• Ironing can be a real hassle, but you can get the wrinkles out of your clothes much easier with a great steamer.
  • All of our research points to the PurSteam Elite Garment Steamer as the best clothes steamer to keep your clothing wrinkle-free.
  • Read more: The best clothing irons

Crisp, unwrinkled clothes simply improve your look, but, unfortunately, getting your outfit perfectly pressed takes time and effort.

The first options that come to mind may be to A) send your clothes out and have a laundromat or dry cleaner make them wrinkle-free, which can be a burden on your wallet, or B) break out the iron and ironing board and get to work. Luckily there’s a faster, easier way, and that is steaming.

Steaming clothes is less complicated than ironing and achieves equally wrinkle-free results. It’s the go-to choice in industries like fashion and broadcast where items of clothing may need to be packed up and moved often.

There are various types of garment steamers, but they all generally function the same way. Water is placed in a base or reservoir where it’s heated to produce steam, and that steam is then released through a wide nozzle that you hover over the item you’re looking to de-wrinkle. Usually, pressure or direct contact with the fabric is not required, as the high heat of the steam is all it takes to remove the wrinkles.

We evaluated each of the following models by taking into account their heat-up time, wrinkle removal efficacy, and durability. Keep reading to find out which of our top picks works best for your needs.

Here are the best clothes steamers:

Updated on 8/28/2020 to include accurate and up-to-date prices, links, and references. We stand by the top five picks highlighted in this post's June 2020 update, but will be testing new products and reassessing accordingly.

The best overall

The PurSteam Elite Garment Steamer produces perfect steam for 60 minutes to remove wrinkles from all your clothes.

The PurSteam Elite Garment Steamer removes wrinkles quickly and easily.

Plus, it comes with a money-back guarantee and five-year warranty, so you know it's made to last. While it's not a professional unit, it can handle a family's clothing load with its 61-ounce tank that heats up in just under a minute and provides 60 minutes of stable steam.

The design is part of what makes this steamer so appealing. It has a handy, adjustable hanger that is expandable from 15 to 19 inches. That means no more holding up your clothes - a surefire way to accidentally blast yourself with hot steam - or searching for a hook. It also has clips to help hold other small items in place, such as small children's clothing, pillowcases, and more. The hanger is collapsible and the top hanger part can be replaced with a brush hook, which makes for easy storage.

It comes with a convenient handheld steam board to de-wrinkle collars, pockets, and sleeves. The board also doubles as a crease attachment to provide a more polished, dry-cleaned look.

The PurSteam can handle delicate to heavy materials and provides steam up to 248 degrees Fahrenheit to penetrate fabrics deeply and relax fibers. The high temperature means it works faster than ironing and freshens clothes, killing up to 99.9% of germs. Finally, the cost is reasonable, especially compared to other standing steamers.

Pros: Reasonable price, quality customer service/guarantee, handy built-in hanger, steams for 60 consecutive minutes, convenient add-ons and accessories, sanitizing features

Cons: May not provide a consistent steam flow, which might be caused by calcium or mineral buildup due to using tap water instead of distilled water in the unit

The best on a budget

Foto: Source: URPOWER

More powerful than a travel steamer but still mobile enough to carry, the URPOWER Garment Steamer eliminates wrinkles faster than your average iron.

The URPOWER Garment Steamer makes steaming anywhere a quick and easy process. The 1.2-pound device heats up in only two minutes, and with its 130-milliliter tank, it provides constant steam for 7 to 10 minutes.

This upgraded model has a new nozzle design that distributes steam more powerfully and consistently than the previous version, making it easier to remove stubborn wrinkles.

Even if you're new to steaming, you won't have much trouble learning how to use this steamer. It conveniently features an automatic shut-off function if the unit gets too hot or the water level is too low. This feature protects your clothing as well as the longevity of the unit, which already comes with a two-year warranty.

Because it measures 3.7-by-8.8-by-6.2 inches, it's smaller than an iPad, so you can carry it around without much hassle. It comes with a handy travel pouch, too.

Pros: Price, built-in safety features, easy to use, portable

Cons: May spit water occasionally, questionable longevity

The best handheld

Foto: Source: Rowenta

The Rowenta X-Cel Handheld Steamer emits powerful steam to make wrinkles disappear, plus, it's not too big.

Rowenta's X-Cel Handheld Steamer is a small device that's just the right size for anyone who needs to quickly steam some wrinkles out of tomorrow's suit, dress shirt, and tie with little fuss.

The steamer emits 1500 Watts worth of steam for 10 minutes straight and heats up in about 40 to 45 seconds. The stainless steel head has several holes for even steam distribution, and it comes with a fabric brush, lint pad, and steam bonnet attachments so you can steam any fabric without destroying it.

Because it's not overly large, Rowenta's steamer is easy to hold and fairly lightweight. I use it to steam my clothes on a regular basis and find it very easy to use. The water tank may be small, but I've never had trouble refilling it and rarely use it for 10 minutes straight, so I've never exhausted the water supply mid-steam.

