How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
- Stainless steel soleplate glides over the fabric.
- A nice heavy feel in the hand.
- Digital settings from 1 to 7 for different types of fabric. The guide is printed on the iron.
- Auto-shutoff. A controversial feature for many quilters. A must have for me. I’m just too bad about leaving an iron on. Also, when I sew for days at a time, I feel like that’s too long to leave a household iron heated up.
- The digital read out displays when the iron has reached the selected temperature setting. It also emits a small beep. LOVIN’ the beep. I can work on other sewing tasks while it’s heating and then be reminded that it’s ready to go. It also beeps when it goes off. If I know I’m going to need the iron in a short while I just shake it to make sure it stays on.
- It heats up really fast.
- Powerful steam. Another must have feature for me.
I’m so incredibly happy with my new Black & Decker Digital Advantage D2030 (updated 12/2/09: I just received an e-mail from a reader, that link to Amazon shows this iron selling for $199!!! When I search it appears to be out of stock everywhere, not sure what’s going on, if you find one locally buy it!) A HUGE thank you to those of you that helped with my iron selection paralysis. Stephanie of Loft Creations received an amazingly useful set of comments about irons which Michele from Calico Daisy also pointed me to. Nichole and Samantha both mentioned the Black & Decker Digital Advantage.
Oh yeah, the iron is only $29.99. Cheap enough I’m not going to stress over how long it will last. Bye, bye $100 leaky irons!
Kathy Mack
Carrie + Diana
I have this iron! Got it because it’d been recommended by a few other quilters. I love it for all the reasons you stated but the auto-shutoff drives me bananas. (But that’s really a personal preference.)
And really you can’t beat that price, right? My mother’s Rowenta was at least 3x as expensive.
I think you just recommended my new iron. I get such anxiety making purchases these days, with all the reviews and information out there it is tough to know what is a good value. $30 definitely seems like an awesome price for an iron so well-received!
That picture makes it look so regal too. What a handsome iron indeed!
Thanks for sharing!
I have this iron and I am in love with it too!!!!!!
I just bought a new iron too. Reviews tomorrow hopefully. Glad you found something you love that doesn’t dribble! So far mine is a keeper too. If I start having problems I’ll know what to look for. Thanks for a terrific review.
glad to hear you’re loving the new iron! i think you made an excellent choice!
Thanks for doing such a helpful review!! I might have to get this one (I totally get the drippy $100 iron irritation). I always look for an iron with more than 1400 watts (it doesn’t get hot enough at 1400 or lower) and this one has 1500 so that’s very nice!
OK great review. I bought a really cheap one and then realized it doesn’t have an auto-shut off and now am afraid I’m going to burn down the house. I miss my Rowenta but not the leaks. I think I may have to pick this one up next time I’m out.
You really can’t beat a good iron. I don’t even let my husband use my sewing iron…just in case he breaks it!
Congrats on a new iron – enjoy it!
Wish I would have seen this a couple of weeks ago, before I bought my new iron…that I’m not very happy with…hummmmm…maybe it’s not too late to return it and get the B&D. I am soooooo over paying way too much for an iron.
Nothing like a nice iron!!! It was life changing when I got mine. Okay, maybe not life changing, but it sure did make ironing more fun!
I have used that iron for 2 years and it is still going strong. My only gripe is turning it off. That little button is sometimes hard to hold down.
I own an older version and love it. My son in law used it once and went home and through away their iron and bought one like mine. My sister in law has always owned expensive irons and this one is better than any of hers.
Ooohh!!! A beep to let you know when it’s turning off. That’s a cool feature!
Only 30$?!? That is crazy! And it will be my next iron. I really dig that beep for when it’s ready- just like my flatiron – no more waiting and checking to see if it’s hot enough yet.
Ooh! You did all the work for me – THANKS! SOunds fabulous – especially the beeps!
$29.99?! I’m so not going to bother with cleaning my annoying junky one next time… I’m going to give it away and get myself a new one. So there! Thanks for the recommendation.
Thank you for this post! My mom bought me an expensive cordless iron and it doesn’t work well at all! The Black and Decker Iron I picked up at the Salvation Army for $3.00 is working MUCH better! LOL When it kicks the bucket I am going to buy this bad boy! Thanks!
Wow. All that for $30? I’m impressed!
I wanted the 2030 a while back but needed it quicker than Amazon shipping, so I picked up the Black & Decker 2020 at Target — I think it’s probably not quite as nice, but it shares all the great features you list above. It’s been going strong for over a year now, & does an equally nice job on quilting cottons & heavier apparel fabrics.
Congratulations! I have a $20 T-Fal that I got at an outlet mall in Oregon two years ago. It’s not fancy, but it works like a dream and I love the non-stick surface and auto shut off. If it ever goes ka-put I’ll look at the Black and Deckers.
