Conair Fabric Steamer Comparison [Handheld Models]

Conair are a trusted brand in small appliances and makers of upright clothing steamers, handheld steamers and travel steamers.

With so many different choices of fabric steamers within the Conair range alone, how do you know which one to choose? I’ve taken an in depth look at the range of handheld Conair fabric steamers, to help you make the best choice when deciding which one to buy.

This is going to be a long post! There are a LOT of Conair steamers on the market in 2023. If you’re short on time, I’ll start with my top choices, and the clear winner with the handheld steamers.

Please note: The links in this post contain affiliate links and I will receive a small commission if you make a purchase after clicking on my link.

Conair Turbo Extreme Steam 2 in 1 Handheld Steamer

This is Conair’s latest release steamer, which can operate as a dry iron, as well as a steam iron and fabric steamer.

One aspect I appreciate is the four steam modes, which allows me to adjust the steam intensity based on the type of fabric I’m working with. Delicate fabrics like silk require a gentler touch, while heavy cotton can handle the turbo mode.

Like the original turbo extreme steam model, it offers a whopping 1875 watts of power, and outputs steam at 35 grams per minute.

The improvements with this model include a sensor, which can tell when you have placed the steamer down on a flat surface. This will then pause the steam output, saving you water whilst you grab your next item of clothing, or reposition the current item.

With the flatter head design also, it is less prone to tipping over, and offers a more generous surface area to release the steam. The handle on the back is a huge improvement, over having to grip the entire water tank of the steamer on the previous model.

In terms of drawbacks, the water tank could be larger to accommodate longer steaming sessions without needing frequent refills. Having said that, a larger water tank would make the steamer heavier and it’s already heavy enough at around 3.5 pounds without water.

It’s also much bigger than it looks. At 12 inches tall and 6 inches wide, this doesn’t make my list of travel steamers.

The accessories also clip onto the front now, which if you’re like me, could get easily misplaced around the house. I really liked that the previous model had the pants press built in on top.

Comparing the Conair Turbo Extreme Steam Garment Steamer to other brands, I’ve found that it offers more versatility with its multiple steam modes and ergonomic design, making it a great choice for those who need a reliable and efficient steamer.

Overall, this is by far the best Conair fabric steamer on the market for 2023 and a worthwhile buy.

Conair Turbo Extreme Steam – 1875 Watt Steamer

The Conair Turbo Extreme Steam handheld steamer has 5 steam settings. It has a powerful 1875 watts of power and to date this is still the most powerful handheld steamer available, along with the newer version featured above.

The benefit of higher wattage is the steam output, however, this can also be a downside with handheld steamers.

As handheld steamers hold a smaller volume of water, using a high powered steamer such as the Conair Turbo Extreme Steam, means you may need to refill the water chamber more often, particularly if you are using the turbo setting. This Conair steamer holds 6.6oz of water.

The multiple steam settings are an advantage, you can use a lower steam setting for delicate fabrics such as silk or chiffon, or a higher steam setting for tougher wrinkles, such as linen and denim. The Conair Turbo Extreme Steam handheld steamer heats up in 40 seconds, which is a fairly common heat up amongst handheld fabric steamers.

You’ll notice there are two horizontal lines on the sole plate. This is a unique design of the Conair Turbo handheld steamer, engineered to have steam exit the sole plate through both openings and essentially output more steam than other handheld steamers.

The turbo extreme steam also has 3 attachments and a built in fabric creaser. The attachments are a silicone band, fabric spacer and bristle brush. The silicone band is designed to slightly grab the fabric as you move the steamer across it to pull it taught. This helps to remove wrinkles.

The bristle brush can be connected with the silicone band and is useful for loosening fabric fibers. It can also help to remove fluff, lint and pet hair.

The fabric spacer is exactly as it sounds, a tool that clips on the steamer sole plate to give you additional space between delicate fabrics and the steamer itself.

Personally, I don’t use this tool, but can be handy if you want extra protection on delicate or expensive fabrics.

On the top of the Conair Turbo Extreme Steam handheld steamer is a built in creasing tool, which is one of my favorite tools! This helps to straighten collars and cuffs and make creases in sleeves and pant legs.

At first thought I wondered about the positioning of the creasing tool, being on top of the steamer. As steam rises however, this is effective in making creases and as it is built in, you can’t lose the attachment!

Finally, the flat base design of the Conair Turbo steamer is very practical. The flat base gives you the ability to sit the handheld steamer down on the counter top in between garments and it will stay standing upright. Overall, a well thought out design by Conair.

Conair Turbo Extreme Steam – 1550 Watt Steamer

This Conair turbo extreme steam fabric steamer is also available in a 1550 watt model. You will notice that it has a single steam output on the sole plate. It also heats up in 40 seconds, holds 7.3 ounces of water for around 15 minutes of steaming time per tank.

The attachments are the same as the 1875 watt model above, with the built in crease tool, fabric brush, fabric spacer and silicone band. With this model there are only two steam settings – a standard steam setting and the turbo setting.

Conair offer a 1 year warranty on this model. The only downside to this design of steamer is the small water chamber. If you use the steamer on the turbo setting, expect it to last 7-10 minutes rather than 15 minutes. Conair have addressed this by creating a larger water chamber on their newest model (increasing in size to 8.5 ounces), which is at the top of this list.

Conair Steam and Press Handheld Steamer – 1500 Watts

Conair offer a slightly different design with this steamer, with an 8.1 ounce water tank. Slightly larger than the extreme steam handheld steamers above, but not really enough to make a huge difference, you will still get 10 to 15 minutes of steaming time from this machine. This model (GS51) is still part of the Turbo Extreme Steam range of fabric steamers.

