Caitlin Petreycik/Insider
Steamers can do lots of things that irons can't — de-wrinkle delicate fabrics, lift stale smells out of clothes, smooth your curtains without taking them down, and refresh upholstery. They can also save you money on dry cleaning over time.
I worked in the fashion departments of various publications for eight years where I steamed hundreds of garments for photo shoots, from gauzy, hand-beaded wedding dresses to vintage concert tees (at Coney Island in 40-degree weather, no less). In other words, I have strong steamer opinions.
Aside from my personal experience, I also consulted the entrepreneurs behind two companies entirely devoted to top-level laundry care, Celsious and The Laundress, for their product recommendations and expert tips.
I evaluated each steamer for strength and steadiness of steam flow, water tank size, ease of use, and special features, with points immediately docked for any sign of sputtering. You can read more about how I tested clothes steamers here, along with tips on how to clean them and a breakdown of which fabrics should and shouldn't be steamed.
The best clothes steamers in 2022
Best clothes steamer overall: Sunbeam Power Steam Fabric Steamer, $59.99 on Amazon, Temporarily OOS
The Sunbeam Power Steam Fabric Steamer stands out among similarly priced competitors thanks to its adjustable steam flow settings and clever additional features.
Best professional-grade clothes steamer: Jiffy J-2, $206.77 on Amazon
A fashion industry standard, the reliable Jiffy J-2 emits powerful steam while remaining gentle enough to use on your most delicate garments.
Best adjustable clothes steamer: PurSteam PS-910, $99.97 on Amazon
With its collapsible pole and collection of useful attachments, the PurSteam Professional Garment Steamer can be positioned to accommodate a wide range of garments.
Best budget clothes steamer: Beautural 1200-Watt Steamer, $31.97 on Amazon
The Beautural 1200-Watt Steamer has the tank capacity and steam power of handheld models twice its price, plus a few extra features.
Caitlin Petreycik/Insider
The Sunbeam Power Steam Fabric Steamer stands out among similarly priced competitors thanks to its adjustable steam flow settings and clever additional features.
Pros: Adjustable steam force, heats quickly, snap-on shield to protect your hands, large water tank, balanced design, 3-year warranty
Cons: Heavy, metal "wrinkle remover bar" isn't as effective as an iron, difficult to find in stock
Most people can get by with a handheld steamer. Out of the seven handheld models I tested, the Sunbeam Power Steam Fabric Steamer was the clear winner, thanks to its adjustable steam flow settings, balanced design, and thoughtful additional features.
The Sunbeam heats up in under a minute, and its tank holds 11 ounces of water, significantly more than most handheld steamers. In about 15 minutes, I was able to de-wrinkle a tea-length silk dress, two cotton button-down shirts, a wool mini skirt, a cashmere cardigan, and a pair of corduroy pants with zero wet spots.
At 4 pounds when filled to capacity, this was one of the heavier devices I tried. However, it was never uncomfortable to hold, thanks to its well-balanced design.
Steamer nozzles typically release steam through a series of holes, but the Sunbeam's is outfitted with one long vent, resulting in a more powerful and concentrated jet. The high and low settings allow you to control the force of the flow, while a trigger button unleashes short bursts of steam.
When set to high, the Sunbeam was the only handheld steamer that significantly smoothed my wrinkled linen curtains. I was impressed by how it handled a fabric that typically only responds to ironing.
The Sunbeam comes with three nozzle attachments: a lint brush for lint and pet hair, a short-bristle brush, and a steam handle. While the lint brush did an excellent job refreshing the green velvet couch my kitten claimed as his nap spot, I can't confidently recommend using it on clothing, especially items made from delicate materials. The experts I spoke to said to hold your steamer several inches away from — never directly on — your garments.
The steam handle is a snap-on plastic shield designed to protect your hands from the heat, a thoughtful addition.
Because this model is out of stock, take a look at our budget option or the other steamers I tested and recommend here.
