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The 3 Best Travel Steamers of 2024, Tested and Reviewed

Wrinkles? We don't know them thanks to these small but mighty steamers

Dena Ogden headshot 2024 By
Dena Ogden
Dena Ogden headshot 2024
Dena Ogden
Dena Ogden (she/her) is an associate shopping editor for The Spruce, specializing in appliances, cleaning, organizing, and home tech. Since joining Dotdash Meredith in August of 2022, she's tested dozens of home products, including multiple vacuums, cleaning and laundry supplies, organizers, bedding, and more. She has a Bachelor of Arts in English & Communication from the University of Washington.
Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process
Updated on 05/08/24
Reviewed by
Katie Berry
Katie Berry
Reviewed by Katie Berry
Katie Berry is a cleaning expert with 30 years of household management experience and 12 years of writing about cleaning methods and routines for Housewife How-Tos. She is the author of several books about homemaking.
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Fact checked by
Emily Estep
Emily Estep
Fact checked by Emily Estep

Emily Estep is a plant biologist and journalist who has worked for a variety of online news and media outlets, writing about and editing topics including environmental science and houseplants.

Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process
A group of travel steamers

The Spruce / Leticia Almeida

Having a travel steamer on hand means you'll be able to freshen up your clothes in minutes, whether you're comfortably at home or on a trip, with blouses, linen pants, and more packed tightly into your suitcase. We've tested more than 40 clothes steamers in The Lab and in our own homes, measuring each steamer's heat time, considering its water tank capacity, and noting its effectiveness against deep-set wrinkles on linen, cotton, and silk.

After all our testing, we can say: don't let a travel steamer's compact size fool you. These units are light enough to pack into a carry-on or duffel bag, or store in your bathroom vanity, yet they deliver powerful steam. You may need a funnel in order to fill up their water tank without making a mess—but, they'll eradicate all wrinkles from your clothes in just a few up-and-down motions and give you an average of 10 minutes of steaming time, which is plenty ahead of a day at work or night out.

Whether you're looking for crease-creating attachments or pocket-size devices, the models below are the best options to reach for when you're in a pinch—or should we say wrinkle?

Editor's Note: This review was updated in May 2024 with new buying considerations and testing insights for our three favorite travel steamers.

Our Top Picks
Best Overall:
Brookline Steamer at Amazon ($27)
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Best Overall, Runner-Up:
Electrolux Garment Steamer at Wayfair ($64)
Jump to Review
We Also Love:
True & Tidy Handheld Garment Steamer at Amazon ($25)
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Best Overall

Brookline Steamer

Brookline Handheld Garment Steamer
PHOTO:

Amazon
$27 at Amazon
What We Like

  • Pink or black design

  • Wide-mouthed reservoir for easy and clean filling

  • Good water tank capacity

What We Don't Like

  • One steam setting

  • Performs better when tank is more than halfway full

The ideal travel steamer should be lightweight, as small as possible, and able to decrease wrinkles in a matter of minutes. We saw in our testing that the Brookline Handheld Garment Steamer hits all of the above notes, and has a few extra conveniences that set it apart from the pack.

It comes in black or pink—so, depending on your choice, it would be easy to spot in your bag (pink) or subtle enough to blend in (black), if that's your priority. The reservoir is also easy to fill thanks to the wide mouth, so even if you're dealing with the limitations of a hotel sink, you'll be good to go without a funnel. The 6.1-ounce capacity is in the middle of our picks, too, which range from roughly 4 to 10 ounces.

It takes about two and a half minutes to heat up; this was a bit longer than our typical experience, but is still within reason in our eyes. There's one steam setting, and depending on your materials (and the severity of their wrinkles), you may need to fill up the container in between garments. This steamer does perform better when the tank is more than half full, so you'll really want to stay on top of the water level either way.

Weight: 1.57 pounds | Water Tank Capacity: 6.1 ounces | Heat Time: 2.5 minutes | Steam Time: 10 minutes | Power Level: 800 watts

Best Overall, Runner-Up

Electrolux Garment Steamer

Electrolux LX-15002 Garment Steamer
PHOTO:

Amazon
$64 at Wayfair $60 at Home Depot $60 at Walmart
What We Like

  • 12-foot power cord

  • Heats up instantly

  • Trigger lock for continuous steam

What We Don't Like

  • Smaller mouth on water reservoir

  • Not as compact as other picks

We've raved about the Electrolux Garment Steamer before, giving it the top spot among clothes steamers of all shapes and sizes. We definitely recommend it as a travel steamer, too. It's relatively compact and heats up fairly instantly, and the handle has a trigger lock so you can have continuous steam without having to keep a finger on the button. This especially came in handy when we used it to steam a pair of jeans during our testing. Denim is a tall order for any steamer, and while it took multiple passes, it made a noticeable improvement.

Although, we do have a few caveats with this steamer, since it isn't quite as small as some of our other picks. It's perhaps the sort of steamer you could comfortably tuck in a suitcase, as opposed to squeeze into a carry-on. The water tank is 10 ounces large (our other picks are 4 and 6 ounces), and the 12-foot cord doesn't retract, so you'll need to wind it and make room for that in your bag, too.

Lastly, the smaller mouth on the water reservoir is easier to fill when you use a funnel—which could be hard to come by in a hotel room if you don't think ahead and pack one. Still, we'd call this a good steamer to have on hand. You'll be able to bring it with you when you travel, but will also want to unpack it so you can use it full-time at home, too.

