The 8 Best Clothes Steamers of 2022

Best Overall: Steamfast SF-562 Canister Garment Steamer

View On Amazon View On Steamfast.com

No matter what you’re planning to steam in your home—be it clothing, linens, curtains, or something else—the Steamfast Upright Garment Steamer will make quick work of wrinkles. In our testing, we were blown away by this unit’s ability to blast even the most stubborn creases in seconds, and it performed impeccably on all types of materials, from cotton shirts to thick denim. 

This full-size steamer has two steam settings, and its 86-ounce water tank allows you to work for up to 96 minutes at a time, making it ideal for use around the house. During testing, it took around two minutes to heat up and produce a powerful stream of steam, and it removed the majority of wrinkles in a single pass, earning a five out of five in terms of effectiveness. Its telescoping pole gets as tall as 47.24 inches, but we liked that it shrinks back down, as well, making the unit compact enough to store in a closet. 

The only downside we found with this steamer is that the included fabric clips don’t shut completely, so they don’t hold thin linens well. However, they work just fine with pants and other garments, and overall, we think this full-size steamer is a great value.

Best Budget: Sunbeam SteamMaster Handheld Fabric Steamer

View On Amazon

The Sunbeam SteamMaster Handheld Steamer is ideal for occasional steaming jobs. It might not work quite as quickly as some larger models, but it’s sturdy, compact to store, and available at a low price. During testing, we were impressed by this steamer’s sizable 8-ounce water tank, which wraps around the whole base, as well as its less than 60-second heat up time, which earned it a five out of five in our ratings. 

This handheld steamer isn’t the most powerful option we tested—it needed three or four passes over the fabric to remove wrinkles, but it got the job done. Overall, we gave it a 3.5 out of five in terms of effectiveness, so it’s better suited for smaller jobs. The unit has a “shot of steam” button that’s supposed to increase the steam power temporarily, but we didn’t notice a difference in the steam output or performance.

Best Splurge: Pure Enrichment PureSteam Pro Upright Clothes Steamer

View On Amazon View On Walmart

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 five—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 five in terms of effectiveness, and the only downside is that thinner materials tend to slide out of the clips if you pull them taught. 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

View On Amazon View On Home Depot

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 to 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 five out of five 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 Handheld: Electrolux LX-15002 Garment Steamer

View On Amazon View On Walmart View On Lowe's

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, and we were charmed by its sleek design and modern appearance, complete with a stylish silhouette and matte black finish. 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 five out of five for design and heat time, and four out of five 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.

Best for Traveling: True & Tidy TS-10 Handheld Garment Steamer

View On Amazon View On Bed Bath & Beyond View On Macy's

You can keep your clothes neat and wrinkle-free on the road with the True & Tidy Handheld Garment Steamer. This compact model weighs a little more than 1 pound and breaks down into two pieces, making it easy to pack in a carry-on or duffel bag, but despite its small size, it excelled in our testing. We found that it gave off an impressive flow of steam for a travel-sized 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 its 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 7 minutes, but we did find it a bit frustrating to fill the reservoir—you have to put water in very slowly, otherwise it backs up and overflows.

Best Combo : Maytag Speed Heat Steam Iron & Vertical Steamer

View On Amazon View On Walmart View On Bed Bath & Beyond

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,” explains Wayne Edelman, CEO of Meurice Garment Care, a well-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 dewrinkle and press your clothing in one step. 

This combo unit claims that it can steam vertically, but in testing, we found 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 five in terms of effectiveness—just keep in mind that it doesn’t operate the way a regular handheld steamer would.