The best travel steamers easily fit into your carry-on luggage so you can de-wrinkle your favorite outfits on the go.
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7 Best Travel Steamers To Keep You Wrinkle Free on the Go
Published on Jan. 29, 2025
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best overall travel steamer
Beautural Foldable Handheld Steamer for Clothes
Pros:
- Attractive design
- Inexpensive
- Sizable water tank
- Carrying case included
- No leakage
- Quick to preheat
- Good cord management
- Travel-friendly
Cons:
- Doesn't stand up on its own
- No power button
- Can be hard to collapse
When it comes to the best travel steamer, look no further than the Beautural steamer. According to our testers, it checks all of the boxes for functionality, affordability and good-looking design. “Not that a garment steamer needs to be attractive, but the Product Testing Team always appreciates form alongside function. The stylized ribbed water tank and cute blue color did not go unnoticed,” says product testing manager Annamarie Higley.
In the studio, Higley filled the 5-ounce water tank and let the steamer preheat. After about 15 seconds, she was ready to test it out on various items of clothing including a silk shirt, denim jeans, linen pants and a blazer. The steamer removed 95-100% of the wrinkles on each item in under one minute without leaving visible water marks behind. Our testers especially appreciated the long handle on this steamer, which protected their hands from the hot steam.
Our team noted that the water tank was easy to remove, fill and re-insert. They were also impressed by how little water this steamer actually used. After testing was complete, they found about half the water was left in the tank.
One thing our testers didn’t love about this travel steamer was the fact that it doesn’t have a power button or light to indicate that the steamer is on or ready to steam. To figure it out, they held down the steam button until steam started coming out. They also found that it wasn’t always easy to fold, noting that it took a lot of force to maneuver the parts. So much so that our testers worried they might break it.
Fortunately, this travel steamer made it through testing in one piece. And in spite of its design flaws, our testers had no reservations about naming it the best travel steamer overall. “The long head of this garment steamer kept my hand safe from the hot steam, and the compact water tank holds more than you’d expect. Plus, I’m confident I could easily tuck this into a carry-on, thanks to the collapsible design,” raves Higley.
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best budget travel steamer
Philips Handheld Steamer
Pros:
- Retails for under $50 and often goes on sale
- Foldable
- Has standby mode
- Quick preheat cycle
- Easy to fill
- Attractive design
Cons:
- No cord management
- May cause finger fatigue
De-wrinkling your clothes doesn’t have to be expensive and the Philips handheld steamer proves it. This travel steamer retails for under $50 and frequently goes on sale. When you’re getting ready to head out of town, the handle folds inward so that it lays flush with the head. This allows it to easily slip into your carry-on while still leaving plenty of room for your other essentials.
During testing, our team found the detachable water tank easy to fill. They pointed out that a fill line would have made things even simpler, but they were able to eyeball it. After they filled the 3-ounce tank and plugged it back into the steamer, they waited 15 seconds for it to preheat and got to work.
This travel steamer removed all of the wrinkles from our team’s silk shirt, denim pants and blazer in a minute or less. They did notice some drip marks on the silk shirt and a lot of condensation collecting on the head of the steamer from blowback steam, but no water marks were left on any other items. Speaking of the other items, our testers did struggle to remove all of the wrinkles from a pair of linen pants. “After about 2 minutes and 20 seconds, it had gotten about 95% of the wrinkles out,” shares Higley. “There was one noticeable deep crease left over that wasn’t budging.”
Something you may want to consider before adding this budget-friendly travel steamer to your cart is the fact that you have to hold down the trigger while steaming. And, according to Higley, the unit is slow to respond after you let go. It took about 10 seconds for the unit to stop pumping out steam. Additionally, our testers also experienced finger fatigue during the third round of testing on the linen pants, which took more than two minutes. That said, this certainly wasn’t a deal breaker for our product testing team.
best splurge travel steamer
Steamery Cirrus 3 Handheld Steamer
Pros:
- Quality construction
- Includes mitt and carrying case
- Top performer on denim
- Standby mode
- Lightweight
Cons:
- Small tank
- Finger fatigue
If you want a steamer that’s as stylish as your luggage, the Steamery Cirrus 3 is for you. Our testers were immediately impressed by the quality construction and discreet water tank. We also love that it comes in several muted colors so you can choose the one that best matches your favorite suitcase.
