New steam iron is bad!!!

11 years ago

Hi, I posted awhile back asking for help on choosing a new steam iron. Well, I finally ordered the Sunbeam GCSBSM-423 Steam Master Professional Iron. What a piece of junk. I used it for 5 minutes to heat any smells out of the iron. Unplugged it for 3 hours and just tried to iron clothes & quilt pieces. It does not iron on the back stroke - just wrinkles the fabric. Plus it spits steam. uggggggggg

Yes, it is going back to Amazon. Love that place because I just drop the box off at the pack n mail and don't have to pay postage. No high car/gas bills.

Now back to the stores to look for a good steam iron with a non-slip base. (I use lots of iron-ons)

Monica

Comments (11)

nanajayne
11 years ago
Sorry for you bad experience. I can empathize as I have nothing but bad experiences with irons. Now another to chech off my list. I am still searching while putting up with my Shark which I don't like.
rosajoe_gw
11 years ago
I have given up on the irons out there today! I just buy a cheapy at Wally World, as long as it has auto turn off I am happy!
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toolgranny
11 years ago
I buy mine at thrift stores and never use the steam. A spritz bottle works better. Steam irons are incontinent. I didn't invest more than $5 and I have been using it for years.
K8Orlando
11 years ago
"Steam irons are incontinent."

Exactly! I don't use the steam either, just the spritz bottle.
calliope
11 years ago
Ditto
geezerfolks_SharonG_FL
11 years ago
Ditto - What Kate said....
loisflan
11 years ago
Several of the forum members have mentioned having irons with the auto-off feature. Hasn't the iron turned off half the time you go to use it? That would drive me crazy. Or can you set it for a longer period? I had one years ago when I sewed more, and it was always off when I needed it.
K8Orlando
11 years ago
It is off more than half the time I reach for it, bu a quick shake to wake it up and its ready to go in a few seconds. My opinion: Its safer and much less wasteful of energy. It cools in between but rarely gets fully cold; its not a problem.

Kate
day2day
11 years ago
I bought a new iron...a $50 Black & Decker...just a week ago.
I have the auto shut-off and I guess it's 'safety first' and, as Kate mentioned, a quick shake and it's ready in a few seconds.
I like the iron but other household people HATE it. It makes a clicking noise to count down the time to shut-off.My sewing area is a table in the dining room area next to the living room and kitchen.With all the starting and stopping I do when using the iron for piecing, the loud clicking annoys the others.
The only ones who don't mind are the dog and me....we are both hearing impaired!

I have found that cheap-o irons are as good as the expensive ones.

~Geraldine
magothyrivergirl
11 years ago
For those of you who either do not have an auto shut off iron, or need / want the security of an iron that will shut down after 1 hour (or up to 8 hours), I bought the timer linked below a few years ago and love it. I originally bought it for the sealing iron recommended by Gwen for paper piecing. I now have it plugged into a power strip and also use it for a cheap iron I bought at the hardware store that does not have auto shut off.
I hate irons......

Here is a link that might be useful: countdown timer
msmeow
11 years ago
I have a Sunbeam that is probably less than a year old, and I am not happy with it's steam, either. Like someone said, when it decides to steam it is incontinent, and hot water dripping on my feet is not the most fun thing. I got it at Bed, Bath & Beyond and chose it over a similarly-priced Rowenta b/c of all the bad things I've heard about them.

I think I'll just pour out the water and go back to the spray bottle method. The iron weighs less that way anyway! :)

The thing that aggravates me is you can't find an iron with a nice point in front any more. Probably some goofy government safety regulation, but it sure isn't easy to press open a seam any more. Maybe that's why I stopped sewing clothes.

Donna