Never used a cordless, but are they heavy and do they get hot enough? You want a heavy iron, and no teflon coated sole plates.

I use the Black and Decker Classic iron, as does Roc. Its heavy and does a nice job steaming, it also gets good and hot.

I've heard the Rowenta is not very heavy, but I've never used one.

You might also try the thrift stores..some if the older irons were heavy steamed well and were built to last.

My vote goes to the Black and Decker Classic. .

I grew up with that iron, MamaP, but fortunately not for pressing. We kept it on the floor of the porch and would put it behind the door when we wanted to leave it cracked 5-6" in order for the cats to come and go. The wooden handle unlatches so that the iron can be placed on the heat source, and then reattaches for the pressing.

We really haven't earned the right to complain about our modern day conveniences.

Yes the handle does detach. I've never used this lol. It sits above the cubbords in the laundry room along with some other old stuff. The Laundry Room reminds me of The Cracker Barrel.

LOL@using it for a door stop.

I was just watching a program, can't remember the name but its basically about cooking, it starts in 1950 and goes up thru the years, shows a family of 5 and the changes in the kitchen. It takes place in England, I'll have to get the name of it..its very interesting and boy woman sure had their hands full preparing just a basic meal in the 50's.

@mamapinky, when did you buy a box of MegaPerls?

Umm, about a year ago, maybe a bit longer. They were a gift. They have been long gone but I really liked them.

I had looked at the Classic. It is certainly a bargain given the quality.

And BTW, I actually HAVE used those old irons. My grandmother used to keep them sitting on the back of the old cook stove, always at the ready.

MizLizzie--I would avoid Rowentas, for sure. Have had a couple R's and been very disappointed in them. First one is still around but doesn't get hot enough to effectively press cotton or linen; the second one lasted only a couple of days and just died. Neither iron was heavy enough, either, esp. when it comes to ironing natural fibers like linen & cotton.

@ MamaP....We had the same antique iron, with detachable handle! It was our doorstop too!!! LOL

I too saw all the good reviews for the cordless iron on Amazon too. I was very tempted to get it, but my last Rowenta lasted 15 years and was a workhorse. I find them heavy, but in a good way. Yes, you want weight in an iron, but c'mon....it cannot be too heavy, or ironing is a much worse chore than it already is.

If you ask most 'ironers', Rowenta is the gold standard. But, I do like the classic iron that MamaP & Roc have, butI just do my best to not buy anything made in China. It is hard, but doable ;) I like Made in Germany or Made in USA as much as possible!! Rowenta :)

Remember the laws of the steam iron LOL....the heavier the iron the easier to iron natural fabrics.

Last night saw on qvc rowenta like Lars except blue for $ 49.95 Great Deal!

I know that Rowentas are supposed to be good irons. That's why I bought one in the first place and then gave them a second chance. Disappointed x 2.

My last two irons have been Rowentas, and both have worked very well and for many years.

How do the Rowentas do on natural fabrics, say cotton Percale? Or Linen?

All my clothing is cotton, and the Rowenta irons do a great job for me. I don't iron sheets, just clothing.

My Rowenta does a great job on cotton, l8nen, as well as silk. Great temperature control.

Sounds like Rowenta is hit or miss. I think I will go with the Classic. Or just duct tape my steam button down.

Believe it or not..I was going to suggest you tape it down as long as everything else works well. LOL.

Do any stores carry the Rowenta? My cousin has one, its not nearly as heavy as my classic..but they come in different models. I have another Black and Decker also..its one of the Light models..hate it. I think I have more in the shed with cloth cords, and am looking forward to finding them this summer.

Be sure you check the iron you want to purchase. Some reviews say the B & D have quality problems like sharp edges and cracked controls right out of the box. Rowenta has some quality issues too. The BOL is lightweight and doesn't heat well in my opinion. I had one middle of the line I returned for heat problems. Love my big, heavy 1800 watt pro.

Costco had two irons there...One was a Rowenta but didn't notice what the other brand was. They only caught my eye because of the iron talk here.