The first time they filled the water tank, our team struggled to take it out. But once they rounded this learning curve, they were able to easily fill the 3-ounce tank. After 35 seconds, the button stopped blinking and turned solid to indicate that the steamer was ready for use.
In spite of its hefty price tag, this steamer took longer to remove wrinkles than other less expensive models. It took 40 seconds to remove wrinkles from the blazer and one minute and 15 seconds to remove the wrinkles from the denim. However, it took almost three and a half minutes to remove most of the creases from the linen pants. And after four minutes and 15 seconds of steaming, it still did not render our silk shirt wearable. “This steamer seems to perform really well on thicker fabrics,” says product tester Sydney Manning. “It did the best on jeans of any of the units so far.”
Another thing to consider is the overall design of this travel steamer. While it is certainly attractive, the head isn’t very deep, allowing some of the steam to make its way up to your hands. “Higley’s hand was getting hot while using it and at one point, she felt a bit of a burning sensation and had to stop and reposition,” explains Manning.
To help prevent burns and to allow you to press fabrics directly against the steamer, this unit does come with a steaming pad. However, our testers found that if you’re wearing it, you can’t use your hand to adjust and hold the fabric to better access hard-to-reach spots. “The mitt was such a smart addition to this steamer. Although it can inhibit you from really repositioning the clothing item at times, it’s so helpful when you’re trying to attack wrinkles on thinner fabrics like silk and linen,” explains Higley.
best heavy-duty travel steamer
Conair Handheld Fabric Steamer
Pros:
- Big tank
- High and low heat settings
- Includes attachments
- Easy to empty
- Long cord
- No leakage
Cons:
- Can't stand up on its own
- May be too big to fit in a carry on
Heavy-duty creases need a heavy-duty steamer. The Conair Handheld Fabric Steamer is just that. “This might not fit in your personal item or tight-squeeze carry-on, but if you’ve got the room, this heavy-duty Conair steamer will get the job done. It performed phenomenally on all fabric types, plus its large tank, dual heat settings and various attachments make it an all-purpose item,” raves Higley.
Overall, our testers found that this steamer was easy to empty, though filling it was another matter. They used a measuring cup to fill up the reservoir via a small hole. But because there is no max line, and because the hole is so small, they found that it’s easy to spill. In spite of that, our testers were impressed by how much water this steamer holds.
After 45 seconds on low heat, this steamer was ready to go. As it just so happens, 45 seems to be the magic number for this travel steamer. According to our testers, it took 45 seconds of steaming to get all of the wrinkles and creases out of their silk shirt, denim pants and blazer. It took three minutes of steaming with the delicate attachment to remove the wrinkles from the linen pants. And in case you were wondering, low heat does not equal low steam. “Tons of steam was flowing out of this bad boy,” exclaims Higley. When they were finished, Higley noted that they did not have to refill the steamer. In fact, 40% of the water in the tank was left over.
While they were impressed by how well this steamer worked on all of their garments, our team didn’t appreciate the fact that this unit cannot stand up on its own. “This seems like a huge oversight,” says Manning. “But it’s nice that it doesn’t leak, even on its side.” We’ll count that as a win!
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best dual voltage travel steamer
Conair Power Steam
Pros:
- Dual voltage
- Travel-friendly
- Standby mode
- Easy to empty
- Lightweight
- No leakage
Cons:
- Not the most ergonomic model
- Small tank
If you’re planning on international travel, then you’ll want to tuck the Conair Power Steam into your suitcase. That’s because this dual voltage steamer will work at home as well as overseas without a converter. Simply change the switch on the bottom to use in other countries. And as an added bonus, a collapsible hanger is included. “Here on the Product Testing Team, we love when products are obviously designed with the user in mind. This steamer has ‘travel’ in the title, and Conair’s inclusion of a voltage switch, adjustable head and collapsible hanger very much backs that up,” raves Higley.
In spite of the water tank’s small capacity, our team found that it was easy to fill and empty. Once filled, it took 35 seconds for the power button to turn green, indicating that it was ready for use. It took 40 seconds to remove the wrinkles from the back of our blazer, one minute to steam our silk shirt and two minutes to steam the denim and linen pants. According to our testers, it didn’t remove the deepest creases from the denim or linen pants. But given how wrinkly these items were to begin with, our testers were pleased with the results. “They were still wearable,” says Manning. “It was pretty wrinkly to start, so this did a decent job all things considered.”
