It is universally agreed that ironing is one of the worst chores on the household roster.
It’s laborious to set-up, lengthy to execute and there always seems to be … more.
A garment steamer, on the other hand, can remove wrinkles and freshen fabric in a fraction of the time, making it a great addition to a traditional steam iron.
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While it won’t always be the perfect replacement for an iron, many garment steamers now have impressive crease-busting abilities and can also work wonders on soft or delicate materials that can’t be ironed.
Because they’re so portable, garment steamers are also ideal for travel and for using around the house to freshen up curtains and bedding.
Looking to invest in one? We’ve rounded up a list of the best handheld and upright steamers below (based on our own experience with the products and real customer reviews) that will help you say goodbye to ironing for good.
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BEST AFFORDABLE GARMENT STEAMER
Kambrook SwiftSteam Garment Steamer, $54, Bing Lee
Budget Buy
Kambrook SwiftSteam Garment Steamer
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
While it does require a power socket, Kambrook’s SwiftSteam garment steamer makes ironing a breeze. The 360-degree swivel cord makes it easy to maneuovre, while the easy trigger button gives you a continuous jet of steam. It also comes with a detachable fabric brush to remove lint and dust from upholstery and clothes.
Of its many five star reviews, shoppers complimented the model for its effectiveness against wrinkles and powerful steam jet, with one reviewer writing: “Love it. This is a life-changer. I no longer dread ironing my silk shirts or indeed any fabric, thick or thin. I quickly wave this steamer over it for a minute or two and it freshens it up, gets rid of creases and I’m ready to go. Highly recommend it.”
Philips Steam and Go Handheld Garment Steamer, $109, Amazon
Philips Steam and Go Handheld Garment Steamer
Offer expires on 06/11/22
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
This Philips steamer can be used both horizontally and vertically on those too-tricky-to-iron areas of clothing. The super compact steamer can also travel with you to ensure you have crisp, unwrinkled clothing wherever you go.
The steam plate is always heated to its optimal temperature too, so you don’t need to worry about it causing damage to your clothes. It also features a 70ml detachable water tank that’s easy to fill and a handy 2.5 metre cord for maximum reach.
Sunbeam Power Steam Handheld Garment Steamer, $69, Amazon
On sale
Sunbeam Power Steam Handheld Garment Steamer
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: This handheld garment steamer from Sunbeam, is a bestseller on Amazon. Five star reviewers said it was compact and easy to use, but others said found it heavy and were disappointed by the results. It has a 300ml water tank that allows you to steam for 18 minutes without refilling and includes a fabric brush, lint pad, steam diffuser and creaser to replicate the functions of an iron.
One five-star reviewer said, “I LOVE the ease of use of this machine. It’s easy to manoeuvre, it heats quickly, disperses steam evenly and removes wrinkles quickly and easily…given how much I paid for my previous steamer, this one is a steal”.
Russell Hobbs Handheld Steamer, $65, Catch
Russell Hobbs Handheld Steamer
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
The metal press of this handheld steamer replicates an iron head to tackle stiffer fabrics like suits, linen and denim. Whether you want to refresh your winter knits or require a more delicate hand to gently decrease a silk top, the 220mL tank will quickly have your clothes looking wrinkle-free.
BEST UPRIGHT GARMENT STEAMER
Tefal Pro Style Upright Garment Steamer, $149, Amazon
Tried and Tested
Tefal Pro Style Upright Garment Steamer
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
I gave the Tefal Upright Pro Style steamer a five out of five rating for performance after putting it to the test. All-in-all, the garment steamer does exactly what it says and is drastically more time efficient than ironing. Because you’re not dealing with a heated metal head, there’s also no risk of accidentally leaving scorch marks on the fabric or adding unintentional creases. While this steamer was more expensive than other models on the list, she said “it does work, and really well at that.”
You can read all about it in our hands-on review.
Sunbeam Butler Turbo Garment Steamer, $169, Amazon
Sunbeam Butler Turbo Garment Steamer, $199
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
This Sunbeam upright garment steamer is recommended by Choice, which gave it an 82 per cent rating overall and scored it highly on steaming performance. The only negative was its performance on linen, where it scored 40 per cent for performance. It can be used on delicate fabrics such as silk or handle thicker fabrics such as denim or even curtains. It has an integrated hanger that rotates, allowing you to steam quickly and seamlessly, while an automatic standby mode lets you know when the water needs topping up.
Tefal IXEO Power All-in-One Iron Steamer Station, $599.20, Myer
Tefal IXEO Power All-in-One Iron Steamer Station
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
Tefal’s IXEO all-in-one steamer machine heats up in just 45 seconds and comes with a three-position ‘Smart Board’ so you can zip through your morning shirt ironing or get in between pleats with ease.
Users can also hang a clothes hanger through the provided hook and use the machine as you would a normal garment steamer.
BEST GARMENT STEAMER WARDROBE
LG Styler Steam Clothing Care System, $2,799, Harvey Norman
LG Styler Steam Clothing Care System, $2,799
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
While it does come at a luxury price, LG’s Styler Clothing Care System offers a unique way to care for your clothing – especially items that can’t go in the wash.
It won’t replace your washing machine or dryer, but it will use steam to sanitise, refresh and deodorise clothing while also reducing wrinkles. There’s also a nifty pleat crisper for pants and a ‘Sanitary Cycle’ which helps to reduce common allergens such as dust mites and bacteria from clothing and fabrics.
GARMENT STEAMER VS IRON: WHICH IS BETTER?
Garment steamers are a handy appliance for quickly refreshing light to middleweight fabrics or delicate items that can’t be ironed. Handheld steamers are also great for throwing in your suitcase to decrease clothing when an iron and board isn’t available.
However, garment steamers don’t offer the same crisp result as an iron, which makes them more of an additional purchase, rather than a replacement, for an iron.
HOW DO YOU USE A GARMENT STEAMER?
Most garment steamers are designed to be quite intuitive to use, so all you have to do is fill the container with water and hit the on-button. You may want to hold your item of clothing taut as you steam out the wrinkles on the underside.
Keep in mind that you are handling hot steam which can cause serious burns if you’re not careful. It goes without saying, but you should never touch the steam with your bare hands and should always turn the machine off when it’s not in use.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF USING A GARMENT STEAMER?
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Not only will using a garment steamer take you a fraction of the time it takes to properly iron a piece of clothing, but it’s kinder on your clothes too. Since there’s no heated metal touching the fabric, you won’t risk accidentally burning your clothing. The steam is also effective at de-wrinkling delicate fabrics like chiffon, silk and wool.
Steaming can also prolong the freshness of your clothes between washes by killing odour causing germs and bacteria. The only downside is you might find it difficult to get a precise pleat crease on your pants, though some steamers do come with a separate attachment for this very purpose.
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Originally published as 8 best garment steamers | Top-rated clothes steamers 2023
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