Thanks for the tip. I'm due for a trip to stock up on paper products. Sadly, I've considered not renewing our membership when it comes up in June. I am a committed American Express user and really bummed we can no longer pay with Amex at Costco. At the same time, I love Costco and the products/service they provide and how they treat their employees. Will have to weigh which I'm more loyal to.

Thanks, always. I didn't think of checking Costco, and I was in there twice yesterday! Alex, I feel your pain. I have had an AMEX card since 1983. We went ahead and got a Visa card, and I think it will work out for us, but it was a PITA.

@Alex Chicago, I'm actually a little bit excited about the change. None of the Amex cards really offer decent rewards for wholesale clubs. You get the standard 1 Membership Rewards Points or 1% Cashback for every dollar @ Sam's Club & Costco.

Meanwhile.. you could use something like the Citi Double Cash Card and get 2% back on every purchase, or use the Chase Freedom Promotion this quarter and get 5% back on everything at Costco.

Not to mention.. the Chase Freedom earnings can be converted to Ultimate Rewards and are worth a whole lot more for travel.

Amex.. I use for stuff online, and big ticket purchases. I have found myself placing everyday purchases on other cards though.. just because the rewards are so much better. I always pay in full, so the interest rates and fees of other cards don't really apply to me.

It's something worth considering. American Express has nice cards, but.. I think they need to work on their lineup. Their cards are really falling behind compared to their competitors.

Making $75, for just running a bunch of reimbursable expenses.. now that's awesome ;)

And stuff like this is why, Chase & Citi is grabbing up so much of American Express customers.

Hey Mich -- Yeah, I think it really does matter how you shop and what you want to use it for, and I agree that AMEX can't quite compare to the newest offers by Visa and its partner banks. My AMEX rep was in two weeks ago to do our semi-annual merchant review so I asked her about the breakup and she confirmed what I suspected: Costco was already receiving from AMEX an interchange rate far below what almost anyone else can get. Visa is not only giving them a lower interchange but also a better points system to their customers. Bottom line: this isn't about making money for Visa, but about market share. The real question will be, how long before they start to dial in the rewards to make this a profitable venture? In the mean time, everyone should take it for all it's worth :)

I use an AMEX Everyday Preferred. My all-in points earning multiplier every month is a little bit above 2 points on the dollar, after special categories, bonuses, etc. We don't use do the cash-back or statement credits, but save them entirely for airline purchases and upgrades, so it makes sense to keep everything in one basket.

I'm sure I will keep the membership, though. There are just certain items you can't get anywhere but Costco. The savings on K's hearing aid batteries alone practically pays the membership cost.

@Alex Chicago, I'm going to send you an email. Speaking as someone with more airline miles than I could ever use, I think I want to pass along some secrets ;)

Has anyone tried this iron? It has an auto lift feature is actually pretty awesome:

http://www.costco.com/Oliso-TG1100-Smart-Steam-Iron-%2526-Ironing-Board-Cover.product.100170804.html

@LaundryMitch & Alex - Fascinating about Amex which I use less and less these days. Do either of you use Discover? That give 5% back with specials for categories like gas & restaurants during certain times.

It's a shame it's necessary to game the credit cards or lose money. Most people don't get it at all. They had a thread over on HD Conversations and I was shocked at how many over there still pay with checks. I'm close to paying nothing with checks.

Never had a Discover, Roc. They were among the first to give cash back, though!

Good on you for not paying with checks. On the rare occasion I get behind some granny at the grocery store writing out a check ("can I write it for $20 over?") I want to scream. Mich and I were corresponding yesterday and are in agreement that using a debit card isn't too far behind. Not only do you miss out on all the rewards, but if your card is compromised, there goes your bank balance (as opposed to just your credit limit -- temporarily).

We do not write checks, and we do not have a debit card, either -- we make the bank give us straight, old-fashioned ATM cards, which they hate, for some reason. We use automatic bank draft for all utilities, and to pay our credit card bills. So we just don't have to think about it.

