The Best Travel Steamers To Ensure Wrinkle-Free Clothing On Your Vacation

It can be terribly frustrating to arrive at your once-in-a-lifetime vacation destination with your best outfits in your suitcase, only to find that all of your clothes are hopelessly wrinkled. While yes, it may be common to find an iron in your hotel room, some fabrics, like wool and silk, fare much better with a steamer rather than a hot iron. The problem is that steamers haven't quite become as ubiquitous as irons in travel lodgings. Luckily, nowadays there are plenty of portable steamer options that you can pack and bring with you to ensure your clothes are wrinkle-free during your vacation or trip. And as an added bonus, steamers also help kill bacteria and bed bugs (yikes) if you ever have to confront them.

There are, however, many choices when it comes to portable steamers, and it can feel overwhelming to pick one. Will they be too heavy in a suitcase? Will they leak on your clothes? How do you know that you're not wasting money on a random gadget? Well, we took a deep dive into the travel steamer world researching the internet's best options. Sharing with you all we know, this list will help you narrow down your decisions so that you find the best portable travel steamer for you that will make you look easy, breezy, and wrinkle-free in all of your vacation photos.

If simple and uncomplicated is what you're looking for, then the iSteam Steamer is the best no-fuss travel steamer option for you. It's a simple push-a-button-and-go model, with a streamlined design that takes 30 seconds for it to warm up for over 10 minutes of steam. You don't have to worry about settings, unfolding parts, or too many attachments. The iSteam is one of the more affordable options on this list, selling for under $25 on Amazon at the time of writing. This model is not dual-voltage, but if your travel mainly takes you around the North America, this will likely not be an issue for you.

There are over 17,000 Amazon reviews for this product, and it averages a 4.0-star rating. Reviewers love the portability of the steamer, and many were pleasantly surprised at just how powerful the steam jet was given its small 9-inch frame. However, the most common critiques in reviews are that the machine suddenly stopped working during use less than a year after purchase and that it tends to spit or drip water more than other steamers customers had used in the past. While the company offers a three-year warranty, it's not as large or reputable a company as the other options on the list. If you're one of the unfortunate few who have issues with the steamer, it might be difficult to get a replacement. But if ease of use is your top priority in a travel steamer, this is likely one of the best options for you.

The OGHom Clothes Steamer kicks off our list as a robust little machine that is curiously powerful for its compact size. It has a rather large 240-milliliter tank that takes less than a minute to adequately heat up, but it gives you 15 minutes of steam time, the longest of any travel steamer on this list. Amazon users love just how effective the steam is on all different kinds of materials. Reviews on Amazon praise its effectiveness and compliment its lightweight, compact design. 

The price from the manufacturer is $50, but you can easily find it for $22-26 on Amazon at the time of writing. This steamer is not only affordable, but highly portable too. It has all the traits that make it an effective little travel steamer, and the practicality of its longer cord and powerful steam is great for use on your entire family's luggage-wrinkled pieces. Be aware, though, that this model is not dual voltage, so it will not be compatible with many international plugs outside of the Americas. With a 4.3 out of 5 rating and over 51,000 reviews on Amazon, the OGHome Clothes Steamer is a reliable choice for domestic travel.

The Nesugar G2 Handheld Portable Steamer looks like the steamer of the future, featuring a lightweight, smooth handle and swivel head that can be turned to run either perpendicular or parallel to its base. It is the lightest of the steamers we found for this list, weighing in at a ridiculously light .8 pounds. That weight, with a compact width, makes this a small but shockingly effective steamer. Its steam time is over 10 minutes long, and it heats up to full power in just 15 seconds. As an added bonus, the product also comes with a full kit of things, including a storage bag and a wall mount if you do want to use it permanently at home. It's a customer favorite, racking up a 4.5-star rating with over 1,200 reviews on Amazon.

Amazon reviewers referred to the steamer as a "game-changer," highlighting its quick warm-up time and portability as the best for on-the-go vacation grooming. Its price tag reflects its small but loyal customer base, as the product retails at a hefty retail $60 price tag on the manufacturer's website and Amazon. With that price, you'd think the steamer comes with all the bells and whistles, but the biggest con for the Nesugar is its voltage limitations. Since it's a 120V appliance, the steamer is not compatible in countries with 240V electricity. Even using a voltage converter or plug adapter in these countries could be dangerous, since incorrect equipment could damage this expensive steamer, or worse, blow a fuse! You'll definitely want to think about dual voltage if you're willing to pay this price or if you're planning your first trip to Europe or a 240V country.

For everyone who loves a good bargain and is looking for the ultimate budget-friendly portable steamer, the Bear Garment Steamer GTJ-B10S1 is a great option. With a regular retail of $49.99 on the manufacturer's site, discounts bring the steamer to under $25 on Amazon or lower. This clothes steamer is a small and compact choice for those who value portability above all for their travel steamer. With a 120-milliliter tank, it heats up in just under 10 seconds and steams for over 10 minutes, an impressive feature for its demure size. The Bear has a 4.2 out of 5 stars on Amazon, with reviewers loving its price tag and petite proportions. It's also an incredibly cute product.

The biggest con with this particular choice though, is that reviews don't indicate it's as durable as the pricier counterparts on this list, with some Amazon customers reporting issues like brown water after just two weeks without cleaning. Bear itself is a pretty reputable China-based company that mostly manufactures kitchen appliances. But while it will replace your item if it's faulty up to 30 days after ordering it, it has a pretty strict warranty. If you experience problems with your Bear Garment Steamer after the one-week or 30-day periods, you might have difficulty getting assistance.

If you're someone hoping for a low-maintenance appliance, then the Bear steamer may not be for you. Consider, though, that for its price tag, it achieves very similar results to the more expensive steamers online. This machine is not dual voltage either, but if you're staying in North America, the Bear is the best bang for your buck, and you can spend your money on other things on your trip.

Sunbeam is known for its full-size Valet Steamer and has been a household name for electric home appliances for over a century. So when it comes to a proven track record of quality products, this Sunbeam handheld steamer option is as foolproof as can be. Distinctively designed with a downward handle and horizontal head so that it resembles a small hair dryer, the handle folds up to make the steamer extremely compact for your travels. With its compactness, though, the steam time is a bit shorter than other choices: The device offers seven minutes of continuous steam and a 140-milliliter water reservoir, but it heats up in an incredibly quick 25 seconds.

This steamer was definitely built for travel and comes with a complimentary travel bag for packing it away in your luggage. Boasting a respectable 4.3 out of 5 stars on Amazon, the device is beloved by users for its strong steam despite its small size. Many reviewers mention that its weight isn't too heavy for either travel or standard usage, though it clocks in as the heaviest on this list at 1.8 pounds. This steamer also features an automatic timed shut-off feature, making it an extremely safe option for use too, and unlike the other appliances on this list, this device offers dual voltage for seamless use abroad. At $35 on Amazon at the time of writing, the Sunbeam handheld steamer will get you high quality for your money.

There were several factors we took into account when building this list for the most thorough compilation of recommendations. Since the expectation is that you'll be traveling with this steamer in your luggage, we valued the price tag as a top variable — understandably things break or sadly disappear in transit sometimes, so none of these under-$60 choices will break the bank (or break your heart) if it gets lost. With travel in mind, we also accounted for a steamer's portability, like its weight and size, so it doesn't drag you down and contribute too much to your luggage's overall weight (we see you, 50-pound checked bag limit and never-ending airline baggage fees). Of course, we consulted plenty of reviews on Amazon, noting common pros for each steamer option and letting you know of any cons previous users faced in the past.