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If pulling out the iron feels laborious, or you want to provide professional surface treatment for delicate hand-washed clothes, the wrinkle-removing steamer can refresh your makeup in a few minutes. And because they are smooth and not burnt, the steamer is more suitable for delicate items such as silk and wool. Since 2016, we have tested 35 models, our favorite is Sunbeam Power Steam Fabric Steamer. Its powerful steam, comfortable grip and smart accessories make it the one we grabbed over and over again.
This steam engine melts wrinkles without spraying water on our fabrics-which is rare in the models we tested. It is also comfortable to hold and has excellent functions, better than any other hand-held steamer we have tried.
May be out of stock
*At the time of publication, the price was $55.
Like most of the medium-sized hand-held steam engines I have tested, the Sunbeam Power Steam Fabric Steamer generates enough steam for this job. Compared with the competition, it is easier to hold and has a more thoughtful design. It is also one of the only hand-held garment steamers that will not leave wet spots on the tested fabric. The Sunbeam with a full tank weighs a little over 4 pounds (the other medium-sized steamers we tested weigh between 2.5 and 5 pounds), but it is the most balanced and comfortable, and can hold for a few minutes. This is the only steam engine I have tried that has a heated metal strip above the steam port, which helps smooth the fabric (just like an iron), and it is the only one with controlled steam power (low or Low) of the steam engine on and off. High). In addition, it has a trigger button to switch between steady flow or short bursts. It also includes a "steam handle", a snap-on accessory that helps protect my fingers from the hot steam and keeps me close to elusive wrinkles. Compared to the one-year warranty of Conair Turbo ExtremeSteam (the second-best medium-sized steamer I have tested), it has a three-year limited warranty.
There are some real junk in the world of small traveling ships. However, compared with other products we have tried, this product has a better structure and higher efficiency-it even outperforms some of the more expensive mid-sized competitors.
*At the time of publication, the price was $15.
If you want the steamer on hand to occasionally refresh your suit or delicate top, or fit it in your suitcase, then you may not need something more upscale than the Conair Complete Steam Hand Held Fabric Steamer (GS2). It is less than half the price of Sunbeam, and it is more effective in smoothing out wrinkles than any other steamer (most of which is garbage) I have tried in its price range. It is also the only steamer of this size (often called "portable" or "travel steamer") that I have tested in 2019, and it does not pour water from the spout when it is poured. It has a relatively small water tank (5 ounces; the portable device I tried weighs 5 to 8 ounces), and it does spit some water when using it, but compared to other portable devices I’ve tried, it’s in the clothes There are fewer wet spots left on it. If you think you use a steamer often, buy a well-made Sunbeam, but if you just need to smooth out wrinkles from time to time-at home or when traveling-Conair is a good choice. It has a one-year limited warranty, which is a typical feature of a small inexpensive steamer.
This floor-standing steamer is more pleasant to use than other large steamers we have tried. It has a smooth steam burst, a comfortable handle and the largest water tank we have tested.
If you steam frequently, or if you don't want to carry a heavy hand-held steamer, the reliable Vivio 500 GC professional clothing steamer is a pleasant way to use it. It is almost 6 feet tall and the base is about the size of a vacuum pot; despite its cumbersome size, it is my favorite steamer for testing. The water tank contains a gallon of water (the most of all the steamers I have tried), it heats up quickly, and its steam head is more suitable for long-term use than Sunbeam (which can bear the weight of a gym). When the water tank is full, carefully roll Vivio on the floor-it will splash water. This steamer comes with a three-year limited warranty, which is average for what I have tested.
This steam engine melts wrinkles without spraying water on our fabrics-which is rare in the models we tested. It is also comfortable to hold and has excellent functions, better than any other hand-held steamer we have tried.
May be out of stock
*At the time of publication, the price was $55.
There are some real junk in the world of small traveling ships. However, compared with other products we have tried, this product has a better structure and higher efficiency-it even outperforms some of the more expensive mid-sized competitors.
*At the time of publication, the price was $15.
This floor-standing steamer is more pleasant to use than other large steamers we have tried. It has a smooth steam burst, a comfortable handle and the largest water tank we have tested.
