Small, portable steamers are an absolute hit. Many of these devices have been released onto the market and even though they’re all small enough to be carried around and packed in bags, most of them simply don’t match their larger counterparts performance-wise.
The Sunbeam is an exception. This little device goes great and packs a lot of punch considering its size. It may not be strong enough to replace the full-size garment steamer/iron that you have at home – but it isn’t supposed to.
This is our review of the Sunbeam handheld fabric steamer.
Sunbeam Handheld Garment Steamer
Design and Functionality
Aesthetically, the Sunbeam is a stylish, modern steamer. It’s always nice when designers pay attention to every detail, even if it’s only cosmetic – the Sunbeam looks good, but it is simple enough not to stand out among your other home appliances and it doesn’t take up too much room.
Also, the Sunbeam feels good in the hand – the grip is good, it’s easy to hold and it’s just light enough to be moved around easily.
With that said, it is a bit heavier than most portable steamers, but the performance certainly justifies the extra weight.
More about performance below. For now, let’s focus on design and functionality.
The Sunbeam heats up in under 45 seconds, which isn’t spectacular for a portable steamer, but it’s a reasonably good heat up time.
Steam time is great though – it offers up to 15 minutes of continuous steam which, given its size and the price, is absolutely amazing.
It’s stable and robust. Even though it’s small it comes across as a lot more durable than a lot of larger, more expensive steamers and it is certainly solid enough that you can rest assured it won’t break or get damaged if you pack it in a suitcase.
Another thing that’s great about the Sunbeam Handheld is that there are a lot of very useful accessories for it. It comes with:
• Lint and diffuser brush – perfect for pet owners, easily picks up hair and dust but can also be used on more delicate fabrics
• Fiber brush – great for loosening up heavy fabrics before applying steam
• Handle – nice little safety addition that will keep your hands and fingers safe while you use the steamer
• Over-the-door press pad – serves as a vertical ironing board, great for steaming your clothes right on the hanger
• Creaser – this accessory can be used to get iron-like creases on more sensitive clothing items
The twist-off water tank is easily removed and refilling it is the work of a moment.
The whole operation is super simple.
As you have probably concluded by now, Sunbeam have really done their best to make the Sunbeam Handheld as user-friendly as possible.
Performance
It would be a real downer if a cleverly-designed feature-rich device didn’t perform well but, luckily, this isn’t the case with the Sunbeam.
The Handheld performs very well, works great on all types of fabrics, and delivers stellar performance, similar to that you’d expect from a “real” fabric steamer.
Even though it’s compact and small, it can be used to touch up and de-wrinkle almost all clothing.
One of the best things about this product is the price – considering the performance and the design, this is an absolute bargain. It’s very difficult to find any flaws, but the only thing that one could possibly complain about is the weight of this steamer – it’s perhaps a bit heavier than you’d expect it to be.
Pros
- Great design
- Highly functional
- Large number of accessories
- Ease of use
- Price
Cons
- A bit heavy for a handheld fabric steamer
Technical Specifications
- Brand: Sunbeam
- Product dimensions (in inches): 6 x 13 x 8
- Product dimensions (in meters): 15.2 x 33 x 20.3 cm
- Continuous steam time: 15 minutes
- Voltage: 120 Volts
- Product weight in pounds: 3 lbs
- Product weight in kilo: 1.36 kg
Final Verdict: The Ultimate Handheld Fabric Steamer
It is no surprise that the Sunbeam’s Handheld is one of the best-selling products within the niche.
This beautiful little fabric steamer has absolutely everything a device of this type should have and more – it’s easy to use, it’s designed very well, it is highly functional and it performs amazingly well.
If you were looking for a handheld fabric steamer, look no further than this one. It’s pretty cheap too and will certainly turn out to be a great investment.
Read also: Kazoo Compact Handheld Fabric Steamer Review