Best clothes steamers UK 2023

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This is how fashion editors always look so polished

As well as updating your wardrobe each season with a few new investment pieces, why not give it a literal refresh too with a clothes steamer?

This handy (and sometimes handheld) gadget is the perfect way to keep your clothes crease-free and as sleek as when they’re just off the rail. Plus, steaming your clothes takes a fraction of the time that ironing does, making it an appealing option all round.

There are two types of clothes steamer: uprights and handhelds. If you’re planning on steaming your way through your entire wardrobe, an upright would make a smart choice, as its bigger tank will require fewer refills. If you want one you can tuck into a suitcase or grab at a minute’s notice, go for a handheld.

If you hate ironing but also dislike creased clothes, a clothes steamer will be your new best friend.

The clever gadget will also get rid of any iron-induced nerves, as there’s less risk of burning your clothes. While irons use hot metal plates to press away creases, steamers don’t touch your clothes. Instead, their steam relaxes fabric and causes creases to fall out effortlessly. For this reason, if your wardrobe is full of delicate workwear or investment dresses, then you should keep a steamer to hand.

Another pro is that steam also kills germs, so you can use your garment steamer to keep clothes fresh in-between washes or dry-cleaning, which is more eco-friendly, too.

One of the great things about steaming is how simple it is – once you’ve filled up your steamer and switched it on, wait for the steam to rise and you’re ready to go.

We recommend hanging your clothes from a doorway, and gently pulling them tight while you’re steaming. Move the steamer across your garment in slow, downward strokes and watch the creases disappear. Remember to let them cool before you slip into them, too.

We introduced our wardrobes to 21 different handheld and upright clothes steamers to assess how well each one banished creases. They were tested across everything from viscose to silk to cotton, and even notoriously wrinkly linen. We also looked at how easy they were to use, how quick they were, and whether they dripped or spat.

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Not quite convinced to make the switch from ironing to steaming? Then opt for this affordable travel model that’s impressively effective – it scored full marks for ease of use and heated up in less than a minute. It’s a great wrinkle-remover, too, working wonders on all our clothes, no matter the fabric.

It’s got dual voltage if you’re planning on taking it abroad and has a thoughtful selection of accessories, including a door hook and a travel bag that make steaming easy wherever you are. Our only niggles are that it spat a tad and our cotton shirt felt a bit damp after use.

Key specificationsTank capacity: 0.15LTransparent water tank: YesIncluded accessories: Door hook, fabric brush, steam bonnet, travel bagDimensions (H, W, D): 24.5cm x 12cm x 10cm

If you’ve got the space at home, this steamer on wheels should make getting through your laundry pile a breeze, thanks to its huge tank. This does result in a longer heat-up time than most – over two minutes – but its outstanding performance makes it well worth the wait.

It didn’t spit and our clothes were crease-free, with testers finishing a cotton shirt quickly. It also boasts many helpful design details including a tapered tip, cuff attachment and collar press, which all make intricate detailing and seams more accessible. And while the steam shot was more like a gust of wind with delicate fabrics, most stubborn wrinkles didn’t stand a chance.

Key specificationsTank capacity: 3.8LTransparent water tank: YesIncluded accessories: Flexible ironing board, heat protection gloves, upholstery brush, collar press and cuff attachment, delicate fabric guard, folding hanger with pegsDimensions (H, W, D): 185cm x 32cm x 44cm

Our winning handheld clothes steamer is a solid alternative to an upright if you’re after something that’s reliable yet compact. This one did an impressive job de-creasing – even on linen – and it was ready to steam within 40 seconds, and there was little spitting.

All our clothes were dry afterwards too, which is ideal if you’re partial to a quick outfit refresh before throwing it on and dashing out the door.

Testers did find that its head was a bit too big to be entirely effective on armpits and the trigger lock was fairly loose, so they had to keep reapplying it, but its variety of steam settings (normal, delicate and turbo), fabric brush and travel bag went down well.

Key specificationsTank capacity: 0.2LTransparent water tank: YesIncluded accessories: Door hook, fabric brush, crease attachment, steam bonnet, travel bagDimensions (H, W, D): 27.5cm x 14.5cm x 11.5cm

Jetting off on holiday? Then it’s well worth packing this sleek steamer in your suitcase. Although it’s got a small water capacity, it lasted for a decent amount of time, and it heated up in a blistering 29 seconds. It was swift with nearly all our clothes too –from linen to silk to viscose – although, again, the head wasn’t quite nimble enough for intricate corners.