Most of my waking time is spent on textiles, which means dealing with wrinkles. I have written guides about cotton sheets, flannel sheets, sheets, blankets, pajamas, robes, bath towels and duvets. In the process of doing research for these works, I washed a lot of clothes, and now I have to keep company records. I also wrote our guide to irons and ironing boards. For this guide, I also build on the research of Camille Perri and Tim Heffernan.
If you have a lot of delicate fabrics, or if you just need to tidy up your clothes or linens occasionally, then the steamer will be an important addition to your laundry room, and it can even replace the iron. Over time, the steam engine can also save you money that you would normally spend at a dry cleaner. If you choose to wash delicate items by hand at home (we have a guide on what you can skip the dry cleaner and what you can't), the steam engine can smooth out wrinkles and make everything look professionally cleaned and ironed. The steamer usually heats up within a few minutes, and the top steamer we tested can eliminate wrinkles effortlessly. They work best on thinner fabrics such as silk and polyester-and the fastest-you may not want to iron them for fear of scorching them. The steamer is also a convenient way to smooth out wrinkled curtains or curtains-there is no need to remove them. I tested three basic types of steamers for this guide: a medium-sized handheld model, which looks like a small dumbbell, which is a good choice if you steam semi-regularly; a small portable model (shaped like a pitcher) that can hold a few ounces The water is most suitable for light use; and the full-size floor-standing model (similar to the size of a vacuum cleaner), they have a hanging rod to hang your clothes and the largest water tank, so you can use the steam for a long time without refilling water .
Don't rely on the steamer to make sharp folds or creases, or flatten seams. Some of the tools I tried were equipped with special tools for this, but they were time-consuming and laborious, and they made me wonder why I didn't take out the iron. In tests, I also found that steam irons are not as effective as irons in dealing with stubborn wrinkles and wrinkles, especially on the hem of heavily wrinkled shirts, jeans and cotton sheets. If you wash and dry your formal shirts or any button-down shirts at home, an iron is a better tool to keep you fresh. If you want to avoid storing a large ironing board in a small apartment, a steamer can be helpful, but this is only realistic if your clothes are not that wrinkled. (We recommend small-space living options in our ironing board guide.)
I use these criteria to find the best steamer:
Good power: The steamer with the strongest steam burst can eliminate wrinkles the fastest. I hope to finish a suit and walk out the door in a few minutes.
No water marks: Water stains can damage delicate and expensive fabrics, and dripping water may also be a safety hazard for plug-in appliances. I look for a steamer that does not drip, spit, or leak.
Large water tank: The larger the water tank, the longer you can use the steamer without having to refill it with water. I looked at three different size categories and prioritized providing spacious tanks for all of these categories.
Comfortable: The medium-sized hand-held steamer is top-heavy and inconvenient to pick up. Since steam involves a lot of arm lifting, I look for a steam wheel that is comfortable enough to use for a few minutes at a time. I also like the steamer that can be used vertically and horizontally, which is more comfortable for those who use the steamer on a flat surface. I looked for a longer power cord, which would be helpful if you are tall or your outlet is not in a convenient place.
Warranty: Over the years, I have learned that irons and steamers are easily damaged. For one person, a steamer may last for several years, while for others, the same model may turn off after two months. I only consider models with a reliable guarantee, in case they give up the ghost prematurely.
In addition to applying our in-depth knowledge of steam engines (obtained from long-term tests), I also considered the opinions of The Strategist and Good Housekeeping, and checked the star ratings of Amazon, Bed Bath & Beyond, Target, and other retailers To compile a list of 28 candidates. I narrowed down the list by reading user reviews of these retailers, checking reports such as customer service issues and steamers that have not been used for a long time, and checking the specifications of each steamer—warranty, tank size, and useful features. I included the widely acclaimed steamer, popular brands that have been proven reliable in the past, and household names that are easy to find. In the end, I decided to test 17 steamers in three categories: portable, handheld (aka medium), and floor-standing.
I tried every steamer made of various materials, including cotton sheets, button shirts and silk, and noticed which models meet the above criteria. I used them vertically (on clothes on a hanger) and horizontally (on the ironing board). I measured the length of the steamer extension cord and the size of the water tank.
This steam engine melts wrinkles without spraying water on our fabrics-which is rare in the models we tested. It is also comfortable to hold and has excellent functions, better than any other hand-held steamer we have tried.
May be out of stock
*At the time of publication, the price was $55.
