The joy of freshly laundered clothes is immense. A regular iron works well when you need a sharp crease, like on cotton shirts or even pants, but it’s not the ideal machine for every occasion. A garment steamer, on the other hand, is perfect if you want to smoothen out clothes without damaging the fabric. If you are using a shirt or delicate clothing multiple times, it’s advisable to use a garment steamer between each use.

Xiaomi, known for smartphones, tablets, television sets and more, has introduced its Handheld Garment Steamer and we are sure that it will be sold out in no time. It’s not a new device category but what Xiaomi has done is bring in good design aesthetics and there are many people who already use Xiaomi products, so for them it will be about buying a product which is off the beaten track.

Ceramic soleplate ensures even heat distribution for consistent steaming and wrinkle-free clothes

Choose wisely

First, we need to appreciate the fact that the garment steamer is not a replacement for the old-fashion iron. Yes, a regular press iron requires more storage space and then there is the need for an iron stand and an iron board. In the case of a garment steamer, an upright option too require some storage space. But the one from Xiaomi is a handheld one and can be easily carried around.

Even if it's heavy, a regular iron has its advantages. If you use a lot of heavy fabrics, a regular iron works well. For a denim-on-denim kind of person, it’s perfect. You can add a garment steamer to your wardrobe if you have a lot of delicate fabrics and fabrics with a lot of pattern on it. Anybody with a lot of travelling to do can also opt for a handheld steamer.

With a regular press iron, there is a risk of burning the fabric if you are not careful, especially if you are shuffling between cooking rajma and taking care of clothing for next day’s meeting at office. If your clothes have printed material, like on T-shirts, there is a chance of burning/ damage. That’s not the case with a handheld garment steamer.

Steamers are a fast and easy way to smooth out rumpled clothing. Unlike the one from Xiaomi, you can even opt for an upright garment steamer, which requires a lot of space but it’s more powerful and there is storage space for more water. Further, an upright garment steamer has a higher wattage while a handheld garment steamer is perfect for lighter fabrics. With an upright steamer you can easily go through 10-15 clothing items without having to fill the water tank, but with a handheld option, you are looking at three to five clothing items at a time.

Good design

How does the Xiaomi Handheld Garment Steamer fare? First, you can fill the small tank with around 160ml of water, which is sufficient. It offers 1,300W of power and it takes less than 26 seconds to heat up. We found steam coming out within 15-odd seconds. Plus, this is portable as well as foldable, meaning it can be your travel companion without taking up too much space in the suitcase.

The ceramic soleplate also does well with distributing heat and consistent steaming. To get wrinkle-free results, the steam rate is between 16 and 24g/min. Moreover, it helps to take care of odour easily.

Its foldable and lightweight construction ensures easy portability

The design of the steamer is perfect for holding on to it for many minutes and it’s not very heavy, which is the case with most handheld steamers.

But there is a quibble — the colour white. It’s not ideal for a polluted environment and we often don’t wash hands before using a steamer, so expect black smudges on it.

Should you buy it?

With a garment steamer don’t expect a stiff crease and for thicker fabrics, you will need to spend a lot more time than with a regular iron press. But this shouldn’t stop you from buying one.

With the large capacity water tank of 160ml you can steam three to five clothes quickly

Pull out the iron for a mega-wrinkled garment, but for the vast majority of clothing, I think doing a few passes with a steamer works well.

Handheld steamers typically work best on thinner fabrics like silk, polyester, and linen. And many of your wardrobe consists mainly of these delicate materials. Even slightly wrinkled clothes made of heavier material, like cotton, can be tackled by a handheld steamer. Clearly, Xiaomi Handheld Garment Steamer is one of the most useful gadgets to have around the house (or your suitcase).