Being faced with a crumpled mountain of ironing would make many people despair. However, having a reliable garment steamer will remove any unnecessary crinkles in your clothing after you have washed and dried them. We have reviewed the best garment steamers in Australia which will make future ironing tasks considerably more bearable, even enjoyable!
We have spent a lot of time scrutinising the leading garment steamers and explain why they are highly rated. Read on to find out the best six products that are on the market. The products listed having been judged on various factors, including price and usability.
How did we pick this list?
Our editorial team has selected the products discussed in the list based on customer reviews published on Amazon Australia. For each category, we have rated them on a variety of criteria, including best overall product and given them each a high individual score.
The Elite Garment Steamer by PurSteam has been deemed the best overall garment steamer judged on reviews by more than 4,000 customers on Amazon. In terms of price, the PurSteam comes in at $128.29, but it has plenty of amazing features.
One of its biggest selling points is its large capacity (61oz) tank that can fully heat up in as little as 45 seconds and it can provide up to 60 minutes of stable steam. It is an easy-to-use iron as it enables close steam and removes any wrinkled fibres. Clothes are instantly fresh looking and it kills almost 100% of germs.
Also, customers are guaranteed 100% money back if they are unsatisfied with the product and choose to return it. The conditions are that the money-back is guaranteed if you return the product within 30 days.
What Users Say
This is a great steamer! It heats up great and does the job!"Read reviews.
Although this could have made the cut for the best budget garment steamer, the Kambrook steamer is very light and it boasts a 250ml water tank. Priced at $49, the Kambrook is a bargain and excels when it comes to ironing shirts and dresses.
It is very aesthetically pleasing, although the lack of a portable tank means it's not as compatible as other products.
Nevertheless, of the 50 reviews it has received to date on Amazon, more than half of those (57%) returned a 5-star rating. The Kambrook comes with a 360-degree swivel cord and the detachable fabric brush is a godsend for removing dust from clothes.
What Users Say
This is a great working product that I cannot fault."Read reviews.
A fabulous travel option, the Russell Hobbs handheld steamer is lightweight and can effectively tackle stiffer fabrics, such as suits and denim.
Priced at $79, this steamer represents excellent value for money. With a 220ml tank, your clothes will be looking wrinkle-free in super quick time.
The Russell Hobbs handheld steamer will easily fit into your suitcase. The steamer has dual heat technology which will enable you to press and steam garments, making the steaming process so much smoother.
From the 43 reviews received by one leading tech website, 31 of those were 5-star among the satisfied users.
What Users Say
Easy to use! I borrowed one from my sister and bought one 2 days later. I loved it that much."Read reviews.
Although the Sunbeam power steam comes at a slightly higher price than some other products on the market, it feels like a snippet at $69. With its fast heat-up time this product has earned a reputation for being a useful fabric handheld steamer that freshens up garments very quickly.
With a 300ml water tank capacity as well as allowing 18 minutes of steaming power between refills, there is a lot to like about the Sunbeam model.
If that wasn't enough, the Sunbeam power steam works both horizontally and vertically and comes with four accessories which include a fabric brush for removing dust.
Although the product had a paucity of online reviews, it received an average score of 4.5/5 from leading tech review websites.
Coming in at a significantly more expensive $399, the Tefal, IXEO All in One Iron & Steamer lives up to the hefty price tag.
This Tefal all in one product will give you plenty of satisfaction and make your clothes look crisp and neat. It takes 45 seconds to heat up and the steamer comes complete with a three-position "Smart Board".
Users can make use of the machine in the same way they would with a normal garment steamer. It boasts a professional-grade 5.8 bars producing up to 90g/min continuous steam and a powerful 200g/min steam to cut through tricky creases.
There were too few reviews on this product, however, the reputable tech websites gave this product an average of 4 out of 5 stars.
What Users Say
Heats up quickly and easy to use. Very happy."Read reviews.
From being able to adjust last-minute touch-ups to shirts and other clothes, this high powered and high performing steamer will help you make light work of your laundry. Although it has a normal RRP of $199, it is currently being sold for $149, so a handy saving for many!
With a 1.5-litre removable water tank that provides up to 50 minutes of steam, you don't have to regularly refill it.
Also, the product comes down with a soft board that imitates the same function of an ironing board, meaning you can tackle any pleats or items of clothing that are particularly heavy.
A leading tech website had over 80 reviews posted on this product and the average was four out of five stars.
What Users Say
I have been using this product for over a month now and I think it is great."Read reviews.
How to decide which garment steamer to buy:
Water tank capacity
If you need to do a big bundle of ironing and you have a limited tank capacity, then ultimately it will take you longer to steam. If you have a lot of shirts, perhaps a water tank capacity of 200ml will benefit you.
