Foldable garment steamer with travel bag

The jacket out of the suitcase

At eight in the morning, in a hotel room, two hours before a meeting, there is rarely an ironing board. The creases are there all the same, across the back of the jacket and on the shirt cuff. This steamer is built for that: you fold the handle in, slide it into the luggage in its own bag, and it is where the clothes are.

Why the folding matters

A handheld steamer is useful because it fits. On this model the handle folds under the body and the appliance lies flat: the body is 12.5 cm long and 8 cm across, and the handle is 15 cm. Folded in, that is the size of a cabin bag side pocket, not the middle of a large case.

A travel bag comes with it, so a damp plate never touches the clean shirts. That is the detail that decides whether the steamer actually travels with you or stays on top of the wardrobe.

1000 W and 17 grams of steam a minute

The appliance works with a 1000 W heater and delivers 17 g of steam a minute. The fast heat-up means you are not waiting long before it is usable, and the lockable steam button means you are not holding the trigger down while your other hand pulls the fabric taut.

The steam plate is ceramic. That is the surface that meets the fabric, so its smoothness is what decides whether steaming is a glide or a series of catches.

On the hanger and laid flat

The steamer works vertically and horizontally, so the garment does not have to be arranged around the appliance. Whatever hangs, you steam where it hangs: on a rail, a wardrobe door, the handle of a hotel room. Whatever lies flat, you steam on the surface.

You can use it on a range of fabrics, but the care label still decides. Check on it whether the fabric can take steam, and try a small, hidden area first.

100 ml, in a removable tank

The water tank holds 100 ml and comes out, so you fill it at the basin rather than carrying the appliance to the tap. That amount refreshes a few garments, and it is about as much weight as a handheld steamer can carry and stay comfortable.

The steam lock and the anti-drip are there so that no drop of water reaches the fabric. On a dark shirt that is not a cosmetic question: a water mark right before you leave is exactly as visible as the crease was.

Steam lock

The steam button latched on: steam keeps coming while your other hand pulls the fabric taut. To keep it drip-free, wait until the appliance is properly warmed up.

What steam solves differently from an iron

An iron works with pressure and heat: it flattens the fibres. A steamer loosens them with moisture and lets them fall back into place under their own weight.

The practical difference shows when time is short. On a shirt, steaming does not give the crisp edge on a cuff that an iron does, but you get through it quickly without setting anything up. That is why the two usually live side by side in a cupboard rather than replacing each other.

In a hotel room that is what it buys you: you work on the shirt where it hangs, instead of waiting for the iron from reception.

Safety and water

It runs off the mains: 220-240 V, 50/60 Hz, with a 1.9 metre cable. In a hotel room it is worth checking where the socket sits relative to the rail, because those two metres decide where you can work.

Cleaning and storage

• Unplug it after use and wait until it has cooled completely.
• Empty and rinse the tank so that no stale water is left in it.
• Wipe the outside with a soft, damp cloth.
• Do not use chemicals, scouring agents or abrasive pads on it.
• Fold it only once cool, and put it away in its own bag.

For the suitcase, or for the wardrobe?

It still looks good folded

Fashion by Berlinger Haus carries the same lines across its household pieces as across the kitchen ones. On this steamer you see it along the folded handle: closed up it still reads as one object, not a gadget with parts sticking out.

Frequently asked questions

Technical data