Ironing and steaming are the most effective ways to elevate your outfit. We have tested three garment steamers, including the Philips Garment Steamer, Swedish Steamery, and the British Russell Hobbs Genie VacuSteam. Continue reading ‘Steamy Business’ to learn more.

Steaming and ironing are two effective ways to remove wrinkles from textiles, but steaming offers additional benefits that can help extend the lifespan of your garments.

The following information is from Steamerystockholm:

Removing Wrinkles

Ironing and steaming are two effective ways to remove wrinkles from your textiles. However, steaming is a gentler alternative because the hot steam lifts and swells the textile fibers rather than pressing them down, allowing them to regain their natural shape. Steaming is also a much gentler way to de-wrinkle delicate fabrics like silk and garments that cannot be ironed due to their shape or texture, such as draped, pleated, or beaded items of clothing.

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Removing odors

Contrary to popular belief, washing is not the only way to remove unpleasant odors from your clothes. Most odors can be reduced or even eliminated by airing out your clothes overnight. Steaming is another option because hot steam kills bacteria. After airing out and steaming, finish with a Fabric Spray, and your clothes will smell fresh again. If none of these methods work, pre-soak your clothes in our Active Laundry Detergent for a while before washing as usual.

Steaming

Steaming serves multiple purposes because hot steam not only removes wrinkles but also fights unpleasant odors and bacteria. Because you don’t have to wash your clothes as often when using a steamer, your garments last longer. Steaming is ideal for delicate textiles like silk, velvet, and cashmere. A steamer is also a smart tool for travel, letting you quickly freshen up your clothes on the go.

Ironing

An iron is a traditional tool for removing wrinkles and creases from fabrics. For a wrinkle-free result, use a spray bottle with water to create steam, or use a steam iron with a built-in steam function. The main drawback of using an iron is that it flattens fabric fibers. Be careful when steaming delicate materials, as ironing can leave scorch marks.

Testing the three steamers

Philips Garment Steamer
The steamer is extremely easy to use, with an on-off switch and a steam button, and features a detachable reservoir you can fill with water. With a 120ml capacity, this tank is quite small; you pay for the compact size and relatively light weight of this model, and it will get you through roughly one outfit or a few tops.

Average price (online shopping): £44.99

Steamery Cirrus X
We tested the Swedish Cirrus X on men’s shirts, linen trousers, and a silk shirt. First, we noticed the steam’s strength. On cotton shirts, creases disappeared quickly, and the overall finish looked properly smart rather than just “less wrinkled”.

The 85ml tank was enough for five shirts before needing a refill. Another advantage is the transparent tank, which lets you see the water level at a glance. It’s certainly quicker than using a steam iron, since you can run garments through without taking them off the hanger.

The instructions show you how to create tension in the fabric, either by pulling it taut or pressing it against the steamer with the glove. Once we followed the instructions properly, the results improved noticeably. Linen trousers were presentable in a matter of moments. The silk shirt came out smooth and without water marks, as long as we kept the steamer moving.

Average price (online shopping): £134.99

Russell Hobbs Genie VacuSteam
The VacuSteam stands out from the other two because it pulls fabric toward the ceramic plate. While this might sound alarming, it’s actually brilliant. One of the few faffy things about steamers is that you sometimes find yourself chasing fabric around. This Russell Hobbs model’s suction eliminates that frustration. It also offers a decent tank size and runtime, and has three settings (you can run it without the vacuum function).

Average price (online shopping): £69.99

Steamy Business: Three team members conducted these tests privately.
Feature image (top) © Polti