So far as cards, I see the end of AmEx coming soon. I was AmEx Platinum for years and years, just for the travel and points perks, but they have devalued their points severely by cutting back on airline partners. When Continental left AmEx Membership Miles several years back, I went down to Business Gold, and then last year down to Green, just to save on annual fees. Now I'm sitting on hundreds of thousands of points, and no decent airlines to move them into. I hate Delta, but I think when my August renewal comes around, I'm going to dump all my points into Delta and leave American Express for the first time in my adult life. Very sad.

Back to the iron. I have made a cheapskate decision, and duct-taped down the steam button on my old iron. I can't justify tossing it in the dump when it otherwise works. I've had it almost 30 years, and in my experience, new machines are never as good as the old.

Credit card usage is fine for people that can afford to pay them off monthly..but how many people go out and but a make a large purchase say an expensive appliance, are they paying it off in its entirety with the first bill in the mail..I highly doubt it..which is why so many people live off of credit.

I use my credit cards on a need to basis. I don't put myself into debt if I can avoid it. If Wells Fargo says I'll finance your set of SQ's with no finance charges for a year and I know I'll pay it off in a year that's great..if another company says I'll finance it and give you 5% back with no finance charge for 6 months but I know I need 7 months I'm going with Wells Fargo...I'm not savy with credit cards...but I dobt live off of them either..I use my bank card..that dreaded piece of plastic people seem to hate..but I like knowing I only buy what I can pay for at that moment unless its a large appliance, christmas or some other unavoidable need...am I behind the times..living in the past...not taking advantages of things I am...but I hate debt..and the what if's.

Very wise, pinky! And ITA on those free interest deals. Sometimes those can really work to your advantage.

After reading this thread I am very happy I inherited my much loved Rowenta Iron a few years ago and that it works well. I also wish Laundry Mitch would give an online course on credit cards and airline miles. While I do use an Amex to get airline miles and have used the miles in the past and have a trip planned shortly using miles I know I am not doing my best, but don't know what else to do. Also a course on how to use coupons. Between Laundry Mitch and Chicago Alex I bet I could get a Doctorate in getting the most for my money. PS if you travel to South America you will not find many places that take any credit cards except in very large cities. And most places only take Dinners Club (A blast from the past) and Amex.

@mamapinky0, I’m just going to make a comment about that.
I’m not wealthy, nor do I really try to be. I will admit.. I do come from a
very advantaged family, however.. It’s not something, that followed me after I
moved out.

Honestly… the only reason, I am where I am with Credit. Is
the thought of actually “owing” money truly scares me shitless. Sure.. There’s
“good” debt.. Like borrowing money to buy a home and get a Mortgage, or getting
a Business Loan.. However, the idea of actually using Credit Cards and carrying
a balance truly scares me.

I actually have not one, but three credit cards in my name
right now.. That I could very easily carry a balance at ZERO Interest for over
a year. In fact.. Discover just sent me a letter in the mail, about a 12-Month
No Interest Promotion they we’re adding to my card because I’m such a “good
customer”.

I could easily do that… I could. But I don’t want to. You’ve
got to realize.. I actually did live in Florida, for a decent part of my life.
And I’ve been back there, and I’ve seen how horrible the devastation is. It was
one sad family, after another who got too in over their heads, and slowly lost
everything. And while $500 or $1,000 might sound “petty” and easy to manage, it
just scares the life out of me.

These are companies.. That if something, somehow manages to
go wrong.. WILL come after you, and SUE you in court. They can obtain
garnishments and liens, and take everything. That’s horrifying.

And.. it’s so easy. You can convince yourself to put a few
things here and there, and easily get in over your head. I’ve seen it happen,
to quite a few people.

So… Instead of actually even remotely considering getting
into debt. I’m ridiculously careful with money.

For one… I actually pay off my credit cards, twice a month.
Meaning.. I pay the bill in full before the statement even generates. This
means.. I never really owe anything, and.. they never even report a balance to
the credit bureaus.

