Best clothes steamers for easily removing creases

Clothes steamers (also known as garment steamers) can be a quick fix for removing stubborn creases when you haven't got time to iron. We put them to the test to find the best clothes steamers to leave your garments crease-free.

We've tested handheld clothes steamers, costing from £25 to £120, from popular brands including Argos, Philips, Tefal and more. 

Our Best Buy home clothes steamer recommendations impress for their quick and effective crease removal on a range of materials, as well as their ease of use. 

Why you can trust us to reveal the very best clothes steamers: Which? is a not for profit organisation and has been testing products and calling out rogue businesses for almost 70 years.

In an increasingly chaotic world, filled with so-called 'experts', it's good to know that brands still can't buy their way onto our testing or influence what we write. We buy every product we test and we'll tell you the worst as well as the best clothes steamers.

The best clothes steamers

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The clothes steamers we tested

All the clothes steamers we've tested are listed in alphabetical order below. 

Only logged-in Which? members can view the best clothes steamers from our tests. 

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Beldray BEL01608 Fold Away Garment Steamer

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Most recently tested May 2024

Tank capacity 100ml

Heat-up time 30 seconds 

Steam rate 20g/min 

Accessories Lint brush attachment, measuring jug

Need to know 19 x 10 x 15cm (HxWxD), 800g, 1.9-metre cable, continuous steam button, foldable arm

Beldray Multisteam Pro BEL0815 Clothes Steamer

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Most recently tested May 2022

Tank capacity 260ml

Heat-up time 45 seconds 

Steam rate 25g/min

Accessories 2-in-1 brush and lint attachment

Need to know 28 x 11 x 15cm (HxWxD), 1.3kg, 1.9-metre cable, continuous steam button

Breville VIN432 EliteTEMP Handheld Garment Steamer

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Most recently tested May 2024

Tank capacity 200ml

Heat-up time 26 seconds 

Steam rate 20g/min 

Accessories Fabric brush, travel pouch, measuring jug

Need to know 24 x 10 x 13cm (HxWxD), 850g, 3-metre cable, foldable arm

Breville VIN432 EliteTEMP Handheld Garment Steamer

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Most recently tested May 2024

Tank capacity 240ml

Heat-up time 35 seconds 

Steam rate 30g/min 

Accessories Fabric brush, 2-in-1 silicone band, measuring jug

Need to know 26 x 13 x 15cm (HxWxD), 1.1kg, 3-metre cable, low mode (delicate fabrics), normal mode (cotton and polyester with moderate wrinkles), turbo (thicker and heavily wrinkled fabrics), continuous steam button

Drew & Cole Verti Steam Pro Hand Steamer

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Most recently tested May 2022

Tank capacity 300ml

Heat-up time 45 seconds 

Steam rate 26g/min 

Accessories Protective steam pad, lint remover, refresh brush attachment

Need to know 28 x 12 x 14cm (HxWxD), 1.9kg, 2.5-metre cable

Fridja F10 Raf Handheld Travel Clothes Steamer

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Most recently tested May 2024

Tank capacity 260ml

Advertised heat-up time 45 seconds 

Advertised steam rate 25g/min 

Accessories Collar press, folding hanger, fabric guard, water bottle adaptor 

Need to know 22 x 12 x 15cm (HxWxD), 900g, 2-metre cable, continuous steam button, eco mode, automatic shut-off 

Homeasy Clothes Steamer

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Most recently tested May 2022

Tank capacity 110ml

Heat-up time 45 seconds

Steam rate 18g/min 

Accessories Storage bag, brush attachment, anti-scalding glove

Need to know 12 x 6 x 6cm (HxWxD), 800g, 2.4-metre cable, continuous steam button

Philips STH3000/26 3000 Series Handheld Steamer

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Most recently tested May 2024

Tank capacity 100ml

Heat-up time 30 seconds 

Steam rate up to 20g/min 

Need to know 22 x 9 x 17cm (HxWxD), 700g, 2-metre cable, foldable arm 

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Philips Steam & Go Plus Handheld Garment Steamer

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Most recently tested May 2022

Tank capacity 70ml

Heat-up time 45 seconds 

Steam rate 24g/min 

Accessories Brush attachment, protective glove

Need to know 13 x 38 x 15cm (HxWxD), 950g, 2.5-metre cable, continuous steam button

