I’m pretty rubbish at ironing, I find it boring, tedious and have melted and burnt my clothes more times than I care to remember, which is why I avoid it at all costs. Therefore my rather lazy tactics of wearing lycra day to day means that I can avoid creases and crinkles, but this doesn’t help me when I wear a nice blouse, pack clothes for holiday or don anything made of cotton, as creases really do ruin the most beautiful of outfits. All hail the humble steamer!
PurSteam Elite Travel Steamer
The PurSteam 850 watt fabric steamer is of commercial grade with a fast heat aluminium ball element making it perfect for home and holiday. Proudly boasting crease removing steam ready in just 60 seconds it is gentle and more effective on fabrics than ironing and needs nothing more than tap water and a plug socket. I start by taking off the nozzle by turning it anticlockwise and filling it to its max with cold tap water as marked on the window on the side of the steamer. I pop the nozzle back on, stand it on the table and plug it in, flicking the on/off switch on the handle to on, no fussy controls, no managing heat or fabric types, just a simple switch and a lightweight easily portable handset.
The unique shape of the steamer helps to prevent tipping and spillage, with the steam bellowing out of the nozzle constantly within seconds of turning it on. With its generous 9ft power lead I hung a crinkled vest on the back of the door next to the socket and picked up the steamer to get to work removing the creases. Much like a kettle the steamer works by blowing a continuous flow of very hot wet air at the clothing which it’s advised you pull tightly as you move the handset up and down in straight lines to ensure the creases are removed. As the steam is so hot it doesn’t make the clothes wet as it evaporates within seconds and removes the creases perfectly. With just a few strokes back and forth my vest was completely crease free with next to no effort at all and I’m amazed at how quick and easy it is, not to mention fun.
One thing I didn’t consider was the fact of the steam using up the water, as after I’d finished steaming my vest after a couple of minutes the steamer had gone from maximum fill to minimum, so if you use it for bigger items such as a dress or long jeans then you may have to top it up half way to make sure it doesn’t run dry or cause damage to the element. Overall it’s a great compact size that is super easy to use, needs no further equipment unlike an iron and ironing board, and it comes with a travel bag to take on holiday too. Move over iron, there’s a new sheriff in Creasetown!
Priced at £44.97 for the PurSteam Elite Travel Steamer on Amazon, this is one home and travel gadget that is an absolute must have.
