On rushed mornings, the last thing I want to do is drag my space-hogging ironing board out from the closet, unfold it, plug in my iron, and wait 10 minutes for it to heat up. Instead, I wind up choosing something a little less wrinkled than the clothing I initially had in mind. So I decided to buy a fabric steamer, the Rowenta 1400-Watt Pro Compact Steamer ($50), and see if I might become a convert.
My steamer is so compact, I can easily slide it under my bed when not in use. When I'm in a rush, I can conveniently pull it out and plug it in. Within two minutes, the little machine is gurgling away and ready for action. The set comes with a door hook, where I can hang the wide steam-head brush and hangers for my clothing.
The steamer has a fabric hose with a 360-degree swivel base, so you can steam at any angle — and you don't need to lay your apparel on a flat surface like an ironing board, either. Better yet, it can be used on any type of fabric. So every once in a while, I steam my curtains to keep them looking prim; they don't even have to be removed from their rods! I've also used my steamer to banish wrinkles from my sofa's skirted slipcover and even things like fabric bags and pillowcases — all tasks I'd never try with an iron.
I've had this baby for three months now, and probably use it every other day, a drastic increase from my biannual ironing. So there, I'm officially a convert. I don't know how I got through life without my magical fabric steamer, but I can say with 100 percent certainty that I'll never go back. Join the club: you (and your wrinkly laundry) will thank me.
