18 best clothes steamers for banishing creases with ease, tested in the lab

Score: 90/100

If you’re frequently on the move and pressed for time, look to this handheld model. It heated up in an impressive 29 seconds and its wide head made quick work of almost all creases, across all fabrics.

However, it proved a little too cumbersome to tackle intricate areas and the trigger switch can’t be locked, which means you do have to hold it down throughout steaming.

Despite its small capacity, we were pleasantly surprised by how long its water lasted before requiring a refill. There aren’t many included accessories, but the protective glove is a bonus.

Score: 90/100

The compact F10 put in a brilliant performance in our lab, eradicating all creases from every fabric except cotton (although it still did a good job). It preheated quickly and its smaller head offered better manoeuvrability than some of its competitors, allowing it to reach every nook and cranny.

It has two power modes and comes with plenty of useful accessories, including a collar press. Its short power cable limited our reach and it took a little longer than expected to steam linen and silk, but those were our only niggles.

Score: 87/100

This handheld steamer will rid your clothes of wrinkles for a reasonable price. It quickly smoothed creases from all materials tested and left our polycotton shirt looking freshly ironed. It comes with a one year guarantee and is a fraction of the cost of many of its counterparts.

However, it spat sometimes and its short head risks burning your fingers if not handled carefully. It started straining slightly after about two minutes and, despite its speed, our silk, linen and cotton clothes were all left a little damp, so it's not one for last-minute decreasing.

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: 86/100

Our tester praised the “powerful steam output” of this device, which removed “each and every crease” from viscose and silk garments quickly and effectively, thanks to the larger head. Other materials – including linen and cotton – required another sweep to be 100% crease-free, but the end results were equally impressive.

It reached optimum temperature quickly and we didn't have to worry about spitting, making it ideal for last-minute touch-ups. The travel-friendly compact design was also a highlight, while the additional magnetic accessory attachments – including pads to assist with everything from lint removal and scenting clothing – scored highly with our expert, who added that it would be a great first time steamer for all fabrics.

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: 85/100

This standing home steamer boasts an impressive 1.8L tank for 60 minutes of continuous steaming, making it great for larger loads, family use and even small businesses. There are two steam levels to choose from (900W and 1750W), plus an additional brush for delicate fabrics such as silk, though it’s worth noting that this isn’t safe for use on leather or suede. Despite that, it “excelled” on each material tested, removing every crease – even on viscose.

The integrated hanger and hooks proved popular with our tester, enabling effortless steaming, though the lack of castor wheels compromises the manoeuvrability somewhat. The large tank is easy to fill, but the indicator light and water line can be difficult to see due to awkward positioning. While this was one of the more premium devices tested, our expert felt the performance justified the higher price point.

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.

Score: 76/100

With its scented steam, this model will make your clothes feel and smell fresh in between washes. It banished creases in one sweep from lightweight fabrics such as viscose and silk, but look elsewhere if your wardrobe is exclusively cottons and linens, as it struggled on these.

Our tester enjoyed its spit-free design, easy-to-fit opaque tank and long swivel cord but found it quite heavy and ill-balanced to use.

Score: 74/100

If you’re tight on space for storage or travel, this foldable, compact clothes steamer may be just the ticket. It’s lightweight, and still impressed with its performance, heating up in four minutes, and removing creases reliably – especially from cotton and viscose. It struggled with linen though, leaving our garments smarter but not entirely crease-free.

Testers found it spat at times, and it’s hard to see when you need to refill the tank. The steam sometimes came out in bursts too, rather than in a continuous stream. But we wouldn’t expect a foldable design to rival the performance of a standard steamer, so overall our testers were still pleased with this neat design.