Another callout feature on this steamer is the steam button. The steam button needs to be pressed once in order to activate the steam, then pressed again to return the unit to standby mode. Our team found that this feature made the steamer easier to operate, especially given that it could be hard to hold for people with very small hands. “The shaft on this one is a bit thicker, so someone with small hands might think it’s a little hard to hold,” explains Manning. “It’s not contoured or made to fit your hand, though it has a texturized side for better gripping.”
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best combo travel steamer
Travel Steamer Iron
Pros:
- 2-in-1 iron and steamer
- Quick to preheat
- Adjustable handle
- Includes plastic tray
- Inexpensive
- Lightweight
Cons:
- Small non-removeable tank
Forget hotel room irons. This 2-in-1 travel steamer will steam your travel clothes and iron out any lingering wrinkles so you’ll look like a million bucks. Our testers were immediately impressed by its unique design. “It has a very cool design in that this can be used as an iron, or the handle can be pivoted for use vertically as a steamer,” explains Higley. Better yet, this multi-purpose model is inexpensive, compact and perfect for travel.
While they loved the design, our testers were not thrilled with the water tank. It isn’t removable and you can’t see through into the iron when filling it up. Our team recommends using the included measuring cup and filling it up to the max line (70 ml) to ensure you don’t overfill. “It’s a small hole, but it works well with the provided measuring cup. It’s a little hard to get the right angle, though,” says Higley.
Once they finished filling up the tank, it was time to get to work. It took about one minute to remove the wrinkles from our silk shirt and denim pants. Our blazer was wrinkle-free after one minute and 25 seconds while the linen pants took two minutes to steam. The only hitch came while our testers were steaming the blazer. The cord is so short that it couldn’t reach the shoulders of the blazer while it was hanging. Otherwise, our team was pleased with its performance.
It’s also worth mentioning that during testing, our team found that leaving the unit in the closed position caused steam to get on their hands. In the 180-degree “open” position, however, Higley did not get any steam on her hands. “I’d definitely recommend leaving the handle in the open 180-degree position at all times, whether you’re ironing or steaming. You’ll be pleased with this tiny powerhouse’s performance—and that your hands are out of the pathway of the steam,” she says.
Overall, our testers agree that this travel steamer will be one of your best Amazon purchases.
best compact travel steamer
CHI Travel Steamer
Pros:
- Slim, lightweight design
- Usable at any angle
- Included carrying case and cord management
- Has standby mode
Cons:
- Difficult to fill
- Slightly inconsistent steam output
The CHI Travel Steamer is so small and compact that it will fit into your carry-on or travel backpack with room to spare. “This guy is about the size of a flat iron, so it’d be super easy to slip into a side pocket of a suitcase. And it’s a top performer that can be used in any orientation, so you’ll be completely wrinkle-free on the road,” says Higley.
During testing, this small but mighty steamer held enough water for five full minutes of steam action. Though this was right on target with what the manufacturer says, our team was still pleasantly surprised when this unit made it through all rounds of testing without having to be refilled.
According to the instruction manual, this steamer can be used in any orientation. To test the accuracy of this claim, our testers laid the silk shirt on an ironing board and “ironed” the front side. After one minute, all but a few wrinkles had been removed. Our team notes that this was probable due to user error in that the wrinkles weren’t noticeable while the shirt was on the board. The team had similar results with the rest of the garments. The CHI steamer removed most if not all the wrinkles from each garment in one minute and 50 seconds or less without leaving behind unsightly water marks.
While testing this steamer, Higley was pleased to find that the steam did not burn her hand while using it horizontally as an iron. “Your hand is far enough away from the head of the steamer so as to avoid any steam that drifts upward,” she explains. Still, she preferred steaming over ironing. And better yet, she found that the silhouette and slim design made it easy to hold. “No finger fatigue with this, even though the button needs to be held down,” she says.
What to look for when buying a travel steamer
When shopping for the best travel steamer, look for one that is easily portable. “Travel steamers are lightweight, compact and easy to pack, making them perfect for travel,” says Joun. Several models on our list fold down and can easily fit into a small carry-on. Additionally, look for a steamer that heats up quickly. According to Joun, your travel steamer should heat up in under a minute.
Other travel steamers we tested
For this article, we tested a total of 12 steamers. Sometimes, we get our hands on a product that doesn’t quite live up to our expectations:
- HiLife Steamer for Clothes: “I was a bit thrown by the slim face of this steamer, but surprisingly, the small surface area didn’t slow it down. The HiLife steamed just as quickly as its competitors, while cutting down on weight and bulk,” says Higley. However, it had considerable condensation and left water marks on all of our items.
