The Philips clothes steamer was put to the test to see how quick and easy it was to use and its compact size and speedy crease removal make it the perfect pick for holiday packing
Ironing has to be up there as on of the worst house hold chores in my opinion. It’s time consuming, fiddly, and frustrating, not to mention the faff of setting up your ironing board, constantly refilling your iron and always worrying about accidentally burning your clothes.
However, there are definitely times when I throw something on and think how much better it would look if it was freshly ironed and crisp looking, especially when travelling. So I decided to try out the Philips 3000 Series Handheld Steamer, £31.66 here (was £37.99), to see if it would let me have the best of both worlds – crisp looking clothes and never having to try and unfold an ironing board again.
We all know the struggle of unzipping your suitcase at the hotel only to discover that several hours crammed into a small space (especially for a chronic over packer like myself) has left your clothes looking a little sad and rumpled. A compact handheld steamer like the Philips one is therefore a great addition to your suitcase, as it takes up minimal space whilst allowing you to give your clothes a once over before dinner.
It actually folds up into a very neat little bundle that I can fit in one hand, making it a very reasonable size that would even fit into hand luggage or an overnight bag. It’s also super quick and easy to use, and is ready to go in minutes.
All you need to do is unfold the handle, then remove the water tank and fill it up with water before snapping it back onto the end. Plug your steamer in, switch it on, then leave it for about 60 seconds to heat up.
You then simply need to press the trigger button whenever you want steam to be emitted, making it much safer than a full standing steamer which constantly has steam pouring out of the nozzle. It also fits comfortably in one hand and is light enough to use single handedly.
I decided to try it out on one of the most universally owned pieces of clothing – a white shirt – to see how well it worked. The shirt in question had some serious creases in it from being hung in an overflowing wardrobe, making it an ideal guinea pig.
To get the best from it you do need to hold the nozzle flush against the fabric, and use your other hand to pull the material taut as you move it up and down. There were some water marks that were left on the shirt during use – fine for something like cotton or linen, where it’ll dry quickly, but for fabrics like satin or silk it can end up leaving a visible mark that will have to be washed out.
All in all it took around five minutes to have completely steamed the creases out of the shirt, which is ideal for last minute plans or giving your outfit a quick refresh before heading out the door. You can also currently snap the steamer up on Amazon for £31.66 here , rather than its usual price of £37.99, making it an absolute bargain.
If you’re on the lookout for another great saving, the Russell Hobbs Steam Genie 1800W Garment Steamer is currently on sale at Wayfair, reduced from £37.99 to £34 here. It’s ready to use in 45 seconds and gives you up to 7 minutes steam time in one go, making it great for last minute touch ups or getting rid of stubborn creases.
