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The Best Steam Irons

Last updated on November 29, 2021

We looked at the top 6 Steam Irons and dug through the reviews from 20 of the most popular review sites including and more. The result is a ranking of the best Steam Irons.

Best Steam Irons

Our Review Process

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Putting on an outfit that is covered in wrinkles can ruin your whole look. Whether it’s just a casual t-shirt and jeans or a formal suit and tie, getting the wrinkles out of your clothes polishes the entire outfit and makes you look sharp, tidy and well put together. If you don’t want to look rumply, opt for a steam iron to do the job.

There are several different types of steam irons available. While all of them remove wrinkles effectively, the material, size and features of the irons differ. A conventional steam iron is what many people have in their homes. It pushes small amounts of hot steam into the fabric while ironing in order to get rid of the creases faster. To create steam, you have to fill the iron with tap water. This type of iron is often cost effective, long lasting and easy to use. Some conventional steam irons have a cord while others are cordless. Cordless irons offer more flexibility and convenience.

Another option is a steam-ironing system, which is better for ironing a large amount of garments at one time. This type of iron is much larger than a conventional steam iron and needs to be placed on a small table or hung up when using with an ironing board. Steam-iron systems are highly effective but take a while to get up to the right temperature.

Pay special attention to the soleplates of your iron, which can be made from stainless steel, ceramic, anodized aluminum and nonstick materials. Being able to glide smoothly over clothes is key, and stainless steel or ceramic are two of the best choices for this.

Our Picks For The Top Steam Irons

View All Recommendations
Product Overview
Our Take
Pros
Cons
 Top Pick

Sunbeam Steammaster Self-Clean System Steam Iron

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Sunbeam

Steammaster Self-Clean System Steam Iron

This steam iron is versatile and can be used on a horizontal ironing board or even vertically. There is an automatic shut-off feature for safety and a retractable cord. The iron also has a shot of steam feature to get out stubborn wrinkles.

Overall Take

Versatile ChoiceThis steam iron can be used on flat or vertical surfaces.

Pros
" This inexpensive iron has high-end features like an 8-foot retractable cord (making it super convenient when putting it away!), a 3-way (side, flat, and upright) auto shut-off for safety and vertical steam. Weighing in at about 3 pounds, it's a..."
Cons
"Difficult fill port."
 Runner Up

Maytag M200 3-Second Steam Regeneration Steam Iron

Maytag

M200 3-Second Steam Regeneration Steam Iron

You can begin ironing in less than a minute with this quick-heating iron. It can generate steam within three seconds. The iron also works for vertically hanging garments as well as horizontal ones.

Overall Take

Works QuicklyThis steam iron heats up in less than a minute.

Pros
" Highly affordable price. Heats up very quickly. A lot of steam output for fast laundry work."
Cons
"Vertical steam function inadequate."
 We Also Like

Shark Vertical Steam Capable Steam Iron

Shark

Vertical Steam Capable Steam Iron

This steam iron has an automatic shut-off feature so it turns off when not in use. The iron also has a large-capacity water tank and provides an even distribution of powerful steam.

Overall Take

Safe, PowerfulThis powerful steam iron turns off automatically when not in use.

Pros
" User-friendly design with easy maneuverability. Tapered soleplate makes it easy to de-wrinkle around collars and cuffs. Equipped with an easy-fill door that drains just as easily."
Cons
"Soleplate easily leaves brown marks if not cleaned frequently. Noticeable popping sounds when steaming that users might find annoying."
 Strong Contender

Rowenta DW5280 Anti-Drip System Steam Iron

Rowenta

DW5280 Anti-Drip System Steam Iron

This steam iron has a high-precision tip for getting to edges, seams, collars and other hard-to-access areas. It features an automatic shut-off function for added safety and has an anti-drip system which works on low heat.

Overall Take

High PrecisionThis steam iron has a precision metal tip to easily get to hard-to-access areas.

Pros
" 1725 Watts of power. Water-level viewing window. Anti-scale setting. Variable steam."
Don't just take for granted what one reviewer says. Along with our own experts, DWYM analyzes the top expert reviews of the leading products and generates a score you can actually trust.
13

Products Considered

We identified the majority of the steam irons available to purchase.
6

Products Analyzed

We then selected the leading and most popular products for our team to review.