There’s no trigger lock so you do have to hold the button down throughout steaming, but it does come with a protective glove. If you’ve got a lot of weddings in your diary, this is the one to keep your outfits out of steamy bathrooms and in pristine condition...

Key specificationsTank capacity: 0.07LTransparent water tank: NoIncluded accessories: Fabric brush, protective gloveDimensions (H, W, D): 38cm x 12.8cm x 15cm

Thanks to an impressive 1.8L water tank, this standing steamer can offer up to 60 minutes of continuous steaming, allowing you to get through a whole week’s washing at once. Despite its proven power, the device itself is relatively stripped back and simple for beginners to use, with two steam levels (900W and 1750W) and integrated hangers to ensure your garments remain 100% crease-free after steaming.

There’s an additional brush for use on delicate garments (including silk and satin, which can notoriously be no-go fabrics for a conventional iron), and our expert said it excelled with every material tested, effortlessly removing deep-set wrinkles from linen dresses and cotton blouses.

This was one of the most premium garment steamers tested, but our tester had no doubts that the performance matched the higher price tag. If you have the space and budget for an upright steamer, make it this.

Key specificationsTank capacity: 1.8LTransparent water tank: NoIncluded accessories: Heat protection glove, fabric brush, non-slip hangerDimensions (H, W, D): 172cm x 32cm x 33cm

The main draw of the Laurastar Iggi is its targeted nozzle, which makes steaming details like beads and sequins a breeze. While we tested the steamers on clothing, it’s versatile to use around the house, too, and can remove odours from cushions, throws and curtains in mere minutes – a big tick for saving time and money on dry cleaning.

Despite there being no trigger lock, the lightweight body makes it both comfortable to hold for longer periods and the perfect travel companion. You have to wait for the device to cool down before refilling the tank, but there’s plenty of power to work through multiple pieces at once.

It took viscose, silk, and polycotton in it’s stride, though heavier materials like linen may require a second sweep. Overall, its portability and performance impressed, with additional points given for leaving our outfits spit-free and ready to wear.

Key specificationsWater tank capacity: 0.08LTransparent water tank: NoIncluded accessories: Refill bottle, glove, bagDimensions (H, W, D): 25cm x 11.7cm x 11.7cm

The Tefal Pure Tex was highly praised on test thanks to the generously sized head and powerful steaming output. In fact, it was able to remove “each and every crease” from our clothes quickly and effectively.

It was seriously quick to heat up, reaching optimum temperature in just 25 seconds. So if like us, you’re prone to leaving your outfit selection to the last minute only to find what you settle on is a little wardrobe weary, then this is the steamer for you.

Plus, a whole host of additional magnetic attachments improves its impressive functionality (think: lint removal pads, sanitising attachments and fragrance boosters), all while remaining compact enough to take on your travels. The design is user-friendly and intuitive, making this our top recommendation for first-timers too.

Key specificationsTank capacity: 0.2L Transparent water tank: YesIncluded accessories: Clean pad, dewrinkle pad, steam bonnet, fragranceDimensions (H, W, D): 28.2cm x 18cm x 12cm

A star steamer, this one had a lot to bring to our wardrobes; it got rid of every last crease from all fabrics we tested apart from cotton, and even then it still did a decent job. We had to invest a bit more time into our silk and linen garments, but its smaller head made getting into tight spots like armpits easy.

It was ready to use quickly too, and has two power modes so you can tailor the steam to the fabric you’re tackling. Its collar press also helped give a neat finish, too.

It's only drawback? The power cable is short so you can't stray too far from a plug socket.

Key specificationsTank capacity: 0.26LTransparent water tank: YesIncluded accessories: Travel bag, collar press, fabric guard, water bottle adapter, portable hangerDimensions (H, W, D): 22cm x 12cm x 15cm

Say goodbye to hurrying out the door in a creased dress, as this speedy steamer means you’ll always be able to squeeze in a last-minute once-over. During testing, it heated up in 15 seconds and removed creases similarly quickly without a damp patch in sight.

It couldn’t quite straighten out stubborn cotton and viscose creases, but did lighten them, and performed notably well on polycotton. It doesn’t have a trigger lock and you can’t see into the water tank for preemptive refilling, but with a space-saving collapsible head, it’s a well thought out design that looks fairly chic too.

Key specificationsTank capacity: 0.12LTransparent water tank: NoIncluded accessories: Fabric brush, travel bagDimensions (H, W, D): 22cm x 10.5cm x 12.7cm

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