Handheld steamer for home use: types, selection criteria

Every housewife wants to wash clothes after ironing looked beautiful and had no wrinkles or creases. Unfortunately, even the most expensive and high-quality iron is unable to provide the desired result. It is quite another thing when the hand is steamer.

What is the steamer 

Steamer can not be regarded as a substitute for iron due to the fact that he has only a part of its functions. To be able to press them apart seams, The hostess always in the house to be iron. As for the other tasks, then they can easily manage and steamer.

Garment Steamer's popularity can be explained by their having the following advantages:

• You do not need to spend time preparing the instrument for use;
• the device can operate for several hours without interruption;
• small size and portability;
• during ironing, not only gives a neat appearance to things, but also removes the bad smell;
• it is very difficult to spoil clothing;
• It saves the time required for ironing products;
• for processing of products complex cut with protruding elements.

Steamers are now actively used not only at home but also in theaters, clothing stores, as well as sewing workshops. Without this device is very difficult to doWhen you need to disinfect soft toys, to steam curtains or upholstered furniture. So the hostess does not hurt to know about the criteria for selecting the manual steamer. If desired, you can purchase the advanced models, which are in addition to standard kettle function.

types of devices

Not to be mistaken with a choice of steamer, the buyer must first get acquainted with the range available on the market of this equipment. Depending on the dimensions of the steamers can be classified into two types:

• Hand. Their main advantage is the compactness.
• stationary. They are quite marker devices that are installed on the floor.

In spite of certain structural differences, the modern steamers are working on the same principle. each model equipped with a special container water, wherein the liquid is heated to the boiling point where steam is supplied through a special nozzle. At the moment when the steam reaches the target tissue occurs:

• ironing;
• disinfection;
• removal of stains and odors.

 In order to correctly pick the right model, the user must first determine the objectives of the use of the device. If choose a model for travel, it is best to buy a compact steamer. Stationary systems are more suitable for use at home and for companies providing cleaning services.

Hand-held steamers

The main element in the design of these devices is a closed-type heater. The same is used in the conventional electric kettle. It was thanks to him that there is boiling water. In operation, these devices spends 13 to 20 ml of water per minute. Unfortunately, such a small water tank does not allow for too long to carry out the processing of things. The operation lasts about 10 minutes, then it is necessary to fill a new portion of water. Compact models can operate continuously up to 30 minutes.

Among the disadvantages, which are available for these devices is mainly low productivity. In the process, they release a little steam flow, because of what has to spend more time on the processing of products.

Hand steamer - is a great choice for those who want to look perfect, and while traveling. It is much easier to conventional iron road, and in their function is far superior to its counterpart. However during operation must be very careful. If it happens that the unit will turn over with a full tank horizontally, you can get burned. Such models are capable of delivering no more than 20 ml per minute, and they can be used only in a vertical plane.

stationary steamers

They are rather bulky machines designed for home use. In contrast to the compact models, these devices can operate for long periods without a break. In size they look like a vacuum cleaner.

The main users of these devices are cleaning companies, trading companies and garment manufacturing. stationary steamers floor can be classified into two types depending on the type of steam:

• gravity-fed;
• pomp.

The first type is characterized in that the water in it is heated due to the working of PETN, after which it by gravity flows into iron. As for the second type steamer, there is a water supply function is assigned to the pump - it it directs the heating element, But already there is a liquid begins to boil and is in the form of steam through the exhaust holes. Apart from other models are equipped with a heater, which supply a powerful jet of steam without dripping.

Criterias of choice

Different models Garment Steamer can provide a different quality of life, which depends on such thing as power. On this basis, all the modern steamers can be divided into three main groups:

• Budget self-flowing steamers. This is a fairly inexpensive devices that can be bought at the price of up to 5 m. P. They have heating elements, power to 1600 W, which are capable of producing a minute to about 25 grams of steam. However, this amount is insufficient for stripping quality dense tissue. And they have another disadvantage - low speed. All gravity-fed models have only one mode of operation.
• Gravity steamers in the average price category. This group includes the model, whose capacity is in the range from 1700 to 1800 watts. In one minute, the work of these steamers are able to create the steam to '50 Having at home such a device, you can save significant time stripping things.
• Steamers, steam is introduced under pressure. This category of floor devices form a new generation of models whose power is in the range from 1900 to 2500 watts. Within minutes of operation, they can not produce more than 55 g of steam. Their task they cope not only fast, but also qualitatively. It is an ideal choice for professionals. Among the shortcomings can only call what they need for water quality.

