In the good old days, travelers would have to make sure that their clothes were pressed and ready to wear before they packed them. They then had to make sure that they either didn’t wrinkle them on their trip or that there was a dry cleaner close by. Fortunately, those days are over thanks to the invention of the hand held steamer. The portable steamer has revolutionized the way travelers handle their clothing while they’re traveling.
Which is why we’ve decided to go in search of the best handheld steamer units currently available. We looked through many different hand steamer models and have chosen ten models that we feel are the best travel steamer brands that are now available. These models will enable any traveler to worry less about the possibility of their clothes wrinkling and instead focus on their trip.
Best Portable Travel Steamer Reviews & Buying Guide
#7 Abyon 5-in-1 Clothes Steamer
This travel steamer has many of the features travelers look for in portable garment steamer. It holds approximately 4.7-ounces of water and can be used on a variety of different clothing, drapery, bedding and other fabric objects. It also has a safety feature built into it that automatically turns the unit off if the water level gets too low or if the steamer gets too hot.
This protects not only the fabric and the handheld steamer, but it also protects the user. And finally, this product has a very nicely designed nozzle that allows it to allow a constant stream of steam so that you can rest assured the wrinkles are removed from your clothing.
#6 Esteam Pink Personal Steamer
This innovative hand steamer has everything a traveler needs to keep their clothes nice and crisp. This steamer has a 600-Watt heating element that can provide up to 15-minutes of steam on a single filling. This product is proudly manufactured in the U.S and is made with a high-impact plastic that makes it extremely durable.
Once filled, this unit can reach its designated temperature within one minute and stand ready to steam just about any garment. Since it comes with a 120-Volt/220-Volt voltage converter and four different adapter plugs, this product can easily be used while traveling. It even comes with a handy travel bag.
#5 Pur Steam 7-In-1 Clothes Steamer
Capable of reaching operating temperature within 90-seconds and delivering a decent amount of hot steam once it has warmed up, this personal steamer is great for not only travelers but also for home use. It has a design which makes it extremely safe to use and it’s compact design allows it to be easily packed for long trips.
It has an easy-to-view reservoir window which allows you to see just how much water is in your steamer. And maybe best of all, this product has a power cord that’s 9-feet long and gives you the reach you need to steam just about anything.
#4 Secura Instant-Steam Fabric Steamer
It seems like steam appliances are getting better and better at heating up and nothing proves this more than this Secura Instant-Steam Garment Steamer. It has a stainless steel sole-plate and 1,000-watts of power that allows it to generate steam within 15-seconds and continue to generate steam for up to 15-minutes.
Its 8-ounce water tank is twice the capacity of many other steamers, and it has a non-binding power cord that rotates. This innovative steamer comes with a detachable cleaning brush and has a stainless steel face-plate for added durability. And it’s well thought out design allows it to even be used sideways without having to worry about spilling boiling hot water.
#3 Gideon Portable Handheld Clothing Steamer
This steamer is only 8-inches high, which makes it compact enough for it to be taken just about anywhere. It can hold up to 5-ounces of water, and that gives it the ability to deliver up to 8-minutes of steam. Once its 6-foot long power cord is plugged in, this product can heat up water and be ready to steam within 60-seconds.
It’s a steamer that’s 100% drip-free and is designed to never spit water. This product’s design allows it to remove wrinkles out of a variety of fabrics quickly and effectively. A great feature found on this steamer is that it has an auto-shutoff that turns the steamer off when it gets too hot or when the water level drops to low.
#2 Beautural 1,200-Watt Steamer for Clothes
This clothes steamer comes with a fabric brush, lint brush, a measuring cup and an instruction manual. In other words, it has everything needed to get started with this 1,200-Watt steamer. It has a large 8.79-ounce water tank that can deliver up to 15-minutes of hot steam at a time.
This steamer has a leak-proof design and an auto-shutoff feature that makes it very safe to use. It’s a steamer that can be used to steam all kinds of different fabrics–including cotton, nylon, wool, velvet, linen, silk and polyester. It can be used to not only steam clothes either but can be used to steam bedding, curtains, draperies, and even furniture.
