Garment Steamers

Good Housekeeping tests seven handheld garment steamers, providing a description of the features and functionality of each. The seven models tested are all discussed, beginning with the testers' favorite,… the Rowenta Ultra Steam DR5020. The Rowenta wins for being lightweight and pumping out more steam than any of the other tested models. The editors note that the water reservoir is small in this model, meaning it may need to be refilled for steaming multiple garments.

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Lauren Lipton tests six steamers to decide whether they can take the place of an iron. Lipton isn't very impressed with any of them. She states, "Though the units heated up quickly, the steaming process… seemed to take longer than ironing, and we never got a perfectly smooth garment." That said, Lipton does choose a Best Overall model -- the SteamFast SF-465. The Conair GS10 is cited as the Best Value.

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Stylist Allison Abrams doesn't own an iron; she relies completely on her Rowenta Garment Steamer. In this brief review, she states, "Boycotting an iron is not for everyone, but investing in a steamer is a… wise idea for fast wrinkle fixes for your favorite pieces." She also recommends the use of travel steamers, in particular the Jiffy Esteam. No garment steamers are tested side-by-side in formal tests, however.

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This detailed review covers only one garment steamer, the Conair Compact Garment Steamer. The author likes that the Conair Compact is lightweight and easy to use, noting that, "The Conair Compact Garment… Steamer is almost as powerful as a commercial model as it emits twenty minutes of steam." While few negatives are mentioned, the author does note that she wishes it were possible to travel with this model.

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Wal-Mart sells about a dozen garment steamers online and allows consumers to post reviews of products. The site is a bit more difficult to navigate than Amazon.com, because it's necessary to click through… to individual product pages in order to see how many reviews are available for a particular item. There are also fewer reviews here overall, although several models have received 15 or more reviews. The best-rated steamer on this site is the Conair Compact Garment Steamer, which has an average rating of 4.5 out of five stars, based on over 60 reviews.

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Five garment steamers are reviewed on this site dedicated to garment steamers. Each product is rated on a scale of one to five stars, and the reviews are well-balanced. Product features and specifications… are included in an easy-to-read chart, and both likes and dislikes are described. Beth King, owner of the site, claims that they use the products reviewed on the site and have spent hours using and reviewing garment steamers. A comparison chart is also included, for side-by-side comparison, and a number of articles related to different garment steamers and tips are included in the site. The highest rated garment steamer on this site is the Tobi Garment Steamer, which receives a rating of 4.5 stars out of five.

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In her confusingly written user review of the Conair Deluxe Fabric Steamer, Yvonne Cote notes some difficulties with the unit: The hose can bend, which chokes the steam, and the pole can sag under the… weight of the garment. Although the unit does remove wrinkles, it fails to provide her clothes with the "much needed crisp look." Cotes does not recommend this steamer, nor does she test or rate any others.

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