The best clothes steamer will leave your outfits looking fresh in minutes for summer 2023
Garment steamers – or a clothes steamer, as they’re sometimes referred to – are everywhere when you step backstage at Fashion Week. Seriously: there are more fabric steamers floating around behind the scenes than there are bottles of hairspray. So if you’re still using a steam iron and ironing board to banish the creases in your favourite outfits, you’d better take note. And…there's a lot to cover, so we're getting straight to it:
Is a garment steamer worth it? | Can a steamer damage clothes? | What kind of clothes steamer is best? | What to look for in a good garment steamer | Our picks
The best clothes steamers 2023, at a glance
- Best overall - Steamery Cirrus No.2 Garment Steamer, £96, John Lewis
- Best runner up - Tefal Pure Tex Capacity Handheld Clothes Steamer, £99.99, John Lewis
- Best upright clothes steamer - FRIDJA f1000 Professional Vertical Garment Steamer, £69.99, Amazon
- Best value for money - Philips STH3000/26 Handheld Foldable Garment Steamer, £32.99, John Lewis
Is a garment steamer worth it?
Absolutely. Clothes steamers are the modern, time-poor person’s alternative to the traditional iron. They can be used for touch-ups on your clothes, curtains, duvet covers, pillow cases, bed sheets, sofa upholstery... the list goes on.
Garment steamers don’t have the prolonged, pressured contact with your favourite clothes that even the best steam irons do, which means they help preserve the quality of your favourite ‘fits while quickly removing creases. They’re also much more efficient for use on delicate fabrics, pleated skirts and intricately ruffled summer dresses.
Clothes steamers can also be used to treat garments you’ve worn once, and want to wear again, but don’t have time to iron. Many are cordless with auto shut-off making them super convenient, and the compact design means we can pack them away in our suitcases to give our clothes a bit of a refresh on holiday. So long, sub-par hotel room iron.
And that's not all: the best garment steamers are also good at sanitising. That’s right: their steam output kills 99.9% of bacteria and lifts odours, so they double up as steam-cleaners, too.
Can a steamer damage clothes?
It's actually almost impossible to damage your clothes with a garment steamer. They're really safe, and will work with most fabrics.
What kind of clothes steamer is best?
There are two main types of garment steamer.
- Handheld garment steamers: portable garment steamers are much lighter and more compact, making them easier to carry around with you. They have small water tanks which makes them less suited to heavy duty jobs, but they are more affordable.
- Upright garment steamers: upright steamers have large water tanks with greater tank capacity, so you can give your clothes a steam boost for longer. They also usually come with built-in hangers and are set upon a base to assist in heavy duty jobs. That said, they’re bulkier, less portable and more expensive.
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What to look for in a good garment steamer
There are certain things that set top-rated clothes steamers apart from “average” models. Consider the below.
- Weight. If you're opting for a handheld clothes steamer, something that's lightweight will be much easier to hold. The Insta-famous Steamery clothes steamer weighs just 590 grams.
- Look for something with a wide range of steam settings to suit a large variety of fabrics.
- What’s the heat-up time like? The Tefal Access Steam+ DT8103 Hand Steamer heats up in an impressive 40 seconds. Elsewhere, the Philips Steam & Go Plus heats up in 29. Woah.
- Opt for a large water tank if you've got lots of heavy duty garments to rid of creases.
- Choose a garment steamer with a trigger lock if you want to enjoy continuous steam without having to hold your finger down.
- Additional accessories like travel bags, lint brushes and hangers will be particularly useful if you plan on taking your steamer away on holiday. Steamery's Cirrus No.2 travel steamer comes with a detachable fabric brush for steaming sensitive materials such as silk and wool – and depending on where you order it from, you can get it with next day delivery.
For more from Glamour UK Commerce Editor Sophie Cockett, follow her on Instagram @sophiecockettx.
What is the best clothes steamer to buy? Scroll for our edit of garment steamers to add to your checkout.
Why we love it: Steamery's Insta-famous clothes steamer (yes, it's a thing) is our favourite clothes steamer of the lot. And no, not just because it's super photogenic and available in multiple aesthetic hues. Designed to keep your favourite garments in pristine, wrinkle-free condition, it spreads steam evenly over your fabric, is super lightweight (it weighs just 590 grams) and heats up in just 25 seconds. It's the perfect holiday or pre-office companion.
Save money on wishlist clothes steamers to do away with stubborn creases by using these John Lewis discount codes
Fridja F10 Raf Handheld Travel Clothes Steamer
Why we love it: This handheld clothes steamer works impressively on pretty much all fabrics, ridding them of creases and wrinkles in a matter of minutes. It has a smaller head in comparison to other models, which means you can easily reach tricky areas like underarm fabric. There are two steam modes and it comes with lots of useful accessories, including a travel bag, collar press, fabric guard, water bottle adapter and portable hanger.
Save when you shop for the best clothes steamers with these Lakeland discount codes.
Tefal DT3030 Access Steam Pocket Garment Steamer
Why we love it: This is one of the speediest garment steamers in this edit, heating up in an impressive 15 (!) seconds. It performs well on all fabrics and has a collapsable head so you can fold it up for travel. Any downsides? There’s no lock, so the trigger has to be held down continually, and the handle is perhaps slightly short.
Save when you shop for the best clothes steamers with these Argos discount codes.
Steamworks Handheld Garment Steamer
Why we love it: One of the most affordable clothes steamers in this edit is Steamworks' sub-£30 garment steamer, which does a good job for its accessible price point. It comes with a one year guarantee, works on most fabrics and has a handle transparent water tank – so you can see when you're running low. Downsides? It sometimes spits a little and has a tendency to leave your clothes feeling temporarily slightly damp.
