Type

There are 2 main types of clothes steamers – upright and handheld units. Both effectively remove wrinkles from various fabrics; however, which one is right for you depends on a few factors. These factors include your budget, where you will be using the clothes steamer, what you plan on using it for, and your personal preference. Both upright and handheld clothes steamers have their pros and cons, which are mentioned below in detail to help you make your final decision.

• Upright Steamers: Upright steamers, also known as vertical or standing steamers, are suitable for home and commercial use. They offer high power, feature a large water tank, and produce continuous steam, which allows you to finish large steaming jobs without having to refill the water tank. They typically include a variety of unique features and accessories, such as built-in hangers, optional heads, and multiple heat settings to accommodate different types of fabric. On the flip side, upright steamers are not easily portable due to their bulky size, and they also tend to be more expensive as compared to handheld units.
  
• Handheld Steamers: Handheld steamers offer excellent portability, which makes them ideal for on-the-go steaming. They feature a lightweight and compact design which offers convenient storage and makes them great for traveling. They also work best on thin and delicate fabrics such as silk, satin, linen, and polyester. Additionally, handheld steamers typically feature an affordable price tag, making them suitable for most budgets. Since handheld steamers are equipped with a small water tank, they heat up to full capacity very quickly; however, you will need to refill the water tank if you plan on steaming more than a couple of garments at a time.
  

Steam Ready

How long it takes a clothes steamer to heat up depends on a couple of things, such as the type, water tank capacity, and wattage.

Most clothes steamers generally take between 20 seconds and 2 minutes to heat up. Handheld steamers typically heat up more quickly than upright steamers due to their small water tank. Steamers with a higher voltage of around 1,300W to 1,500W also offer a quick heat-up time as opposed to ones with a voltage of about 800W to 900W. Some clothes steamers may also have an iterative 2-layer heating structure for quick and powerful heating.

Once plugged in, you should allow your clothes steamer to heat up all the way to achieve the best results. You must also keep in mind that some garments or fabrics do not require a very high degree of heat, so it is important that you read their care label before steaming.

Continuous Steam

Most clothes steamers can produce continuous steam for anywhere between 15 and 60 minutes. However, you can also find heavy-duty clothes steamers with a large water tank that produces continuous steam for up to 90 minutes.

How much continuous steam you require a clothes steamer to produce depends on what exactly you need to use it for. If you want a clothes steamer for steaming a couple of garments while traveling, then you do not require one with a long runtime. However, if you need a clothes steamer for steaming several garments or fabrics at a time, you will require one that produces continuous steam for a good amount of time.

Handheld clothes steamers usually have a small water tank capacity which is why they produce continuous steam for a shorter period of time. This makes them suitable for small steaming jobs at home or while traveling. In contrast, since upright clothes steamers are equipped with a large water tank, they produce continuous steam for much longer and can be used to steam several garments at a time without needing to be refilled.

Tank Capacity

Clothes steamers have different tank capacities to match different steaming requirements. The tank capacity of a clothes steamer determines the heat-up time and how long it produces continuous steam for.

Upright steamers are bigger than handheld steamers, which is why they feature a larger water tank as compared to them. A full-size upright steamer typically has a water tank capacity of between 1.8 and 2.5L. On the other hand, a compact handheld clothes steamer generally has a water tank capacity of around 0.22 to 0.24L.

Due to their large water tank capacity, upright steamers are best suited for large steaming jobs – they can be used to steam garments at the dry cleaners, linens for big events, backstage to steam outfits for models or theater actors, removing wrinkles from the upholstery at a furniture store, etc.

In contrast, handheld steamers are suitable for steaming 1 or 2 pieces at a time because the water tank will run out of water quickly and stop producing any steam.

For Use On

Clothes steamers offer great versatility and can be used to remove pesky wrinkles from different types of garments, such as shirts, blouses, pants, suits, dresses, scarves, etc. They are also suitable for most types of fabrics – from thick and durable fabrics such as cotton, linen, and polyester to thin and delicate fabrics like silk, satin, and cashmere.

Apart from clothes, you can also use a steamer for various housecleaning tasks. You can use it to remove wrinkles from curtains and drapes, bedding and sheets, table linen, cushion covers, etc. You can also use it to remove stains from your living room couch, dining table chairs, bedroom sofa, and other furniture upholstery. Additionally, you can use a clothes steamer to disinfect countertops, tables, sinks, and other surfaces. Some clothes steamers can also be used to clean grout from bathroom tiles and kill bed bugs, depending on the type of model it is.