If you don't steam too many clothes or fabrics all at once and you want a small steamer that you can pack away at a moment's notice, this is it. - Malarie Gokey

Pros: Strong steam, small size, easy to hold, not too heavy

Cons: Pricey, small tank

The best for travel

Foto: Source: Conair

With a compact, foldable design, the Conair Travel Smart Garment Steamer is a versatile tool that does the job on the go.

If you've ever tried to use a hotel's iron and been discouraged by the rust, calcium buildup, and other inevitable gunk, you'll understand the importance of a good travel steamer.

While handheld steamers can often be used as travel steamers as well, the Conair Travel Smart Garment Steamer is designed specifically with travel in mind. It's portable and lightweight, weighing just over a pound. And at 4.5 by 4.5 by 9.5 inches, it's one of the smallest we could find on the market.

If you're having trouble visualizing how big that actually is, know that it's a bit bigger than your average thermos, so you won't have trouble packing it in your suitcase or backpack. The handle folds out for use, keeping it nice and compact when you need to store it away.

The reservoir holds enough water for about 10 minutes of continuous steam, so if you're planning on doing an entire trip's worth of clothes in one sitting, you may find yourself refilling the steamer a time or two. But it's great for quick touch-ups to ensure your shirt sleeves look crisp before your meeting.

Another great travel-specific feature of the Conair Travel Steamer is its dual-voltage power, making it safe to take on international trips. You won't need a power converter - just a plug head adaptor - and you won't have to worry about European outlets frying the device.

If something does malfunction, however, Conair offers a limited one-year warranty, so even though this steamer is reasonably affordable, you'll have a bit of extra peace of mind that you're not throwing your money away if something goes wrong.

Pros: Travel-friendly, sanitizing features, works on a variety of materials, dual-voltage, lightweight

Cons: Steam may not be strong enough to get out tough wrinkles, small reservoir

The best for heavy-duty use

Foto: Source: Jiffy

The J-2000 Jiffy Garment Steamer is robust and durable, providing powerful wrinkle-killing steam for a full 90 minutes.

If you plan on steaming more than an item or two at once, you'll want a more heavy-duty steamer, which is where this J-2000 Jiffy Garment Steamer comes into play.

The standing steamer features a plastic removable 3/4 gallon water reservoir with a no-drip check valve system that fits securely into the base of the steamer and provides 1.5 hours of steaming per fill.

The steamer is designed with durability and lengthy steam sessions in mind, so it's equally great at home or for light commercial use. It has a high-impact polymer outer housing that provides an extra layer of protection along with wheels that swivel for mobility.

The steamer has a quick two-minute heat up time, which is rather swift considering the amount of water it holds. It has a 5.5-foot hose with a 6-inch steam head, so it can cover a good amount of fabric at once. It comes complete with color-coded high-temperature wiring and a fusible link with an automatic shut-off feature for safety. This steamer can be used on clothing, bedding, table linens, and can even remove wallpaper.

Pros: Steams for 90 consecutive minutes, tough on wrinkles, long-lasting

Cons: Price, design, possible water spit issues

How to choose a clothes steamer

Foto: Source: Amazon

How to pick a clothes steamer

Standing garment steamers are the most traditional type of steamer and keep water in some type of base on the floor, while a long tube with a nozzle at the end shoots out steam.

Your typical handheld garment steamer looks like an oversized tea brewer with a wide end rather than a spout, and comes with a cord. The water basin is generally smaller but attached to the nozzle portion of the device, and there are no long tubes so it's easier to maneuver.

Travel garment steamers come in a variety of shapes and designs, but most function the same way as a handheld garment steamer, just with a more compact body.

When shopping for a garment steamer, you should consider a few factors:

  • Performance: The best steamers heat up quickly, although a larger water reservoir can take longer to get up to temperature. Of course, the bigger the reservoir, the more steam time you'll receive in-between refills. Beyond water capacity, the best steamers will not spit water at you or your clothes, but rather, produce uniform steam.
  • Ease of Use: If you're just steaming clothes that can easily fit on a hanger, you may not need a long tube or power cord for your steamer. Larger items like drapes are easier to steam when you have an extendable tube or attachment.
  • Easy to clean: Removable tanks are preferred as they are easier to fill and clean. If your steamer's base isn't removable, make sure the product comes with clear cleaning instructions.
  • Accessories: Some steamers have unique features or come with add-ons that make steaming easier, such as an automatic shut-off function, wheels, built-in hangers, steam boards, and more.
  • Price: Garment steamers vary in price from around $30 to upwards of $200 and are usually more expensive than irons. The price depends on extra features, brand, and more often than not, the amount of water the steamer can hold and the steam time it can provide. By this logic, travel steamers will be the lowest priced option, followed by handheld, and then standing garment steamers.

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Foto: Source: Joy Mangano/Facebook

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