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How Long Does an Iron Last?

We Carry
by Sara Snuggerud in Sewing Tips

How long does an iron last? What brand of iron is the best? What is the warranty of an iron? What am I supposed to believe on the Internet?

We get asked these questions often but unfortunately we probably don’t have the answers you are looking for.

But if you are reading this, you probably have an iron that is between 1-5 years old and if you are lucky maybe even longer.

Around our store, if an iron lasts a year we are thankful. Granted we have it on everyday, all day. Students use them in classes. This get pushed off the table and dropped on the floor. I’m surprised they work at all after taking a tumble off a four foot table.

We have sold numerous brands of irons over the years, each with the same fate. No matter the brand, some would last a year and others are still working many years later. It might depend on how much someone uses it, but that is such a hard chart to make. We all sew and iron so differently in each of our sewing studios. What one person says is a lot of ironing is another persons normal week or month’s work of ironing. And we are not talking ironing clothing, we are focusing on sewing and quilting projects here.

Yes, this blog idea just came to me while ironing hubby’s work shirt but I was happy to do it. Why? Because I just finally threw out my old iron that was struggling (um, for the last couple years) and bought a new one.

And it’s PURPLE! Who wouldn’t volunteer to do a little clothes ironing when its fun to use. Hubby doesn’t mind either.

Currently we sell the Panasonic Cordless iron (yes, in Silver, Blue and Purple)! In the video below is our current classroom iron and it is finally giving up its ghost after 2 1/2+ years. That is not bad at all.

Our classroom iron has not dropped off the table in the last couple years because no one has caught the cord on the ironing table. Though it is only 2 1/2+ years old, it is time to replace it. Again, it is used six days a week plus overtime when we have classes. It has lived a good life but it is now showing its age.

Do you have an iron that is showing its age?

Unfortunately, these days irons have gone the way of a disposable appliance. They are not designed to last 10-20 years. When they start to die, just throw it out and buy a new one.

Irons usually have a one year warranty. So when they start to not be fun to use, get a new one! Why do we (women) keep using something that we don’t like or sometimes struggle with? Men would have thrown it out months (or years) ago and yet we still keep struggling along (HELLOOOOOO)!

So the next time your current iron looks at you funny, start looking for its replacement. Purchase your new iron sooner than later so it is waiting in the wings when the current iron does something stupid to your next project. (It might already know you have purchased the new one and know that its time is limited. How do appliances know when I start looking for something new they tend to give up their ghost on their own knowing they are about to be replaced)?

A Note About Online Reviews – You can read online iron reviews until you are blue in the face. Half the people love it (5 STARS) and half the people HATE it. If you are start reading all the problems people have, you will never want to purchase ANY of them.

So who are you supposed to believe?

At this point in the game, you just need to find one you like the features, look, weight in your hands and the feel when you use it and go with it. You are NOT marrying it for better or worst for the rest of your life. Remember, it will only be with you a short time and then you get to buy a new one.

So if you have an iron you are starting to fight with, start looking for its replacement. Stop fighting it and just accept the fact it is time to replace it.

Trust me…A new iron will make everything right in the sewing room again.

PS: I love my new PURPLE Panasonic Cordless iron.

The iron’s always on at Heirloom Creations if you want to come by and try it out.