15 best clothes steamers for eliminating wrinkles, tried and tested

Score: 88/100

“I was really impressed with this little garment steamer,” our tester said after using it on their pile of wrinkled clothes. It’s fast, effective and easy to use, excelling on viscose and polycotton fabrics in particular. It dealt well with trickier fabrics, such as linen and cotton, thanks to the strong steam output and brush attachment, which can help loosen thicker fibres.

It heats up in 33 seconds, and it steamed garments in an average of 90 seconds in testing – very speedy. There were only a few minor creases remaining, which our expert said “would have required only a few additional sweeps to remove completely”.

At 700 grams, this is one of the lightest garment steamers we've tested, while the compact size could easily tuck into a suitcase. It happens to be one of the most affordable options in this roundup, too.

Score: 87/100

This colourful, slimline garment steamer would make a great holiday companion, quickly heating up and removing creases from warm-weather favourites including viscose, silk and cotton.

It took longer to achieve pristine results on our linen garments, however, and it spat a little, so it’s best used when your clothes have time to dry. With a full tank, our tester said it felt heavy too. But for an on-the-go steamer, it’s surprisingly effective.

Score: 85/100

Grab this steamer and you’ll be ready to tackle creases in a mere 22 seconds. The indicator lights stop flashing and turn solid when it’s ready, and the responsive steam controls paired with an intuitive design make it so simple to use.

In the lab, it performed best on cotton and polycotton shirts as well as viscose, taking just one or two strokes to iron out creases. Silk steamed nicely on the second heat setting too, but it took over three minutes, and our dress was slightly damp after, so best for using when you’re not in a pre-party rush!

This steamer also works horizontally so it can be used with an ironing board. Our expert preferred this method as it made holding the fabric taut much easier – you might spot a few extra watermarks, but we feel that trade-off is worth it.

Score: 85/100

This steamer does more than just look the part with its four fun colour options. It’s compact, simple to use and comes with a heat protection glove and style mat that means you can use it on a flat surface, too. Even the water tank is well designed – it’s removable, which makes emptying and refilling super simple.

As for its effectiveness at tackling creases, well, it was an all-rounder. It heated up in 35 seconds, and aside from some deep set creases in linen, it banished most wrinkles quickly, scoring particularly highly on viscose and our silk evening dress. Some garments felt slightly damp to touch though, so we recommend factoring in some drying time with this one.

Score: 85/100

This lightweight and stylish steamer from Philips performed well across our tests, effortlessly removing the majority of creases (although some needed an extra sweep and it struggled a little more on silk).

It's also super-easy to use – it heats up in 31 seconds, the water tank is simple to fill and remove and it has a two metre long cord – plus, the handle tucks under the body, making it a great travel option.

It did spit slightly when held vertically and you have to hold the trigger down for continuous steam, but these are relatively minor complaints. Overall, it's a sturdy option for on-the-go crease-removal.

Score: 84/100

Inching just ahead of Tefal’s previous AeroSteam model (below), the AeroSteam Elite uses the same innovative suction system to keep garments taut, helping you achieve a crisp finish with just one hand. At 960 grams, it’s also significantly lighter, and the water tank is nearly twice the size, addressing two of our biggest niggles with the original.

It performed strongly across all our tests, particularly on polycotton, where our expert said, “It removed wrinkles in just one sweep per section”. It also performed well on cotton, linen and viscose, although for deep wrinkles it still helped to pull some garments taut. It also spat a little on full power, so stick to medium mode if want to wear your clothes straight away.

It can still get a little heavy during longer sessions and there’s no maximum fill line, but the removable tank is easy to use and the controls are straightforward – plus, you can use it horizontally. Overall, it’s an improvement on an already clever steamer.

Score: 84/100

This clothes steamer doesn’t rely on steam alone; it also uses suction to spruce up your clothes, effectively making it a crease vacuum. It’s the first we’ve come across, and it’s mesmerising to use and watch in action. Our testers found the innovative tech really helped with the overall ease of use, as it kept the fabric taught without them having to hold it in place.

It’s powerful (so may take some getting used to), but it worked quickly and smoothly. It was ready to steam within 30 seconds, and most creases were gone in one stroke. Just sleeves, armpits and trouser crotches required more patience.