- Rowenta Steamer for Clothes: Though we were happy with the performance of this travel steamer, the overall design leaves a lot to be desired. “This is a poor design. The tank is detachable, which is nice. But the max fill indicator is right next to the fill hole so as soon as it’s at capacity, water spills. Plus, the angles for pouring the water and viewing the fill level are incongruent,” explains Manning. “It’s easier to empty than it is to fill.”
- Beautural Steamer for Clothes: This travel steamer has a large water tank and comes with handy attachments to remove lint and dust from your clothes. However, cheap construction and leakage landed this travel steamer towards the bottom of our list.
- Black + Decker Advanced Handheld Steamer: Black + Decker may be a trusted name, but this travel steamer fell short. Our testers found it bulky, finicky and leaky. “Its performance wasn’t stand out, and we wouldn’t necessarily recommend it,” says Higley.
- Steam & Go Handheld Steamer: Our testers appreciated this steamer’s ergonomic grip, dual voltage and various color options. However, it took a long time to preheat and left water marks on all but one of our garments.
Why you should trust us
Here at Reader’s Digest, we know that you want to keep your look current. We also know that one of the best ways to look put together is by keeping your clothes neat and pressed, which isn’t always easy to do when you’re traveling and have your clothes crammed into luggage. And since we’re always on the lookout for the best travel gear like packing cubes and carry-on luggage, we were determined to find the best travel steamers.
The best travel steamers that made this list have been rigorously tested to see how travel-friendly they really are, how well they remove creases and wrinkles and whether or not they leak. We also considered the ergonomics of each steamer and assessed how easy they are to fill and empty.
Once we selected and tested our travel steamers, we spoke to James Joun, co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of on-demand laundry and dry cleaning pickup and delivery company Rinse. Joun shared his knowledge on the advantages and how-tos of using a travel steamer.
How we found the best travel steamers
After thoroughly researching top brands and combing through customer reviews, our product testing team selected 12 travel steamers for thorough testing. They spent 50 collective hours on this test, performing 10 tests on each steamer and collected more than 450 data points overall.
During testing, our team filled each steamer’s tank with cool tap water and timed how long it took each model to come up to temperature. Next, they used the steamer on four different garments: a 100% silk top, a pair of 100% cotton jeans, a pair of 100% linen pants and a 100% wool blazer. Each garment was stored in a vacuum-sealed bag overnight to create and maintain maximum wrinkles. While steaming each garment, our testers monitored how long it took to effectively remove the creases. They also monitored the amount of leakage, spotting and sputtering that occurred with each steamer, noting any visible water marks left on the clothing.
Once their testing was complete, we used their findings to narrow down our list to the seven best travel steamers your money can buy.
FAQ
How do you use a travel steamer?
To use a travel steamer, begin by filling the water tank and then turn it on to pre-heat. While you’re waiting, hang up the garment. Once the steamer is heated, move the steamer in long, vertical strokes over the garment. Allow the garment to cool before wearing.
Is a steamer better than an iron?
There are several benefits to using a steamer over an iron. According to Joun, a travel steamer offers quick and convenient wrinkle removal and allows you to freshen up clothes without washing them. “The high-temperature steam not only removes wrinkles but also eliminates odors, kills bacteria and neutralizes allergens. This is especially beneficial for clothes that can’t be washed frequently, like jackets or dry-clean-only garments,” he explains.
Steamers are also gentler on fabrics. “Unlike irons, which apply direct heat and pressure, steamers use steam to relax fabric fibers. This makes them safer for delicate fabrics or garments prone to heat damage, like silk or chiffon,” explains Joun. He adds that regular ironing can weaken fabric fibers over time, especially if heat settings aren’t adjusted correctly.
What types of fabrics should not be steamed?
According to Joun, leather and suede should not be steamed as they are sensitive to moisture and heat. He recommends using a specialized leather cleaner or taking these items to a professional.
Waxed or coated fabrics like rain jackets should not be steamed as the steam can break down their protective coatings.
And finally, Joun cautions against using a steamer on delicate vintage pieces. “Vintage garments made of fragile or loosely woven fabrics may not hold up well to steam. Always test a small area first to avoid damage,” he advises.