Russell Hobbs Steam Genie Aroma 28040 Garment Steamer

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Most recently tested May 2024

Tank capacity 200ml

Heat-up time 45 seconds 

Steam rate 32g/min 

Accessories Lint attachment, delicate fabric attachment, upholstery attachment, scent infuser attachment

Need to know 27 x 13 x 14cm (HxWxD), 1.2kg, 3-metre cable, continuous steam button, 

Russell Hobbs Steam Genie Essential 25591 Garment Steamer

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Most recently tested May 2024

Tank capacity 200ml

Advertised heat-up time 45 seconds 

Advertised steam rate 20g/min 

Accessories Lint attachment

Need to know 25 x 13 x 14cm (HxWxD), 1.1kg, 1.9-metre cable, continuous steam button

Steamery 3233 Cirrus 2 Handheld Garment Steamer

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Most recently tested May 2024

Tank capacity 90ml

Heat-up time 20 seconds 

Steam rate 15g/min 

Accessories Heat protection bag

Need to know 29 x 15 x 5cm (HxWxD), 750g, 1.9-metre cable

Steamery CIX0101UK Cirrus X Handheld Garment Steamer

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Most recently tested May 2024

Tank capacity 85ml

Heat-up time 20 seconds 

Steam rate 18g/min 

Accessories Steaming pad - press fabric against steamer on cuffs, pockets and collars

Need to know 26 x 14 x 8cm (HxWxD), 850g, 2-metre cable

Steamworks Handheld Garment Steamer

Available from Argos (£19)

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Most recently tested May 2024

Tank capacity 230ml

Advertised heat-up time 30 seconds 

Advertised steam rate 27g/min 

Accessories Fabric brush attachment

Need to know 24 x 11 x 14cm (HxWxD), 1.1kg, 2.8-metre cable, continuous steam button, low-steam mode

Tefal Access Steam Care DT9100 Garment Steamer

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Most recently tested May 2024

Tank capacity 200ml

Heat-up time 40 seconds 

Steam rate 30g/min 

Accessories Vertical support press, fabric brush, steam cover (for delicate fabrics), door hook

Need to know 30 x 13 x 14cm (HxWxD), 1.3kg, 3-metre cable, continuous steam button, three levels of steam intensity

Tefal Access Steam Easy DT7130G0 Handheld Garment Steamer

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Most recently tested May 2024

Tank capacity 150ml

Heat-up time 15 seconds 

Steam rate up to 25g/min 

Accessories Door hook, microfibre brush attachment, microfibre pads x3

Need to know 26 x 11 x 13cm (HxWxD), 1kg, 2.6-metre cable, continuous steam button

Tefal Pure POP DT2022G0 Garment Steamer

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Most recently tested May 2024

Tank capacity 70ml

Heat-up time 15 seconds 

Steam rate 20g/min 

Accessories Storage bag

Need to know 28 x 6 x 13cm (HxWxD), 750g, 2-metre cable

How we test clothes steamers

To find the best clothes steamers, we buy the most popular handheld steamers and put them through the following tests.

We regularly revisit the clothes steamers on sale to see if there are any more popular models that need testing, and when we find them we do.

Crease removal

We use each garment steamer to remove creases from silk, linen and cotton pillowcases, as well as from polycotton T-shirts.

The best clothes steamers effectively remove creases from all of the materials, while the worst leave them damp and still creased.

Ease of use

We assess how easy each clothes steamer is to set up, how comfortable it is to hold and how clear the instructions are. 

We also test each steamer with Cambridge simulation gloves. These highlight any issues that people with restricted hand movement might have while using the clothes steamers. If you have limited hand mobility, we recommend you look for a steamer with a continuous steam button so you don't have to hold down a button while you steam. 

Build quality

At the start of our tests, we check for any manufacturing faults or flaws.

Durability

Once all other tests are complete, we drop each clothes steamer from 90cm on to a linoleum-covered floor five times.

The best are still useable although a bit scraped and scuffed. The worst shatter.

Heat-up time and steam rate 

To test the actual heat-up time of each clothes steamer against the claimed figure, we turn on each garment steamer three times and record how long it takes to get hot enough to use. 

We also test the claimed steam rate (the amount of steam created by the clothes steamers per minute) by filling each steamer's tank to its maximum capacity and running it until it's empty. 

