Jiffy J-4000 Garment Steamer
Key Features
- Made in the USA
- Two hours of steam per tank; rather slow to heat up
- Three year warranty
- Commercial power in your home
Our Review
The J-4000 Garment Steamer from Jiffy’s esteemed Pro-Line series is that company’s most powerful commercial steamer model.
Measuring 20 x 11 x 61 inches (counting the standing pole for height) and weighing 26 pounds, the J-4000 features an oversized 1-gallon refillable tank.
With 1500 watts of power and an internal stainless steel steam chamber, the device reaches pre-heat status in roughly 15 minutes and achieves full steaming capability 5 minutes after that.
So it takes a while to get going, but then the large capacity water tank allows for over 2 hours’ worth of continuous steaming. The tank also features a gauge on the side to easily assess the water level and any possible sediment build-up.
The 5 ½ foot hose and 6-inch steam head are industry standard for full-sized standing steamers, as is the automatic shut-off safety feature.
The J-4000 is safe for use on a wide range of clothing and household items, including drapes and furniture upholstery. It might be a bit of overkill if you simply intend to use it around the house; it was originally meant for use in larger, more commercial environments where many items need to be steamed in a single sitting.
Now that people are waking up to the benefits of fabric steaming (instead of the dreaded iron) a whole new demographic is interested in the Jiffy range – and rightly so.
Our testers were overwhelmingly pleased with the quality and performance of the J-4000. We liked its ease of assembly and user-friendly qualities.
Some small complaints must be noted. For example, if the steamer head is not kept in an upright position then condensation will begin to pool in the head and it will start to gurgle and spurt. This is easily fixed by simply holding the head upright or racking it for a moment and allowing the buildup of condensation to resettle back down the tubing and subsequently turn back into steam.
Another problem is that the roughly 5-foot garment pole is far too short for longer dresses. This is not a problem specific to the J-4000; the complaint is ubiquitous throughout the garment steamer industry, which begs the question of when manufacturers will address the problem.
Overall, the J-4000 is a winner. While it does take longer to heat up than many of its full-sized standing steamer counterparts, the quality is unparalleled and the nearly 2-hour steam time is top-of-the-line.
However, if you only need to steam a few blouses a week around the house or some shirts for work, this product may be beyond what you really need. Try the J-2000 instead.