Such wonderful information. Never did think about the steam holes not being as hot as the rest of the sole plate. I will have to get one of those irons. Mine is a Rowenta and I love it. I have found the heavier irons are actually better for pressing. One does not have to make as many passes as with a lighter weight iron.

Thank you for this post! I ordered the iron right away!

Home Depot has the dry iron, Continental Platinum Classic Dry Iron, if one of the stores is close by you can save on shipping.

I've been very satisfied w/ my non-steam iron. I use it for a lot of my "quilty" pressing w/ a spray bottle of just water nearby, as well as Mary Ellen's yummy spray starch to use when needed. My regular iron - a Rowenta - of course still gets a lot of use.
My LQS ordered several new irons from Vermont Country Store to use in the classroom. They're great, but also a bit heavier than the one I got. (Actually I like them better!) Oh well, mine is still satisfactory.
And yes, for us people of a certain age, there are a lot of interesting goodies from the past in the Vermont Country catalog. i can usually find an interesting "gag" gift or some very useful thing for my DH. This year it was a type of leather coin holder. He wore out his last one.

Oh, my, I may have a wonderful old iron!! It belonged to my parents and must have been purchased in the 50''s or 60's. It's been in a box on a shelf in the bedroom for years, I remember the cord looks brand new!! I will have to check it out tomorrow!! Carolyn

I have one also - got it after taking a class with Carol Doak, who recommended it. I love mine and use it when piecing. I like my regular steam iron for ironing large pieces of fabric, but prefer to use a dry iron for my piecing.

That catalog is seriously dangerous - so much fun stuff!

Ah, I see now. I have done a bit of fusing, just small things so didn't encounter a problem. I have a small portable iron that does not have holes, not sure what the brand it is. Sandi in FL

When fusing, the space where the holes are doesn't heat the same as the rest of the sole plate of the iron, and you can get little 'bubbles' that haven't fused.
Florence

What's the advantage of 'no holes' iron? Mine has holes, but I don't use steam except if I iron clothes and that happens maybe once a year for special occasion. lol Thanks! Sandi in FL

Vermont Country store is certainly a Blast From The Past. I think of my mother when I see the "Evening in Paris" perfume. They sell Spoolies (rubbery hair curlers) that Mom rolled our hair in every Saturday night. A good read even if you don't get out your credit card. Betty Ann in Fl.

Sweet! Thanks for the info! It looks like it also doesn't have the auto-shut off - what more could I ask for!

I had been using the portable Rowenta since it wasn't auto-shutoff, but then found one of the old fashion cheapie irons without auto shutoff... but they both have steam holes. And the cheapie one has large steam holes that sometimes catch the fabric - very irritating.

Vermont Country Store looks to be a dangerous site though... there are a few things that look interesting

I have one of the irons from Vermont Country Store. I use it to fuse so I don't end up with little bubbles that are not properly fused. Well worth the investment. Betty Ann in windy rainy no hurricane Bradenton FL.

I have an iron that estimate is about 40 years old and is in tip-top shape that was handed down to my mom and who then handed it down to me when I went to University. It is technically a steam iron, but my mom and I have never used it as such. It heats up like a dream but weighs a tonne!
The holes in the plate are smaller than the ones in my new iron. (A gift from the DH)

Jean in Windsor, ON

I have one too.... a lot SAFER than a garage-sale find that probably needs a replacement cord...
I use it for fusing, although I don't really do much of that, but still prefer my "normal" iron for pressing large pieces of fabric, the larger sole means fewer passes!
Florence