They say that details determine success or failure, but with the Sunbeam Power steam fabric steamer, details are simply a godsend. Sunbeam checked every box on our list: it is effective against wrinkles, does not leave wet spots on the test fabric, and it feels comfortable to hold. Its (relatively) large water tank is the easiest to add water, plus Sunbeam has a three-year limited warranty. But ingenious details—such as the metal strip above the steam opening, snap-on “steam handles”, and high and low steam switches—put Sunbeam above the competition, making steam a pleasant chore.
The steam from Sunbeam flattened a silk dress and a crumpled cotton pillowcase in a matter of seconds. Several steamships we considered have multiple holes to allow steam to escape, but Sunbeam has a slender slit, which produces more targeted steam. Compared to any other hand-held steamer I have tested, crumpled button shirts have more wrinkles (although the most stubborn wrinkles on the sleeves and hem still require an iron). In addition, many of the steam engines I tested spit out water droplets with the steam, leaving wet marks on the test fabrics. There is no sunlight; of the eight hand-held steamers I tried in 2019, only Sunbeam and Conair Turbo ExtremeSteam can dry the clothes completely.
Hand-held (aka medium-sized) steamers may feel uncomfortable after a few minutes of use-of the three steamer types we tested, they were the heaviest to hold and were top-heavy. Sunbeam is the most comfortable handheld device that can be used vertically and horizontally. Its dumbbell shape feels very balanced, and the weight of the water at the bottom feels equal to the steam head at the top. It weighs about 4 pounds when the tank is full (the handheld devices I tested ranged from 2½ pounds to 5 pounds). It is not as comfortable to use as the floor-standing Reliable Vivio 500 GC, but it costs about one-fourth of its price and is easier to store. Its water tank has a capacity of 11 ounces, which is the second largest in our handheld test group, after Black Decker HGS200 (13 ounces). In the test, Sunbeam used less than half the water in the tank to smooth two buttons, a dress, a pillowcase, a silk top, a T-shirt and a silk pajamas.
The best part of the water tank is its wide and flat shape, which is one of the few details that makes Sunbeam unique. In the hand-held steamer I have tried, its water tank is the easiest to fill up-it sits nicely on the counter, so you can fill it with one hand (I used a spouted cup because the water tank’s The hole is small). A simple twist and click action locks the water tank back into the steamer. Sunbeam also has a metal strip above the steam opening, called a "wrinkle bar", which helps push steam into the fibers of the fabric (similar to the effect of an iron). This is the only steamer with this feature I have tested. (The entire steamer head of Black Decker HGS312 is heated, but the effect is not as good as Sunbeam's stick.) Several hand-held steamers are equipped with accessories such as lint brushes and crease clips, but Sunbeam's is the most useful. My favorite accessory is the steam handle. It is a snap-on plastic shield that prevents steam from scalding my fingers. This is a thoughtful extra feature unique to Sunbeam. After several hours of hot steam testing, I appreciate it very much. it. Sunbeam also allows me to control the amount of steam better than any other hand-held or portable steam engine I have tested. Its high and low switch controls the flow, and the trigger button switches between steady flow or short pulse. The high setting is the fastest to smooth out wrinkles, but the low setting is good because it will not burn my fingers when I stretch the fabric tightly.
Sunbeam is heavy-it is so heavy that one of our editors cannot use it regularly in long-term testing. With a full gas tank, it weighs almost 1.5 pounds than the second-best handheld device I've tried, Conair Turbo ExtremeSteam. However, Sunbeam is not the heaviest handheld device-Black Decker HGS312 weighs 5 pounds. I like Sunbeam's iron rods when steaming vertically, but they are not effective horizontally. It does not slide smoothly over the fabric (it tends to form a ball), which makes me wonder why I don't just use an iron. In addition, the water tank does not have a large hole, so you may need a cup with a spout to fill it (just like I did). However, this is very common in hand-held steamers.
There are some real junk in the world of small traveling ships. However, compared with other products we have tried, this product has a better structure and higher efficiency-it even outperforms some of the more expensive mid-sized competitors.
*At the time of publication, the price was $15.
Portable (aka travel size) steam engines are not the most impressive example of modern engineering-most of them leak, and they are not that powerful-but Conair Complete Steam Handheld Fabric Steamer (GS2) It is the best discovery we have seen, and it is even better than some of the larger and more expensive models. If you need to use a steamer only occasionally for dressing up or traveling, the small Conair is effective, affordable and lightweight.
