2005 Total posts: 895 
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From: DorothyL
Date: 03-19-2006, 07:05 PM (17 of 19)
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Nancy -- You might be wise to think about a timer shut off. Do you think that cage thing would fit on one of the tables they sell at Joannes? Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: bridesmom
Date: 03-19-2006, 09:28 PM (18 of 19)
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The iron cage sounds like it may be a good idea, except I keep banging into things that hang over edges, like open drawers, doors, or tripping over cords, boxes. I don't have an ironing board, but a table and I'm not quite sure where I'd put it unless I had hubby screw it onto the table beside the cover, then it wouldn't be sticking out and I wouldn't walk into it - think maybe I should get my eyes checked??? Nah, doesn't matter, been doing this as long as I can remember!
Laura
Tickled pink with my Innovis 4000D |
User: bridesmom
Member since: 01-21-2004 Total posts: 2026 |
From: Sancin
Date: 03-20-2006, 03:02 AM (19 of 19)
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The iron cage clamps onto the ironing board with a clamp that clamps on to the side of the board and then is tightened from underneath with a screw - much like the '3rd hand' thingme's do or clamping a desk lamp onto a desk. It doesn't hang over the edge but is indented into the ironing board. You require space under the top for the clamp to be applied underneath to the depth of the clamp with nothing in the way. I hope you understand this. One thing I have always wanted to be able to do on a computer is draw diagrams. I have tried various things but have to face the reality that I can't draw on computer or anywhere else. It used to be an issue when I was teaching and drawing on the black/white board and every thing turned out either too large or too small or not dark enough. I preferred to write on plastic overheads which I had on the desk overhead projector, but even then I tended to have everyone in stitches. Giggle - I had a colleque who was being evaluated on her classroom teaching by an administrator. He wrote that she misused the blackboard as she only wrote on the bottom 1/2 of the blackboard. Her response was that at 5 feet tall, she wrote where she could reach!! I had the same problem which was worsened by having to wear trifocals! 
*~*~*~* Nancy*~*~*~* " I try to take one day at a time - but sometimes several days attack me at once."
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User: Sancin
Member since: 02-13-2005 Total posts: 895
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