Reliable The Board 500VB Home Vacuum and Up-Air Pressing Table Ironing Board, Height Adjustable, Quick-Dry Textured Polyester Cover, Laundry Rack, Tube Frame Construction, Heated Surface, Quick Fold

Anyone who sews for a living,or as a serious hobby deserves this ironing board. Its vacuum feature is like having a third hand when working with ultra fine, slippery fabrics. The heated surface helps your steaming do its work. I make bridal veils professionally. Pressing wrinkled tulle is no fun. Pressing delicate silk tulle is normally a night mare. The C81's vacuum holds the tulle to the board, allowing me to move the edging that I have just sewn so that I can iron it flat without stretching. With the heated surface, steam dries quickly so that the silk does not wrinkle as soon as I remove it from the board. Pressing silk chiffon and silk gauze also a breeze as well. My pressing time is greatly reduced. The board also is wider, taller, heavier and a lot more stable. It is worth every penny of $399. And if you have Amazon Prime, shipping is free! Next on my list is the Reliable Iron. And an upgrade to my studio electrical system.

I cannot recommend this to anyone, though I did give it 5 stars, and I feel it is the single most satisfying purchase I have ever made in regards to caring for my clothing.I don't really care for ironing. I like the finished look after, but it's no match for a good cleaners. I love how clothes come, in their neat plastic bag, and feeling luxurious.But it's getting darn expensive, which when weighing the cost of purchasing this, along with a good quality iron, I realized that within a year it would be a wash if I was able to avoid the cleaners.But how effective is an ironing board with a heater and fan that can blow or vacuum? Well, I can tell you with complete assurance, it is dang effective!So why don't I recommend it? Because you will become a snob. And you will narsasistcally look at yourself in the mirror relentlessly, and you will look at others with distain and judgement for being so wrinkly.Once done, about ten minutes per shirt, my clothes are dry and pliable, soft, and wrinkle free. I actually prefer my work now to the cleaner. I use starch, and they are not too stiff, perfect actually.Never again will I have wet clothes from steam that need to be hung, or old misaligned creases that won't go away. If I make a mistake, a good vacuum and blast of steam while pressing solves everything. It's truly amazing.But if it can turn a quiet humble guy like me into an ironing snob, I'm afraid of what it might do for you. Be wary, proceed with caution, and if you do buy, be ready to actually love ironing.

Was prepared for an evening project putting this together, but it came fully assembled and ready to go. Packaging was easy, no excessive materials to breakdown or dispose. Works really well. Used it for some stretch poly-cotton fabric I was using to make a pair of pants. This type of fabric can be a pain to iron and keep seams flat, but this board made it so much easier to work with. Can’t wait to use for future projects!

I had my heart set on this ironing board having trained in the fashion industry and been very spoiled with some fabulous equipment. Now contemplating starting as an independent couture bridal/eveningwear business, my budget would not quite stretch to the real pro boards, I thought that this might be a good compromise for now... until I make my millions. :)So. Functions.The board heats up - this is not to dry your clothes(!) but it is to keep the board dry while using steam (that way it doesn't rust and will live a long and happy life). But, just so you know, it does warm up, and can get quite toasty.The up air. This function is to protect delicates - I am looking to play with some velvet/cord so I will update this review over time. From what I can tell, the up-air is definitely strong enough. It can lift fabric (and the instruction booklet it comes with) Hold onto your fabric or you may be picking it up off the floor. lol.Vacuum. It does have a vacuum. This can be helpful in keeping slippery fabric in place. It is mainly used to draw steam out of the garment so it is dry (and holds creases and shape better). It is not as strong as others (and the c88 may be better for that - I have heard this but not tested and sadly couldn't afford both.) I believe that it is perfectly good for removing the steam, but not as strong perhaps as I would like for holding my slippery silks.Weight. Yes. It is heavy. It does fold, but quite frankly, as a 115lb woman this almost weighs half as much as me (50lbs I think!). I don't fancy moving it too much. If you have a dedicated space, life is much better. The plus side is that it is really sturdy.Wide - The ironing surface is wide. Not like your cheap ironing boards. This provides a wide surface to press material before construction. Also good for full skirts (as is the shelf which prevents them trailing on the ground while you iron).All in all, I had hoped for a better vacuum motor (remember I am used to the seriously good pro ones and know that this is not supposed to compare given the price tag) but I am going to continue playing and see if it grows on me, especially since the up-air is a nice feature. It seems like a solid board, and think I like it. It is definitely a step in the right direction. As for whether the more powerful c88 would have been a better choice? I'm not sure yet. I will update in time to let you know how I get on...Would I recommend. I think so yes. For home use (although I can't seem to envisage spending so much if sewing weren't my passion, potential career, and first love), so for small businesses (alterations, possibly construction) and start ups this could give you something better than domestic, but without a professional investment. For heavy duty businesses with a lot more use (multiple employees and high product turnover) then simply remember it is not a pro board. This board does not need forgiving for it's limitations - it is amazing for what it aims to be for - the domestic market.

I had my eye on a Laura Star ironing system for years, but the price was out of my range. I had a Reliable steam generator iron which I love.Then my husband found this interactive ironing board, also by Reliable. I absolutely love it. It’s stable, heats up quickly, and either pulls steam through the fabric or blows it up depending on your setting. I now iron my husband’s shirt better than the dry cleaners! My quilt blocks get pressed perfectly flat and it allows me to press my machine embroidery tiling scenes into perfect square. The size is perfect for my sewing room, it is sleek and easy to move .I’m thrilled with this purchase!