We tested the UK's best clothes steamers, here are our favourites

Some clothes steamers are designed for a single crumpled dress before work; others can tackle several school shirts or even bedding without constant refilling. In fact, YouGov found that ironing is the chore Brits hate the most. But there may be a better way.

The best clothes steamer for you depends on how much you want to steam, the fabrics you wear and whether you want quick touch-ups or something that comes close to replacing an iron. If you’re looking for a machine to tackle floors, tiles and grout rather than clothing, see our guide to the best steam cleaners.

The Tefal Pure Pop is the best clothes steamer for most people. It’s light, simple to use and ready in 15 seconds, making it ideal for everyday clothes and travel. Its 70ml tank is the compromise: it provides around four minutes of steam and, in our test, almost a full tank was needed for one dress. If you regularly tackle several garments or bedding at once, consider the Russell Hobbs Steam Genie Maestro instead. Its much larger 750ml tank handled multiple quilt covers during testing.

As Basak Camanglou, garment care expert at Philips, explains: “For short sessions, you should prioritise lightness, whereas for longer sessions, you should look for enough tank capacity without compromising handling comfort.”

Five of the six steamers in this guide have been tested by Mumsnet testers in their own homes. They were used on real family laundry including cotton school shirts, linen trousers, silk, T-shirts and bedding. We also considered recommendations from Mumsnet users, wider owner feedback, current product specifications and expert garment-care advice.

The best clothes steamers, at a glance

How we've chosen the best clothes steamers

To determine if clothes steamers are worth buying, we drew on the wealth of knowledge and wisdom of our eight million Mumsnet users, gaining insight into the brands and models that truly impressed.

We then scoured wider consumer views and gathered verdicts from industry experts, including collating advice from cleaning expert Mariya Gurkova at Fantastic Services, Basak Camanglou, garment care expert at Philips and dress technologist Tim Balfour from Freemans.

Where possible, we've also carried out our own in-depth testing - five out of six have been tested in real homes - independently assessing the clothes steamers in this guide for their ease of use and ability to banish wrinkles and lift creases.

Find the best clothes steamer for you

How to use a clothes steamer

While the exact instructions may vary from one brand to the next, using a clothes steamer generally involves the following steps:

• Prepare your clothes: Check the labels and ensure the fabrics are iron safe. Delicate fabrics such as silk may require specific attachments.

• Remove and fill the water tank: Taking care not to overfill. Most clothes steamers have a clearly marked ‘max’ line. 

• Plug in and heat up: This can take between 15 seconds and a minute, depending on the product)

• Hang your clothes: Using a sturdy coat hanger to enable upright steaming (some offer horizontal steaming too) 

• Start steaming: Position the steamer around 3-5cm away from the fabric and work from top to bottom, gently pulling the fabric taut with your other hand.

• Stubborn areas: For more significant creases, designs with a steamer plate can be gently pressed against the fabric to smooth them out.

• Let your clothes dry: Steamers can leave your fabrics feeling slightly damp; leave the items hanging to air dry for a few minutes after use.

• Unplug and empty the water tank: Never leave any water sitting in the tank, as this can lead to limescale and bacteria.

• Wipe down and store: Once cooled, return the steamer to a carry case (if applicable).

We spoke to cleaning expert Mariya Gurkova from Fantastic Services and dress technologist Tim Balfour from Freemans, who shared their top tips to make the most of your clothes steamer:

• “Put the wrinkled item in the dryer with a damp towel or a few ice cubes and run it on medium heat for about 15 minutes" says Mariya, "Steam will be generated inside the dryer by the moisture from the towel or ice cubes, which will help loosen the wrinkles and smooth out the fabric. When dried, fold immediately to avoid ironing."

• "Take items out of the washing machine or dryer as soon as the cycle is finished and shake any creasing out," Tim recommends. "Doing this can reduce the amount of ironing or remove the need for ironing altogether.”

Are clothes steamers any good?

Clothes steamers are useful for quickly making everyday clothes look neat and wearable. They’re particularly convenient for travel, delicate fabrics and last-minute touch-ups because they heat up quickly and don’t require an ironing board.

“Steaming is particularly effective on everyday materials such as cotton, silk, denim and linen because it relaxes fibres without applying direct pressure,” says Basak Camanglou, garment care expert at Philips. She adds that this makes steamers useful for knitwear, embellished clothing and other garments that can be awkward to iron.

There are limits. Steamers generally don’t produce the crisp finish you get from an iron, particularly on collars, cuffs and tailored clothing. “Cotton and linen respond well to steam for removing creases and wrinkles out of clothing, but often require ironing if a crisp, pressed finish is the goal,” Basak explains.

Clothes steamers are designed to relax creases in fabric, rather than remove dirt from floors and household surfaces. If cleaning tiles, grout, carpets or hard floors is your priority, you’ll need one of the best steam cleaners instead.

How to descale a clothes steamer

If you live in a hard-water area, limescale can build up inside your clothes steamer and reduce its performance. “Buyers in hard-water areas should prioritise effective scale management, as limescale can significantly reduce steam performance over time,” says Basak Camanglou, garment care expert at Philips.

Descaling instructions vary between models, so always follow the manufacturer’s guidance. Don’t add vinegar, bottled water, distilled water or a shop-bought descaler unless the manual specifically recommends it.

To help prevent limescale:

• Use the type of water recommended for your steamer.

• Empty the tank after each use rather than leaving water sitting inside.

• Run the appliance’s descaling or cleaning cycle when instructed.

• Allow the steamer to cool fully before cleaning or storing it.

What’s the best clothes steamer to buy?

Although the water tank is small, the Tefal Pure Pop is the best clothes steamer you can buy today. Mumsnet users, reviewers and our in-house testing all agree that its performance and practicality are deserving of our top pick - especially for occasional use or travel.

About the experts

• Cleaning expert Mariya Gurkova at Fantastic Services

• Dress technologist Tim Balfour from Freemans

• Basak Camanglou, garment care expert at Philips

About the author 

Lucy Cotterill is a mum of two and a Content Writer at Mumsnet, specialising in baby, child and lifestyle product reviews and round-ups. Having written product reviews on her own blog Real Mum Reviews since 2012, Lucy loves to research and explore the pros and cons of products, scrutinising reviews and consumer feedback to help people make confident purchases.  

Lucy has written several Mumsnet laundry guides including the best budget washing machine, best budget tumble dryers and best ironing boards.

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