A clothes steamer works on hanging clothes, curtains, and upholstery. No ironing board, no scorching, no skill required.
Ironing is one of those household tasks that takes longer than it should, requires dedicated equipment and storage space, and carries a genuine risk of ruining a garment if you are not paying attention. A clothes steamer solves all of these problems. You hang the garment, run the steamer over it, and wrinkles disappear. No ironing board, no scorching delicate fabrics, no having to remember whether to set the iron to cotton or wool. Just steam. For the crisp, pressed finish a steamer can't give a business shirt or a sharp trouser crease, see our best iron for shirts and collars guide.
Clothes steamers have been popular in commercial garment care for decades — retail clothing stores use them to make garments look their best on hangers. They have become increasingly popular for home use as people realise that steamers work faster than irons on most garments, are gentler on delicate fabrics, and can handle things an iron simply cannot: curtains hanging on the rail, upholstered furniture, suits that are worn and need freshening without full pressing, even mattresses.
The Australian market has good options at every price point, from $40 handheld models to $300 full standing steamers. Here is how to choose the right one.
Clothes Steamer vs Iron — Which Is Better?
The honest answer is: they are different tools for different purposes, and which is "better" depends entirely on what you are steaming and what result you want.
Where a steamer wins:
- Delicate fabrics — silk, chiffon, velvet, beaded garments that would be damaged by direct iron contact
- Hanging garments — steam a shirt on the hanger in 2 minutes vs iron it on a board in 5 minutes
- Curtains and upholstery — impossible to iron, easy to steam
- Removing odours — steam kills bacteria and freshens garments without washing
- Suits and jackets — steam refreshes the fabric without flattening the structure
Where an iron wins:
- Crisp creases — trouser creases and shirt collars require the direct pressure of an iron to set properly
- Heavy fabrics — denim, thick cotton, and linen respond better to high direct heat with pressure
- Flat seams — tailoring and craft work where flat, pressed seams are required
For most everyday clothes — work shirts, dresses, light trousers, blouses, knitwear — a steamer is faster and produces perfectly good results. For formal wear with sharp creases, an iron still does a better job. Many households use both: a steamer for daily quick freshen-ups and an iron for shirts that need sharp collars.
Handheld vs Standing Steamers
The two main categories of clothes steamer each suit different use cases:
Handheld steamers are compact, portable units that hold 150–300ml of water and produce steam for 8–15 minutes per fill. They heat up in 15–45 seconds and are genuinely portable — many people travel with them. The limitation is tank capacity: for a large ironing session, you will refill multiple times. They are ideal for quick touch-ups, travel, and households that only occasionally need to remove wrinkles.
Standing (or floor) steamers have a large water reservoir (1.5–2.5L), a retractable hanger arm that holds the garment at the right height, and a flexible hose that lets you steam every part of the garment without awkward repositioning. They produce more steam per minute (30–50g/min vs 15–25g/min for handheld), meaning wrinkles disappear faster. Setup takes an extra 60 seconds, and storage requires more space. They are the right choice for households that steam frequently, have large wardrobes, or want to retire the iron entirely.
Best Budget Clothes Steamers Under $80
The sub-$80 handheld market is dominated by Philips, Tefal, and Rowenta. At this price point, you are getting a solid handheld steamer that handles most everyday garments reliably.
The Philips 3000 Series Handheld earns its recommendation on speed and value: it is ready to steam in around 30 seconds. Most budget steamers take 25–45 seconds to heat up — a minor but annoying wait when you are getting ready for work. The 20g/min steam output is on the lower end but adequate for light fabrics and quick touch-ups. The 120ml detachable tank holds enough for about one outfit per fill, so expect to refill for longer sessions. It is a solid starter steamer for someone who wants to try steaming without a large investment.
At a similar price, the Russell Hobbs Handheld Steamer and the Tefal Access Steam First are also worth considering. The Tefal version has a slightly different ergonomic design that some users prefer.
Best Mid-Range Clothes Steamers ($80–$180)
In the $80–$180 range, you get meaningfully higher steam output, better build quality, and features like heated soleplates, vertical support boards, and multiple steam settings.
The Tefal Access Steam Care is the best mid-range handheld in Australia. Its three steam settings push up to 30g/min — notably more powerful than budget models, so it handles thicker fabrics including light cotton and linen that a budget steamer struggles with. A heated soleplate plus vertical support lets you steam garments on the hanger or press them against the plate for collars and cuffs, and it ships with three accessories for different fabrics. Anti-drip, a stable base and auto-off cover the safety basics. The main compromise at this price point is still tank size — you will refill for longer sessions.
