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Clothes steamers (also known as garment steamers) are meant to be a quick fix for removing stubborn creases when you haven't got time to iron. We put this to the test and found the best clothes steamers to leave your garments crease-free. cordless iron press
We tested handheld clothes steamers costing less than £100 from brands including Logik, Philips and Fridja.
Garment steamers vary in price from as little as £20 for a handheld steamer to more than £300 for an upright steamer. We focus on handheld garment steamers because they're both portable and cheaper, although our testing reveals that, with garment steamers you tend to get what you pay for.
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Date tested: May 2022. Page last checked: February 2024. We are not able to show every retailer and cheaper prices may be available.
All the clothes steamers we've tested are listed in alphabetical order below.
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Advertised steam rate: 25g/min
Extra features: 2-in-1 brush and lint attachment
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Advertised steam rate: 26g/min
Extra features: Protective steam pad, lint remover and refresh brush attachment
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Advertised steam rate: 25g/min
Extra features: Collar press, folding hanger, fabric guard attachment, water bottle adaptor
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Advertised steam rate: 18g/min
Extra features: Storage bag, brush attachment, anti-scalding glove
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Advertised steam rate: 22g/min
Extra features: Fabric brush attachment
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Advertised steam rate: 24g/min
Extra features: Brush attachment, protective glove
See our pick of the best heated clothes airers and drying pods , plus how much they cost to run.
To find the best clothes steamers, we put the most popular through the following series of tests.
We buy all the clothes steamers we test and the pillowcases, shirts and T-shirts we use for our testing are donated to charity afterwards.
We regularly revisit the clothes steamers on sale to see if there are any more popular models that need testing and when we find them we do
We use each garment steamer to remove creases from silk, linen and cotton pillowcases, as well as from polycotton T-shirts.
The best clothes steamers effectively remove creases from all of the materials, while the worst leave them damp and still creased.
We use each clothes steamer on cotton shirts to test how easy they are to use with and without Cambridge simulation gloves .
These gloves allow us to empathise with anyone with restricted hand movement and experience difficulties they might find while using a clothes steamer.
To test the actual heat-up time of each clothes steamer against the advertised heat-up time, we turn on each garment steamer and record how long it takes to get hot enough to use.
We repeat this test three times and allow the clothes steamers to cool down fully between each test.
The best garment steamers meet or, in one case beat, the advertised time.
Steam rate is the amount of steam created by the clothes steamers per minute. In theory, the higher the steam rate the more powerful and effective the product should be.
To test the advertised steam rates of each garment steamer, we fill each steamer's tank with its maximum capacity of water and then run it for eight minutes (or as long as the tank lasted) before weighing the tank again. We repeat this process three times.
Interestingly, we find the most effective crease removers don't always have the highest steam rates, so it pays to read our reviews rather than buying on advertised steam rate.
At the start of our tests, we check for any manufacturing faults or flaws.
Once all other tests are complete, we drop each clothes steamer from 90cm (35 inches) on to a linoleum covered floor five times.
The best are still useable although a bit scraped and scuffed. The worst shatter.
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There are two main types of garment steamer to choose from - handheld and upright.
These are smaller, lighter and more portable than upright models (between 1kg and 2kg, whereas uprights can weigh more than 7kg). Therefore, this is the kind you need if you want one to take on holiday. They have a small water tank you attach to the steamer.
These are larger. bulkier and more powerful than handheld models. They have a large water tank in the base, which means they can steam for longer. They also often come with a built-in hanger.
Handheld garment steamers differ in their features and extras. These were what we came across in our testing. Every steamer differs, so check out our reviews for what will be included with the clothes steamer you choose.
In completing these tests we learned tips to get the best results from your garment steamer.
Probably not. While the best clothes steamers we tested were effective at removing creases they are, on the whole, better for touch-up work on specific garments when you've not got the time for a full iron.
Though if you're someone who folds away or hangs freshly dried clothes well (so they're not horrendously crumpled), you might find a garment steamer is enough for you. They can also be handy if you find traditional irons and ironing boards too heavy to use.
If you'd prefer an iron then head to our steam iron reviews to find the best iron for your budget.
The most portable garment steamers make useful travel companions to spruce up clothing that has been creased in a suitcase. Some we've tested even include accessories suited to travelling, such as mini clothes hangers or the ability to use a bottle of water instead of the tank, meaning you can travel more lightly.
If you pack your handheld clothes steamer in your hand luggage, remember to empty the water tank before going through airport security. Like most electronics, it may also need to be removed from your bag when it's being scanned.
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