Continental Electric CP43001 Classic Dry Iron, Black

I added this iron to my collection of irons (I am a fiber artist and need lots of irons) for one reason--the sole plate has no holes. Which is wonderful when working with fusible web on fabric. With holes in the plate you have to move the iron more to make sure you cover the spots where the holes are to make the web adhere better. But with this iron that is never and issue--the web bonds securely the first time and every time.One added bonus to this iron that I was not aware until it arrived is that it has no safety shut-off. So it stays on--well that is good or bad depending on if you remember to turn off manually. But in my work I like it on and have everything on a switch and shut down when I leave the studio area.Another bonus I did not realize right away is that the iron is the hottest iron I have ever had short of the ones my mom had in the 1950's and 1960's era when electrics were really basic but worked well. Many of the other irons in my collection while decent, it is necessary to use the linen/hottest settings so the wrinkles come out of cottons, especially hand dyed and batiks or my hand painted pieces can really wrinkle up. But this iron on linen/hottest setting is actually not necessary! It is a dream to iron with.This is my second purchase of this iron--one to put away--in case the manufacturer changes anything--I love this baby just the way it performs now.

WARNING: The end of the cord can rip and catch on fire. After 16 months of owning this iron ( and I did not iron very much), the cord at the iron end ripped and caught on fire. This was while I was using it of course. The ball of fire at the end of the cord was about 1/2" to 3/4" in diameter and lasted for about 10 to 15 seconds. It's definitely is a fire hazard. I will from now on (when I get my new iron ) be ironing in the kitchen, not the bedroom.I expect an iron to last longer than 16 months! This is a cheaply made iron or at least the cord part is. No wonder there's no photo of the cord. Look at other irons. The cords at the iron ends have a protective covering. THIS ONE DOES NOT.

As a quilter, I needed an iron without holes in the sole. This iron was ordered to replace my old one that had been dropped numerous times and finally stopped working completely. I was glad to see I could get a replacement from Amazon. Unfortunately, this baby didn't even last 6 months and it hadn't been dropped at all. One day, it just wouldn't heat at all. I love Amazon but I think I am going back to the Vermont Country Store for my replacement which is were I had purchased the first iron.

Received in mail January 15, 2016 and cord has a hole with copper wires visible and iron is sparking. Actually stopped heatingSending back under warranty. Very disappointed with quality. Had prior one which lasted at least more than one year, however, same type and same problem. Actually blew the fuse.

UPDATE REVIEW August 24, 2016: Iron no longer heating up. After 8 months use the iron no longer works. I have not dropped the iron during 8 months of use. I have used it every week for 8 months. I loved the iron very much for my quilting projects. BUT ALAS, 8 months life for an iron is not rated good or somewhat good in my books. Just letting you know the experience.I sew clothing and I do quilting. I have always used top of the line steam irons. I read about using using a dry iron somewhere a quilting article and decided to give a dry iron a try. I absolutely love it. This CP43001 gets very hot and using a light touch I found the fabric does not stretch (I need the fabric to not stretch when I quilt). I bought a resting pad for it and now when I iron all those little pieces for my quilt, I easily transfer the iron to the rest and back to the fabric quickly and safely. Love It! Will buy again in the future.

As a quilter, I absolutely love this iron. It heats quickly, it's hot/heavy enough to press multiple layers of seams, and dexterous enough to evenly heat small pieces for fusible applique. I love that it doesn't have an automatic shut-off feature-- which means I can sew all day without jiggling the iron every few minutes. Bottom line: It's a workhorse.Bonus: It's vintage style makes me feel like the heroine of my own housekeeping melodrama. This iron works best when paired with a vintage apron and a tall mason jar of sweet iced tea. Just saying...I verified my order history...and I'm on my third iron. Each one has lasted (get this) EXACTLY 10 months (almost to the day) of near-constant use. By near-constant, I mean... it's on for two to three hours every day during the week and up to twelve hours on weekends. Both times I've replaced the iron without hesitation-- they're under $25! I've used ironing systems that cost over $5k and I don't think they don't do a better job for patchwork piecing.My two prior Continental Electric irons passed on exactly the same way: At the end of a long day they each went to sleep...and didn't wake up the next morning. The first time it happened, I was heartsick. But when I realized I could order another iron and have it delivered in two days-- I moved on quickly enough. When the second one passed on, I was emotionally prepared. I hate to think of the day I'll lose my current iron, but I know it will go to sleep peacefully, satisfied it did the best job any iron could do.

At first this iron was great. Exactly what I wanted as it has a solid sole plate. The solid sole plate is great for quilting as it doesn't catch on seams and distort the quilt blocks. It worked great for a couple of months. Then it started having issues. Even when I turned it off, it would never turn off. It would stay on at the lowest setting even when the dial was turned off. I thought not that big of a deal just unplug it when not using it. The next problem was it would over heat and get much hotter than it was supposed to. Now it rarely turns on. Save your money and look for something else.