Best Standing Steamers ($180–$350)
Standing steamers are where clothes steaming becomes a genuinely pleasurable experience rather than a practical compromise. The larger tanks, higher steam output, and hands-free garment hanging make the process faster and more effective than any handheld.
The Philips EasyTouch Stand Steamer is the premium standing pick. Its 1800W motor delivers 36g/min of continuous steam — at the high end of the home steamer market, where wrinkles drop out on the first pass rather than needing multiple strokes. The large 1.8L tank steams a full wardrobe before a refill, and the integrated ironing board acts as a pressing surface for collars and cuffs that benefit from direct contact, bridging the gap between steaming and ironing. Prolonged hot steam also removes odours and kills up to 99.9% of bacteria and dust mites between washes.
Tips for Better Steaming
Getting the best results from a clothes steamer is largely about technique, and it is simple to learn:
Steam from top to bottom. Start at the collar or top of the garment and work down. Steam rises, so steaming from the bottom sends steam through fabric you have already treated.
Keep the steamer head close but not touching. For most fabrics, hold the steamer 1–2cm from the fabric. Touching the steamer head directly to delicate fabrics can leave water marks.
Use gentle downward strokes. Stretch the fabric slightly as you steam — pull it gently taut with your other hand while running the steamer downward. This is what actually removes the wrinkle; the steam relaxes the fabric and the tension straightens it.
Let the garment cool before wearing. Freshly steamed fabric is relaxed and slightly damp. Give it 2–3 minutes hanging before putting it on or packing it.
Use distilled water if your tap water is hard. Hard water causes mineral build-up in the steam chamber. If your area has hard water (common in parts of Melbourne, Adelaide, and Perth), using distilled or filtered water extends the life of your steamer significantly.
Steam suits on the inside first. For structured garments like suit jackets and blazers, steam the lining first. This refreshes the fabric and removes odours without risk of marking the outer fabric.
Curtains do not need to come down. A standing steamer is perfect for in-situ curtain steaming. Start at the top and work down each panel. The steam removes wrinkles and odours while the curtains hang.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best budget clothes steamer in Australia?
For a budget pick, look for a handheld steamer that heats up in around 15 to 30 seconds and pushes at least 18-20g/min of steam. Our budget pick is the Philips 3000 Series Handheld, which is ready quickly and handles shirts, dresses and synthetics well. Budget handhelds have small tanks, so expect to refill on longer sessions, and avoid them for heavy linen or thick cotton, which need more sustained steam from a larger unit.
What is the best standing steam iron or upright clothes steamer?
A standing (upright) steamer steams garments on the hanger with no ironing board, using a large tank and a hose for hands-free use. Our standing pick is the Philips EasyTouch Stand Steamer Iron, with strong continuous steam and a large tank that handles a full wardrobe in one session. Choose a standing unit over a handheld if you steam weekly, have a large wardrobe, or want to retire the iron entirely; otherwise a handheld does most of the job in less space.
What is the best clothes steamer in Australia overall?
For most Australian households, match the steamer to your wardrobe. The top pick is the Philips EasyTouch Stand Steamer Iron - a standing unit with strong continuous steam and a large tank that handles a full wardrobe in one go without refilling. If you only want quick touch-ups and travel, the mid-range Tefal Access Steam Care handheld is the more practical everyday choice. Handhelds suit touch-ups and travel; standing units suit high-volume, hanger-based steaming.
Can I use a clothes steamer on all fabrics?
Most fabrics respond well to steaming, including cotton, linen, wool, silk, polyester, and synthetics. The main exceptions are fabrics that are damaged by moisture: suede, waxed fabrics, and some water-sensitive embellishments. Always check the garment's care label. If the label shows a "do not wash" symbol, avoid steaming. Velvet benefits enormously from steaming but should be steamed from the reverse side or with the steamer held further away to avoid flattening the pile.
Does steaming actually sanitise clothes?
Steam at 100 degrees Celsius kills most bacteria, dust mites, and some viruses on contact. A clothes steamer does not sanitise in the same way as a washing machine — it does not penetrate deep into the fabric — but it does freshen garments, eliminate odours, and reduce surface bacterial load. Many hotels use steamers between guests as part of their garment care service. Steaming is particularly effective for garments that cannot be washed frequently: suits, wool jumpers, and structured garments.
How much water does a clothes steamer use per session?
A typical handheld steamer uses 150–300ml per full tank (about 8–15 minutes of steaming). A standing steamer uses a 1.5–2.5L tank that lasts 45–90 minutes. For context, a standard ironing session with a steam iron uses considerably less water because irons only produce bursts of steam rather than continuous flow. Running costs are minimal — the electricity cost is comparable to a kettle, and water consumption is negligible.