View All Product Rankings

20

Expert Reviews Included

In addition to our expert reviews, we also incorporate feedback and analysis of some of the most respected sources including: Best Steam Irons Hub, Best Steam Iron Reviews, Clean Tidy Hub, A Guide Pro, Irons Expert.

180,444

User Opinions Analyzed

We also incorporate user reviews from the leading retailers including

Our experts reviewed the top 6 Steam Irons and also dug through the reviews from 20 of the most popular review sites including and more. The result is a ranking of the best of the best Steam Irons.

DWYM is your trusted roduct review source. Our team reviews thousands of product reviews from the trusted top experts and combines them into one easy-to-understand score. Learn more.

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The Best Bang For Your Buck

Shark Vertical Steam Capable Steam Iron

Our Expert Score

6.0
3 expert reviews

User Summarized Score

9.4
7,372 user reviews

Our Take

This steam iron has an automatic shut-off feature so it turns off when not in use. The iron also has a large-capacity water tank and provides an even distribution of powerful steam.

What other experts liked

User-friendly design with easy maneuverability. Tapered soleplate makes it easy to de-wrinkle around collars and cuffs. Equipped with an easy-fill door that drains just as easily.
- BestReviews
Sleek design and comfortable grip. Iron remains hot until the last item is done. Not much drippage.
- Steam Iron Man
Lightweight. Stubborn wrinkle remover. Eliminates 99 percent of germs. Premium quality material.
- Steam Iron Reviews

What other experts didn't like

Gets the job done, but doesn't have the bells and whistles of more expensive steam irons.
- BestReviews
Soleplate easily leaves brown marks if not cleaned frequently. Noticeable popping sounds when steaming that users might find annoying.
- Steam Iron Man
Require a little practice before you can iron professionally.
- Steam Iron Reviews

What to Look For

  • With any electrical appliance, safety is of the utmost importance. Opt for a steam iron that has an automatic shut-off feature, which ensures that the iron powers off after it is motionless for a certain amount of time.
  • Some wrinkles are extra stubborn and require more steam to get rid of. Look for a steam iron that has a surge button so you can provide a little burst of steam to get rid of wrinkles that won’t get smoothed out otherwise. This is also helpful if you’re ironing heavy fabrics. If you want to steam clothes at a lower setting, look for an iron that has an anti-drip feature. This way, your clothes won’t end up feeling damp when you’re done ironing.
  • A steam iron with a retractable cord is a good way to ensure everything stays neat and tidy when not in use. Typically on these irons, there will be a button that retracts the cord slowly back into the cavity.
  • The water reservoir is the tank you have to fill up with water so that the iron can heat it up and convert it into steam. Some people prefer transparent water reservoirs so they can easily see when they need to fill up the tank.
  • If you want to get the wrinkles out of curtains or other hanging fabrics, opt for a steam iron that has a vertical steaming feature. This way you can hold it upright, instead of horizontally, to smooth out wrinkles without having to pull down all your window dressing.
  • If you use starch while ironing, it’s best to clean the iron’s soleplate when the iron is not in use. This way, you won’t end up with any residue on your clothes.

Steam Iron Rankings

1. Sunbeam Steammaster Self-Clean System Steam Iron

Overall Score: 9.3
Reviews Included: 11

2. Maytag M200 3-Second Steam Regeneration Steam Iron

Overall Score: 9.0
Reviews Included: 7

3. Shark Vertical Steam Capable Steam Iron

Overall Score: 8.2
Reviews Included: 10

4. Rowenta DW5280 Anti-Drip System Steam Iron

Overall Score: 8.1
Reviews Included: 4

5. PurSteam Fabric Type Presets Steam Iron, 1800-Watt

Overall Score: 7.9
Reviews Included: 4

6. BEAUTURAL Dual Plate Steam Iron

Overall Score: 7.8
Reviews Included: 7

More to Explore

Ironing clothes to smooth out wrinkles is something people have been doing for a very long time. More than a thousand years ago in China, people used hot metal for ironing clothes while people across Europe used stones, wood and glass for doing the job.

Archeologists have found “linen smoothers”, simple devices made from glass, around the graves of Viking women and similar items were used by the early American colonists. Metal irons were introduced a few hundred years ago but were not convenient to use for just one or two outfits. They required heating up, laying out special ironing blankets on boards and then smoothing out the clothes.

More to explore