# Trouser Press - which one, is it worth it, does it work, is it worth the effort?



## AvariceBespoke (Jan 7, 2007)

Be interested in your thoughts.

My trousers tend to wrickle the most in the crotch from sitting at my desk so much. What make/brand of trouser press would be best? I can never get my trousers perfect w/ a hand iron and the dry cleaner charges me like 6-7$ to press and 10-12 to clean and it can get expensive.


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## GBR (Aug 10, 2005)

A trouser press is essential - have a look behind you knees....



AvariceBespoke said:


> Be interested in your thoughts.
> 
> My trousers tend to wrickle the most in the crotch from sitting at my desk so much. What make/brand of trouser press would be best? I can never get my trousers perfect w/ a hand iron and the dry cleaner charges me like 6-7$ to press and 10-12 to clean and it can get expensive.


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## welldressedfellow (May 28, 2008)

AvariceBespoke said:


> Be interested in your thoughts.
> 
> My trousers tend to wrickle the most in the crotch from sitting at my desk so much. What make/brand of trouser press would be best? I can never get my trousers perfect w/ a hand iron and the dry cleaner charges me like 6-7$ to press and 10-12 to clean and it can get expensive.


Have you considered a steamer?I use one (it's advertised on the reccomendations page),and it works like a charm.And I'm assuming you mean wool trousers.


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## ToryBoy (Oct 13, 2008)

I use a steam iron to iron my clothes, it does not take long and good for making a crease too; although I prefer trousers without a crease.


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## mrkleen (Sep 21, 2007)

AvariceBespoke said:


> Be interested in your thoughts.
> 
> My trousers tend to wrickle the most in the crotch from sitting at my desk so much. What make/brand of trouser press would be best?


A trouser press isnt going to do anything about wrinkles in the crotch area, as they are only intended to smooth out creases from mid thigh to ankle.

I have a Corby and love it.


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## Wizard (Feb 29, 2008)

A trouser press is great for refreshing the crease and removing subtle wrinkling from the lower mid to lower leg. They will not put a sharp crease in uncreased trousers. They won't help at all for wrinkling in the crotch area. For that you will need either a steamer or an iron.

I have had a Corby pants press for over twenty years and I really like it. I removed the legs and mounted it directly to the wall. In the morning, on the way into the shower, I pop my trousers into the press. By the time I'm done, so are they.


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## Adagio (Aug 2, 2007)

+1000 for the Corby trouser press. A great piece of kit. Mine is about 17 years old, and is still going strong. I find that if you put the trousers in the press after you wear them and before you put them back in the wardrobe, this reduces/reverses the amount of creasing in the crotch area, as well as maintaining a very good crease in the legs. Also if you stretch the trousers as you put them into the press, you get a better result.


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## Wizard (Feb 29, 2008)

Adagio said:


> +1000 for the Corby trouser press. A great piece of kit. Mine is about 17 years old, and is still going strong. I find that if you put the trousers in the press after you wear them and before you put them back in the wardrobe, this reduces/reverses the amount of creasing in the crotch area, as well as maintaining a very good crease in the legs. Also if you stretch the trousers as you put them into the press, you get a better result.


I prefer NOT to put my trousers into the press right after wearing so that any perspiration can evaporate instead of being forced into the fabric by the heat and pressure.

If you look at the desgn of the Corby you will see a gripper bar across the top edge. It is flexed inward when you lay your trousers on it. When you close the press the bottom of the leg is gripped first and as the press completes closing the bar is lifted upward and out stretching the trousers by design.


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## Blueboy1938 (Aug 17, 2008)

*What he said!*



welldressedfellow said:


> Have you considered a steamer?I use one (it's advertised on the reccomendations page),and it works like a charm.And I'm assuming you mean wool trousers.


Steamer works great on wool and silk (yes, I have silk trousers with one tux). Takes a little knack of wrist motion to get those crotch creases out, but pretty straightforward for the knee-back crunch.

Also, a steamer is more practical in my view, because you can use it to straighten out the coat as well. No pants presser can make that statement!:icon_smile_big:


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## AvariceBespoke (Jan 7, 2007)

Blueboy1938 said:


> Steamer works great on wool and silk (yes, I have silk trousers with one tux). Takes a little knack of wrist motion to get those crotch creases out, but pretty straightforward for the knee-back crunch.
> 
> Also, a steamer is more practical in my view, because you can use it to straighten out the coat as well. No pants presser can make that statement!:icon_smile_big:


what is a great steamer to use for wool trousers, suits, shirts?


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## Will (Jun 15, 2004)

The Jiffy J-2000 is as good as it gets.


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## Wizard (Feb 29, 2008)

Will said:


> The Jiffy J-2000 is as good as it gets.


I have the Jiffy J-4000i. A step above.


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## Wizard (Feb 29, 2008)

Blueboy1938 said:


> Steamer works great on wool and silk (yes, I have silk trousers with one tux). Takes a little knack of wrist motion to get those crotch creases out, but pretty straightforward for the knee-back crunch.
> 
> Also, a steamer is more practical in my view, because you can use it to straighten out the coat as well. No pants presser can make that statement!:icon_smile_big:


Using a trouser press and a steamer are not mutually exclusive. They both have their own puposes and their own strengths and weaknesses. The principle strength of the press is that it refreshes the crease in your pants. A steamer cannot do this. That and its speed and convenience are on the plus side for the press. Both can remove minor leg wrinkles. The steamer will deal with deep wrinkles and, as previously noted, the crotch and seat area that a press cannot. The steamer also aids with deodorizing while a press cannot.
Does a steamer have more overall functionality than a trouser press. Yes. Are you more apt to use the trouser press first thing in the morning. Yes. But you are comparing apples to oranges if you look at them like that. They are both formidable tools in your arsenal to maintain your clothing and appearance. Oh, and don't forget your iron!


