When it comes to quilting, the fun part is definitely choosing your fabrics and colors. But the important part? Choosing a top-quality iron. You’ll need an iron that can handle thick fabrics — one that gets nice and hot.
Having a good iron for quilting can take away a lot of frustration and help you enjoy this hobby a lot more! We’ve got the top five best irons for quilting right here in one place.
What Type of Iron Do Quilters Use?
Quilters rave about powerful irons. If you’re picking up this hobby, you’ll want to get a powerful steam iron. The steam can help you get amazing creases in your pattern and press out stubborn wrinkles.
You’ll also want to find one that has great temperature control. This will prevent you from ruining fabrics that require different levels of heat.
So overall, quilters use powerful steam irons with quality temperature control settings.
How to Choose the Best Iron for Quilting
When it comes to choosing your beloved iron for quilting, what exactly should you look out for? We’ll give you our top tips for choosing the best so you are fully prepared for this shopping experience!
Power
Because your quilts are going to be quite thick, you need as powerful an iron as you can get. We measure the power in watts — so the higher the watts, the better the iron!
Safety
It’s easy to lose track of time when it comes to quilting. You might turn your iron on, get swept away in your next task and forget all about your hot iron. So it’s vital to look for a steam iron that comes with safety features, like automatic shut off times.
Heat Control
Heat control is a crucial feature to look out for when it comes to quilting!
You’ll use a variety of fabrics, which all require different heat settings. Make sure the iron you choose has good heat control so that you don’t ruin all your hard work. This also allows you to use your iron for quilting and regular ironing.
Water Tank
When looking for a quilting iron, check out the water tank capacity. The larger it is, the better. This is so you can use your iron for longer periods of time without needing to refill it. Also, the larger the water tank, the heavier the iron. And we all know how important that is!
Weight
Weight isn’t something you always consider when shopping for new products. But with quilting irons, it’s important. The heavier the iron is, the less hard work you need to do.
Ironing your quilts requires quite a lot of pressure. If the iron is lighter, you’ll have to press down quite hard. A good iron for quilting should be at least two pounds — so look out for this detail.
The Best Quilting Irons of 2020
We’re excited to recommend to you the best irons for quilting on the market. With one of these choices, your hobby will go from fun to bliss. A good iron can make all the difference.
1. BLACK+DECKER Classic Steam Iron
Safety is a top priority in the Black + Decker classic steam iron.
Quilting is a fun hobby. Sometimes too fun — and you can forget your iron is on. Well, this iron turns off after 30 seconds if left on its side or soleplate. It shuts off after eight minutes on the heel rest. And that’s not all; a power indicator light tells you when the iron is plugged in — even if it’s not on.
Safety doesn’t stop there. There is a built-in fabric guide to let you know what the perfect heat setting is for different fabrics. This stops you from ruining your favorite pieces! There’s also a dedicated “off” button so you can be sure it’s definitely powered down.
Why We Love It
Easy Glide
Besides all the safety features, we love this iron for its easy gliding abilities.
The soleplate is made from aluminium — so it’s built to last. It has a smooth, nonstick coating that glides over any fabric and removes wrinkles quickly. The groove at the tip of the soleplate helps to navigate around buttons and accessories.
Seven Temperature Settings
The Black + Decker steam iron has seven temperature settings. They’re categorized by fabric type which takes out the guesswork for you. Choose your setting based on acrylic, nylon or silk, rayon or polyester, blends of cotton, wool, cotton and linen.
Classic Iron
This iron is inspired by classic, retro designs. If you love the old style of irons, this is a great choice. It keeps the authentic feel, but with improved safety and design features. Plus, it’s an effective and powerful iron, coming in at 1100 watts.
Keep In Mind
Water Tank Problems
For such a bulky iron, it has a pretty small water tank. The stingy 4.9 ounces of water means you’ll have to do a few refills when tackling a large load of laundry. The other problem is that it’s difficult to see the water level. So you won’t know it needs refilling until it stops emitting steam.