Caitlin Petreycik/Insider
A fashion industry standard, the reliable Jiffy J-2 emits powerful steam while remaining gentle enough to use on your most delicate garments.
Pros: Powerful steam, durable, heats quickly, no water droplets, excellent on curtains, convenient hook for clothes hangers, smooth wheels
Cons: Water tank isn't securely locked to the base, no additional settings or features
The Jiffy J-2 has long been considered the fashion industry standard, and with good reason: It heats up in about two minutes and emits a powerful, consistent flow of steam while remaining gentle enough to use on fragile vintage garments and intricately detailed runway looks alike. So it's no surprise that when I contacted the team at The Laundress, a nontoxic line of detergent and fabric care founded by two former Chanel and Ralph Lauren executives, the J-2 was their top recommendation.
"We're big believers in investing in a high-quality steamer because the steam is evenly distributed and you don't see the sputtering you see in some other models," The Laundress's brand director Hannah Yokoji said of the device. "We find it super convenient, super reliable, and easy to clean." (You can read Yokoji's tips on steamer cleaning and maintenance here.)
The J-2's tank holds a gallon of water, which translates to about two hours of steaming time — a max that I hit the day I decided to steam all of the winter clothes I had just taken out of storage. I was impressed with how quickly and thoroughly it removed the deep folds from my sweaters and restored the shape of my coats. Later I ran it over my linen curtains, which were left looking closer to freshly ironed than I thought possible.
The water tank's cylindrical shape and convenient handle make it easy to tote to and from the sink. But the fact that it rests mostly above the base of the steamer, coupled with its lack of a locking mechanism, means that it's extremely easy to knock over.
Tank aside, the J-2 is incredibly durable. Most floor-standing steamers have two wheels, but Jiffy's has four, making it notably easier to move around. The nozzle is metal, not plastic, and the smooth wooden handle is comfortable to grip and keeps your hands safely distanced from the heat.
Caitlin Petreycik/Insider
With its collapsible pole and collection of useful attachments, the PurSteam Professional Garment Steamer can be positioned to accommodate a wide range of garments.
Pros: Compact, easy to clean, useful attachments, collapsible pole means you can steam sitting down, 5-year warranty
Cons: Some of the plastic parts feel flimsy, stiff wheels
Our former best overall clothes steamer, the PurSteam Professional Garment Steamer may not be as powerful as our current top pick, but it still has plenty to offer at less than a third of the price.
It heats up in about two minutes and its half-gallon tank produces a steady, sputter-free flow of steam, which, in my experience, lasts from 50 minutes to an hour. Unlike other floor-standing models I tested, the PurSteam's tank is made from clear plastic, so you'll know exactly when it's almost time for a refill.
While it successfully smoothed silk blouses, wool-polyester pants, a tweed jacket, several synthetic-blend dresses, and a variety of knits, it left thinner cotton and linen items slightly more rumpled than its pricier upright competitors.
It's significantly more effective than most handhelds but doesn't quite deliver professional-level results.
One of the PurSteam's most notable features is its collapsible pole, which adjusts to four heights, ranging from 2 feet (for storage) to 5 feet when fully extended.
The PurSteam is equipped with a fabric brush attachment as well as a pants press attachment, which is a tight clamp that holds fabric against the nozzle. Because the experts we spoke to recommend keeping the nozzle of your steamer a few inches away from most clothing, proceed with caution using these features.
A far more useful feature is the folding rack, a bar you affix to the PurSteam's pole in order to hold items like folded trousers securely in place. I found that the extra bit of fabric tension allowed for a crisper finish while steaming.
The hose is a bit stiff and difficult to maneuver, although it becomes more flexible as the PurSteam heats up. While I haven't broken one just yet, the plastic clips that lock the adjustable pole in place feel flimsy. And the two wheels at the back of the base are pretty much nonfunctional. I tried tilting it at every angle and couldn't get the wheels to spin.
