cordless steamer for clothes

One of the most frustrating things in life is when you are in a hurry to get ready, but your clothes are not. This is when it's time to call on your trusty clothes steamer. But, what happens if you are traveling on a business trip or need to quickly steam a change of clothes in a restroom and are unable to plug in your clothes steamer? Is there such a thing as a cordless clothes steamer? A cordless clothes steamer is either battery operated or rechargeable and does not require power to operate. This is a new concept and not yet available on the market in 2021. The closest device available is a mini rechargeable iron with a USB. This a great alternative to a portable travel steamer. It is disappointing that cordless clothes steamers don't exist yet. I expect it is something to do with the technology required to run a heat pump or element to create steam. When I was researching cordless clothing steamers for this article, I came across many expert articles that simply listed handheld steamers as cordless clothes steamers. It is important to note that all traditional handheld steamers do have cords that need to be plugged in to wall outlets, or extension cords. There is no such thing as a cordless clothes steamer. Whilst the online images often tell a very different story and the handheld steamers appear to be cordless they are not. The cords are simply removed from the image in the editing process. What is the Closest Thing to a Cordless Clothes Steamer? There are not yet designated clothing steamers on the market that are completely wireless or cordless. I have however, found some newer technology coming in to the market that combines a mini iron with a water spray, that is rechargeable with a USB. A universal USB cable that could plug into your laptop or other charging socket is incredibly convenient, especially for travel. Some newer designed power points also have built in USB plugs. This negates the need for travel adaptors when traveling abroad or extra cords to carry with you. Let's take a look at the current products available that would be the closest option to a cordless clothes steamer: Despite being advertised as a cordless steamer and iron, as you can see from the sole plate there are no holes for the steam to come out. This mini iron does hold 60mls of water however, and can be sprayed out the front to slightly dampen clothing. What I like about this cordless iron is it has 3 settings, heating between 100 and 170 degrees Celsius (212 to 338°F). The running time of the iron is between 10 to 20 minutes and will vary in accordance with the heat setting you choose. The lower the heat setting, the longer the battery will last. The sole plate also has a Teflon coating for non stick purposes and the unit is charged with a USB-C cable. Overall this appears to be a true cordless iron that can be universally used and would be an excellent choice as an alternative to a handheld travel steamer. The downside however, is the price. This is a Chinese manufactured cordless iron, I didn't expect it to be as pricey as it is. Perhaps as the technology becomes more common, the price will reduce. In the mean time, check it out on Amazon (affiliate link). This is another style of cordless rechargeable iron that I almost thought was a cordless clothes steamer looking at all the holes in the sole plate! Unfortunately, there is nowhere to put any water in this mini iron, and as you would know, you need water to be able to make steam. It still does have some excellent qualities as an alternative to a travel steamer, particularly the three heat settings, lightweight properties and the ability to recharge the built in lithium battery. This portable iron is significantly less expensive than the first iron on this page - check the latest price on Amazon here. If you're into sewing or quilting you probably already have the Panasonic 360 Freestyle Advanced Ceramic Cordless Iron. This doesn't go in the cordless travel clothing steamer category, unless you are driving somewhere and have room to spare, as it is almost the size of of a full size iron. If you are traveling, it packages up nicely in its own carry case (shown in the image below). There is a base unit that comes with this cordless steam iron that needs to be plugged into a wall socket. The ceramic sole plate is an excellent choice over stainless steel as is gentler on fabrics. The water tank also detaches from the iron, so can refill it without taking the entire machine to the sink. With two pointed ends you can iron in any direction and a steam function available at the flick of a switch. The Panasonic 360 is actually the closest machine yet to a cordless clothing steamer! Which is Better - Iron or Steamer? There is definitely more precision with ironing clothes instead of steaming. Steaming however is quick, convenient and excellent for delicate fabrics. I've covered this topic further in my blog post: Steamer vs Iron - Which one is the best? Is There Any Steamer That Doesn't Require Electricity? There is a product available by the name of InstaSteam, which does not require electricity to use. You do require access to water however. You can read my blog post on InstaSteam here. You can also try the steam whilst you're in the shower method, where you close any windows, vents and do not use the exhaust fan in the bathroom and hang your clothing in the room whilst you are showering. The steam from the shower will help to reduce wrinkles.