Is ironing a thing of the past? The best garment steamers to shop

It’s been said that we are witnessing the death of ironing and, based purely on anecdotal evidence, we couldn’t agree more. With effortless chic and French-girl style in vogue, it seems the days of a perfectly creased pant leg and, dare we say, impeccably ironed underwear is something we’re happy leaving in the past. But as chic as the undone look can be, and as much as we hate to admit it, sometimes there is a need for crisp, pin-straight fabrics. With wedding season in full swing, and awards evenings and other soirees filling our diaries, we will be reaching for one appliance to help smooth out wrinkles and buff out creases for those times when we want to look our very best. If you’re in the market too, read on; we’ve found the best garment steamers to shop.

The decline of the iron

Is it purely a matter of not having the time or enough mental bandwidth to add another task to our (already incredibly busy) lives? Or have we simply reevaluated what’s important to us, and the poor old iron got the boot? From what we can tell, it’s definitely a change that’s being brought on by young people. In fact, research shows that 30% of 18- to 34-year-olds do not own an iron and “never iron their clothes”, saying that their clothes didn’t need ironing, that it was simply not important to them, or they didn’t like doing it. But, as we automate the rest of our household chores, it’s only a matter of time before this incredibly hands-on, time intensive task got streamlined, giving rise to ironing’s cooler younger sibling – garment steaming.

2025’s best garment steamers

Philips 1000 Series Stand Garment Steamer, $189, Myer (here’s why)
Tefal Access Steam Force Handheld Garment Steamer, $109, The Good Guys (here’s why)
Sunbeam Power Steam Hand Held Garment Steamer, $89.95, Myer (here’s why)

The best garment steamers 2025

Philips 1000 Series Stand Garment Steamer With Board in Blue

Best for: easy de-wrinkling

Widely recognised as a reliable mid-priced steamer, the Philips 1000 Series Stand Steamer is a convenient alternative to the typical handheld steamer, and offers a large water tank, strong steam output and quick heat-up.

Size: Steamplate: 55.67 cm. Ironing Mat: 32.7 x 60.8 cm. Fully Extended: 30.3 x 168.2 x 43.4 cm

Capacity/Volume: 1.8L Detachable

Key features:

Continuous steam up to 36g/min
Three steam settings
1.8L detachable water tank
45 seconds heat time
Kills 99.9% of bacteria and dust mites
1800kW
Adjustable double poles for various height settings

Tefal Access Steam Force Handheld Garment Steamer

Best for: professional results

The Tefal Access handheld steamer is a great value, high performance steamer, sitting between larger standing units and budget handheld options. A favourite on online retailers, reviewers say it is “powerful and [works] as described – can’t fault the product.”

Size: 33 x 16 x 22 cm

Capacity/Volume: 190mL water tank

Key features:

190mL water tank
30g/min continuous steam output
25-second start-up time
Micro-fiber dust accessory
The intense power of steam kills up to 99.99% of bacteria, viruses and germs

Sunbeam Power Steam Hand Held Garment Steamer SG1000

Best for: an entry-level handheld steamer

For fast and easy wrinkle-free fabrics, the Sunbeam Garment Steamer is a great entry-level steamer to consider. Promising results (and delivering on those!), if you’re curious about garment steaming, this could be the product for you.

Size: 25.49 x 16.59 x 31.5cm

Capacity/Volume: 300mL water tank

Key features:

Heats up in 40 seconds
Two steam settings
Trigger lock to provide a constant flow of steam
Wide wrinkle remover bar

Garment Steamer - Anko

Best for: the budget-friendly pick

Don’t want to spend a lot but are curious about steaming? You might want to check out this budget-friendly garment steamer by Anko. With a board, poles, hanging rack and fabric brush, this is the convenient option for a clothing steamer without spending hundreds.

Size: 37.6 x 161 x 27.6cm

Capacity/Volume: 1.65L detachable water tank

Key features: