Rowenta DX-8800 Professional Iron

"I prefer to steam iron hubby's shirts/slacks and the fabric I sew with. I don't like to find my iron shut off so I purchased this one specifically because (3 years ago anyway) it did not shut off automatically and because Rowenta is considered top notch.



The steam lever is a smooth action as opposed to 'clicking' in place. I want full steam. As I iron the blasted lever slowly moves from full to medium (i.e. basically not steaming). If I use the 'burst of steam' the lever moves from full to medium again. A real pain.



When it was just months old if I set the iron upright to adjust the fabric and began to iron again, I had to turn it and/or shake it to get it to steam again-arrrgh! I found I had to move it to the 'clean' steam function just to have it steam at all times.



It has been 3 yrs 3 mo and in the last 6 months the sucker has begun leaking...from the seam in the handle just below the burst/spray buttons, which is WELL above the level of the water in the tank, and from all parts of the base. I have to constantly dry my ironing hand on my jeans, re-iron the spittle on the shirts, and 'iron up' the standing water on the ironing board. It is not yet an abused iron, but I'm not promising its future!



I don't want to pay extra to send it to Rowenta in hopes they could, or would, fix their product that shouldn't have failed in this manner--I'd have to purchase a substitute iron to use while this one was away for repairs anyway. I did notice this particular iron is no longer sold at the nationwide fabric,craft & etc store that I purchased it from.



BTW-- I recently read a note from a professional seamstress. She said the iron manufacturers will tell you that you can use tap water, but they are in the business of selling irons, not in the business of iron longevity. She said if you want yours to last longer, use DISTILLED. I just started, but previously using tap water shouldn't make it leak like a sieve! Hubby had sticker shock when I bought it, and now is really peeved that it is obviously terminal so young in its life. The only way I will be able to continue using this iron is dry while using a spray bottle to dampen the fabric."

"I just bought this iron last week and am pleasantly surprised by how well it works. Our last iron was a Rowenta, but one of the less expensive units. It lasted for years. When it broke, I read reviews concerning a model similar to the one I had and many people wrote about how the quality of that particular iron had deteriorated. I was worried whether we would find another nice iron. This iron exceeded my expectations. It has a smooth feel and seems to get rid of wrinkles in a snap. Very professional."

"I had the Rowenta powerglide for a few years before it started to leak so badly that I just couldn't use it anymore. I read the reviews for this one and decided to cross my fingers and try Rowenta again. I must say after having it for about a month, I have NO complaints. It does a beautiful job on all of our clothes and the sheets come out as though I had taken them to the dry cleaners. Overall, Rowenta is a great brand and Iam glad I stuck with them."

"I purchased this iron based on the reviews of other customers although I own another Rowenta iron. I would have to agree the the performance is like no other. It gives the appearance of professional dry clean quality of shirts. It is heavy duty, the steam power is incredible. I did notice that the soleplate is listed as scratch resistant, however the one I have had several scratches on the surface. Despite that I would highly recommend this product."

"I purchased this Iron 2 years ago and it stills works like new. I use bottle water to refill it and never have buildups. My family clothes are always wrinkle free and since I don't have to use starch I only wipe it with a wet cloth after use. I iron one dozen men polo shirts in less than 20 minutes so I save time to spend with my family. No need to buy starch and very few trips to the laundry so I save time and money for a better quality life. And of course my enerygy bill is less!! I do recommend to always refill the iron with water (but never tap water) unless it is rayon,silk or polyester like fabrics. Although you can control if you want to iron with or without steam. Don't use near children since the steam is very powerful. If you use starch, always clean it after. It's worry free because it turns of automatically. This is the best brand ever! My mother is also in love of this product."

"I have found throughout the years, that Rowenta makes some of the best irons around. I can always tell when I am using a cheaper iron - it feels too light, some have temperatures that don't correspond AT ALL to the gauge (I have scorched more than 1 favorite item of clothing), and it just takes a lot more elbow-grease to get the job done. When I moved in with my fiance, he had one of the cheaper/worthless irons. I made sure to register for this iron for our wedding, and thankfully we received it among our gifts. As expected, it does not disappoint. This is a wonderfully high-quality iron that I know I will have for many years to come!"

"Love the Iron - this is my third one the first two I had to return because they leaked water all the time and it was very annoying. Did not buy the Professional right away was determined not to buy another Rowenta after the 2nd. one, but after trying out several other brands I felt the Rowenta ironed the best. This one lasted alot longer then the first 2 without leaking & I've had this one for about 4 years now I'm in the process of getting another one. I need a good Iron, I Iron everything. It's a little pricey but it's worth it. They just have to do something about the water leaking! That is the only turn-off..."

"This iron is something that a professional dry cleaning business would probably use. I bought this for my dress slacks and shirts. I've noticed a distinct difference from using my old and cheap Hamilton Beech iron to this mighty Rowenta. It's truly the very best."

"I have used Rowenta irons for many years. I had a disappointing experience with the iron prior to purchasing this one because it wouldn't steam properly. I was hesitant on which model to try next, and I have to say my experience with this particular model has been better than I anticipated. The weight of the iron makes managing wrinkles easier and I avoid using excess amounts of starch as a result. The one item that I would recommend when purchasing this iron is the sole plate cleaner. I seem to get build up on the iron despite having to use so little starch. I would absolutely recommend this iron."

"I've always bought lower priced irons but then end up frequently replacing them. So this time I decided to spend more and hopefully get a better quality iron that won't need to be replaced so often. I've had it for about a month and really like it. It does not drip and leave water marks/stains like my old one. I am really pleased with it so far. I think it is going to be around for a long time. If you do a lot of ironing, make the spurge...I'll end up spending the same amount in the long run."