I recently purchased this steamer and am very happy with it. It does a great job of taking wrinkles out of clothing. Most hand steamers do, so it just comes down to whether or not they perform as designed and what features and bells and whistles they come with. So far this Rowenta has performed very well for me and I love a lot of the little features and design touches as well.
PROS
--Pump driven steam results in stronger and steadier bursts than the types which merely boil the water
--Can be held at any angle. Some hand steamers only work when you hold them vertically. The pump mechanism in this unit means you can hold it however you like.
--Trigger lets you apply steam only when needed
--Removable bristle brush. Use the steamer with or without the brush
--Removable tank. Easier than refilling the whole steamer at the faucet
--Uses tap water. They actually recommend tap over distilled.
--Ergonomic handle. The curvature makes it very easy to hold and apply pressure to the clothes.
--Loop on handle. I can easily hang it up after use in the bathroom
--Comes with a convenient storage case
CONS
--The water tank is a little small, so you may have to refill it a few times. I got through about two lightly wrinkled shirts on one tank. This is about the only negative I can think of for this model.
Garment steamers may be new to many and I suspect some of the badreviews come from people who just don't know how to use them or have unrealistic expectations. They are not meant to completely replace an iron which may be more efficient for some heavy duty ironing tasks (for example if you like to iron your bed sheets or a similar type job). On the other hand, it can be used more easily than an iron for MOST of my ironing jobs -- and it can even go where my iron can't! For example, knits and sweaters. Ever try to iron a sweater? You can't. But I found this steamer can easily take wrinkles out of a sweater that was wrinkled due to storage as well as other knits that I wouldn't dare place an iron on. I wear a lot of knits, so discovering garment steamers has been a revelation for me.
Here are some tips -- 1) You do have to pull the fabric a little taut as you hold the head of the steamer against or near it to get good results. You have to pull harder on woven fabrics than with knits which you only have to tug a tiny bit. 2) I have an old ironing mitt, and I find it works great with the steamer. It acts like a mini ironing board and makes it easier to use the steamer as I can firmly press the head of it (without the brush attached) against some fabrics to get better results. 3) If you're having problems using the steamer, use it without the bristle brush attachment. With many fabrics and jobs, I get better results this way.
I've only had this Rowenta steamer for a month, so I don't know how well it will hold up over time. But so far I couldn't be happier. I've used it successfully so far on lots of types of clothing including cotton capris pants, cotton knit pique tops, and a medium weight synthetic knit sweater. I'm not big on ironing to begin with and do it as little as possible. But now with this little steamer I find myself touching up clothes more often whereas beforehand I'd just skip the iron because it was too much of a hassle to use.
One more thing: One reviewer said theirs leaked water. They must have a defective unit or are using it wrong because I don't get a drop of excess water anywhere with mine. Just pure steam. None of my clothing comes out "wet" either. I'm also baffled by another reviewer who said it burned their hand and the trigger area gets hot. I have no such problems. Yes, the steamer itself gets hot, but not so hot that I can't use it or it will cause injury (be careful with the steam though). It's mild compared to how hot an iron gets.
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Rowenta DR5020 Ultra Steam 800-Watt Handheld Steamer BrushProduct Description: It's all about the Steam". New from Rowenta, the DR5020 Pro Steam Hand-Held Steam Brush is easy to use. Designed by Faltazi, specialists ofRowenta products, the DR5020 Pro Steam Hand- Held Steam Brush has a powerful 800 watts; comes with dual voltage 120w/240w and provides a powerful, continuous steam output. An electric pump for steam on demand and variable steam dial, the removable water tank holds 1.7oz of water. The wide steam head distributes steam quickly for great results. The DR5020 Pro Steam Hand-Held Steam Brush comes with a removable fabric brush plus a removable lint pad. Well balanced with an ergonomic design, it has a hanging hook for easy storage and comes with a travel pouch for easy carrying.
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The product itself is great, but that flimsy attachment broke right off for me too.I am so angry that I taking it right back to the store.