I love my cheap iron. It gives me steam burns sometimes and has lasted YEARS! Off to finally order some fabric from you!
Yay for affordable irons!! I wish I had known about this a month ago. If mine ever fails me, I’m looking for the B&D!
I have three of these irons and love them. They are the best.
I just ordered one! I can’t wait to try it out. A few weeks ago I left the iron on while we were away for the weekend…let’s say hubby wasn’t so happy!
Oh, good. My iron has been off my mind this month while company has been here, but I started sewing in earnest again this past week, and my damp hand and slightly-warm-after-ironed fabric reminded me of our collective quest. Where did you get it? Oh, and if I were an iron checking out an internet dating service, I’d contact yours. Great photo of an iron!
Michele: I bought mine at Amazon which is where I get everything these days. If they sold groceries I’d never had to leave my house. A couple of people have mentioned they got one at Target so that may be a source too.
i just bought a new iron this weekend….i should have done some blog reading instead. we shall see how mine performs.
Thanks for this Kathy! I have one of those $100 leaky irons as you may remember from my quest for iron perfection a while ago. I think I’ll run out and get one of these.
thanks for the review! I just went out and bought one to replace my dying Rowenta that is leaky and annoying. I’ve been wanting a new iron for quite a while now
That’s the one I got too and I love it. I had two Rowentas, and I think they’re totally overrated.
Is it not incredible how happy a new (non-leaking) iron will make us??!!!!! Really it’s the little things in life that make it so sweet.
Enjoy.
Ah, yes, I too used to buy those expensive irons … got a Black and Decker at Target for $19.99 + tax (of course) and it’s the best iron I’ve had in a long time!!!
Yes, this is a terrific iron. I have an older model and it’s still going strong. Love the beep too. I bought an iron at Target just so I could bring it back if I didn’t like it. Well, I went through a few of them before I found this one and I’ll never look back. Everyone I know that owns one loves it. Kind of crazy that an appliance can make or break your day.
I have that one too! I love it as well! Happy ironing.
I am SO GLAD to hear about your iron! I love beeps too. I have a waffle iron that beeps when it’s hot and when the waffle is done and I love it since I am so easily side-tracked. This iron sounds like a dream! I have a B&D, but now I want THIS iron! And the price!!!!!
Jody
Kathy, you crack me up! Do people really leave their iron on for days??
I love this iron so much I’ve recommended it to so many people who didn’t listen to me and are sorry now…Ha! Finding the perfect iron is really a pain so after I found out how great this one is, I went back and bought two more. I’m set for a while. Had a million irons-all the expensive ones-nothing works like this one. Glad you found it.
kathy, this is incredibly timely– thank you. my electrical tape job is just coming apart for the last time…
heehee, don’t we sound like men with their power tools?
looks like a very nice one!
Lori
I’m liking the beep feature. My iron has auto shut-off with no beep. Maybe my current iron will die soon and I’ll need to go looking for a new one with a beep. At first I wrote a “beeping feature” but that just sounded bad.
Hi Kathy,
I bought mine at Target a couple of years ago and am so glad not to have the leaky over $100. one anymore! Lets here it for having more $ for fabric!
Sew long,
Melody
i saw it at bed bath abd beyond for over $50 – you got a deal
This is the iron that I have (probably an earlier model) and I love it!!!
I recently bought myself a $29 iron after giving up on all those $100+ irons that leaked and turned themselves off even when I was using them!! I figured that I wouldn’t be so mad at replacing them if need be. So far, so good, though!
I have this iron too, and mostly love it … one thing drives me crazy though … when it shuts off automatically, the next time you turn it on it goes to the next higher setting. I’m a quilter and almost always use 6-Cotton. When it shuts itself off and I turn it on again it goes to 7-Linen. I have to beep through 7-1-2-3-4-5- to get where I want to be. Have they updated this? I think it was designed by a man! Who doesn’t quilt or do laundry!
Paula: Mine does not do that, that would definitely drive me crazy!
Oh, if only I could get that in the UK. I’m asking for a new iron for my birthday, as well as a new ironing board, and I just don’t know what to get!
Solve the iron with no auto-shut-off. Plug your iron AND a light into the same junction box and turn them both on and off at the same time. The light will remind you to shut off the iron.
I bought this one this winter to replace my Oliso that konked out after two short years…I LOVE LOVE LOVE this iron!
Doris
auntiedart(at)yahoo(dot)com
I have this same BD iron and absolutely love it. BUT beware, the dial that turns the steam on and off, high to low broke on mine. So turn that dial with care.
I can still use the “burst of steam” and if I lose any more functions, I will still go out and buy the same iron.