Additional Specs
| Power | 1100 watts |
| Safety | Automatic shut-off and indicator light |
| Heat Control | Seven temperature settings |
| Weight | 3.2 pounds |
| Water Tank | 4.9 ounces |
2. Rowenta DW5080 Micro Steam Iron
The Rowenta DW5080 steam iron is the most powerful that we recommend. It comes in at a whopping 1700 watts — so you know it’ll be great for quilting.
It also is a prime steam iron. It has over 400 steam holes with 35 grams per minute of steam. You’ll get astounding steam power with this iron!
We also have to praise this iron for its anti-calc system. You can trust this iron will have a long life, because it removes minerals and build-up. Perfect if you live in a hard water area.
Why We Love It
Stainless Steel Soleplate
Easy ironing is a top priority when it comes to quilting. Well, the stainless steel soleplate of this Rowenta iron makes for easy gliding across different fabrics. So you’ll get amazing glidability and therefore, amazing results. If you’re into professional quilting, this is a top choice!
Precision Is a Priority
Why choose this iron? Because precision is a priority. The Rowenta iron has an angled tip making it easy to get in hard to reach places, like around buttons and edges. Also, the thermostat knob makes it easy to choose your temperature and steam for any garment.
No Drips
This iron is great for delicate items, too. So if you decorate your quilts with some fancy accessories, this is a great choice of iron. The no drip system means that you won’t have any leaks onto your quilts or clothes. You can protect your delicates!
Keep In Mind
Dial Is Inconvenient
Although it’s great to have such a precise temperature dial, it’s in an inconvenient place. It’s right underneath the handle, so it’s easy to bump the dial. Therefore, you find yourself changing the temperature of the iron when you didn’t mean to. Keep this in mind when considering this iron.
Additional Specs
| Power | 1700 watts |
| Safety | Automatic 3-way shut off system |
| Heat Control | Precise temperature dial |
| Weight | 3.4 pounds |
| Water Tank | 10 ounces |
3. Oliso TG1050 Smart Iron
Who knew that irons could have smart technology? The Oliso TG1050 iron does — and we love it.
The iTouch technology helps to prevent burns, scorching and tipping. The scorchguards lower with the touch of your hands. It lifts again when you have stopped ironing. No more repetitive lifting!
In terms of quilting, this is an awesome choice. The iTouch technology makes it easy to slide the iron without having to lift it. It will be your new best friend if you’re a quilter. It has 1600 watts of power, auto shut-off and three amazing steam settings.
Why We Love It
Stainless Steel Soleplate
It’s important your iron is easy to glide when it comes to quilting. The stainless steel soleplate here is amazing for quilting. It’s extra thick and has a mirror glide finish. It retains heat amazingly and has more steam holes for a consistent steam flow.
Powerful but Safe
The Oliso iron is super powerful. It has 1600 watts of power and heats up rapidly. You can use this iron within seconds of turning it on. It’s the perfect tool for quilting. Plus, it automatically shuts off after eight minutes if standing, or 30 seconds if it’s been knocked over.
Tripleplay XtremeSteam
The Oliso iron implements something called Tripleplay XtremeSteam. It has three unique steam settings — vertical burst, horizontal burst, and continuous. You can use this iron in many different ways. Plus, it also has low, medium and high steam settings.
Keep In Mind
Digitally Control Temperature
A big drawback to this iron is that you can’t control the heat temperature. Some customers complain of the iron not getting hot enough for their quilts, despite the powerful steam settings. You can’t manually choose which temperature you want the iron to be at.
Additional Specs
| Power | 1600 watts |
| Safety | Automatic shut off at eight minutes or 30 second if knocked |
| Heat Control | Digitally controlled |
| Weight | Five pounds |
| Water Tank | 12.7 ounces |
4. CHI Steam Iron for Clothes
Looking for the most control settings on an iron? We recommend the CHI steam iron.
This iron has precise controls. The adjustable steam lever lets you go from no steam to full steam with a quick slider. Then the temperature control helps you choose your heat setting based on what material you’re ironing. Simply rotate it to choose your setting. There’s also a self-clean button on the control panel for this iron.
The steam lever and heat settings are easy to reach. Easily change them up while you’re in the middle of ironing a garment.
Why We Love It
Flat Iron Technology
The CHI steam iron uses the same technology as it does on its flat irons. It has a titanium-infused ceramic soleplate to give you optimum results and a pleasant ironing experience. This allows it to withstand scratches, heat up quickly and smoothly glide across clothes.
