Can a Garment Steamer Replace My Iron? (Is it Better)

Looking to defeat that mountain laundry more EFFICIENTLY? Well, why not try a garment steamer instead of that old fashioned iron? Gone are the days of slaving over that pile of suits and shirts – say hello to freshly pressed clothes with minimum effort from yours truly. 

In most cases, the garment steamer is the perfect solution to keep on top of your ever-mounting pile of laundry, but there are some caveats to this which we will explain later in this article.

Are you ready to step into the world of garment steamers? It’s time for you to weigh up if a garment steamer is ready to replace your regular household iron.

Reasons You Should Replace Your Iron

The traditional household iron relies on you applying the pressure and bringing the heat – everything is up to you. Sure the results can be great, but am I alone when I say there’s been a lot of burned shirts? Exactly. 

Check out the reasons why a garment steamer might be a better solution for you. 

1. Scorched Clothes. It is very easy to accidentally burn clothes using an iron, which will leave quite an obvious and embarrassing print on your favourite smart shirt. 

2. Unsightly Boards. There’s also the issue of the big ugly ironing board living rent-free in your home for decades. Even when folded away it’s usually quite visible, with the added pain of having to set it up every time. With a steamer, you can say goodbye to ironing boards and hello to compact storage.

3. Neatness. Wave the steamer gently over fabrics like a magic wand to make the wrinkles go away. Resulting in neater and more polished clothes. Last year I had meetings all over the country and my suit still stayed fresh and tidy throughout my travels thanks to my garment steamer.

4. Hot and Steamy. With a steamer, rather than flattening the material like with irons, it heats the water to produce steam which relaxes the fabric and smooths any wrinkles and creases in the clothing. Similar to the iron but with reduced physical labour and much faster. 

5. No Fabric Too Thick. Steamers are also much more effective on thicker fabrics such as suits and curtains, as well as finer fabrics like wool and silk, in addition to everyday clothes. Got a tablecloth that needs a good seeing to? Your garment steamer has that covered too. 

6. Say hello to my little friend, bacteria. Steamers are also very effective in killing bacteria, resulting in cleaner clothes that don’t pose a risk to your health.

7. Quick and Easy. A garment steamer allows you to wear whatever you want, whenever you want, almost instantly. Being much faster than a regular iron, you can quickly steam your favourite clothes and head out.

Are There Any Reasons I Should Avoid a Garment Steamer?

A garment steamer might not be the right choice for everyone, and there are a few reasons why you may decide it is best to avoid these beauties. 

For starters, you are still going to need to wait for the clothes to finish drying after steaming them. It’s a PAIN, and it’s not always the most convenient aspect. They also have smaller water tanks so you might find they run out of steam fairly quickly. 

Irons can be used for more precise flattening of clothes for when there’s that one annoying wrinkle you can’t quite get out. It’s also way easier to reach the edges and get that perfect finish. 

If you want a deep-set crease, you aren’t going to be able to achieve that with a garment steamer – only an iron. 

A prime example of this is if you wear a lot of formal shirts where you need those deep set creases and collars to be pristine and sharp.

Surprisingly, they can be less powerful than the standard iron and yet are often more expensive. A lot of this is down to personal preference, but we can understand why someone might decide to stick with tradition here. 

While steamers have been shown to be QUICKER and easier to use, this isn’t always the case. Some models can be quite heavy and tiring to use, but some of the higher ticket handheld models can eliminate this problem.

Be sure to make sure you are using the correct water for your garment steamer, you would be surprised how much it makes a difference. 

Final Thoughts

There are plenty of benefits in using a garment steamer, whether you’re at home or if you need to neaten up your clothes after they’ve been squashed in a suitcase for hours whilst on a trip. 

However, there are also plenty of benefits to using irons too. For many people, it appears to be a personal preference. An iron is great for those who want to create neat lines or really work out some stress on a stubborn crease (we’ve all been there, don’t worry) and it allows for a beautiful finish. 

If you have decided a garment steamer could be for you, take a look at this carefully curated list of the best Garment steamers available on the UK market.

Last Updated on June 4, 2021 by Gemma Tyler