It has 1500 watts of power and 3 steam settings. There is an auto shut off feature on this steamer – if you accidentally leave it on, it will turn off after 15 minutes. You get one less accessory with this model, it is missing the crease tool.

I expect that the flat design of the sole plate is designed to “press” the fabrics like an iron, hence the steam and press name. Perhaps Conair were thinking that the crease tool wasn’t needed for this reason?

The slim neck design of this handheld steamer makes it easy to hold. Like other Conair fabric steamers, you can use it both horizontally and vertically. Overall, this is a versatile middle of the range steamer. It has enough power behind it to tackle tough wrinkles, holds more water than some of the other models and offers multiple steam settings.

I would consider this model comparable to the Electrolux handheld steamer, although the ceramic sole plate on the Electrolux is superior to the aluminum sole plate on this Conair steamer.

Conair Dual Voltage Travel Steamer

For years, Rowenta has topped the list of travel steamers, but at last Conair has made a decent competitor!

This 1200 watt travel steamer was released in November 2022. You can adjust between 120V power and 240V power with a simple switch.

I like how the steam head is adjustable to stand straight upright. In the past, other folding garment steamers have folded forward and continued to stay quite bulky. This design would slip easily down the side of a backpack, tote bag or carry on.

Heating up in 35 seconds, you can steam for around 6 minutes on a full tank of water.

It is still a little larger than most travel steamers, standing at 11 inches stall and 5 inches wide. Overall however, it’s lightweight, modern, and includes a small collapsible travel hanger for those last minute touch ups on the go.

Conair Extreme Steam Dual Heat Fabric Steamer

This is an older version of the Conair steamer (model number GS23N – now updated to GS23X), offering an upgrade in power from 1100 watts to 1200 watts.

You can use this steamer both horizontally and vertically, and this steamer has both a high and low steam setting, which according to Conair, the high heat setting heats up to 395°F!

You can press the steam trigger as required, or lock it into place for continuous steam.

Attachments are also included as standard including a crease tool, fabric brush and steam bonnet. These are all detachable from the steamer, the crease tool is not built in like the newer versions.

Overall, it is a lightweight steamer with dual steam settings. It would be best used on lighter weight fabrics or delicate items given the lower wattage. This will affect the steam output. It sells for around $30 less than the newer Conair steamers, and Conair offer a 1 year warranty on this fabric steamer.

If you’re on a budget, and have a wardrobe of lightweight clothing, this will work well for you.

Conair Folding Handle Fabric Steamer – 1200 Watts

This is an older model of Conair fabric steamer (model number GS36X) with a foldable handle. Conair market it as portable and good for travel, however, it is not a dual voltage steamer, so don’t plan on heading overseas with it.

It holds a small 3.4 ounces of water, for around 5 minutes of steaming time. The power cord is 1 foot shorter than other models and at 1200 watts of power, the steam output will be less than impressive.

I like that it has an aluminum sole plate, but that’s all. There are no accessories, it’s not powerful and I wouldn’t buy it.

2023 Update: This model has now been superceded by the Conair Dual Voltage Travel Steamer.

Conair Extreme Steam GS32 – 1250 Watt Handheld Steamer

This is one of the original versions of the extreme steam handheld steamer, released some years ago. You can still find it on the Conair website, but I couldn’t find it on Amazon.

This steamer offers two heat settings, low and high, the 3 basic accessories – crease tool, steam bonnet and silicone band. It is missing a fabric brush attachment. The power behind this Conair steamer is 1250 watts, which is pretty ordinary. It sells on Conair for a RRP of $57.99. If you were planning to spend over $50 on a handheld steamer I would choose one of the newer Extreme Steam models, that offer better steaming power.

Conair Dual Voltage Travel Steamer – 450 Watts

This product is so old it is no longer on the Conair website. The idea behind it is great – it works at both 120 volts and 240 volts, so you can use it in multiple countries around the world without needing an electricity converter. It still has a US plug on the end though, so you will need an adaptor for whatever country you are visiting.

Many handheld steamers are marketed at use for travel, but in reality, they are much bigger than they appear on a computer screen. This steamer really is built for travel, measuring 9.5 inches high and 4.5 inches wide. It won’t take up half your suitcase.

That’s really where the positives end. 450 watts of power is quite low to produce a good output of steam. Granted, with a dual voltage steamer the wattage will always be lower. I would consider where I was traveling to before buying this handheld travel steamer. If you are heading to a warmer climate and need to steam lightweight items this could work. Although the exception here is linen, as you need high heat to effectively remove wrinkles from linen.

If you are heading to a colder climate with thicker clothing like denim or coats I’m not sure on the effectiveness of this one. Take a look at my travel steamers page for more options.

Conair Complete Steam Handheld Steamer

This Conair steamer is at the bottom of the list for a good reason. It is one of the original models, and you cannot use it horizontally. This is a vertical steamer and if you tilt it over past a 45 degree angle, it will spit water and leak.

Offering 1100 watts of steaming power, this Conair steamer is okay for lightweight clothing like your t-shirts. It is small and portable, measuring 9 inches x 5.5 inches. It’s not as small as the dual voltage travel steamer above, but if you travel throughout the US, you might find this comes in handy. It steams for around 5 minutes and heats up in 1 minute.

It sells for around $25 and you get what you pay for when it comes to this steamer.

Where are Conair Steamers Made?

Conair steamers are made in China. The warranty on Conair steamers range between 1 year and 2 years depending on the model. Conair have offices in the USA and Canada for servicing requirements and customer service.

What is the Best Conair Steamer to Buy?

The Conair Extreme Steam Turbo steamers or the Conair Steam and Press Handheld Steamers are excellent buys. All of these handheld steamers offer at least 1500 watts of power for effective wrinkle removal, multiple steam settings for use on different fabrics and accessories to help you remove wrinkles more easily.