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## gng8 (Aug 5, 2005)

Corby is the only real pants press. IMO anything else is a poor imitation. I use mine daily and love it.


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## Orgetorix (May 20, 2005)

gng8 said:


> Corby is the only real pants press. IMO anything else is a poor imitation. I use mine daily and love it.


I can't agree; I have one by Bentley that I picked up on Ebay, and it works great. They aren't complicated pieces of machinery, so it's hard to say one is significantly better than another.


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## Blueboy1938 (Aug 17, 2008)

*Rowenta:*

"Steam and Press" hand steamer that I have is compact and maneuverable, with a pointed end that is somewhat weighty when filled that can be used to press creases if needed. I have no idea what would be "the best" steamer, but this works very well for me.

I certainly have nothing against trouser presses. They are, however, not particularly compact. So you have to have a place to put them. Moreover, others have noted they are not much good for dealing with crotch creases. That means you have to have a steamer for that in addition. As a practical matter, especially if space is an issue, a hand steamer is a more versatile item. You can't use a trouser press on a coat.

It seems to me that, if you need to go to the lengths that a trouser press requires to set up and get the crease just right, then fire up a steamer to deal with what it can't, it might just be time to have the garment professionally pressed either in conjunction with cleaning or not.


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## mrkleen (Sep 21, 2007)

Blueboy1938 said:


> It seems to me that, if you need to go to the lengths that a trouser press requires to set up and get the crease just right, then fire up a steamer to deal with what it can't, it might just be time to have the garment professionally pressed either in conjunction with cleaning or not.


Comparing a steamer and a pant press is comparing apples and oranges. They have entirely different uses, and use an entirely different process for doing what they do.

After just one wear, most trousers start to loose the crispness of their crease, but that in no way indicates that they are ready to be "dry cleaned" again. No steamer is going to bring back that crease. It may take some of the peripheral wrinkles out, and freshen the fabric. But only a good pressing (i.e. takes a lot of time and effort), or a pant press (take very little effort) will do the job on the crease.

If someone is new to buying clothing care items, I would put a steamer ahead of a pant press on the priority list. But once you add a pant press to your arsenal, you will wonder how you got by with wrinkled pants for all those years.


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## Wayfarer (Mar 19, 2006)

https://www.amazon.com/Whirlpool-LRF4001RY-Freshener-Removes-Relaxes/dp/B00132Q0PI

This is a Whirlpool steamer closet which I have and use on my trousers at the end of each day. It also does a fantastic job with taking the wrinkles out of jackets, silk shirts, etc. After my pants are steamed, I flip them into my Corby for pressing, in the morning. I went from dry cleaning my trousers after each wearing to dry cleaning them about once every two months. This greatly prolongs the life of the garment and if you do not think dry cleaning affects material, try on a pair of trousers that have been dry cleaned 40+ times vs. a pair that you have just had made. It will open your eyes.

Both of these devices I bought a few years ago, based on things I read right here on AAAC. This was/is the type of helpful advice the site can give people.


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## lewi (Aug 12, 2008)

How is the Whirlpool steamer closet with a cotton shirt? I prefer to wear my shirts a few times before laundring them to prelong their lifetime. Does the steamer closet get out wrinkels from a days wear?


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## Wizard (Feb 29, 2008)

lewi said:


> How is the Whirlpool steamer closet with a cotton shirt? I prefer to wear my shirts a few times before laundring them to prelong their lifetime. Does the steamer closet get out wrinkels from a days wear?


Prolonging the life of your shirts .vs. killing passerby with odor. Hmmm, tough line to walk. :icon_smile_big: Remember that until it gets really bad you may not detect your own aroma even though it is offensive to others. Just wash your shirts. If you do it correctly you will not significantly reduce their lifespan. In fact, You will most likely increase it by removing harmful dirt and oils etc. that would otherwise damage the material.


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## Wayfarer (Mar 19, 2006)

lewi said:


> How is the Whirlpool steamer closet with a cotton shirt? I prefer to wear my shirts a few times before laundring them to prelong their lifetime. Does the steamer closet get out wrinkels from a days wear?


I'm afraid I do not use my steamer on my daily shirts. They do get tossed in for laundry after each use. The shirts I use it on are silk casual shirts. If I just wear one out for 3-4 hours, like say for a dinner out, I'll stick it in the steamer and wear it again. But for a shirt I wear to work, and spend 12+ hours in, it's getting a washing after each use.

I guess I should mention, regarding trousers, my patterns are based around wearing them only once every three weeks or more. If you are wearing a pair of trousers 2-3 times in a week, I'd think the steaming can only do so much, in the way of freshening things up. But if you have enough trousers than you can wear, steam, let hang for 3-4 weeks, then press, you should be able to get away with only dry cleaning them several times a year vs. weekly.


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## brokencycle (Jan 11, 2008)

I often hang my suits/pants in the bathroom when I shower. That works quite well. When I have the money I'll get a steamer. I wouldn't spend the money on a press.


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