There are two common ways to get wrinkles out of your clothes:
- The first is to have them professionally pressed by a dry cleaner, which probably isn’t something you can afford to do constantly.
- The second is to iron your clothes, which takes time and patience.
Fortunately, now there’s a third option: steaming.
The Best Garment Steamers Available In Australia
The following steamers were picked based on recommendations by both experts and customers.
1. Philips Steam & Go Handheld Steamer
Something you’ll notice right out of the bat is that the Philips Steam & Go Handheld Steamer is extremely well-built. It feels rather sturdy and you just know that it’s going to last a long time even with heavy use.
This Philips Garment Steamer is better than all other steamers. It’s the perfect device at a fair price.
Here are some features of the Philips Steamer:
- Compact and Lightweight
- Philips promises better steaming results with the smart flow heated plate
- Brush accessory
- No burns guaranteed
- You don’t need an ironing board to use it
- Really long cord: 2.5m
Philips did it again. They have the best product in this category.
The Philips Steam & Go Handheld Steamer is really lightweight and does not need an ironing board. It does not burn and is really well built. If you are looking for the best steamer under $150, then this is your best pick.
2. Kogan 1580W Garment Steamer
This is actually a pretty powerful garment steamer – only the SOGA steamer boasts more power. This means that the machine is capable of producing up to 40g/m of steam flow. Not only does this allow you to get the job done faster, but it also ensures a more thorough ironing.
The garment steamer is also a joy to use. For one thing, it is equipped with a clothes rack. So, there is somewhere for you to hang your clothes while they are being steamed. There is no need for you to hold up the clothes or prop them up in an uncomfortable manner.
Another excellent feature is that there are 9 fabric modes for you to select from. This takes any of the guesswork out of the steaming process. Instead, you can choose the perfect setting for the kind of fabric that you are steaming.
This steamer works especially well with steaming one garment after the other. The excellent steaming power coupled with the larger water tank capacity turns a chore into a quick and efficient task.
3. Philips Handheld Garment Steamer
Despite its relatively low price, the Philips GC300 steamer comes packed with enough features to make steaming an easy task.
First of all, it’s fitted with a 60ml Water Tank. That’s more than enough for the average-sized household.
Plus with 1000 watts of power output, you can be assured that those wrinkles don’t stand a chance! The steam it produces is hot enough to kill off all sorts of contaminants on your clothes but at the same time, the Philips GC300 Steamer can be gentle on more delicate fabrics.
Features:
- 2m cord
- No ironing board needed
- No burns guaranteed
While this Philips model may not have the same performance as the Philips Steam & Go Handheld Steamer, it’s still a great value for its price.
4. Kogan 3-in-1 Handheld Steamer
If you are looking for an all-purpose fabric steamer, then look no further than this Kogan model. This is because the steamer is equipped with a brush accessory for heavier garments such as coats as well as one for removing lint. This allows you to penetrate thicker and tougher garments.
The steamer also has a burst stream function. This is designed to deliver a continuous jet of steam that allows you to get rid of wrinkles even faster. And, since it works in the horizontal position, this steamer can be used on all kinds of fabrics – sofas and curtains included!
Now, the steamer does take about 60 seconds to heat up. However, this is because it boasts a 120ml water tank. As such, you don’t have to keep stopping and refilling the tank as often.
This 3-in-1 steamer is incredibly lightweight and portable. The handheld operation is also quite easy to manage. This makes using it is a much easier task for anyone!
5. Kambrook SwiftSteam Garment Steamer
One of the main perks with this Kambrook garment steamer is how easy it is to use. All you have to do is fill up the detachable water tank, hook it back on, and start up the device. Thanks to the simple ON/OFF button, there is no learning curve involved.
Despite its simplistic function, the garment steamer is quite efficient. The continuous steam allows you to tackle garments of all sizes, ensuring that you can even steam iron furniture and other items as well. The detachable fabric brush makes it even easier to tackle such tasks.
As far as portable steamers go, this one has a pretty significant water tank capacity – 250ml. So, ironing out thicker or larger garments really isn’t any trouble at all. And, for such a compact steamer, it is rather powerful, requiring just one pass over the fabric to get the job done.
How Do Garment Steamers Work?
There are many types of garment steamers available on the market today. However, they all work the same way.
Water is poured into a tank contained in the unit, which is then heated to produce steam. The steam then pours out through a nozzle that is directed at the fabric. Due to the high amount of heat produced, you don’t actually have to touch the nozzle to the fabric in order to smooth out the wrinkles.
