Philips GC5030/30 Garment Steamer

It ranks #6 (B tier) on our consolidated clothes steamers board, drawn from 2 independent outlets.

Travellers and people short on storage who still want a sturdy unit. It is a B tier pick on our clothes steamers board with a compact, travel-friendly design, steel construction, a large water tank for its size and a five-year heating unit warranty. If you want maximum steam power at home, the Conair Turbo ExtremeSteam Handheld Fabric Steamer (GS59X) is the S tier choice.

Philips covers the heating unit for five years, which is the longest warranty term on our clothes steamers board, and reviewers note its sturdy steel construction. No failures are recorded against it. Use distilled water to keep the heating element free of scale and it should see out that warranty comfortably.

Both are B tier travel picks. Choose the Philips GC5030/30 Garment Steamer for the steel build, the bigger tank and the five-year heating unit warranty. Choose the CHI Portable Handheld Steamer if you want the strongest steam in the smallest package, accepting that reviewers think it costs more than it should.

Less often than most compact steamers, since a large tank is one of its listed strengths. As a rule a handheld tank gives somewhere between five and fifteen minutes of continuous steam, enough for two to four garments. Refill with the unit unplugged and cooled, and empty the tank after use so water does not sit in it.