Save when you shop for the best clothes steamers with these Argos discount codes.
Russell Hobbs Steam Genie 27220 Garment Steamer
Why we love it: Lightweight, portable and hand-held, this garment steamer – which is currently on sale – is perfect for use on clothing, fabric sofas, curtains and more. It's not cordless like its model 25600 predecessor, but it does boast a 3m power cable and heats up in 45 seconds. When the water tank is filled to the maximum level, and the trigger lock is switched on, you'll get 7 minutes of steam time on just one refill. This garment steamer also comes with handy attachments, like a delicate bonnet for fine clothing, an upholstery bonnet for soft furnishings and a lint brush.
Save when you shop for the best garment steamers with these Argos discount codes.
Why we love it: For such a slight little thing, the Beautural clothes steamer has quite the turbo specification. From its 15-minutes of continuous steaming to the the generous 260ml water tank and the silk/linen/wool compatibility, there's good reason why this product has garnered 7000+ reviews. We're obsessed.
Save money on vertical steam gadgets for clothes, suede-compatible steamers and more with these Amazon discount codes
Beldray Handi Steam Max Pro Handheld Garment Steamer
Why we love it: Reader, this clothes steamer will grant you 15-minutes of continuous steam which, if you're not familiar with your steamer irons and handheld/upright clothes steamers, is a ! lot !! There's a reason this Beldray device has over 100 five-star reviews, and its lightweight makeup and auto shut-off functions are just the tip of the iceberg. Certainly not one to overlook.
Save money on everything from clothes shavers to steam irons with these Amazon discount codes
Tefal Pure Tex Capacity Handheld Clothes Steamer
Why we love it: A steam generator for clothes that will not only act as a de-creaser but will actually help to clean them, much like a washing machine, this premium Tefal device kills 99.9% of bacteria and is well-loved by buyers. Think: everything from cotton shirts to linen bedding in need of a freshen up, sorted. Oh, and it even offers you the functionality of a fragrance diffuser for an even cleaner smelling finish.
Save money on everything from a Breville kettle to a Morphy Richards air fryer with these John Lewis discount codes
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Philips STH3000/26 Handheld Foldable Garment Steamer
Why we love it: One of the best budget-friendly choices, this Philips handheld model is ready to use in a rapid 30 seconds and is a great option for a quick hotel freshen up to do away with that musty suitcase smell. It's got a 4.5/5 customer rating from buyers that have already acted as testers (so you needn't be the guinea pig) and, having a read of what they've got to say, it would seem that by and large this product is “really great!”
Save money on everything from clothes airers to steamers and kitchen ovens with these John Lewis retailer discount codes
Swan, SI12020N, Handheld Garment Steamer
Why we love it: In terms of ease of use while travelling, the versatility of this Swan clothes steamer - including multiple accessories and a compact design - make it a perfect choice for the London, New York, here, there and everywhere type of businessman or woman. We're big fans of its powerful 1100 wattage for such a space-saving device and, well, the Barbie pink is just an excellent and timely 2023 bonus.
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Tefal Access Steam+ Clothes Steamer
Why we love it: One of the best all-round handheld garment steamers is Tefal's DT8103 model, which heats up in around 40 seconds and has a range of settings to suit different fabrics. It works on all ironable fabrics, from cotton to silk and linen, comes with a door hook, fabric brush, crease attachment, steam bonnet, travel bag – and it even has a lock so you don't need to keep the button pressed down when steaming.
Save money on powerful steam gadgets to make quick work of pesky creases by using these Amazon discount codes
Why we love it: This portable handheld steamer, designed by experts and from the brand founded by fashion importer and entrepreneur Brian Fillery in March 1980, enables you to remove creases from fabric with ease. It heats up in less than a minute, and is adaptable for use not only on clothing but also various home fabrics like curtains and bedding. As well as smoothing out creases, it restores shape and removes odour. Your clothes and fabrics are rejuvenated and fresher for long. This clothes steamer is available in three colour-ways (arctic grey, vintage pink and idol blue) and has a lengthy four meter lead that can be easily packed away after use.
Save when you shop for the best garment steamers with these Amazon discount codes.
Philips Steam & Go Plus Handheld Garment Steamer
Why we love it: This garment steamer heats up in less than 30 seconds and effectively banishes creases in all manner of fabrics. It comes with a protective glove and the water tank lasts a long time without needing a refill. The only downside? It doesn't have a trigger lock, so you have to keep the button pressed down while steaming.
Save when you shop for the best garment steamers with these Amazon discount codes.
FRIDJA f1000 Professional Vertical Garment Steamer
Why we love it: Able to handle whatever fabric is thrown at it - and one of the best garment steamers for suits - this vertical garment steamer is heavy-duty and leaves clothes bone dry. It works just as well on delicate fabrics, and comes with a multitude of accessories like a folding hanger.
Save money on devices to de-wrinkle your favourite women's and menswear pieces this wedding season with these Amazon discount codes
TEFAL Access DT7050 Travel Hand Steamer
Why we love it: This small-yet-mighty clothes steamer is easy-to-use, efficient and works on many a fabric. It heats up in under one minute, is designed with international travel in mind (it boasts dual voltage), and it comes with travel accessories including a door hook, fabric brush, steam bonnet and travel bag. Handy.
Save when you shop for the best garment steamers with these Amazon discount codes.