The best floor steamer in this category - one that it is possible to power settings. Then the hostess be able to use the ironing mode that best matches the material of construction of the thing.

When choosing a power steamer is necessary to observe the cardinal rule - the more, the better. A need also mention another rule - the quality of the device determined by the amount of steam issued them. In view of the foregoing, Best Buy will be considered steamer that for a minute can give out 55 g of steam, which is the limit for such devices. Even if in the near future and there will be more powerful models from well-known companies, they still will not be able to surpass the quality of their work less powerful counterparts. Furthermore, they may even harm tissue, because unlike iron vapor jet instead of smoothing will moisten it.

heating elements 

If we consider the heating elements, which are equipped with modern steamers, they can be divided into two types depending on the material of manufacture:

• brass;
• made of stainless steel.

In most of the models used today heating elements are made of stainless steel. It is believed that the model made of brass have a longer service life and is totally coincides reality. Brass is more resistant to corrosion, as well as on it in smaller amounts, "settles" scum. But, unfortunately, it does not greatly increase its service life. According to statistics, brass heaters are 5% longer than models made of stainless steel. Therefore, any benefit from the purchase of the device with a heater consumer receives.

Choosing steamer, be sure to find out, to work with a quality water it is designed. Among the low-end models are often found more demanding on the quality of water appliances. But the more expensive models can properly carry out its core functions, even if they fill the ordinary tap water, although there may be exceptions.

It is desirable to give preference to models that have heated during ironing soleplate. This will help avoid splashing steam out of it. Yet when choosing the store Device find out the material from which iron is formed. Best of all, if the sole is made of metal or ceramic. Beware of buying devices with plastic, because they are not designed for a long service life.

The device for home use

If you need an affordable device with stripping function, with which you will be able to maintain the beautiful and tidy your clothes when traveling, choose compact steamers. Any traveler will be delighted with them. it Lightweight, compact and affordable, practical devices that offer more functionality conventional iron.

If you do not plan to use part of the device, then you can restrict the purchase of low-cost vertical stationary machine. With it you can easily maintain a nice view of knitwear and clothing made of soft fabrics. However, keep in mind that for a dense flax and cotton, this device will not work.

 If you need a device that not only ironed clothes, but also use it to wash toys, then you should pay attention with more powerful models. The best option - a device capable of providing per minute at least 35 grams of couple.

If you are not limited in finance, then you should buy a garment steamer, which can supply steam under pressure. This versatile device for the home that can be used not only for washing clothes, cleaning the house but also disinfection of textiles.

Steamer for curtains

Steamer - is really a very useful device that can be used to maintain a neat kind of curtains, for which they even You do not have to shoot from the eaves. Unfortunately, hand steamer to perform such an operation will not work. This task handle only powerful device for curtains, which is capable of feeding per minute of at least 35 grams of couple.

In recent decades, the hosts had to iron things ordinary iron. But not so long ago he had an alternative - the steamer. And this instrument clearly superior his brother on the quality of certain operations. It is capable of producing a powerful jet of steam, which explains the high quality of ironing, which can provide the device.

But steamer - this is not a copy of the iron, it has a lot of other functions. With it, you get not just a device for ironing, but also an instrument that can be disinfectAs well as boiling water, as in a conventional electric kettle.

Select the optimal model steamer is not so easy and give universal advice is unlikely to succeed, because today's market there are enough of these devices from different manufacturers. So you are not disappointed make a choice, you need to define the objectives of the use of this device. After all, it is a mistake to buy a compact steamer, if most of the time it will lie idle.