Steaming is a great alternative to ironing or pressing clothes. It’s faster than the former and cheaper than the latter. In order to make sure your clothes are always wrinkle-free, you need to purchase a reliable garment steamer. Our five picks above have been recommended by both experts and customers.
How to Pick a Garment Steamer (What to Look For)
Here are some of the tips and features to know about when selecting a garment steamer:
Select the Right Type for You
Your first step involves selecting the right type of garment steamer. The two main types are handheld and full-sized (standing) garment steamers. As you can imagine, the handheld ones are more portable, but don’t offer as much power or water tank capacity.
The standing garment steamers, on the other hand, are more powerful, can often produce more steam, and can tackle more garments without refilling. At the same time, these devices aren’t as energy efficient, take up more space, and can be more expensive.
Before deciding which one is best for you, it is important to consider your requirements. To start with, figure out your budget and storage space options. If you are looking for something cheaper or a device that can be easily stored, then a portable steamer will win out. You should also be aware that these devices can be taken with you if you are traveling.
On the other hand, if you need a steamer for heavy-duty wrinkle problems, then a standing steamer would make more sense. These steamers don’t just tackle thick winter coats, they also work well for heavier fabrics such as sofas and even curtains.
As mentioned, full-sized steamers also come with larger water tanks – they can often carry over a liter. This is great for when you want to steam iron most of the clothes in your wardrobe and don’t want to have to keep refilling the tank.
Look for Uniform Steam Production
It is important to know that a steam cleaner is able to produce consistent steam during the entire use. For this to happen, the steamer has to be capable of adequately heating the water so that it is vaporized into steam.
Otherwise, the steamer will simply spit out water droplets at various intervals, causing your clothes to get damp and making the wrinkles even worse. If possible, test out the steamer. Otherwise, purchase a steamer from a renowned brand – this makes it easier to determine what you are getting in terms of performance quality.
General vs. Specific Settings
Most cheaper garment steamers have general steam settings. This means that you can only turn steam stream on and off. In some cases, you may be able to set up the steamer so that it spouts a continuous stream. Apart from this, there are no other settings.
With more sophisticated models, the steamers have dedicated settings. These will give you specific steam settings for various kinds of fabric.
As such, you can select the temperature and strength of the stream, depending on the clothing item that you are ironing out.
Now, specific settings are useful if you want to be able to steam different kinds of fabrics safely. As you are aware, some fabrics such as silk are quite delicate and don’t hold up as well to general settings. Thus, being able to select your settings gives you more control over the kinds of fabric that you can tend to.
Ease of Use
There are several features that fall under ease of use. To begin with, there is the question of how easy it is to handle a particular steam. For instance, is the cord long enough for you to move around? If the cleaner has a rubber hose attached to it, is this flexible and pliable?
Another thing to consider is the weight, particularly if you are dealing with a portable steamer. Needless to say, a lighter garment steamer is better for you. This is especially true if you have to hold up your clothes in your other hand while steaming them.
You should also pay attention to the settings and how they have been placed on the steamer. Ideally, they should be in an easy to reach place, particularly if you are relying on one hand to steam iron on your clothes. Although this can seem like a minor concept, it can make a world of difference.
Last, but certainly not least, consider how easy it is for you to fill up the water tank. Look for a detachable tank with a large opening. This way, you won’t make a mess every time that you need to fill up the tank.
Additional Accessories
A number of garment steamers actually come with accessories these days. As such, it is a good idea to pay attention to these additional components to determine which make and model offers the best choices.
Now, the most common accessories are additional detachable heads. These can be in the form of fabric brushes, lint brushes, and more. Such accessories come in handy when dealing with thicker materials such as jackets, coats, and even curtains.
If you are investing in a full-sized garment steamer, check whether it comes with a clothes rack or hanger. This allows you to prop the clothes up so that you have your hands free to take care of the steaming. Such a feature is rather useful with this kind of steamer as the steamers are heavier aren’t as portable as their handheld counterparts.
Maintenance Ease
Most people forget that you do need to clean and maintain your steam cleaner. Due to this, you will need to take a close look at the wand and steamer head of your make and model. If it gets clogged up, will it be easy for you to remove any particulates.
In a similar fashion, you should also pay attention to the water tank as this will need to be cleaned out even more regularly. A wide mouth means that you will be able to use a sponge to thoroughly clean out the tank. Not to mention, it will also be easier for you to clean out the tank completely as well.
Although maintenance ease may not seem like such an important feature in the initial stages, it will become more significant in the long run. Due to this, you should pay attention to it before making a purchase.