A Guide To Buying A Fabric Steamer

Recently, a friend of mine was getting married in Miami. I wanted to make a good impression so it was time to get a new dress for the occasion! After hours of shopping I purchased a silk sheath that was just perfect.

At the reception, one of the brides relatives sidled up to me with a quizzical look and said, “Oh my, I would have lent you my steamer”. Thats the problem with travelling, your perfect dress is riddled with creases!

Until then, I though fabric or garment steamers were large industrial items. I had no idea about the range of fabric steamers currently available, especially the hand held ones. It was just what I needed on this occasion.

Sold and sold. Within hours of getting home, I went online in search of a fabric steamer that could rescue me from future on-the-road fashion disasters. And if a steamer could also replace the bulky iron that I am often too lazy to yank out of my closet, all the better.

I tried eight different hand held steamers ranging in price up to eighty dollars. I tested them on several types of fabrics – mens shirts, linen, cashmere sweaters and of course, my very creased silk dress.

How Portable Is It? I took size and weight into consideration to determine whether it was practical as a travel item.

I looked into whether the steamers tested were user friendly, and well designed. Any travel item has to be robust of course, especially with the way I treat my luggage! Does it come with extra features and attachments?

Most critical of all: Does the steamer work, and on what types of clothing? On button-down dress shirts-the ultimate steaming challenge-does it pass the placket test? What about collars and cuffs? (Unless a shirt’s extremities are crisp, says my mother, you might as well walk around in a sweat-stained T-shirt.)

How quickly does the water heat up, and how hot does the steam get? Does the steamer dribble water and/or spit out excessive steam? Any burn risk? Last but not least: Will any of these steamers ever replace the good, old-fashioned iron?

Want to read the fabric steamer reviews?. Then visit Tomas Walke’s site on how to choose the best fabric steamer for your needs.