#1 Lemontec Portable Travel Garment Steamer
Considered by some people to be the best portable steamer, this product has a number of features which make it quite handy to not only travelers but anyone who needs a compact but powerful steamer. Once it’s filled with approximately 6-ounces of water, it takes about 70-seconds to heat up and then is ready to perform.
It can then provide the user with up to 9-minutes of hot steam that can be used for a variety of purposes. This steamer’s special nozzle effectively distributes the steam in a fashion that allows it to quickly remove wrinkles from just about any garment.
Handheld Garment Steamer Guide
Anything that makes life easier or something that shaves a few minutes off a household task is worth buying. Over time, the convenience certainly adds up and this is the case when you find a quality handheld garment steamer. The problem is, if you don’t get this purchase right, it can cost you time as the device takes ages to do the job.
To help you avoid a costly mistake (in terms of time, and money – cheaper is not always better!), the following guide will help clarify the better traits of a quality handheld garment steamer.
What To Look For In A Handheld Garment Steamer
Brand Reputation
The numerous brand loyal customers of the world will be able to tell you, a quality reputation goes a long way. There are some cheaply made products in the niche but they are some of the worst culprits for breaking easily or taking a long time to get the creases out of your clothes.
The better the brand, the more likely it is that your purchase will last a long time, and the easier it will make your life.
Heating Time
The faster the handheld garment steamer heats up, the quicker you can get the task finished. For a lot of products, they should be faster than a traditional steam iron and get to full steaming power within a couple of minutes. Anything that takes much longer than this might not have the power you need.
Weight
Anything that is supposed to be held in one hand should be light enough to use for an extended time. If you have a few items of clothing to steam the creases out of, you’ll be thankful when the device doesn’t weight the same as a traditional iron.
Adjustable Settings
Because you are going to use a handheld garment steamer on different types of fabrics and materials, the product you choose needs to have adjustable settings. It isn’t the case that one steam fits all, creases in certain materials and that have set in for some time will need more steam than others.
Water Tank
Because these products tend to produce a fair bit of steam, the water tank needs to be big enough to cope with large laundry piles. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself topping it up halfway through. The better products come with a tank that can hold at least 10 oz of water.
Because these are convenient travel-friendly handheld garment steamers, they do not require so much filling and therefore don’t have a big capacity.
Warranty
This is something that should come as standard for most household appliances as electronics can easily break. This isn’t to say that your chosen product won’t last a long time but when you’re parting with your hard-earned cash, it is always good to know it is protected by a 1/2/3+ year warranty.
Wattage
Don’t expect a handheld garment steamer to give you 1,500 watts of power but anything around 500 will usually do a good job of conveniently getting rid of creases.
Continual Steaming
These are handheld devices so they will need topping up now and then but the better products will still give you enough time to get a fair few garments nice and crease-free. For most needs, a continual steaming time of 10-20 minutes will suffice and this is about right for most products in the nice.
Cord Length
To get the most out of the device, it is going to need a lengthy cord so you have more freedom of movement. Otherwise, you are restricted to the nearest socket. Anything over 8ft should be enough for most homes.
Handheld Garment Steamer Safety
Most handheld garment steamers will give you safety features but check that the one you like has auto shut-off. This protects you from hazards if the water tank runs out or the device overheats.
Always be sure to read the instructions before using it for the first time.
Handheld Garment Steamer Added Features
Because they are built for convenience, it is not as common to see added features as the bulkier, heavy-duty products but a lot of them still go the extra mile. If you can find a product that gives you a lint remover, or a fabric brush then you are onto a good thing.
Conclusion
The convenience of using a handheld garment steamer is obvious but only available when you get a quality product. They are great for travel but the last thing you want to do is spend hours steaming your clothes because the product requires constant refilling and takes an age to heat up.
Choose wisely, and enjoy the many benefits.