This actually helps your FICO Score, because.. In my case, I’ve got all of these huge credit card limits, and it looks as if I’m spending actually nothing. So.. My “credit utilization” is near Zero.. which is 30% of your Credit Score. Not to mention, my payment history is completely perfect, from never putting off a payment.

I use my credit cards like a Check Book, or Debit Card. I never spend more than I can actually afford. I just can’t make myself do it.

That.. And I pretty much try to cut my expenses down to nothing. I’ve threatened Time Warner with Cancelation countless times, lowering my $80 Internet Bill to a much better $36. And I clip coupons, making stuff like Paper Towels or Health & Beauty stuff next to zero. If you really try, you can work out ways to get almost anything for free if you try.

And with that.. I’ve been able to setup a pretty decent savings account, and a emergency fund. That’s the most important thing.

I can afford to buy stuff I want, because I’ve saved the money to do so. Not because I have the power to buy it today, and pay on it later. That just truly scares me.

Of course, I’ve also used Credit Card bonuses to actually pay for things.. just for the whole sake of saving money.

I also want to make a point in saying this. Many of those Interest-Free periods offered by Store Cards, and even some Credit Card companies carry a crappy “gotcha”. If you don’t manage to pay off the full principle within the offer or introductory period.. they will actually take the interest charges that would have been accessed to your account and add them on.. like the offer never existed. So you’ll end up paying 24% or 29.99% on something and end up paying much more than you ever would have with a Major Bank Issued Card.

And that’s what they count on. They offer very easy, and instant credit.. And hope the borrowers will put it off, and only make minimum payments. The borrower will probably end up paying double or even triple of what the original principle would have been.

For me.. This isn’t a game I want ANY sort of involvement in. Zero. Zilch. And.. it’s actually worth noting that many Auto Insurance companies actually penalize you for having store cards on your credit report.

Those same store cards, are often issued with Low Credit Limits anyway.. and may affect further approvals, and interest rates for new accounts.

The only store card I have, is a Target Card. And it’s a MasterCard and reports as a non-store card. Beyond that, I don’t think I’ll ever consider opening another.. even for a 15% or 20% discount on clothes. It’s just not worth it, in the long run.

Besides, you can get $400-$600 with a “real” Credit Card Bonus.. if your clever.

My advice to you… if I was a homeowner, and desperately needed to purchase a new Garage Door, or Replace something I couldn’t afford, I’d consider a Home Equity Line of Credit.

My parents had one… with Washington Mutual, at 1.99% (adjustable) and it remained very low until they sold the home. In their case, it was a way to finance Big Business Purchases for 2-3 Months.. and it allowed for very low payments (Interest-Only) until they could pay it back.

Be careful. That’s all I can say. Be careful. I really don’t like the idea of anyone carrying any balance, and I truly believe finding ways to save is the way to go.

@MizLizzie, my own personal Debit Card has a spending limit of $1 a day. I only, and I repeat, only use the card at the ATM to get cash out. With all of the skimmers and information breaches, I just don't have any care to use it. Besides.. why miss out on the rewards?

@rococogurl, I have a Discover Card too. It was actually my first card.. and I kinda have a little bit of loyalty to them, just because of that. If you actually bother to login online, and activate those 5% Quarterly Bonuses (most people don't).. you can earn a ton in Cash Rewards.

Honestly.. the Discover Card offers more Cashback around the Holidays, then the Chase Freedom card in my opinion. The rest of the year, Chase and Discover kinda offer similar categories, or something.

Right now.. it's 5% back at Restaurants. Which would be really awesome, if I actually ate out more. Sushi anyone? The Chase Freedom is a little bit better for me, because it's Groceries this Quarter. Although.. since I've already maxed that out, I'll probably put the rest of my Grocery Spend on a 2% Cash Back card (like my Discover IT, or Citi Double Cash).

It's a good card, for the most part. And the Customer Service is actually decent. If you lose the card, they'll overnight you a new one just like American Express.

(And by the way, if a place only accepts Diners Club, your Discover will work as well ;) )

The only reason.. I really dislike people using checks, is.. at the bottom of every check, your Routing & Account Number is printed. And with that information, ANYONE can very easily print checks in your name, and withdraw money.