Caitlin Petreycik/Insider
The Beautural 1200-Watt Steamer has the tank capacity and steam power of handheld models twice its price, plus a few extra features.
Pros: Large water tank, travel-friendly, heats quickly, automatic safety shut-off, powerful for its size
Cons: Occasional light sputtering when used horizontally
If you're looking for a handheld steamer to occasionally freshen up a delicate dress, smooth some wrinkles in your suits after every few wears, or toss in a suitcase, then the Beautural 1200-Watt Steamer is an excellent affordable option.
Out of all the budget steamers I tried, this one was the most effective at removing wrinkles and creases, thanks to its steady, powerful flow and even steam distribution.
The Beautural heats up in about 30 seconds, and its tank holds 8.9 ounces of water, which gave me a little less than 15 minutes of steaming time. While these stats are similar to those of our top pick, the Sunbeam Power Steam Fabric Steamer, I wasn't able to steam quite as many clothes per session. The Beautural needed a few more passes over the garments to leave them looking polished.
While I can confidently recommend it for lighter jobs, I'd plan on upgrading if you're looking for something that will remove deep creases or smooth tough-to-steam fabrics like linen.
I did notice a few small water droplets when I held it horizontally above an ironing board. I'd avoid using it in this configuration on any textiles that can hold onto water spots, like silk.
Like several of the more expensive handhelds I tried, the Beautural comes with three nozzle attachments: a lint brush, a soft brush for loosening dust deep within tougher fabrics, and a creaser for maintaining pleats and folds. Placing a steamer directly on your clothes isn't recommended by experts, so it might be safer to save the lint brush and soft brush for freshening up your upholstery.
Unlike most steamers (in any price range), the Beautural is equipped with a standby monitoring system. When it hasn't been used for eight minutes, the device stops producing steam, and the power indicator light flashes.
Caitlin Petreycik/Insider
To help narrow down what to look for in a clothes steamer and how best to use them, I spoke with Corinna Williams, co-founder of Celsious, an eco-conscious Brooklyn laundromat, and Hannah Yokoji, brand director of The Laundress.
In addition to drawing from my own experience as a former fashion editor using clothes steamers on photo sets over the years, I also steamed at least 10 garments with each model. Each steamer was tested on a variety of textiles — silk, cotton, wool, cashmere, and linen, as well as several synthetic blends — and used on garments both vertically with a hanger and horizontally with an ironing board.
I developed a set of criteria to determine how they stacked up against each other. Here's how I evaluated them:
Construction: I judged every steamer — both handheld and floor-standing models — on their overall sturdiness, as well as the materials used in their construction. Points were docked for flimsy parts, and handheld steamers that felt unstable when placed standing on a table were eliminated.
Ease of use: I noted each steamer's heaviness, checked to see how easy it was to remove and fill their water tanks, and made sure their buttons didn't stick. For floor-standing models, I paid attention to whether or not their hoses were easy to maneuver, and tested their wheels on both hardwood and carpeted surfaces.
Water tank size: A larger water tank translates to more steaming time, so I noted the size of each model's.
Run time: I tested each device to see how long it could continuously steam before the water tank needed to be refilled.
Power: A powerful steamer will smooth clothes in fewer passes. I noted how quickly and effectively each steamer removed wrinkles and creases in a variety of materials: cotton, silk, linen, wool, cashmere, and a variety of synthetic blends.
Sputtering: I checked to see whether or not each steamer spit water droplets when held both horizontally and vertically.
Comfort: Since steaming involves a lot of arm lifting, I judged each model on heaviness, as well as how easy it was to grip. I also checked to see if each handheld model felt balanced, since they can tend to be top-heavy.
Warranty: I only considered steamers with solid warranties.
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The 4 best clothes steamers for removing wrinkles and refreshing outfits
Source: Kalayaan News
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