Comparison clothes Steamers

– Handheld garment steamer. A portable variation of the garment steamers. The design of such devices includes a steam outlet nozzle (sometimes combined with a mini iron, see "In box"), a miniature steam generation unit and a small volume tank; all this is combined in one case. Of course, in terms of performance and efficiency, manual steamers are inferior to stationary ones – however, they are quite capable of coping with products that do not require special intensity in processing. Separately, we note that such models are very convenient when traveling: the device does not take up much space in the luggage, while it can be used to easily put in order the clothes brought with you.

– Garment steamer. Devices designed primarily for vertical steaming, i.e. the treatment of clothes hung vertically with a jet of hot steam under pressure. Accordingly, a mandatory design element in such models is a stand with a hanger. Vertical steaming allows to effectively smooth out wrinkles – including on clothes for which a standard iron is not suitable, such as jackets and coats made of thick fabric, as well as products with an abundance of decorative details (rhinestones, sequins, etc.). At the same time, the procedure turns out to be more gentle than classic ironing – due to the fact that the nozzle does not crush fabric fibers, and the temperature does not exceed 100 °C even with intensive processing. Initially, v...ertical steaming was used mainly for shoulder items – shirts, dresses, etc.; however, nowadays you can find a lot of steamers with trouser clips (see "In box") and even special nozzles for forming arrows. And some models from this category are equipped with mini-irons, and even full-fledged irons, and can also be used for traditional ironing (in this case, an ironing board is often provided, but this feature is not strictly required).

— Mannequin. Steam ironing mannequins resemble the upper part of the human body or legs, depending on their purpose. A steam mannequin holds clothing in the desired position, making steaming and ironing easier. Upper body garments such as jackets, coats, vests, shirts, or hoodies are placed on the torso of the mannequin, and the ironing process occurs through moist-heat treatment (pressing and treating the items with dry steam). Mannequins shaped like legs are used for ironing and steaming pants, skirts, and other lower body garments.

Rated power consumed by the device during operation. Usually, it is indicated by the maximum power consumption when used in normal mode, without abnormal situations.

In general, this parameter is secondary when choosing: manufacturers select power in such a way as to provide the necessary indicators of performance, pressure, etc. However, some practical points are also associated with power. So, with the same performance (see "Steam intensity"), a more powerful device will spend less time heating water and generating steam; it can also be provided with a more capacious boiler (see "Water boiler volume"), which is useful for long-term continuous operation. On the other hand, such devices turn out to be more expensive, and often also heavier and larger than relatively “weak” steamers, and besides, they load the mains more.

The second point related to power is just the calculations of the load on the wiring and various electrical equipment (protective automation, AVRs, generators, etc.).

The volume of the tank for the water supply provided in the device.

We emphasize that this indicator should not be confused with the volume of the boiler (see above): in this case, we are talking about a reservoir with a supply of cold water, from which such water enters the boiler for heating. Not every steam cleaner is equipped with such a reservoir.

Device has a water tank with a detachable design.

The detachable design makes refueling much easier. In particular, it allows to fill the tank under the tap, while with a non-detachable tank, this option is often not available. And some models with this feature can be refueled during operation, without turning off the heating and without relieving pressure in the boiler (although it still will be necessary to clarify this possibility separately). In addition, a detachable tank is much easier to clean or wash than a non-detachable one.

Steam flow provided by the device. For models with power and/or humidity adjustment, this item indicates the maximum possible value.

When choosing according to this indicator, it should be borne in mind that the steam flow characterizes only the amount of water vapor produced by the device per minute. The intensity of the impact of this steam on the treated surface/product can be different, first of all, it depends on the working pressure. Therefore, only devices with similar pressure indicators can be directly compared by this indicator. When making these comparisons, it's worth assuming that higher steam flow allows to handle a large amount of work faster, but requires more powerful heaters and larger tanks – which, in turn, affects the dimensions, weight and price of the entire steamer.

Heating time until steam is generated. The duration of the heating process directly depends on the power of the device and the volume of the water tank.

We also note that in some situations the actual heating time may be less than the declared one. For example, if the main tank (boiler) is not completely filled, and the design does not provide an additional tank for cold water. For a full guarantee, you should still focus on the value directly stated in the specifications.

A protective system that turns off the unit if the heater (or other part of the structure) reaches a critical temperature. This can happen, in particular, due to lack of water in the tank or due to a failure of the control electronics. Overheating protection allows you to avoid such situations with their unpleasant consequences — from a device breakdown to a fire.

The length of the cable with which the device is connected to the mains. The longer the power cord — the farther from the socket the device can operate, the more freedom of movement the user has. On the other hand, an unnecessarily long cord can create difficulties both during operation and in storage/transportation; and when working away from the socket, you can use an extension cord.