Whether the garment steamer is handheld or freestanding.

We recommend freestanding garment steamers with a CHOICE Expert Rating of at least 80%. We recommend handheld garment steamers with a CHOICE Expert Rating of at least 75%.

This overall score is made up of performance (70%) and ease of use (30%).

We assess how effective the garment steamers are at removing creases. We use synthetic organza, silk, wool, a cotton shirt, denim jeans, a poly-cotton shirt, dresses and curtains for this test.

We check how easy it is to fill the water tank, how comfortable the iron is to hold, the convenience of the hose, the functionality of the hanger and how easy the controls are to use.

We test how well the garment steamer smooths out creases from organza. 

We test how well the garment steamer smooths out creases from silk.

We test how well the garment steamer smooths out creases from wool.

We test how well the garment steamer smooths out creases from cotton.

We test how well the garment steamer smooths out creases from denim.

We test how well the garment steamer smooths out creases from linen.

We test how well the garment steamer smooths out creases from a poly-cotton blend shirt.

We test how well the garment steamer smooths out creases from a 100% silk dress.

We test how well the garment steamer smooths out creases from a 100% polyester dress.

We see how well the steamer removes creases from a cotton curtain.

We see how well the steamer removes creases from a polyester curtain.

Shop Ethical rates the environmental and social impact of the company (not the product) using independent sources. This rating is not included in our total score. N/A means there is no rating for that company.

The claimed country of origin.

This is the manufacturer's stated warranty.

'Tested model' refers to garment steamers that are currently available in shops and online, while 'Discontinued model' refers to garment steamers that are no longer available in shops, but may be available second-hand.

The manufacturer's recommended retail price at the time of testing.

How much water the tank can hold. Handheld steamers have a far smaller capacity and will need refilling more often.

The claimed time it takes for the appliance to heat up.

The length of the hose for freestanding models. Handheld models don't have a hose.

How many steam settings the appliance has.

Wheels make a freestanding model easier to move around. Handheld models don't have wheels.

Handy to collapse down for storage.

A coat hanger usually comes with clips and helps you keep the garment in place while steaming.