Review on 🔌 Rowenta DW2459 Access Steam Iron - Retractable Cord, Stainless Steel Soleplate - Black by Matthew Maggot

After 49 years of use Grandma's 1972 (year of purchase), 1100 watts, made in the USA (Connecticut), General Electric is retiring, only use to strengthen the fabric. It's been a solid and reliable assistant and I'm not ready to give it up. My new assistant is Rowenta Focus Excel, 1725; Made in Germany has some very nice qualities. After LOTS of research and about a month of daily use, I'm sharing my review: PROS: It's about the same weight as my GE which is good, I find the weight of the iron also helps get rid of those pesky wrinkles and helps smooth them out to press down. the seams are flat; the tip is just great for ironing the seams of quilted blocks - that was the main reason I bought this model; The steam boost is great, although be prepared to refill frequently, I enjoy using this feature and listening to the whistle. it seems to be comparable to my GE's heat transfer, it just glides across the fabric; The water tank's filling area is also large - it holds plenty of water and doesn't accidentally spill while ironing - it might be difficult for some to fill with water, but I use the 16oz plastic tank. measuring cup no problem; A few steam holes do the job really well. CONS (in my humble opinion): #1. I absolutely HATE the auto-shutoff feature - it shuts off after about 8 minutes of inactivity, then you have to shake or flip the protected surface (gently) to wake it up, then wait a little more for it to fully warm up before using it . I probably don't need to explain to other quilters how annoying this function is when ironing block seams after sewing. While I understand it's a safety feature if it's rolled over etc, how about you just turn it off after it's rolled over instead of being idle? I found a workaround - 1 minute before I'm done sewing the required number of blocks, I reach out and "wake him up" to be ready when I am! #2. I wish the "steam and spray" buttons were arranged differently, perhaps in a groove or bridge between the handle and the buttons - the way they are arranged is how I (thumb and other fingers) have it in many cases accidentally splashes on the fabric. - So far there is no workaround for this that I have discovered. Number 3. Disappointed that there is a lot of plastic and no more stainless steel. My comment on "use plain tap water" - I WILL NOT, DO NOT USE, or use plain tap water in this or any other steam device I own: iron, vaporizer, floor steamer/cleaner, etc. e. I only use distilled water that does not contain minerals or additives that can cause harm. It costs less than $1/gallon compared to the cost of replacing leaking or clogged fixtures. Yes, I saw that the manufacturer says tap water can be used but distilled water cannot. If I run into any issues using distilled water I will definitely edit my review here. Overall, I'm very happy with my new purchase and hopefully live up to my expectations for the durability of its predecessor; If not, my GE is up and running again.