As you may know I got a new Oliso iron recently, it’s probably my 3rd or 4th and I’ll tell you why I keep going back to it!
When I was at QuiltCon in February I met with some Oliso people and I told them that my current iron was not acting right, it would get super hot if there wasn’t water in the tank and it was just “off” but I LOVE it! They said they’d help me and I sent my yellow iron back and they thoroughly went thru the iron and sent me feedback! Now it’s not the first iron they’ve replaced for me over the years, it all started because I have a shareasale account and they sent me an iron to review and blog about and just to try out! and after about a year it broke (I forgot what happened) I emailed them and they replaced it after telling me to use tap water or bottled water instead of distilled water because that’s too harsh on the iron! and now it was time to replace this iron again….
Anyways, without even telling the review of the iron, customer service is awesome so that’s a PLUS!!
I’ve been quilting for years and I’ve been thru several irons too and it seems that they always LEAK at some point! and if the insides are rusty or worn then the iron leaks a nasty orange liquid! GROSS!
Here’s the irons I own right now 🙂
The new Oliso, a Reliable Velocity and a Reliable iron plus 3 mini irons!
( I never have any trouble with the mini irons but then again I rarely use them, unless it’s for machine embroidery/ applique in the hoop)
So while the yellow Oliso iron was sent back I used the green Rowenta iron and here’s my review of Rowenta
It does heat up super fast- a PLUS
the eco button gets in the way, I often hit it with my hand when I’m ironing and push it to the middle so then there’s no steam – a MINUS!
When the steam is ON and it’s ready, it still takes several minutes for the steam to actually start – a MINUS!
mine leaks/spits – a MINUS!
so I put this iron back in the box after too much leaking! and got out the RELIABLE iron, here’s my review of it
it quickly started “sweating” it was a weird sort of leak from the top – a MINUS
It’s easy to hit the top button on the iron when ironing so that changes the settings! – a MINUS
it leaks! – a Minus
Then I finally got my OLISO and this time I asked for a different color and they surprised me with PINK!
The thing that I really LOVE LOVE LOVE about the Oliso iron is the hydraulics!
Whenever you grab the handle – or barely touch it, it lowers and is ready to iron, when you let go, it lifts up about an inch off of the ironing board and it just rests there- no burning the ironing board and it’s GREAT for you WRIST! Just by being without it for maybe a month, I felt my wrist getting sore – a HUGE PLUS PLUS PLUS!
It gets nice and hot and the steam works well – PLUS
It has a 30min shutoff timer- the other irons turned off earlier than that, I’m kind of neutral about that setting, when I sit down and sew I DO get up and iron pretty often but maybe I sew for 15-20 min, I’m not sure, but I don’t like to sit for super long so I sew maybe 6 pieces of one project, 12 from another, some from another etc. then I get up and iron.
Even though I go thru Oliso irons maybe once a year or a bit more than that, it’s really the BEST iron out there and customer service is great and they’ve replaced it for me, even if they didn’t I would totally buy it again each time!
Irons just don’t last forever!
I did get some new tips from the OLISO company
Use tap water or cheap bottled spring water (my tap is hard so I use bottled water- especially half drunk bottles I find around the house or in the car!)
If you don’t use the iron every day, stand it upright- I never do that, but will now.
and wipe down the iron once in a while- mine was really dusty and gunky- hanging my head in shame!!
empty the water chamber every few days- I already do my ironing so much, so my water never gets that stagnant in there I think.
clean the inside of the tank with equal parts water and vinegar – like you do a coffee maker, then run two cycles of water thru it by steaming it out right away (over a sink)- gosh I’ve never done that, but maybe once years ago on an old iron! Maybe I should put this on my calendar to do every 3 months?!
To celebrate my new iron, I recovered my ironing board!
What iron do you have and how do you like it?
I too love my Oliso but not the service. I accidentally dropped my iron and while it turns on and heats up the iron stays in the up position. I tried to contact Oliso to have it repaired as it is only one little part that needs replaced. They said no we do not repair we will give you 100.m towards a new one. I just want my own iron fixed May be you have some pull to get yours replaced but I cannot even get mine fixed
I have a CHI iron and I love it. I will never go back to a Rowenta, every one of them leaks.
It’s nice to read your reviews. I iron A LOT (every day) and have gone through irons like potato chips. Having gone through expensive Rowenas and Olisos as well as inexpensive irons, I have now settled on a Hot-Steam gravity fed iron from Wawak. I purchased the one I currently use in 2016! It still works great with no leaking. It’s heavy, has no automatic shut off and the water is separate from the iron. I think having water IN the iron is a major flaw. I do have a mini Oliso, but seldom use it. I find the temp control button is in an awkward location. My hand keeps turning the heat down as I iron. I’ll never go back to a water filled iron.
Love this review!!! And yes, I have not found anything better than MY pink Oliso 💗.
I have usedrowenta steam generated irons for years.. on my 3rd over 25 years. They are around 300.00 but well worth it I love it !!large water tank, lots of continual steam and it stays on forever. I would not like an iron that shut off after 30 min
The reliability of Rowenta depends where it was made. My 1st was my mom’s old one so it lasted 30 yrs. When I got a new one it started leaking in about 6 months. Turns out at some point they started making them in China. I replaced it with a very good cheaper iron. Then, about a year later, I was walking thru Costco and did a dbl take…on a Rowenta box were the words “Now Made in Germany”. I couldn’t get it in my cart fast enough! That was 5 years ago and it’s been perfect. The auto shut off bugs me but I understand the safety behind it. If I was still sewing like I used to Id buy a gravity fed iron but since I’m slowing down I’m happy with my German made Rowenta.
I think my rowenta might have been from costco too, I don’t think I’d buy an iron anywhere else. I need to look now. – it still leaked though
I also have a hot-steam gravity iron from Wawak purchased about 8 years ago and I love it! it’s heavy but doesn’t leak, stays on until I turn it off, and has true temperatures. I’ve had several Rowentas and they all leaked at some point. The only other iron I use is a cordless Panasonic that I keep by my sewing station. It has never leaked and I’ve had it for 4 years.
I stopped putting water in my Oliso because it said not to keep it in. I don’t think it gets as hot as it used to. I am going to plug both my irons in – a Rowenta and an Oliso and see which is hottest. It seems to me neither is…but the Rowenta is 12 years old and still working (stopped using stem on it too). I miss the steam but was using it intermittently for a while and then it started acting up. None are perfect….may consider a new Oliso as everyone says they are really hot and mine is 5 years old!
I have a dry iron from Knapp. Use it most every day for the last 6-7 years. I use spray water to “steam” my fabric or spray starch. I have used too many Rowenta irons at all price levels & the ALL leaked. I did have a Reliable which I did love for about 5 years until it fell & broke.
The Knapp dry iron is heavier and gets very hot if you want hot! It was only about $50-$60 and had lasted & performed. I definitely will repurchase this brand.