What is the best travel steam iron for your next trip?
If you haven’t yet discovered the wonderful world of travel steamers, get ready to have your life changed! I’ve been using steamers for years now. The main reason is that I’m not good at ironing and it’s a pain to take out the ironing board every time I want to iron something small!
Initially, I had no intention of using a steamship for my trip. I bought it to quickly steam my kids’ school uniforms and quickly realized that this was the perfect little tool to take with me on holidays.
I purchased a clothing steamer from the brand Dodocool on Amazon. The one I bought is no longer on the list, but there are others that look basically the same. You know how Amazon does that!
This is the same one: Hilife Clothing Steamer
I liked mine so much that I bought a second one for my static caravan. That way you don’t have to constantly bring your stuff home.
Let me explain a little more about garment steamers and introduce you to the two that I think are the best…
What is a travel steamer?
A travel steamer is somewhere between a kettle and an iron. When you add water, it will begin to boil and produce steam. Press the steam against your clothes to smooth out wrinkles.
If you’ve ever tried the old-school trick of hanging wrinkled clothes to dry next to a steaming shower, you know how this works. It’s similar to this, but more effective because it forces steam into the wrinkles while stretching the garment.
This denim shirt took 3-4 minutes to steam. My steamer takes less than a minute to heat up, so it takes less than 5 minutes to do this (I personally find it much easier than ironing).
How do you use a garment steamer?
First, hang your clothes on hangers to dry in a well-ventilated area.
It may seem silly, but I was surprised that a steamer could produce so much steam! If possible, steam your clothes near an open window or in the bathroom with a fan.
When I’m at home, I do it in the bathroom because there’s a plug right outside the bathroom door, but that’s not possible because most hotels don’t have a plug near the bathroom.
Do not use your travel steamer near smoke detectors as the steam may set off the alarm. I still have nightmares about girls taking showers in college and having smoke alarms go off all night because people took hot showers and didn’t open the windows!
Move the garment steamer up and down the garment, similar to ironing.
At the same time, pull the clothes taut (without over-stretching them) to smooth them out and remove wrinkles.
If your clothes only have a few light wrinkles when packed in your suitcase, you can use a clothes steamer to quickly straighten them out. If you have deep wrinkles, repeat until they disappear.
After applying steam, your clothes may feel a little damp. This is especially true if the crease is deep and requires multiple creases. However, since they are not wet, this sensation disappears within 5 minutes. It’s not a problem for me since I often steam my clothes before doing my hair and makeup.
I find it difficult to create sharp lines and pleats on clothes using a garment steamer. It’s not as effective as an iron on pleats on the front of pants or sharp lines on shirt sleeves. If you’re looking for something that will press your shirts or suits well, a steamer probably isn’t for you. But if you’re looking for something quick and easy to remove light wrinkles from everyday wear, this is perfect.
What are the benefits of a clothes steamer over a travel iron?
Personally, I find it much easier to use a travel steamer than an iron.
- Doesn’t require much space to steam
- no ironing board required
- Small, lightweight steamers are more effective than cheap travel irons
- Suitable for delicate fabrics as it does not burn clothes
- Perfect for clothes that are difficult to iron, such as frills and frills!
However, a really good iron is better than a steamer, so if you want crispy, perfect ironing and don’t mind lugging around a heavy iron, an iron is the way to go. Also, if you are staying in an accommodation that has an iron and ironing board available, you may want to use it.
Personally, I use a steamer more often than an iron because it’s so convenient.
Should I get a cordless travel steamer?
As far as I know, there is no such thing as a cordless steamer….
Please correct me if I’m wrong!
Many steamers call themselves “handheld,” but they all seem to come with a cord. The code has been photoshopped (rather naughty!) in some of the pictures, but I have yet to find one available in the UK without the code.
I’m happy with the results of my steamed denim shirt!
Can you use a travel steamer on a cruise ship?
For obvious reasons, regular travel irons are not allowed on cruise ships. However, I have been on travel steamers on all three of my past cruises and have had no issues. I left my travel steamer on the dressing table and the cleaning staff didn’t move it or mention it. So, I think it’s safe to bring a travel steamer on a cruise ship, but be sure to use it in the restroom or bathroom. Next to the open window!
What I packed for a recent cruise (including my trusty steamer!)
What’s the best travel steamer?
I’m not going to go out of my way and offer you 25 options and a billion other variations depending on color, style, and weight.
Most travel steamers are very similar. All it really does is steam!
So, I’ve done the hard work for you and I have two to choose from:
- Cheap but best travel steam iron
- best travel steam iron
1. The cheapest but best travel steam iron
The cheapest but best travel steam iron is the Hilife Clothing Steamer. It’s also a bestseller on Amazon, with over 80,000 4-star reviews, so I think it’s safe to say that most people love it.
lightweight and easy to carry, it holds 240ml of water, so you can easily steam your entire outfit without having to refill it. It automatically turns off when the water runs out and has a long power cord, perfect for hotels where the plug is far from the window!
The best travel steam iron
The best travel steam iron is the Tefal Access Steam+.
It operates at 1600W, which is considerably more powerful than most travel steamers. It has a 3 meter cord and comes with a door hook, fabric brush, pleat attachment, steam bonnet and travel bag. It also has two steam levels (delicate and turbo), which I personally think sounds a bit quirky since I would always use turbo since the steam won’t damage my clothes. But I really like the accessories that come with it, especially the door hook, so you can hang it up anywhere and steam.
Do I need a door hook?
If you choose a cheap steamer, we recommend purchasing a door hook that allows you to easily hang it in a convenient place while steaming your clothes. It’s much easier to steam using both hands (hold the clothes taut with one hand and hold the steamer with the other). Of course, it is not enough to just hang it in the wardrobe, it must be placed in a convenient place near an electrical outlet, and in such a way that the steam can be well ventilated. Therefore, a portable over-the-door hook is a great solution.
Check out “Single Over Door Hook” on Amazon’.
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Is it worth travelling with a steam iron?
I think so!
I always travel with a steam iron when I travel with luggage (I often travel with just my “free” personal bag).
Even if your accommodation has an iron, I prefer to use a steamer because it’s faster and easier, especially if I’m in a hotel room where an ironing board would be in the way.
I’m good at rolling up my clothes to avoid wrinkles, but they still get wrinkled and look dirty.
If you have any other questions about carrying a steam iron, please leave them in the comments section below. I will reply as soon as possible!