Or.. if they are really clever, they might go onto certain websites that only ask for that information and use it to pay bills, or order things. It's truly scary, how insecure your Bank Account Information is.

The only checks I write, are for things.. where I truly have no other option.

@MizLizzie, instead of closing that account.. you need to convince American Express to do a "Product Change" (with those exact words) to another card. There are quite a few no annual fee cards you can switch it to, and that will keep the account as reporting open on your credit report.. which will help your AAOA or (Average Age of Open Account) which has a factor on your FICO Score.

You don't even need to use the card, you could just place a small, recurring bill like Netflix or Hulu on the card, and set up Auto Bill Pay. Then.. it'll stay open, and report monthly as an active card with a low balence :)

Fun little story. When Discover was first launched on Apple Pay, last year.. they we're offering a 10% Cashback Bonus (up to $10,000 in purchases) when you use the card. This was on top of the 1% Cashback Bonus, you'd receive normally.

And for a few lucky people like me, I was also able to enroll in their "Double Your Cashback" promotion, even though I was an existing cardholder.

So.. I would go to Drug Stores that accepted Apple Pay, and I'd purchase Gift Cards that I could very quickly, and easily load onto a Prepaid Checking Account.

And with the money in a Prepaid Checking Account, I was able to easily use the Online Bill Pay feature, to send a payment right back to Discover.

So.. I used a technique, and was able to easily max out the bonus and earn $1,100.

Now... the end of the Double Cash Back promotion is coming back, and they are going to double all of my earnings. So.. Next Month, I'll have an additional $1,100 that I can easily spend on Amazon, or even better withdraw to my checking account ;)

And that's called.. being clever with your money people. :D

Another funny thing... they also offered the 10% bonus, with the 5% Quarterly Bonus.. so you could have received 30% Back on Purchases at Department Stores that accepted Apple Pay (like Macy's)

That's one hell of a discount, isn't it?

Hope you didn't musunderstand me Mich, I only spend on credit cards what I can pay back in full each month...except large items like my washer and dryer. I had to laugh at my minimum amount due on my monthly statement 25$...lord it would take forever..I gave myaelf 12 months to pay off the machines I can't remember off the top of my head what my initial total due was somewhere around 17 hundred, this was last August I bought the washer and September the dryer...I will make my last payment the last week of this month.

Credit scares me, hubs is 66 years old and he's the one that brings the bacon home, the what if's are too risky at his age and were not rich or well off. I rarely use checks,

Frankly I know nothing about credit cards LOL.

Mitch, I would like to attend your airline miles class! Cilantro, I want to mention, your bad experience with Rowenta - I'd be willing to bet that Rowenta was not made in Germany. You have to look carefully. The cheaper ones are made in China. I am on my second Rowenta (both made in Germany). The first one lasted over 10 years and probably could've been repaired, but we bought a new one. I've never used the China-made Rowenta, but I try to avoid China-made anything if I can.

Where are Rowenta steam irons made?

At one time all Rowenta irons were made in Germany, however several years ago as a cost cutting move, the company farmed out many of its lower price models to China. The difference in quality between the models made in Germany and China is quite dramatic.

Amazon.com: Customer Reviews: Rowenta DW8080 Pro Master ...

www.amazon.com/gp/aw/reviews/B00305H9U6

Debbi--don't make that bet! Both of 'em were German made.

I didn't like the first one because it didn't get hot enough for ironing cotton & linen. I still have it--Model DE 87-18. Made in Germany. 1200 watts. I notice that most irons these days are higher wattage. The cheapo Made in China Sunbeam iron that I use for sewing is 1400 watts but gets plenty hot enough for natural fibers.

The second one, from the auto-shutoff era, got hot enough to suit me. I suspect that the auto shut off malfunctioned because it worked great one day and the next day it wouldn't heat. Tossed it.

Main use that I have for an iron anymore is pressing as I sew...and for that, I really, really dislike the auto shut-off.