In the test, Conair not only defeated all cheap portable steamers, but compared to mid-sized handheld devices from Rowenta and Black Decker, it was easier to fill and left fewer wet marks on clothes. Conair does not generate as much steam as we generate from Sunbeam’s main selection, so it needs more fabric to smooth out wrinkles, and it’s not as effective for stubborn creases-but it’s not as expensive as it is. Half of it. Conair is very suitable for easy work and travel. If you don't have much to evaporate, it is more comfortable to use than the heavy Sunbeam. When used too close to the fabric, it does leave some water stains. But Conair is also one of only two small ships (the discontinued Deneve, our good choice before, is the other one) I have tried to use it horizontally; it only drips a few drops of water, compared to other people who splash water everywhere, This is a victory.
Conair (like most of the five portable steamers I've tried) looks like a small watering can, weighing about 2.5 pounds when filled-far less than the 4 pounds of Sunbeam. It is the heaviest portable steamer I have tested, but it has one of the smallest water tanks. Empty it just over 2 pounds, and the water tank can hold 5 ounces of water. In contrast, HiLife Steamer weighs 1.5 pounds when empty and has an 8-ounce water tank. You can steam two or three pieces of clothing with Conair before it needs to be refilled. Conair’s one-year warranty is shorter than our other options, but the same as most other cheap portable steamers we have considered. The price and quality of portable steamers show us that they will not last forever.
This floor-standing steamer is more pleasant to use than other large steamers we have tried. It has a smooth steam burst, a comfortable handle and the largest water tank we have tested.
If you have a lot of things to do (such as helping the wedding party get dressed or handling piles of clothes), if you prefer to spread your clothes on a table or bed instead of hanging them upright, or if you don’t find a heavy hand-held steam hanger The ironing machine is very comfortable to use. The floor-standing Reliable Vivio 500GC professional garment ironing machine is a reliable alternative that discourages its four competitors. The flexible hose makes this steamer the most comfortable choice for us to use. It releases a steady and effective steam flow; it is cleverly designed; after I run out of fabric to smooth it, its 1-gallon water tank is still steaming. However, its cost is about four times that of Sunbeam.
For large jobs, the handheld Sunbeam steamer can exercise your biceps, but it tests your patience; on the other hand, Reliable Vivio has a lightweight hose (like all floor-standing steam engines), which is better than what we have tried Other products are more flexible and easier to slide on the fabric. (It's like using a vacuum cleaner hose.) This also makes Reliable our best horizontal steamer option, if you wish. It is as effective as other full-size steamers in smoothing wrinkles (similar to a handheld Sunbeam in this respect), but it is the only steamer that does not spit water.
All floor-standing garment steamers have a fixed rod to fix the garment steamer head and clothes. Reliable Vivio comes with its own clothes hanger. Compared with models such as Pure Steam and Jiffy, neither of these two models have it. It allows you to keep your clothes more stable when steaming. Reliable’s design makes it unique, but compared to other floor-standing steamers I have tested, it does require more settings-I had to take out a screwdriver. The other vertical steamer Pure Enrichment we tried is also equipped with a snap-on hanger, but it is more difficult to move (this is an important consideration when you are trying to steam the front and back of a shirt).
Like all floor-standing steamers I have tried, Reliable's removable water tank is easy to fill, with a screw cap and a wide opening that fits under the faucet. It holds more water (one gallon) than any other steamer we tested, but it still heats up in about two minutes. You don’t have to empty the water tank after each use, so once it’s set up, you can easily push it out and start using it. Reliable's wheels are better on hardwood floors than any other full-size steamer wheels I have tried, but be careful when storing or moving it. If the base is tilted back, some water will drip out of the water tank. Leakage is a common problem, and Reliable is not the most serious problem during testing. It provides a three-year limited warranty.
In the 2019 test, the performance of the Conair Turbo ExtremeSteam garment steamer is as good as Sunbeam. It is comfortable to use, but it costs a few dollars, and the water tank is smaller, reducing it by 3 ounces. If Sunbeam is sold out or unavailable, Turbo ExtremeSteam is the second best handheld device I have tried.
