Best Steamer Overall
Conair 2-in-1 Handheld Steamer and Iron
Best Steamer Overall
Conair 2-in-1 Handheld Steamer and Iron
Pros
- 2-in-1 is invaluable
- Large water capacity
The worst part of a clothes steamer? It’s not an iron. You don’t get the same control or ability to pleat and crease.
Thankfully, Conair makes a best-of-both-worlds option. This 2-in-1 has a flat metal head, perfect for ironing, along with some attachments for creasing and delicate fabrics that make it a great steamer. It’s the priciest on this list, but well worth it.
Water capacity8.5 ouncesDimensions11.61″ x 11.61″ x 6.02″Best Classic Steamer
Conair ExtremeSteam Turbo
Best Classic Steamer
Conair ExtremeSteam Turbo
Now 29% Off
Pros
- Heats up quickly
- Ceramic faceplate is lovely
Cons
- Not a huge water capacity, but it’s plenty for most jobs
If you just need a steamer, that’s what the rest of our picks are going to be. This one, also from Conair, is the best option for a pure steamer.
It heats up quickly (in 15-25 seconds, we found), and has a great range of steam settings, so it’s quick and accurate. On top of that, face plate is ceramic, which allows it to really glide across any fabric, even while steaming. On top of that, it’s got all the attachments you’ll need.
Water capacity7.3 ouncesDimensions5.6″ x 8″ x 13.6″ Best Portable Iron
The Nori Press
Best Portable Iron
The Nori Press
Pros
- Portability of a steamer
- Control and performance of an iron
- Perfect for nicer fabrics and more intricate creasing
- Dual voltage, great for travel
The Nori Press can be confusing. Is it an iron? Or a steamer? A flat iron for clothes? Or is it a new fourth thing that has not previously existed?
We’re settling on the third, because it combines the best parts of both. It uses physical pressure to wipe out wrinkles, so you get more control, like with an iron. It’s also steamy and portable, like a steamer. The end result is our favorite product on this list.
The only reason we couldn’t really give it top spot is because of the price. It’s just too much compared to the rest of the market. That said, if you’re looking for an investment, something that you’ll use for a long time, this is our pick. Expect to see a lot of dupes in the next couple years.
Water capacity1 ounceDimensions17.36″ x 5.75″ x 3.11″Advertisement – Continue Reading Below
Best Budget Steamer
Conair Handheld Garment Steamer
Best Budget Steamer
Conair Handheld Garment Steamer
Pros
- Great price and good size
- Simple yet sufficiently powerful steamer
If you’re looking to get the best possible bang for your buck, this is it. This steamer is powerful enough to deal with any wrinkles. It has a small 4.9-ounce water chamber, but a standard eight-foot cord and quick start up time. Simple, but it does the job. The water capacity is really the only downside here, but the small capacity does keep the overall size down, making this a great travel option.
Water capacity4.9 ouncesDimensions5.5″ x 5.5″ x 9″Best for Home
Black+Decker HGS200 Advanced Handheld Steamer
Best for Home
Black+Decker HGS200 Advanced Handheld Steamer
Now 18% Off
Pros
- Good for clothes steaming, powerful and easy to maneuver
- Home cleaning attachments
- Super long cord
Cons
- No crease attachment for clothing.
Sure, we’re testing clothes steamers, but when you find a great dual-purpose product, you have to award it.
This Black+Decker steamer is good enough for clothes steaming, but it’s actually perfect for home use. First, it’s got a long 15-foot cord, which puts it above most other options. It’s also got attachments for upholstery, delicate fabrics and lint removal. It’s great at steaming curtains, cleaning furniture and rugs, and disinfecting just about anything.
There were no issues with it as a clothes steamer, so consider the home application a convenient addition.
Water capacity7.4 ouncesDimensions5.75″ x 4.75″ x 11″Best Steamer for Overseas Travel
Conair Travel Steamer
Best Steamer for Overseas Travel
Conair Travel Steamer
Now 20% Off
Pros
- Dual-voltage means it can be used anywhere
- Heats up quickly
Cons
- Build and performance are just OK
The real issue with taking steamers with you when you travel is voltage. Being in America, you have the terrible disadvantage of living on 120v outlets. For phones and electronics, who cares, an adapter is all you need.
For something with mechanical wiring, like a clothes steamer, plugging into a Euro outlet is going to fry it.
But the folks over at Conair think of everything, because they also have a dual-voltage option. This steamer is by no means the best performing out there, but dual-voltage is so incredibly rare on these things it’s worth the buy. Plus, it packs down smaller than any other steamer on this list. Toss it in the checked bag, and know you’ll be good anywhere in the world.
Water capacity4 ouncesDimensions4.5″ x 4.5″ x 9.5″ Advertisement – Continue Reading Below
What We Look For In Clothes Steamers
There’s a lot of options on the market, and there’s a lot of shitty products out there. Throughout our testing, this is what we kept in mind:
Quick heat up time – The quicker the steamer heats up, the sooner you can get on with your chores.
Consistent temperature – But some steamers get so hot, so quickly that you’re out of water before you’ve even gotten finished. All the options on this list heat up quickly, then they hold a consistent temperature.
Good wrinkle performance – Any of the options on this list blast away wrinkles, but there are plenty of products out there that do not. What we looked for were steamers that could flatten out a garment with one or two passes.
Long cords, big water chamber – A larger water capacity will let you steam without refilling, and a longer cord will give you flexibility as you work. These two things are a huge part of how convenient a steamer is to use.
Luke Guillory
Associate Commerce Editor
Luke Guillory is the Associate Commerce Editor at Esquire.
