We Tested the Best Clothes Steamers for Taking Care of Wrinkles

Best Overall: True & Tidy TS-10 Handheld Garment Steamer

4.4

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Our Ratings

• Effectiveness
  4/5
• Design
  5/5
• Portability
  4/5
• Overall Value
  5/5
• Heat Time
  4/5

You can keep your clothes neat and wrinkle-free anywhere with the True & Tidy Handheld Garment Steamer. This compact model is our top pick for a clothes steamer because it perfectly marries portability with quality. The handheld steamer weighs a little more than one pound and breaks down into two pieces, making it easy to pack in a carry-on or duffel bag. Despite its small size, it excelled in our testing. We found that it gave off an impressive flow of steam for a handheld unit, and it was able to remove the majority of wrinkles in just two or three passes. 

You operate this steamer using a simple on-off rocker switch, and we liked that the water tank is fully see-through, allowing you to monitor exactly how much water is left. On a full tank, it can run for around seven minutes, but we did find it frustrating to fill the reservoir. You have to put water in very slowly, otherwise, it backs up and overflows. Otherwise, this steamer is a reliable and effective option that's suitable for a wide variety of tasks. You can pack it in a suitcase or carry it to the next room to perfectly prepare your outfit for the day, and rest assured that its price point matches its versatility and performance.

Best Budget: Black+Decker Easy Garment Steamer

4.5

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Our Ratings

• Effectiveness
  4.5/5
• Design
  4/5
• Portability
  4/5
• Overall Value
  5/5
• Heat Time
  5/5

The BLACK+DECKER Easy Garment Steamer checks all of our boxes. It's powerful, compact to store, and extremely affordable. During testing, we were impressed by this steamer’s high steam output as well as its less than 60-second heat-up time, which earned it 5 out of 5 in our ratings. 

This handheld steamer is surprisingly powerful for its size. Instead of holes on its nozzle, it has a slit, which gives off a lot of steam and makes it very effective (we gave it a 4.5 out of 5). However, you have to keep your hand further away from the nozzle during use, as it gives off a lot of steam that can travel further down the fabric.

Best Splurge: Pure Enrichment PureSteam Pro Upright Clothes Steamer

4.2

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Our Ratings

• Effectiveness
  4.5/5
• Design
  4.5/5
• Portability
  4/5
• Overall Value
  4/5
• Heat Time
  4/5

If you’re willing to spend a little more on a sleek, versatile full-size steamer, this option from Pure Enrichment impressed us during testing. The base of the unit has a triangular shape that features a foot pedal to turn it on and off, and a dial on the front allows you to adjust the steam level. The 2-liter water tank is on the back of the base, and there’s even a space to wrap up the cord for more compact storage. Overall, we loved the design of this unit, rating it a 4.5 out of 5—we only knocked off half a point because the hanger and clips were made from a thin plastic that we worried would snap if dropped. 

This steamer readily removed wrinkles from our test fabric, needing just one or two passes to smooth the fabric on its highest setting. We gave it a 4.5 out of 5 in terms of effectiveness, with the only downside being that thinner materials tend to slide out of the clips if you pull them taut. All in all, we think it’s a sleek and effective machine to add to your laundry room.

Best Upright: Hamilton Beach Upright Garment Steamer

4.2

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Our Ratings

• Effectiveness
  4.5/5
• Design
  4.5/5
• Portability
  5/5
• Overall Value
  4/5
• Heat Time
  3/5

The Hamilton Beach Upright Garment Steamer is a top choice if you’re hoping to steam curtains and oversized items. This upright unit has a pole that extends up to three feet and it has an extra-long hose to match. Additionally, we loved that the steamer is mounted on four caster wheels, which made it one of the easiest to move around and earned it a 5 out of 5 in terms of portability. 

This unit can be used for up to 90 minutes at a time, and we were impressed by its steaming abilities—it was able to blast through wrinkles in one to two passes, leaving fabric smooth and ready to use. Unlike many other upright options, this steamer doesn’t include a built-in hanger component, but there’s a loop on top of the pole where you can hook a hanger. The only downside we found to this steamer is that the water tank relies on its weight to stay in place, so it gets a bit wobbly when the tank isn’t as full.

Best Combo : Maytag Speed Heat Steam Iron & Vertical Steamer

4.3

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Our Ratings

• Effectiveness
  2.3/5
• Design
  1/5
• Portability
  2.5/5
• Overall Value
  1/5
• Heat Time
  5/5

Irons and steamers serve different purposes in the laundry room: “A steamer will relax and remove most wrinkles, but unlike an iron, they will not give you a crisp pressed result,” says Wayne Edelman, CEO of Meurice Garment Care, a renowned dry cleaner in Manhattan. If you want the best of both worlds, we recommend the Maytag Speed Heat Steam Iron, which has a large water tank that produces an impressive burst of steam to de-wrinkle and press your clothing in one step. 

While this combo unit claims that it can steam vertically, we found in testing that this feature wasn’t very effective. Instead, it worked much better as a steam iron, which delivers a perfectly smooth, wrinkle-free fabric in just a few passes. You can control how much steam it gives off using a sliding dial on the handle of the iron, and there’s also a “burst of steam” button that gives off a powerful puff of heat. Overall, we ranked it 4.5 out of 5 in terms of effectiveness. Just keep in mind that it doesn’t operate the way a regular handheld steamer would.

Best Handheld: Electrolux LX-15002 Garment Steamer

4.2

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Our Ratings

• Effectiveness
  4/5
• Design
  5/5
• Portability
  4/5
• Overall Value
  3/5
• Heat Time
  5/5

Handheld steamers are more compact than upright units, making them a top choice if you have a smaller home. The Electrolux Garment Steamer was one of the top performers in this category. We were charmed by its sleek design and modern appearance, complete with a stylish silhouette and matte black finish. However, this finish can quickly show mineral deposits if you live in an area with hard water, according to Katie Berry, The Spruce's Cleaning Review Board member.

In addition to looking great and feeling sturdy, this handheld steamer also performed quite well. It was able to remove both big and small wrinkles in just two or three passes, and it gave off an impressive amount of steam on its high setting. 

The power button for this handheld steamer is on the back of its head, and it has an indicator light that lets you know when it’s ready to use. There are two settings to choose from, and a trigger on the front allows you to start or stop the steam as needed. There’s even a sliding trigger lock that provides continuous steam. We scored this steamer 5 out of 5 for design and heat time, and 4 out of 5 in terms of effectiveness. The only major downside we could find is that it occasionally spits water, which can be painful if the hot droplets land on your hand.