Weight: 1.99 pounds | Water Tank Capacity: 10 ounces | Heat Time: Immediate | Steam Time: 18 minutes | Power Level: 1500 watts

We Also Love

True & Tidy Handheld Garment Steamer

True & Tidy TS-10 Handheld Garment Steamer
PHOTO:

Amazon
$25 at Amazon $25 at Wayfair $25 at Wayfair
What We Like

  • Brush attachment included

  • Large, stainless steel soleplate

  • See-through water tank

What We Don't Like

  • Tricky to fill water reservoir

The True & Tidy Handheld Garment Steamer is a colorful unit that breaks down into two pieces, making it super easy to stash in a bag of any size. We loved that its water reservoir is completely see-through, which allowed us to monitor exactly how much water was left. And it excelled in our testing, removing tough wrinkles with just a few passes, thanks to its powerful steam and stainless steel soleplate.

This travel steamer comes with a brush attachment that can help smooth fabric as you work, and it was ready to use in around two minutes. The handle stayed cool and comfortable for the duration of our testing, and the on-off rocker switch made the steamer simple and straightforward to operate.

Our only woe when it comes to this travel steamer is that the water tank is a bit tricky to fill. You have to pour water in slowly. Otherwise, it backs up and overflows. However, beyond that one quirk, the product exceeded our expectations and is still one worth adding to your home (and suitcase!).

Weight: 1.43 pounds | Water Tank Capacity: 4.6 ounces | Heat Time: 80 seconds | Steam Time: 10 minutes | Power Level: 600 watts

Final Verdict

The best travel steamer is the Brookline Handheld Garment Steamer: a compact yet powerful option that's lightweight, easy to use, and a cinch to fill thanks to the wide reservoir mouth. We also love the Electrolux Garment Steamer that heats up almost instantly and has a trigger lock that'll allow you to steam continuously, without having to press a button at the same time.

How We Tested the Travel Steamers

We've tested more than 40 clothes and travel steamers in The Lab and at home. Our tests can vary, but always include assessments of the following categories.

  • Setup: To start, we unbox and set up each steamer, noting how clear the instructions are and how intuitive the design of the steamer is. We take note of the placement of buttons and how long the cord is, and jot down anything that makes the steamer particularly comfortable, or cumbersome, to use.
  • Heat Time: We evaluate the heat time of each steamer by timing with a phone stopwatch how long the steamer takes to heat up. We also note if there are any indicators that the steamer is ready or not.
  • Effectiveness: We then use household garments, like linen pants, cotton shirts, linen napkins, and silk tops to test the effectiveness of each steamer and try out all the settings. We also use any attachments in the box, and note how effective they are at releasing wrinkles and making desired creases.
  • Portability: We rate the portability of the product, noting how easy it is to hold or carry. In some tests, we put the travel steamer in a packed carry-on bag to see if it would be practical in your suitcase and if it drastically alters the weight of the bag.
  • Overall Value: Lastly, we use our hands-on experience to rate the overall value of the product, and decide if it's worth the money you'd spend on it.
Conair GS38R Handheld Garment Steamer for Clothes Turbo ExtremeSteam's reservoir filled with water

The Spruce / Henry Wortock

What to Look for in a Travel Steamer

The Heat and Steam Time

When comparing different steamers, you'll want to look at their heat and steam times. The former indicates how long the unit takes to heat up and be ready for use, while the latter indicates how long the steamer runs when the tank is full. The longer the steam time, and the larger the water reservoir capacity, the more garments you can often de-wrinkle in one steaming session, without having to run to the sink to refill the tank.

"I like [a steamer] that has a decent amount of continuous run time—10 minutes, at least—so that you don't have to stop and refill several times," notes Melissa Maker of Clean My Space. While portable or travel steamers sometimes sacrifice a longer steam time for their small size (and thus, smaller water tank), all of the models in our roundup have steam times of 10 minutes or more.

The Electrolux Garment Steamer's steam time clocks in at 18 minutes, and this steamer heats up almost instantly, too, meaning you can de-wrinkle your clothes sooner rather than later.

How Portable (and Packable) It Is

A steamer's size not only impacts its steam time, but it also determines how packable it is in your suitcase. If you're going to be packing a steamer in your suitcase, it should ideally be compact and lightweight—otherwise, it will prevent you from packing other necessities.

The unit's weight will also impact its usability and how packable it is, since you likely don't want to add to much weight to your suitcase or carry-on bag. "A steamer should be a manageable weight, comfortable to hold, and nicely balanced, so it's not too top or bottom-heavy," says Maker.

All of our selections weigh less than 2 pounds apiece, and the True & Tidy TS-10 Handheld Garment Steamer can even be separated into two pieces for easier storage in your suitcase or at home.

FAQ
  • How hot do travel steamers get?

    To produce steam, travel steamers need to generate water temperatures of more than 200 degrees Fahrenheit. That means you need to use any clothes steamer with care, to avoid accidental burns and spills. For use with heavier fabrics, temperatures can reach as high as 395 degrees Fahrenheit on many standard clothes steamers, but the less-powerful travel varieties don't often reach these temperatures.

  • Is a steamer better than an iron?

    While they may seem similar, steamers and steam irons serve different purposes in the laundry room.

    Steamers use hot steam to relax fibers within a fabric, while irons are used to press and smooth fabric and create creases. Further, steamers are typically used vertically on hanging garments, while irons require a horizontal surface, such as an ironing board.

Person measuring the power cord of the Electrolux LX-15002 Garment Steamer

The Spruce Home / Henry Wortock

Why Trust The Spruce?

This roundup was written by Dena Ogden, an associate editor at The Spruce focusing on home tech, appliances, cleaning, and organization. Ogden has firsthand testing experience with products from top appliance brands, testing robot vacuums, upholstery cleaners, and more in her own home. For this piece, she considered insights from The Lab and our home testing, looking at the effectiveness, ease of use, and features of each travel steamer.

Our Experts: