Standing garment steamer or handheld steamer: which is better?

Do you want to quickly remove creases from your clothes, but are you hesitating between a standing garment steamer and a hand steamer? Both types of garment steamers work with hot steam and are suitable for making clothes smoother and fresher quickly. Yet there are clear differences in ease of use, size, capacity, and applications.

The best choice therefore mainly depends on how often you steam your clothes, how much clothing you want to treat at once, and whether you mainly want to use the garment steamer at home or also on the go. In this article, we compare a standing garment steamer with a hand steamer, so that you can easily determine which option suits you best.

What is a standing garment steamer?

A standing garment steamer, also a garment steamer on a stand as it is called, consists of a vertical stand with a hanger or clothing holder. You hang up the garment and then move the steam head along the fabric.

A major advantage of this is that you can hang clothes at a comfortable height. This means you don't have to hold the garment and you can easily handle larger garments.

A standing garment steamer is often used for:

• shirts;
• blouses;
• dresses;
• suits;
• coats;
• trousers;
• multiple garments in a row.

Because a standing garment steamer often has a larger water reservoir, it is especially interesting when you want to steam clothes regularly or in large quantities.

What is a hand steamer?

A hand steamer, also called a handheld garment steamer, is a compact device that you hold directly in your hand. The device usually has a smaller water reservoir and is designed to steam clothes quickly and easily.

A hand steamer is ideal when, for example, you want to remove wrinkles from a shirt, blouse, or dress before heading out the door.

Thanks to the compact size, you can also easily store a hand steamer. Some models are also suitable for taking along on vacation or business trips.

Upright garment steamer vs. hand steamer: the main differences

Although both devices use the same basic principle, they differ considerably in use.

When is a standing garment steamer better?

A standing garment steamer is especially interesting if you regularly steam large amounts of clothing. Think, for example, of a household where multiple garments are steamed per day.

Because you can hang your clothes in a fixed place, you don't have to hold the garment. This makes steaming long dresses, coats and other larger garments easy.

For people who regularly wear business attire, a standing garment steamer can also be handy. You can treat multiple shirts, blouses or trousers one after another without having to refill the device each time.

Another advantage is ergonomics. Because the garment hangs vertically, you can work from top to bottom with the steam head.

Benefits of a standing garment steamer

• Large water reservoir.
• Suitable for multiple garments.
• Handy for large garments.
• Clothes can be hung in a fixed place.
• Ideal for frequent use.
• Suitable for households with a lot of clothing.

Disadvantages of a standing garment steamer

• Takes up more space.
• Less convenient to store.
• Less suitable for taking on trips.
• Often more expensive than a compact handheld steamer.

When is a hand steamer better?

A hand steamer is a better choice when flexibility and speed are important to you.

Suppose you take a shirt out of the closet in the morning and discover it is wrinkled. With a hand steamer, you can quickly grab the device, switch it on, and steam the shirt directly on a hanger.

You don't need to set up a large appliance and you don't need an ironing board.

A hand steamer is also ideal for smaller households or people who only steam clothes occasionally.

Advantages of a hand steamer

• Compact size.
• Easy to store.
• Quickly ready for use.
• Easy to operate with one hand.
• Ideal for one or several garments.
• Handy for travel.
• No ironing board needed.

Disadvantages of a handheld steamer

• Smaller water tank.
• Less suitable for large amounts of clothing in succession.
• You must hold the device while steaming.
• For very large garments, a standing model can be more practical.

Which garment steamer is best for shirts?

For daily de-wrinkling of one or a few shirts, there is a hand steamer that is often the most practical choice. You can hang a shirt on a hanger and then quickly remove the wrinkles.

A standing garment steamer is especially interesting when you want to steam several shirts one after another. The larger size and reservoir can then be an advantage.

When choosing a garment steamer for shirts, pay particular attention to steam power, heat-up time, ease of use, and suitability for different fabrics.

Which garment steamer is best for dresses?

For long dresses, a standing garment steamer can have advantages. The dress can be hung up fully and you have enough space to work from top to bottom.

However, a handheld steamer can also be well suited for dresses. The big advantage is that you can easily move the device around the garment.

When you regularly steam long dresses or multiple garments, a garment steamer on a stand can therefore be the most comfortable option.

Which garment steamer is best for travel?

For travel, a handheld steamer is usually the logical choice. A compact garment steamer takes up considerably less space than a standing model.

A shirt that has wrinkled while packing your suitcase can then be quickly steamed before you go to a business meeting, dinner, or event.

For business travelers and vacationers who want to keep their clothes neat, a portable handheld steamer is therefore especially practical.

How much clothing do you want to steam?

One of the most important questions when choosing between a standing garment steamer and a handheld steamer is how much clothing you typically want to treat.

Do you only steam a shirt or blouse every now and then? Then a handheld steamer is probably sufficient.

Do you want to steam a large amount of clothing every week? Then a standing garment steamer may be more attractive.

The difference is mainly in the combination of water capacity, ease of use, and the way you can hang your clothes.

Standing garment steamer or handheld steamer: which should you choose?

There is no single garment steamer that is the best choice for everyone.

Choose a standing garment steamer when you:

• regularly steam a lot of clothing;
• consider a larger water reservoir important;
• you have enough space;
• especially steam at home;
• want to regularly treat large garments.

Choose a handheld steamer when you:

• want to quickly steam one or a few garments;
• have little storage space;
• are looking for a portable garment steamer;
• want to take the garment steamer with you when traveling;
• you don't feel like setting up a large appliance.

For daily convenience, a handheld steamer is an excellent choice for many people. Especially when you mainly want to quickly remove wrinkles from shirts, T-shirts, blouses and dresses.

FLOWSTEAM Garment Steamer: compact, powerful and simple

Are you looking for a practical handheld garment steamer for daily use? The FLOWSTEAM Garment Steamer is designed to steam clothes quickly and easily without needing an ironing board.

You can simply hang clothes on a hanger and move the garment steamer along the fabric. This easily removes wrinkles from shirts, blouses, dresses and T-shirts, among other things.

Thanks to the compact design, the FLOWSTEAM Garment Steamer is also easy to store and quick to grab when you need it.

Ready to make it easier for yourself?

Are you unsure between a standing garment steamer or handheld steamer and are you mainly looking for a compact solution for daily use? Then take a look at the FLOWSTEAM Garment Steamer.

Order the FLOWSTEAM garment steamer today and remove wrinkles from your clothes quickly and easily – without an ironing board.