Garment Steamer Review

Sizing up garment steamers

Garment steamers are touted as a substitute for ironing and a way to freshen clothes between trips to the dry cleaner. We found four reviews that compare several models of garment steamers head to head, with the best testing at Slate.com, where Laura Moser tests six travel-size steamers on a variety of fabrics. The Good Housekeeping Institute tests seven garment steamers and provides descriptions of each in a slideshow, beginning with their favorite. At The Wall Street Journal, Lauren Lipton tests five full-size models. Another review in The Wall Street Journal focuses specifically on travel irons and handheld steamers.

Garment steamers are frequently part of a stylist's gear, and several writers on fashion blogs mention favorite models. There are also some write-ups and single-product reviews on AssociatedContent.com, which publishes longer-than-usual user reviews. Garment steamers are reviewed by owners on Amazon.com, with some models receiving close to or more than 100 comments.

Most experts agree that a garment steamer cannot completely replace an iron for all of your clothing. The Good Housekeeping review notes that while garment steamers can be an alternative for a traditional steam iron, garment steamers struggle with "sharp creases and stiff fabrics, like dress shirts." An advantage to garment steamers, as noted on MarthaStewart.com, is that, "A quick steam can refresh garments between dry cleanings, perk up creased coats taken out of storage and smooth wrinkles from a rarely worn cocktail dress."

It can be impressive to watch a garment steamer effortlessly remove wrinkles. In the infomercial for the Tobi Steamer (*Est. $80), entrenched wrinkles in shirts, jeans, and other garments disappear after a gentle swipe of the nozzle. We found one recommendation for the Tobi Steamer on GarmentSteamersReview.com, although most other feedback is mixed, with many owners of the product reporting a dramatically different experience. The Tobi Steamer receives poor reviews on Amazon.com and on Washing-Machine-Wizard.com, a laundry appliance and product review site. Owners complain that the Tobi Steamer does not remove wrinkles, leaks hot water and even falls apart. Customer service can be frustrating, according to owners, and if the Tobi Steamer is ordered directly from the manufacturer, returning it can be an expensive ordeal. Many owner reviews end in a plea for other people to not buy this product.