Best Clothes Steamer for College [2023 Update]

A handheld steamer is a great investment when heading off to college. As technology improves, most handheld steamers are just as good as full sized clothing steamers, without needing much space to store or time to heat up.

In this post, let’s take a look at the best clothes steamer for college. Here are the easy to store and easy to operate steamers for 2023:

02/17/2024 04:49 pm GMT

Polardo Mini Handheld Steamer

The Polardo mini steamer tops our list for 2023 as the best mini steamer for college. It has an electronic pump system and Nano polymer water filter. This means that you can use the steamer both horizontally and vertically without water leaking or spitting.

The Nano polymer filter allows for tap water to be used without calcifying the heating element.

Heating up in just 25 seconds, the Polardo handheld steamer is compact and perfect for college. The small size makes the steamer more lightweight than other choices.

The steamer runs for approximately 10 minutes at a time, plenty of time to steam an outfit before heading off to class. Check it out further below:

Beautural Handheld Steamer

Beautural are the number 1 best selling handheld steamer on Amazon, with over 47,000 customer reviews. Naturally, it had to make the list of best steamers for college students.

There are three things I like the best about the Beautural steamer. They are:

• Includes a lint brush, fabric brush and crease tool as standard
• Has a long 8ft power cord
• Larger 8.79 ounce water tank

This handheld steamer can also be used horizontally and vertically. It operates at 1200 watts, which is an average wattage for handheld steamers. It’s not the most powerful steamer, so it would be best for lightweight clothing rather than heavier items such as denim, or coats and jackets.

You’ll need to use distilled water in this steamer (as with most steamers). With a built in auto shut off, you also won’t need to worry about burning down the dorm if you forget to turn it off before rushing to class. Check it out further below:

Bizond Handheld Steamer

The Bizond steamer is very similar to the Polardo steamer featured in our number one spot. Like the Polardo handheld steamer, you can use the Bizond steamer in both horizontal and vertical positions. This makes it one of the best steamers for college as you can steam linen, curtains, mattress and base as well as your clothing.

This steamer also has the built in Nano polymer filter, allowing you to use tap water in the steamer if you have to. It is noted that Bizond themselves still recommend using distilled water even with the Nano filter. The steamer also shuts down after 5 minutes of inactivity.

The Bizond steamer isn’t the most powerful steamer on the market, and will be better suited to those who are attending college in warmer climates and steaming lighter weight clothing. In size, it’s comparable to the Polardo mini steamer for college featured above.

The steamer is backed by an impressive 3 year warranty, which is the best on this list. Check it out further below:

Rowenta X-Cel Steam Force Garment Steamer

Rowenta have updated their steam force model in 2022, keeping in competition with Conair.

This sleek looking handheld clothing steamer has a huge 1875 watts of power, and outputs steam at 28 grams per minute.

With 2 steam settings plus a turbo steam function, you can use this steamer both horizontally on bed linen, mattresses, or clothes laying flat, as well as vertically to steam hanging clothing or curtains.

The 9.8ft power cord allows you to move about freely without being stuck over the power outlet or needing an extension cord. You’ll be steaming everything in your college dorm possible with this powerhouse of a clothes steamer.

Choose distilled water for the longevity of this handheld steamer (pick it up at Walmart for $1-2).

Sunbeam Professional Handheld Steamer

Sunbeam have snuck in under the radar with the professional garment steamer, released in July 2022.

It looks like a cross between a gaming joystick and something out of transformers, but if it performs well then I’m okay with that. It will look pretty cool in your college dorm too.

Sadly, there’s not a lot of information available for this new Sunbeam clothes steamer – so I have written to Sunbeam (14th Nov 22) and will update this post when I have a response.

So far I can see it has 5 steam settings, making it comparable with the Conair Turbo Extreme Steam that has been incredibly popular over the last few years.

The video shows the water tank being filled up from the tap – and with a self clean button, I’m hoping there will be some kind of filter within the steamer to demineralize tap water, or you may be able to run vinegar through the steamer.