The water tank only lasted four and a half minutes on the max setting. This was enough time to tackle one and a half shirts but it’s relatively heavy to hold, so you probably wouldn’t want to use it on a big pile of laundry in one go. In all honesty, though, we’re obsessed with this new bit of tech – if anything can banish ironing for good, it’s this.

Score: 83/100

Our experts were full of praise for this sleek steamer, which is available in a range of pastel shades. On test, it removed creases quickly and was particularly effective on cotton, polycotton, and even linen. It also worked well on silk, but the fabric was left a little damp, so build in some extra time if you’re steaming any occasion wear.

Another pro to this steamer is its versatility as the head doubles as an iron for more stubborn wrinkles. Testers would have liked a more transparent water tank (so it’s easier to see when top-ups are needed) and more detailed instructions. But it’s a fairly intuitive design, earning full marks for its ease of use.

Score: 83/100

With its continuous steam output, this upright should help you steam all your clothes for the week in one go. It was particularly good at tackling cotton and polycotton shirts and viscose tops. While there were still stubborn creases on the linen and silk garments testers used (and the odd damp patch, so factor in drying times), they also looked a lot smarter.

It heats quickly, but there’s no indicator light, so you just need to watch out for the steam. The other controls were well-placed though and easy to use. Testers liked that it came with a heatproof glove too, and it didn’t spit on test – just note that there’s no padding on the handle, so it may not be that comfortable by the time you get to the seventh shirt.

You can wheel it around, and the pole is telescopic, making it compact to pack away when you're done. It’ll prove a hard-working buy.

Score: 82/100

This super-speedy garment steamer heated up in a blistering 15 seconds in our lab. It was also fast at removing creases, performing particularly well on polycotton, and all clothes were left dry. It struggled to remove deep-set wrinkles in cotton and viscose, but it was able to lighten the latter.

Its collapsible head can be folded down but it’s a little short, which means we occasionally caught our fingers in the steam. There’s also no lock, so the trigger has to be held down continually.

Score: 80/100

If you’re tight on space, this multi-tasker steams and irons! As a result, the triangular ironing plate is particularly handy if you need to get into any hard-to-steam nooks and crannies. It was very quick at removing creases when steaming too, excelling on cotton, polycotton, silk and viscose. Our garments were dry afterwards and it didn’t spit either.

The controls were responsive and clear, although our tester found the sliding steam control switch took a bit of getting used to. You have to turn the steamer off to refill the tank and it’s not the lightest to hold. Its attachments also need to be stored separately, but it comes with a handy heat-resistant travel bag for the steamer itself.

Score: 80/100

This is a little different to the other steamers on our list. You pop your garment (or three – its max capacity) inside, close it, and then control the system via its remote control. The machine will steam, refresh or sanitise your clothes, depending on the setting you select.

So, what did our testers think? Well, they were impressed with how effective it was at removing most creases from linen, cotton, viscose and polycotton, leaving our shirts and trousers looking much smarter. But it struggled with our satin evening dress – so you may still need to tackle those delicate fabrics with a traditional steamer.

Its quickest programme takes ten minutes, so it’s less practical when you're in a real hurry. But if you spend hours ironing your shirts each week, then this is a great alternative that you can turn on and leave. It was generally intuitive to use too, but you’ll need a good spot to store it. Size aside, it’s a practical, if pricey, buy.

Score: 78/100

Compact, lightweight and ready to use in just 30 seconds, this hand steamer is great for both travelling and day-to-day use. Though the functionality appears relatively stripped back, it offers everything you need – two heat settings, vertical steaming capabilities and a brush attachment for finer fabrics.

The device was quick to remove creases when steaming viscose, linen, silk, cotton and polycotton, though some small creases may require a second sweep. The water tank is easy to fill and the trigger switch is both simple and comfortable to use – even over longer periods.

The device did leave items a little damp, which, while not unusual, means we’d recommend using in advance of wear to ensure any water residue has the chance to dry.

Score: 78/100

The DT9100 left our viscose garments looking brand new and successfully rid linen of all wrinkles. Three steam settings cater to different fabrics, but it wasn’t powerful enough to smooth silk and cotton fully. Our silk dress was left wet and there were some damp patches on the linen suit too.

Its large head made it harder to reach into tricky areas and there was some spitting. That said, it took just over 30 seconds to heat up, which is handy for one-off touch-ups.