# Iron or Steamer



## Timeless Fashion (Apr 12, 2009)

New member here and I have enjoyed reading the many useful threads here.

I currently use a Rowenta Advancer to iron my shirts and pants. It is a bit heavy but works well with good steam.

I am considering a separate steamer. Would a steamer be most useful for suits? Is it useful for cotton dress shirts or is ironing still the best? Any recommendations on a particular steamer? I am leaning towards a Jiffy steamer J-2000. Andy seems to endorse the "My Little Steamer".


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## Mannix (Nov 24, 2008)

I like my iron for shirts, and some pants. I only use my steamer for sweaters that have wrinkles from being folded, and suits. I don't know what brand my steamer is, but I'd recommend getting one because you can beat it for suits and those terrible wrinkles that wool sweaters get. I realize that I pretty much repeated myself in the second sentence...but it's late and I don't know why I'm still up.


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## minnesotamoon (Jan 25, 2009)

I would say it's best to have both on hand for different needs/occasions.


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## ToryBoy (Oct 13, 2008)

Got a Tefal steam iron with 2/3 litre water capacity for the steamer and it is great - if I only need the iron, use the iron; if I need a steamer, use the steam function. It does not take long to iron garments, much quicker and better then using just an iron.

For suits and shirts I do use the steam function, although always iron with a handkerchief between the garment and iron. Use the steamer on all parts of the shirt and suit trouser, for the jacket just the lower back and sleeves.

Get a steamer and you will realise what you have been missed out on all these years; wish we got the steam iron a long time ago, it makes it easier iron to garments and you get a better result then just ironed garments.


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## Blueboy1938 (Aug 17, 2008)

*All steamed up!*

You're probably not going to get cotton shirts properly pressed using a steamer. Typically, they require damp ironing on a high setting, being careful to pull those "puckered" seams and the plackets taught as you do.

I use my steamer on wool or silk coats and trousers to get the inevitable storage creases out before wearing. It's less likely to make the fabric shiny and works pretty quickly. Mine's a hand-held Rowenta that works just fine and is fairly light even loaded with water. By the way, I always use distilled water in order to avoid lime deposit clogging.

I have used the steam function of an iron on things like bow ties and silk waistcoats, making sure to press on the reverse side to avoid an "overpressed" look on the outside surface.


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## joeyzaza (Dec 9, 2005)

I have a steamer. While it comes in handy, a good steam iron is adequate for most clothes uses. I typically use my steamer on jackets and sweaters.


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## lizardking (Oct 18, 2008)

*Rowenta Iron/Steamer*

I use a Rowenta combination Iron/Steamer. This replaced separate iron and steamer. It works very well and doesn't use up the amount of space a standing steamer takes.


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## mrkleen (Sep 21, 2007)

Unless you get a combo machine like some have mentioned, they dont do the same thing.

A steamer isnt going to make a dress shirt crisp, and an iron isnt going to work well on a sweater or to bring clothing back to life and get out odors.


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## Lowndes (Feb 25, 2008)

What do people recommend to just freshen up suit trousers? Would that be an iron or a steamer?


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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

^^My first choice for freshening up a pair of suit trousers would be a steamer. BTW, in response to the OP, my wife irons (pretty much everything that comes out of the laundry) and I steam, to reduce the frequency of needing to dry clean my suits/sport coats. Indeed, there seems a season for both!


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## Patrick06790 (Apr 10, 2005)

You want one of these:










All other steamers are toys compared to this thing.

I got mine three years ago for about $125 shipped. Whirlpool discontinued the model, natch, so buyers are at the mercy of eBay sellers.


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## Sator (Jan 13, 2006)

https://www.styleforum.net/showthread.php?t=88504


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## guitone (Mar 20, 2005)

I have both, the iron I have, a Velocity is more a steamer, you can adjust the heat to be very low and the steam to be high, what I do. I also always use a cloth when ironing woolens. I use it daily and would be lost without it, love it. My steamer goes with me when I travel, but I will defer to the iron at a hotel as long as I have my trusty cloth to protect my clothing while ironing.


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## Timeless Fashion (Apr 12, 2009)

Thank you for all your comments. It seems like a steamer is definitely complementary to a good iron.

As a follow-up question, when you travel for either business or pleasure, do you take a travel iron or steamer, such as a Rowenta travel or compact iron or a Jiffy esteam? I usually the irons at the hotel, but their irons are usually not that great and often leaks, even at business class hotels.


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## mrkleen (Sep 21, 2007)

Timeless Fashion said:


> Thank you for all your comments. It seems like a steamer is definitely complementary to a good iron.
> 
> As a follow-up question, when you travel for either business or pleasure, do you take a travel iron or steamer, such as a Rowenta travel or compact iron or a Jiffy esteam? I usually the irons at the hotel, but their irons are usually not that great and often leaks, even at business class hotels.


I travel with my Jiffy Steamer.

If the clothes are crisp to begin with and packed well, they will just need a little "freshening up" when you arrive - which is exactly what a steamer is made for.