I’d consult the user manual, but unfortunately, there isn’t one. Stay tuned on this one – it looks like a promising steamer, and as a new release clothes steamer it’s a pretty cool addition to this list of garment steamers for college.

Electrolux Handheld Garment Steamer

Electrolux are a quality brand in home appliances and I’ve been singing the praises of their handheld clothing steamer since it was first released late 2020.

It’s middle of the range when it comes to both temperature and steam settings.

With 1500 watts of power, 2 steam settings and the ability to use it horizontally or vertically, the Electrolux steamer is a great choice for college students. It also comes in a reusable storage box to keep everything neat and tidy.

You don’t need to choose between too many different settings, the water tank is a decent size and the ceramic coated soleplate won’t damage your clothing. It’s stylish and functional.

Zokez Handheld Garment Steamer and Iron

This clothing steamer caught my attention when I saw it hanging on a rail – how perfect would that be for a college dorm? Hang it in your closet, off the curtain rail, or off the shower rail.

The water tank is separate from the steamer head, making it more lightweight than other handheld clothing steamers where you hold the complete unit.

With the ability to use it horizontally and vertically, you can steam your clothing, then use it as an iron to press your collar, cuffs, around buttons, or add creases.

It’s a little pricier than others on this list, but so versatile. It would make a handy addition to a college dorm and it won’t take up much space either.

Hometop Handheld Clothing Steamer and Iron Combo

This is an all in one mini iron and handheld clothing steamer that rounds off our list of best clothes steamers for college.

It’s a little heavier than other steamers because the water tank is part of the handheld unit. It weighs about 2.2 pounds, so isn’t overly heavy, especially if you only steam your clothing as needed.

Compared to the Zokez garment steamer above, it is far more affordable, and offers a similar design of iron and steaming combined.

The downside is that there is no hook to hang it anywhere, but it does come with a heat proof mat that you can sit the steam plate on. It also comes with a handy storage bag and a fabric brush.

If your college student prefers to iron, this mini iron and steamer combo is a worthwhile buy.

Steamer vs Iron for College – Which Is Better?

It’s really up to your college student what their preference is when it comes to steaming and ironing.

If they’ve never ironed their clothing, a garment steamer is a great tool for removing wrinkles from clothing quickly which doesn’t take a lot of practice. You are less likely to burn clothing, they heat up quickly and you can steam items whilst hanging vertically, rather than needing a place to iron.

So, being a compact and easily portable device, makes clothing steamers a great choice for college students.

A steamer is also excellent for dry clean only clothing, whereas an iron simply cannot be used on these types of fabrics. I do like the iron and steamer combos above, for those who like having options for all different types of clothing.

Remember however, that most clothing steamers work best with distilled water. You can easily pick this up on Amazon or from Walmart.

Finding a clothing steamer than can be used solely with tap water can be done, and I have featured one on this list, and this would be the most ideal for a student attending college, so they can just grab water from the tap – steam their clothes – and head on out.

What is the Best Clothes Steamer for College?

I’ve personally selected the 8 clothes steamers on this list as suitable options for college students and dorm rooms. They are all compact, functional, easy to use and don’t cost huge amounts of money.

I’m a big fan of Electrolux for the quality of the brand, however, am also curious about the new Sunbeam handheld clothes steamer with 5 steam settings.

In terms of practicality, you can’t go past the hanging Zokez steamer and iron. The only letdown is the 6ft power cord. You might need an extension cord, depending on where your outlets are located.

With this design you get the best of both worlds with the ability to steam and iron, and hang it up or fix it to the wall if you can.

If your budget doesn’t allow for the hanging steamer, the Hometop steamer and iron combo is practically half the price.

If you are on a budget and looking for a middle of the range, nothing too exciting clothes steamer that will get the job done, consider the Beutural handheld steamer. Just remember to use distilled water to keep it in top working order.