Our tests have shown that the advertised heat-up times and steam rates are accurate. However, the most effective crease removers don't always have the highest steam rates, so it pays to read our reviews rather than buying based on advertised steam rate. 

Find out more about how Which? is not influenced by product manufacturers or retailers, and how your support helps us to stay editorially independent.

Can a clothes steamer replace your iron?

Probably not. While the best clothes steamers we tested were effective at removing creases, they are better for touch-up work on specific garments when you've not got the time for a full iron.

However, if you're someone who folds away or hangs freshly dried clothes well (so they're not horrendously crumpled), you might find that a garment steamer is enough for you. They can also be handy if you find traditional irons and ironing boards too heavy to use. 

Got a larger load of laundry to deal with? Check out our reviews of the best steam irons

Types of clothes steamers

There are two main types of garment steamer to choose from - handheld and upright.

Handheld

These are smaller, lighter and more portable than upright models (weighing between 1kg and 2kg, whereas uprights can weigh more than 7kg). Therefore, this is the type you need if you want one to take on holiday. They have a small water tank you attach to the steamer. 

Upright

These are larger. bulkier and more powerful than handheld models. They have a large water tank in the base, which means they can steam for longer. They also often come with a built-in hanger.

Clothes steamer features and extras

Handheld garment steamers differ in their features and extras. These were what we came across in our testing. Every steamer is different, so check out our reviews for what will be included with the clothes steamer you choose.

• Cable length: We found the cables varied in length from two to three metres. Make sure you get one that's long enough to reach your power socket.
• Tank capacity: We found clothes steamers with as little as 70ml tank capacity and others with as much as 300ml. The higher the water capacity, the longer you can go without having to refill. However, the bigger the tank, the heavier the clothes steamer will be when it's full.
• Collar press: A collar press can help you achieve perfect collars for your shirts.
• Folding hanger: A folding hanger makes it easy to travel with everything you need to steam your garments on the go.
• Head attachments: You can get a variety of attachments for garment steamers - these can be brushes for lint removal or fabric guards and steam bonnets to protect delicates.
• Creaser: While most of the time you will want to remove creases, for items such as suit trousers, a creaser tool can give you that perfect dry-clean finished look.
• Door hook: Another useful extra for on-the-go steaming.
• Protective pad: If you're worried about steam causing damage to your doors or wall, then you should look out for a protective steam pad. These allow you to steam with confidence, adding a protective layer between your garment and the surface, similar to an ironing board cover. We used one during our testing and it worked well.
• Protective glove: These gloves protect your hands from any steam you might get too close to.
• Jug: A few garment steamers come with a small jug that can make it easier to refill the water tanks. Some of the steamer tanks have small openings, and the jugs provided did make refilling them a little easier.

How to use a clothes steamer for best results

After hours of steaming clothes, we learned tips to get the best results from your garment steamer.

• Most handheld garment steamers come with a trigger lock. Use it to stop finger fatigue while steaming.
• Fill the tank with filtered water to avoid limescale if you live in an area with hard water. If you use tap water, don't forget to frequently descale your steamer so it continues to work effectively. Check the instruction manual for when and how to descale your clothes steamer. Some brands, such as Fridja, also sell their own descaling crystals to do this.
• Hang your garment somewhere it can hang freely. If you hang it against a wall or a wardrobe door, that surface will end up covered in condensation once you start steaming.
• Pull your item of clothing downwards from the bottom as you’re steaming it ,to give yourself a taut, flat surface to work the steamer against. But take care not to steam your fingers.
• You can also place your items on an ironing board for an even, level surface to steam on. This can make steaming napkins or tablecloths easier. See our pick of the best ironing boards

Do you touch clothes with a steamer?

Leave a bit of space between your clothes steamer and the garment that you're steaming. 

We found that if you place the steamer too close to the fabric, this can leave water droplets on it, as there isn't enough room for the steam to escape. 

Can you travel with a clothes steamer?

The most portable garment steamers make useful travel companions to spruce up clothing that has been creased in a suitcase. Some models we've tested include foldable arms to make them more compact. Extra accessories that are suited to travelling, such as mini clothes hangers or the ability to use a bottle of water instead of the tank, mean you can travel more lightly.

If you pack your handheld clothes steamer in your hand luggage, remember to empty the water tank before going through airport security. Like most electrical items, it might also need to be removed from your bag when it's being scanned. 

Join Which? to find out which travel clothes steamers we recommend. 

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