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

Product Information

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. verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{

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. 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. That said, if money’s no object then this – once assembled – is the best of the lot. The steam head is shaped like an iron soleplate, which makes sense because the unusual design gives you the best of both worlds: you can steam garments hung vertically against its board, angle the board at 30° for comfort, or set it horizontally and use the Tefal like an iron. 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. 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 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.

We also loved its many clever design touches. There’s just one clip-on tool but this boasts a brush with stiff bristles at the top and a squeegee at the bottom, good for lifting lint. We found the brush to be good on upholstery too.Handheld clothes steamers come with few accessories if any. Expect a soft cover for more delicate fabrics and a brush for tougher fabrics and upholstery. Vertical steamers often come with an attachment that helps you put creases in trousers, which work pretty well. Some steamers also come with a heatproof mitt to protect your free hand. 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.