Russell Hobbs 25600 Steam Genie - Handheld Fabric and Clothes Steamer, Ideal for Upholstery and Clothing

Product Information

Its removable tank has a 150ml capacity and a tiny fill hole: it’s hit and miss under the tap, a bit like filling a water pistol. Then you turn it on and wait 45 seconds until it stops flashing to indicate that it’s ready for use. You have to hold down the trigger button to get steam, which takes a few seconds to get started. And the power cable is a bit on the short side at 2m. We're all more than aware by now that wearing your clothes once and throwing them into the wash is bad for the environment – and for your clothes! If you want to wear your clothes a couple of times without feeling like – and it looking like – your dress, shirt or trousers have been worn the day before and scrunched into a drawer, then you can rely on a clothes steamer. You can also use a clothes steamer for cleaning curtains and upholstery, as well as de-creasing bedding – because everyone knows that ironing a bedsheet is possibly one of the most tedious tasks there is. Steam is the best of the bunch, with a 5.8-bar pressure delivering 90g/min constant steam and an immensely powerful 200g/min steam shot when you squeeze the trigger. Results are what really matters though and the Tefal blew us away – or should that be steamed us away? It can blitz shirts effortlessly in less than a minute and was the best on test at getting creases out of a linen dress. The steam shot lasts for a good 30 seconds, which is long enough before you need to move to a new spot anyway. The pole comes in 5 parts, so you can remove one for a lower height if you prefer, but it’s not telescopic so you can’t adjust it to be short for storage. Accessories include a lightweight mitt, to protect your other hand as you steam, and a plate with holes in, to place behind collars and other areas that you want to press firmly.

Bear in mind that steam irons offer vertical steam too. So if it’s just for occasional use, you could use an iron that does both instead. If you want to steam lots though, clothing steamers feel much nicer than holding a heavy iron aloft. The mid-priced Morphy Richards boasts a clever design that’s as innovative as it is ergonomic to use. The design is slim, yet fits in a 260ml water tank. But the shape means it is well-balanced in the hand, so it feels light. It heats up in 35 seconds. The third tool is for upholstery: a fabric cover with coral-style “fingers” on it. The fingers have a large surface area for lifting dust from furniture. This makes the Russell Hobbs more versatile but the results are nothing like those from a powerful steam cleaner. There’s also a flat part that clips on vertically and looks like a mini ironing board – giving you something firm to push against when steaming. We were disappointed that it couldn’t pop out horizontally and double as a mini ironing board for those times (like creases in folded hankies) when vertical steam doesn’t cut it. And there are no grips for trousers! Instead, you’re supposed to drape them over the top of the board. Mini by name, mini by nature, this is the best vertical garment steamer to buy if you’re short of space, thanks to its 20.5x14.5cm footprint. The entire base is designed to be tall and thin, but it doesn’t topple over.Definitely the best for handheld power, you could blitz a pile of garments with the Fridja where other handhelds are designed more for just refreshing one or two items. You only have to look at the Philips to see it’s a bit different. Other vertical steamers look like cylinder vacuum cleaners, with a telescopic pole on top and wheels on the bottom. This has no wheels and looks like it’s a clothes horse, designed to live in your bedroom or walk-in wardrobe. It does not belong in the cupboard under the stairs, not least because at its shortest it’s still 145cm tall.

This Fridja handheld comes with an oversized velvety bag that’s unisex but feels like it could happily belong in a boudoir. Accessories include a piece of plastic that promises sharper results on collars, a fold-up clothes hanger and a fabric guard to cover the steam head for delicates. There’s no brush.

How we tested

The 25g/min steam is powerful and the trigger features a sliding switch, so you can keep it on constantly if you want to. You can steam constantly for 8 minutes at a time. The collar accessory is good, not great. No steamer will really offer the same sharp results as an iron, but it does help a bit – you hold the plastic up behind the collar and it gives you something to push against. It also comes with a clever bottle adaptor, so you can travel lighter on holiday or to fashion shoots. Remove the Fridja’s fab 260ml water tank and use the adaptor to use it with most water bottles. The power cable is a bit on the short side at 2m but, that aside, it’s hard to fault. The design is clean and modern, with a big, bright power light.