If you regularly iron a large pile of laundry, a steam generator is worth considering if you have room for its base and are happy with its filling and maintenance requirements for longer ironing sessions. Que Choisir describes it as suitable for large loads of laundry. A steam iron is easier to store, while a garment steamer is mainly for quick vertical touch-ups. The National Consumer Institute recommends comparing these appliances based on how you plan to use them, their capacity and the space they take up.
If you leave your ironing until one long session, check the tank, how it is filled and what descaling involves before opting for a compact appliance. Que Choisir considers the amount of laundry an important factor when choosing a steam generator.
When you repeat the same movements for a long time, consider the weight of the iron you handle separately from the weight of the whole appliance. A separate base may help, provided you have room for it and find it easy to handle.
For sheets and clothes that need ironing flat, compare a steam generator and a steam iron first. A garment steamer may suit a different need: touching up clothes while they are hanging. The National Consumer Institute distinguishes between these uses when discussing ironing appliances.
Worth considering: if you regularly iron lots of clothes and household linens, and have a suitable spot for the base. Que Choisir considers it suitable for large loads.
Things to bear in mind: it takes up more space than a standard iron, and how easy it is to fill and maintain varies by model.
Worth considering: if you are short on space or prefer to split your ironing into shorter sessions.
Things to bear in mind: the tank is in the iron you hold, so check its weight when full and how often you will need to stop to refill it.
Worth considering: as an extra appliance for touching up clothes while they are hanging.
Things to bear in mind: being designed for vertical steaming does not mean it will replace flat ironing a large pile of laundry.
| Feature | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Uninterrupted ironing | Tank capacity and the model’s filling process. | When laundry from several people piles up, I want to avoid having to stop constantly to refill the tank. Around 45% of consumers would make uninterrupted ironing their top priority. |
| Ease of handling | Weight of the iron in your hand, handle design and space needed for the base. | If I’m ironing for a long time, I want to repeat the same movements without struggling with a cumbersome iron, whatever its capacity. Ease of handling would come first for around 28% of consumers. |
| Descaling and maintenance | Descaling process and instructions on water use in the manual. | For an appliance I use regularly, I want to know what maintenance I’ll actually need to carry out. Around 18% of consumers would put maintenance first. |
| Vertical touch-ups | Whether the appliance is designed for vertical steaming and whether you still have a solution for ironing flat. | If I mainly need to touch up hanging clothes, I’m looking for a suitable extra appliance without giving up on ironing sheets. This would be the top priority for around 9% of consumers. |
Any stated running time depends on the model and how it is used. Philips quotes up to 1.5 hours for a tank in its PerfectCare 6000 series. This figure does not apply to every steam generator or every setting.
Compare tank capacities and, most importantly, check how you refill the tank during a typical ironing session.
These figures alone don’t tell you how easy the appliance is to maintain or how it will perform over time. Que Choisir’s testing, for example, assesses steam generators over extended use cycles.
For the models you are considering, compare the specifications with any available endurance test results and the descaling instructions in the manual.
A separate tank may make the iron lighter in your hand, but Que Choisir points out that a steam generator takes up more space overall than a standard iron.
Check that it will fit on your ironing setup, and that you have enough room to move and store the whole appliance.
Being able to steam a hanging garment doesn’t mean a garment steamer is suitable for a large pile of household laundry.
Choose one for vertical touch-ups if they are part of your routine, and keep a flat-ironing option for when sheets and folded clothes make up most of the task.
The PerfectCare 6000 range includes steam generators aimed, among others, at people looking for easy temperature control.
The CareStyle 7 Pro range lets you compare tank capacity, steam controls and a descaling system called Ultimate FastClean.
Laurastar presents its Lift range for ironing flat and touching up clothes vertically.
Steam generators in the Express and Pro Express ranges are among the models worth comparing for home ironing.
These two steam generators are options to consider if you iron laundry flat during long sessions. Compare their tanks and check the filling and maintenance requirements for each model.
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A steam generator to consider if you regularly iron a large pile of laundry flat.
Before choosing this model, check its manual for the tank capacity and filling process, as well as the descaling instructions.
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For a large pile of laundry, the 2 L tank is worth comparing alongside how easy it is to fill.
This model is rated at 2,400 W. Check the weight of the iron in your hand and the maintenance instructions separately: wattage alone doesn’t tell you how long it will run or how easy it is to handle.
A steam generator is worth considering if you regularly iron large loads and have room for its base. Que Choisir describes it as suitable for this use, while noting that it takes up more space than a standard iron. If your sessions are short or storage space is limited, compare steam irons too.
Whether and how you can refill it depends on the model. Philips says that a tank in its PerfectCare 6000 series can be refilled from the tap when empty. Check the manual for the model you plan to buy before expecting to top it up part-way through ironing.
Follow the schedule and instructions for your model, taking into account how often you use it and any guidance on water. If you plan to use a steam generator frequently, check the maintenance requirements before you buy rather than judging them by the name of its anti-scale system alone.
A garment steamer can be useful for touching up hanging clothes, but you shouldn’t assume it is equivalent to a steam generator for a large pile of laundry that needs ironing flat. If sheets and folded clothes make up most of your ironing, compare a steam generator and a steam iron first. Laurastar’s claims about the multiple uses of Lift models do not show that they are equivalent for every size of laundry load.