As a quilter, I do a lot of ironing. Fabric needs to be pressed before it can be cut and seams need to be pressed – either open, or to the side, depending on the project. I starch my fabrics, or use best press, or sometimes just a little extra steam. My iron gets a work out. So when I was asked to try out the Clover Press Perfect Iron Safe, I thought I’d give it a try! Irons are expensive, and anything that can protect my iron, help it last longer, or make my pressing better, and I’m on board.
Here are the features Clover advertises:
- Prevents scorch , burn and shine
- Protects fabrics
- Adhesives wipe off
- Works with all temperature settings, dry or steam
- Eliminates the need for a pressing cloth
I read the instructions for attaching the cover, and this was first attempt.
Ha! Not at all successful. So I tried again, this time having the spring go around the back of the iron, rather than under the handle. This worked much better.
I used the iron to press fabrics, starch fabrics, and press seams as I worked on a quilt. It worked fine. But so did my iron without the cover.
One thing I did notice is that the sharp point at the front of the iron cover rubbed my fabric – I could hear it scratching against the fabric as I ironed.
As you can see, because of the shape of my iron, the point pulls down sharply, which pushes on the fabric. It also creates an enclosed space where dust can collect. Over time, I can see dust and lint collecting in this spot, and combining with steam and water when working with white fabrics – resulting in an ugly spot on the fabric. If I used this iron cover regularly, I would absolutely rinse it off frequently.
I tried the iron cover while using fusibles as well. And it wasn’t earth-shattering. I’ve been quilting for two decades, and at this point I rarely get adhesives stuck to the soleplate of my iron. I know how to starch fabrics in such a way that I don’t burn the starch. I like my iron the way it is, and adding the cover didn’t improve my experience.
The Iron Safe is a little cumbersome to attach. The instructions tell you not to attach or remove the Iron Safe until the iron is cool. I attempted removing the cover before the iron was fully cool, and it was HOT.
If you find yourself constantly cleaning the soleplate of your iron, or cursing because your dirty iron stained your light colored fabrics, you might want to invest in the Clover Iron Safe. If you are a new quilter, or a quilt shop with communal irons in your classroom, the Iron Safe might be a good investment to protect your iron from the scars of beginners. However, for an experienced quilter used to handling adhesives and starches without issues, you’re better off saving your pennies, and spending them on fabric instead!
The Clover Iron Safe retails for $27.95.
Disclosure: product provided for review purposes but opinions expressed are honest and based on my first-hand experience with the product.
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