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## guitone (Mar 20, 2005)

If I need to iron in a hotel I use what they have. I posted this above, always pack a protective cloth like you would use at home for ironing and make sure you always steam iron. Better hotels will all have an iron and board in the room and I find them to be fine when needed. I do bring my Jiffy steamer with me though, it is very light and travels easily.


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## Blueboy1938 (Aug 17, 2008)

Lowndes said:


> What do people recommend to just freshen up suit trousers? Would that be an iron or a steamer?


Sometimes, in a pinch, just hanging a garment in the bathroom (trousers at full length) whilst taking a shower will "relax" travel kinks out. On board a cruise ship, where they have all the water in the ocean to use, thanks to reverse osmosis, I have no compunction about running water at the hottest setting to do this. However, on dry land, that is no longer environmentally sound:icon_smile:


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## deanayer (Mar 30, 2008)

That Rowenta Advancer will steam standing up so you could actually hang something and blast away at it - this is according to Rowenta, I have the same iron but I have yet to try this move. Why not try it first before getting a seperate gadget.


Patrick06790 - that gadget is amazing, I dont have the room for it but WOW! I never saw that before, hard to believe its discontinued, if they made it tall enough for a woman's long gown or an overcoat it might have had more utility.


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## Patrick06790 (Apr 10, 2005)

deanayer said:


> That Rowenta Advancer will steam standing up so you could actually hang something and blast away at it - this is according to Rowenta, I have the same iron but I have yet to try this move. Why not try it first before getting a seperate gadget.
> 
> Patrick06790 - that gadget is amazing, I dont have the room for it but WOW! I never saw that before, hard to believe its discontinued, if they made it tall enough for a woman's long gown or an overcoat it might have had more utility.


It folds up. No bigger than a big vacuum cleaner. You can do an overcoat in it - it's about 50 inches from the hanger to the floor of the inside of the unit.


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## PedanticTurkey (Jan 26, 2008)

You want the steamer for doing touch-up work that's difficult or inconvenient to do with an iron (especially since irons can damage the fabric).

The most uses I get out of the steamer are on the crotches of pants and the backs of jackets. Takes the wrinkles right out. Just be careful not to put it on creases or seams you don't have to, as it may cause puckering.


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## Brooksfan (Jan 25, 2005)

Patrick06790 said:


> You want one of these:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Patrick-Looks great! Love what you've done with the place.


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## Timeless Fashion (Apr 12, 2009)

I just picked up the Jiffy Esteam. The instruction says you can use tap water or distilled water. Has anyone had problems with tap water or would you recommend distilled water?


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## jst (Oct 22, 2008)

Timeless Fashion said:


> I just picked up the Jiffy Esteam. The instruction says you can use tap water or distilled water. Has anyone had problems with tap water or would you recommend distilled water?


 Depends on tap water quality. In some locations like my hometown you have to clean a steamer very often by vinegar. You can avoid cleaning procedure using distilled water. That's it.


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## mt_spiffy (Apr 12, 2008)

I couldnt imagine going without a steamer, excellent for knocking the wrinkles out of ANYTHING. You certainly cant iron a suit. 

The only thing I still iron is dress shirts.


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## Timeless Fashion (Apr 12, 2009)

The Jiffy Esteam is rather small, but a very good steamer. I've been using it to steam wrinkles from my suit jacket and pants. If it had longer cords and an on/off switch on the steamer, it would be better, but can't complain.


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## newtothis (Apr 13, 2009)

Patrick06790 said:


> All other steamers are toys compared to this thing.
> 
> I got mine three years ago for about $125 shipped. Whirlpool discontinued the model, natch, so buyers are at the mercy of eBay sellers.


THAT is awesome and I will be purchasing one!

And how the hell do you iron wool pants? I bought a $30 steamer for that and dry clean them when I get something on them.


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## septiembre (Mar 17, 2006)

I already had that mavhine for 2 months and i couldn't be happier. it is the best gadget for people like us that love good clothes. I never iron my suits, i just use that and the result is incredible. I normally use a suit for each day of the week. After each wear, hang in the bathroom the triuser in one hunger and the jacket in another. Then brush. After a day, almost all the wrinkles have dissapeared. Then once a week or once every 2 weeks, i use the revitalizer.

For sweaters is amazing. All wrinkles and bad smells disappear. For trousers is just ok and for shirts is not very good. Only for a finishing touch before using it.

My question is. Is it not bad at all to use the machine? Steam is not bad at all for suits? Ironing and dry cleaners are definetely very bad. I have never done any with my clothes lately, on the long term the result is awful.

Kind regards,

Iván



newtothis said:


> THAT is awesome and I will be purchasing one!
> 
> And how the hell do you iron wool pants? I bought a $30 steamer for that and dry clean them when I get something on them.


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## PedanticTurkey (Jan 26, 2008)

Steam can make the seams on a suit (especially a canvassed suit) pucker like hell. It can also dull creases on trousers. You should be careful when using it.

Really, 90% of the suit doesn't need to be steamed. Steam the back of the jacket to get wrinkles out, maybe the elbows of the sleeves, and the crotch of the trousers. That's it.


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