Ease of use
Depending on what you are using it for will determine the type of garment steamer you are buying.
Price
Buying an expensive product doesn't necessarily guarantee quality, so buy a steamer that you will use regularly.
How to compare best garment steamers
To be in the know about where to find the best garment steamers, head over to finder.com.au where you can search and compare all the garment steamers.
Do I need a garment steamer? Garment steamers come in very handy for any purpose, whether it be for doing ironing around the house or while you are on your travels. Most of the steaming products mentioned have a great capacity so can handle a big load of clothes as well as remove any crinkles.
Some of the products mentioned replicate normal ironing as they have an ironing board and they are very compact and light to handle. Ironing can be an arduous and sometimes monotonous task, but this need not be the case with the aforementioned garment steamers. While some of the products mentioned above are more expensive than others, you'll get plenty of good use from the garment steamers if you spend a little more money.
While some may be more fiddly or stiffer to use, there is a garment steamer that will suit everyone's needs in this product guide.
What to consider As you can see, there are a few things to bear in mind when purchasing a garment steamer. Firstly, you may want to know if they are handheld steamers. Handheld garment steamers tend to be much smaller and lighter as well as easier to hold. The upright models start from 1-2kg and go up to 7kg. If you are travelling abroad, you will ideally want one that doesn't take up much room but can handle a big load of clothes.
Price is another factor that may determine your decision. Garment steamers start from around the $70 mark and the premium products start from around $400. While you may not want to fork out a lot of money, buying a cheaper product may not last as long and you may have to replace it sooner than you would have hoped.
Always assess the features of the garment steamer. The most important are the water tank and heat up time. With the water tank, you will want one with a big capacity that can handle a lot of water. For heat up time, it can be frustrating if it takes longer than a minute.
Amazon prices last updated on 25 April, 2024 at 12:01 pm
Methodology
We compared all the major garment steamer brands found in the biggest online retailers.
We excluded brands that aren't widely available.
The products featured on this list are chosen by our editorial team and are not selected based on commercial relationships.
Why you can trust our picks
We considered the following garment steamer brands:
Kambrook
Tefal
Philips
Sunbeam
Russell Hobbs
PurSteam
Kmart
Beautiplove
K9
Cirrus
Laurastar
We then carefully reviewed and tested the product and assessed a number of factors, such as power and storage and usability.
We value our editorial independence, basing our comparison results, content and reviews on objective analysis without bias. But Finder may receive compensation when you click links on our site. Learn more about how we make money from our partners and why you can trust our guides.
A garment steamer is an appliance designed to remove the wrinkles from clothes, linen, soft furnishings and curtains. They work by heating water from a water tank to produce steam, then releasing that steam via a nozzle onto an item of clothing.
The heat from the steam removes the wrinkles and there's no need for you to apply any pressure to the item of clothing. All you have to do is hang the item up.
Why should I consider a garment steamer?
There are several key reasons why you might buy a steamer instead of an iron to rid your clothes of wrinkles:
Rather than going through the hassle of unfolding the ironing board each day and waiting for the iron to heat up, a good clothes steamer could save you time if you're only doing a couple of items. Some take as little as one minute to heat up and are quick and easy to use, allowing you to prepare your outfit for the day or just eliminate an unwanted crease in your favourite shirt.
Ironing boards can take up a lot of room, particularly if you live in a small apartment, so a garment steamer can be a space-saving solution.
If you're on the go a lot for work and always need to look your best, garment steamers ensure that you don't have to worry about your clothes getting wrinkled in transit. Similarly, you can also take a portable steamer with you when you're on holiday and simply want to look your best.
If you're a fashionista with a wardrobe full of expensive items or you just want to take special care of your delicate fabrics, the fact that garment steamers don't actually apply any pressure to the fabric means they can be a gentler solution.
If you're looking for an appliance that can completely replace your iron, a garment steamer probably won't fit the bill. While they can be quite effective on dresses and suits, they often don't perform as well on fabrics like cotton, wool and denim. They also can't provide that crisp, pressed look that a thorough ironing can.
Additionally, handheld steamers usually max out at around 17 minutes of steam time, so anyone with a large pile of clothes in need of de-wrinkling will need to consider a more expensive standing steamer. Keep in mind, some steamers can leave material damp, so they may not be all that useful if you want to steam an outfit to wear straight away.
What types are available?
You have three main options available when buying a clothes steamer:
Standing (floor) steamers. Designed for home use and typically capable of taking on heavy-duty jobs, standing steamers are roughly similar to a vacuum cleaner in size and take up the most space. They have larger water tanks and offer longer steaming time (up to 90 minutes in some cases) than the other options, but they're the most expensive. Many models also have wheels, a built-in hanger and a number of other attachments.
