The Steamers test: just steam

There are some home appliances, which are not the subject of basic necessity, but they make the life of their owners much easier. It is clear that a steamer, unlike an iron, is not on the list of must-have appliances. But what can it do?? What’s the beauty of this appliance and why you need it?? Or don’t need one?

We hope that even in conditions of crisis and insane prices this category will find its consumer and not will vegetate on the store shelves.

Before we forget about luxury life and the possibility of choice, let’s talk about steamers: their capabilities and skills, purpose and meaning.

CONSTRUCTION

Since there is a certain confusion in the terminology and names, let’s explain what equipment is meant.

A steamer is an appliance whose body resembles a vacuum cleaner. Out of the body comes the steam pipe with the nozzle, from which the steam actually comes out. There is also a telescopic tube that the hanger is attached to. In the same case is inserted a transparent plastic container for water.

It works like this: you hang your clothes on a coat hanger and fill a container with water. The device is plugged in, and after 40 seconds steam begins to flow from the nozzle. You move the nozzle on the clothes and bring them in order.

MYTHS

For some reason, some mistresses think that steamer – this is a kind of magic wand that can perform miracles – in seconds turn a wrinkled thing into a pressed.

ACTUAL RESULT

Approximately 50-75% of steamers on the market are designed to freshen things up, not iron them. You have worn your blouse during the day and it has creased. Ironing is not the best option, it is too early to wash, the blouse is clean, and here the steamer will come to the rescue: spend it on the back of the blouse – and no folds.

All evaporators are also very good at raising lint, e.g. on fleece.

It is very convenient to use them to refresh the drapes, because they do not need to be removed from the curtain rods for this.

As for the iron, then not all commercially available devices can help. Moreover, the Internet is replete with reviews of disappointed women who bought the steamer and dissatisfied. The main complaint – it does not iron, and things after the procedure becomes wet.

In our test, the items were sometimes wet after steaming. Therefore we advise to do it not in the morning, when you need to put things on, and the night before that all was normal.

PRESSURE AND POWER

As for all ironing equipment, the main indicators of the work of the steamer – the steam pressure and its flow rate per minute. Here the choice is simple: the more, the better. The more powerful the steam, the better the results.

The only “but” is to take the word of the manufacturer, you cannot double-check the pressure at home.

CONTROL

The main control is on the body, so to change the mode, you have to hang the hose with a nozzle, bend over and turn the switch. It’s definitely more convenient when you can adjust the steam power with a switch on the back of the nozzle. But not all steamers have such a possibility.

Generally speaking, the steam is mostly steamed at the maximum steam output, so there is often no need to switch modes – just set the steam mode once and go!

ACCESSORIES

In addition to the main nozzle, manufacturers offer many accessories for various operations. It seems that the hostesses have to take special courses to understand how something plastic, remotely resembling a boomerang, can help steaming collars and cuffs. Or what to do with a plastic board that looks like a cutting board. Not all instructions explain how to use these accessories.

Note those that are undoubtedly needed: a complex for pointing arrows on pants. It consists not only of a special nozzle, but also of a clamp with clamps. It wouldn’t hurt if there’s a lint pickup attachment, it allows you to tidy up some types of fabric.

The only pity is that none of the models, at least in our test, has a place to store accessories.

CARING

Since the steamer works with water, the issue of limescale protection is very relevant for our reality. The water coming out of our taps is very hard. And almost all manufacturers recommend using demineralized water. And almost all steamers have to be descaled periodically. In our test there was not a single device with automatic cleaning. If it’s possible to clean, it’s going to take your time.

WANTED OR NOT?

After testing a few models, I realized that in 99% of cases the steamer is no substitute for the iron, at least because they do not iron duvet covers and sheets there are exceptions, see the page contributors . It’s not really the job of a steamer to do all the ironing. And just men’s shirts it does not iron perfectly, and cotton is not the most suitable material for steaming. But they can arrange a suede many even suede shoes steam and are very happy , dresses with rhinestones and flounces, jackets, bedspreads, drapes. Some people manage to iron the bedclothes on the bed, too. I have not dared to do such a procedure, for this you need to get used to.

HUMAN FACTOR

Everything has to be learned. Will you use the steamer or buy another unnecessary product for the house, which will lie idle, depends not only on the properties of technology, but also on your desire, patience and energy. I already wrote that some accessories can be confusing: at least look for video tutorials on how to use the various nozzles. Yes, and I do not think that the first time you can make perfect arrows on pants – you need to get used to. It is good, if there is a friend, who successfully uses a similar device, you can take a couple of lessons from her.

In general, any technique does not work wonders, but helps you to work them.

TESTING

Our test included steamers in various price groups. That said, we can’t say that the functionality varies depending on the price. Unexpectedly one of the devices, affordable, showed very good results and managed to compete with more expensive models.

It is clear that the models differ in their functionality. So, in addition to just steamers, there is a model that allows you to make ironing and horizontal ironing, there is a model whose accessories include both the iron and attachments for cleaning, which allows you to significantly expand the use of the device. There is a semi-professional model, which can be used even in hotels and stores.

P.S. The ever-increasing rate jeopardizes the sale of such, not the most necessary equipment at all. We would like to hope that steamers for American housewives will not become a thing of the past, that in the near future we will be able to choose and buy not only the devices of prime necessity, but also the equipment of special purpose.

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