Powerful Steam
As a quilter, it’s always good to have quality steam power on your iron. The CHI iron has over 300 steam holes. It delivers powerful steam to help get wrinkles out quickly and easily.
Good for Long Ironing Periods
If you use your iron for long periods at once, this is a great choice because of its super comfortable handle. It’s a sleek handle with a textured grip, making it easy to use in terms of comfort and control. But it also has an eight ounce water tank, allowing for longer ironing sessions.
Keep In Mind
Soleplate Is Hard to Clean
Although the soleplate has advanced technology, customers do find it hard to clean. If you get something stuck to it, you might find yourself struggling to get it off, even with top iron cleaning tips. Stainless steel soleplates are common for a reason, so keep in mind this aluminum one comes with flaws.
Additional Specs
| Power | 1700 watts |
| Safety | Automatic shut-off after 30 minutes |
| Heat Control | Manual temperature control |
| Weight | 2.9 pounds |
| Water Tank | 8 ounces |
5. Steamfast SF-717 Mini Steam Iron
While it’s important to look for a heavy iron, we also wanted to recommend a good traveling iron for quilting. If you find yourself on the move a lot but want to keep up this fun hobby, check out the Steamfast SF-717 mini steam iron.
Weighing only one pound, it requires some elbow grease. But it’s still a great choice for quilters. Customers love this for quilting classes and retreats because it’s light, compact but still powerful at 420 watts.
Why We Love It
Great Temperature Settings
This mini iron heats up quickly — in 15 seconds! If you’re wanting to iron something quickly, this is a great tool. Plus, it has a one-touch steam control button and three temperature settings for different types of fabrics!
Travel Accessories
We’ve awarded this iron as the best for traveling. Yes, it’s lightweight and compact, but even better, it has cool travel accessories, too.
For one, it comes with a traveling bag for storage. It also has a measuring cup so you can fill that up at the tap instead of unplugging your iron and taking that with you. Lastly, it has dual voltage so you can take it anywhere in the world.
Helpful Handle
While the iron is quite lightweight, the helpful handle makes it easy for you to press down hard on your quilts. It’s a wide, easy to hold, anti-slip handle. Plus, you can wrap the cord around it when you’re finished, for optimum storage.
Keep In Mind
Steamer Function Faulty
While this iron does have a steam setting and steam holes, the steam function is not great. Some customers claim it doesn’t work at all, while others say it’s just not good. If you’d prefer an iron with optimal steam, then this won’t be your top choice.
Additional Specs
| Power | 420 watts |
| Safety | No auto shut-off, handle gets quite hot |
| Heat Control | Three temperature settings |
| Weight | One pound |
| Water Tank | 1.4 ounces |
| Product | Best | Power | Safety | Heat Control | Weight | Water Tank |
| BLACK+DECKER Classic Steam Iron | Safest | 1100 W | Automatic shut-off & indicator light | Seven temperature settings | 3.2 lbs | 4.9 oz |
| Rowenta DW5080 Micro Steam Iron | Powerful | 1700 W | Automatic 3-way shut off system | Precise temperature dial | 3.4 lbs | 10 oz |
| Oliso TG1050 Smart Iron | Smart | 1600 W | Automatic shut off at 8 minutes or 30 seconds if knocked | Digitally controlled | 5 lbs | 12.7 oz |
| CHI Steam Iron for Clothes | Control | 1700 W | Automatic shut-off after 30 minutes | Manual temperature control | 2.9 lbs | 8 oz |
| Steamfast SF-717 Mini Steam Iron | Travel | 420 W | No auto shut-off, handle gets quite hot | Three temperature settings | 1 lb | 1.4 oz |
Quilt With Ease
Quilting should always bring you fun and enjoyment! That’s why a good iron for quilting is a must-have. It takes away any frustration and makes this hobby as simple as possible.
Always look out for a steam iron — the more powerful, the better. We also recommend checking the safety features for peace of mind. A heavy iron is best, as well as a large water tank.
Lastly, be sure to check out the heat control settings. The more options, the easier you’ll find it for quilting.