The Black Decker 2-in-1 Steam & Iron Handheld Steamer and Pressure Plate (HGS312) is the best of the three Black Decker steamers we have tried, and its performance is as good as Sunbeam and Conair steamers. Like Sunbeam, Black Decker also has a heated steam head, but it was not very effective in our tests. Some other small details, such as a difficult-to-use switch button, prompted us to move it to a lower position in our list.
Facts have proved that the reliable Dash 100GH handheld clothes hanger and the Beautural 1200 watt clothes hanger are the same in every respect, but the names are different. They all smoothed out the wrinkles on the filaments, but struggling with the thicker cotton cloth, they also vomited some water on the fabric.
The Rowenta DR8080 powerful handheld garment and fabric steamer is as heavy as Sunbeam, but its 6½-ounce water tank is almost half the size. In our tests, it was not easy to fill, and it would leak.
The Black Decker Advanced Handheld Steamer (HGS200) is a waste product. I had to press the power button multiple times to get it to work. This is the slowest steamer in our test. It didn't produce too much steam, and it made strange-even shocking-noises, so I unplugged it in a few minutes. However, it does have the largest water tank (13½ ounces) of any handheld device we have tried.
We cancelled our previous preferred product, Joy Mangano My Little Steamer, after reports that it filed a lawsuit related to severe steam burns. In the past few years, we have also tested and eliminated the Jiffy Esteam travel steamer, Steamfast SF-435 compact fabric steamer and Shark Press & Refresh clothing care system (GS500).
The PAX steam engine for clothes, travel and home and the iSteam steam engine for clothes turned out to be exactly the same steam engine, but the brand was different. There are no obstructions between the water tank and any steam holes, so if you tip them over, the water will pour out immediately. In fact, we found that the slightest collision will cause water to splash on our fabric. This makes horizontal steaming impossible, vertical steaming is unpleasant, and feels like a safety hazard.
The Hilife steam engine used for clothing has the same problems as the PAX and iSteam steam engines. It leaks, cannot be used horizontally, and does not become very hot.
The Deneve portable garment steamer, our good choice before, was discontinued and unusable when we retested in 2019. If you happen to find it, it still performs well.
In previous years, we also tested and eliminated Conair Travel Smart, Pure Enrichment PureSteam portable fabric steamer and Joy Mangano My Little Steamer Go Mini.
Pure Enrichment Pure Steam XL vertical steamer is the cheapest full-size steamer I have tried. Although it has some nice details, in general, you get what you pay for. It will spit on our test fabric and is not as powerful as Reliable Vivio 500GC. It also has the smallest water tank in its class. The clip-on hanger keeps the clothes still, but it is troublesome to untie and turn the other side of the steam clothes.
Our previous floor-standing pick J-2000 Jiffy garment ironing machine is simple in design and emits strong steam, but in our tests, it is the most serious problem of water tank leakage. When I tried to roll Jiffy's hard wheels on the floor, water poured out from the base, covering the power cord and plug. I had to stop testing this steam engine until it was dry enough to plug it in, and when I moved it after the test it leaked again.
PurSteam full-size garment fabric steamer is the only other steamer I have tried (except Sunbeam), it has a knob to control the power of the steam. This is a good feature, but the steam engine will leak on all tested fabrics. The hose is also very hard to use until the steam loosens it after a few minutes.
In previous years, we tested and eliminated Rowenta IS6200 Compact Valet and Rowenta IS6300 Master Valet full-size garment steamers (they are actually the same), Steamfast SF-510 fabric garment steamers, Sunbeam S1500 classic garment steamers and Almost the same garment steamer Singer SteamWorks Pro and Conair Ultimate Fabric Steamer (GS28).
Editor, the best garment steamer on Amazon, based on super enthusiastic reviews, Strategist, May 10, 2019
Sarah Bogden, these are the 10 best garment irons to buy, good housekeeping, December 7, 2018
Since 2015, Jackie Reeve has been a senior staff writer at Wirecutter, covering bedding, tissue, and household items. Before that, she was a school librarian and had been quilting for about 15 years. Her quilt patterns and other written works have appeared in various publications. She manages Wirecutter's employee book club and makes the bed every morning.
Our favorite iron is the Maytag M400 instant iron and vertical steamer. Compared to most other products we have tested, it is inexpensive, easy to use and more reliable.
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