Mid-size handheld steamers. More compact than standing steamers, these handheld devices are around the same size as a kettle or large hair dryer and are designed to be easy to use and manoeuvre. They still offer decent power but their smaller water tanks mean steam time is limited to a maximum of 15-17 minutes. You can travel with a mid-size steamer at a pinch, but they're not as portable as a dedicated travel steamer.
Travel steamers. Designed to be as compact and portable as possible, travel steamers can fit into your luggage when you're travelling for business or pleasure. While they're convenient, they don't have as much power as larger models and are typically limited to 10-12 minutes of steam time. This means they can steam only one or two items of clothing at a time.
Don't confuse garment steamers with steam station irons, which consist of a water tank and an iron that sits on top of it. Steam stations are bigger, bulkier and more effective than traditional steam irons, but they can cost anywhere from $250 up to more than $1,000.
How to compare garment steamers
Before buying a clothes steamer, take some time to think about how you plan to use your new appliance. What clothes and other items will you be steaming? Will you only be using it occasionally or every day? Do you want a steamer portable enough to take with you when you travel?
Answering these questions will give you a better idea of exactly what features you need. When comparing garment steamers, make sure to consider the following factors:
Size
Check the specifications to find out how big the steamer is and how much space it's going to take up in your wardrobe and/or suitcase. For example, many home-use steamers include a telescopic pole to ensure that they take up less storage space.
Heat-up time
How long does it take for the steamer to heat up and be ready to use? Many models take anywhere between 60 and 120 seconds, but some large floor units take longer.
Steam time
The size of the water tank on a steamer is a key factor in determining how much steam time it offers. For example, while a larger home unit might feature a 2-litre tank and 60 to 90 minutes of steam time, a handheld unit might only hold 250mL of water and offer 10 to 15 minutes of use per tank.
Power
The wattage of a garment steamer has a direct effect on the speed at which a steamer heats up and the amount of steam it produces, so check each model's power figures to see how they compare.
Water tank
As well as the capacity of the water tank, consider how easy it will be to fill. Also remember that a removable tank will be easier to clean whenever required.
Heat settings
Are there multiple heat settings available so you can adjust the device's steam output to suit different items of clothing?
Attachments
If the steamer comes with a hose, is it long and flexible to ensure easy use? Does it come with different nozzle and brush attachments for use on different fabrics or items of clothing?
Cord length
Check that any model you're considering has a long power cord for ease of manoeuvrability.
Automatic shut-off
Some higher-spec models will include an automatic shut-off feature if you accidentally leave your steamer on.
Weight
You may also want to consider the weight of a handheld steamer. You'll need to be able to comfortably hold and use it without your arm getting sore, while it can also have an impact on your luggage weight limit when flying.
Warranty
To get a better idea of how much confidence each manufacturer has in their own product, check the length of the warranty and what it covers. Garment steamer warranties usually range from one to five years.
Price
Prices for small, portable steamers start at around $30, while larger standing models usually range from $100 to $400.
Frequently asked questions
A dry iron presses your clothes with a hot plate against an ironing board. In contrast, a garment or clothes steamer typically doesn't require a board and is used on hanging fabrics. It straightens out clothing by shooting a continuous jet of steam while held at a distance from the fabric.
There are also steam irons, which incorporate the best of both worlds. The steam iron presses flat against your clothes while using little jets of steam to iron out those wrinkles.
Steaming is a foolproof way to straighten out clothes, especially delicate items. However, steaming fabric with a wax coating or clothes made of velvet can do more damage than good. You cannot steam clothes made of suede or plastic materials as well.
The minerals in tap water wear down and corrode the metal inside your clothing steamer over time. Some may also cause build-up inside the steamer, known as calcification.
Distilled water is recommended for garment steamer use. This type of water is free of impurities that can damage your appliance.
When used regularly, your garment steamer needs cleaning at least every 2 weeks to remove any mineral deposit.
Fill your unit's reservoir with 1 part vinegar and 2 parts distilled water. Turn the steamer on and run it until half of the mixture is gone. Then, empty the reservoir and rinse it out until any lingering vinegar is gone. Fill the reservoir again with distilled water and run until half of it's gone. Empty the reservoir and let it air dry before use.
When used for an hour daily, a garment steamer consumes about 1600 watts or 1.6kWh.
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Charles Perrin is a contributing writer at Finder. Previously the Daily Express' online overnight sports editor, and with over 10 years of experience in the field, Charles regularly writes for a multitude of different clients working remotely. Charles is hugely passionate about all sports and has a particular focus on golf, tennis and football. He graduated from De Montfort University, Leicester with a 2:1 honours in History and Journalism and is fully accredited with the NCTJ (National Training for the Council of Journalists).
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