Iron vs. Steamer: Which is Best for Your Menswear Wardrobe?

Just because you might be able to afford designer labels, that doesn’t mean that they’re going to look good on you, if the fit is poor or if the garments are improperly cared for. We’ve covered fit in a number of other guides, but today’s guide is another installment in our long-running garment care series, covering two appliances designed to eliminate unsightly wrinkles from your clothing. Which is a better appliance for garment care, an iron or a steamer?

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VIDEO CREDITS:
→Script: Preston Schlueter
→Camera: Chris Dummer
→Editing: Jonathan Oster

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Gentleman's Gazette
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For distinguished gentlemen, neat and properly cared for articles of clothing are key to looking well-dressed and how they are worn is just as important, if not, more so than the clothing itself. Just because you might be able to afford designer labels, that doesn't mean that they're going to look good on you if the fit is poor or if the garments are improperly cared for.

This guide is another installment in our long-running garment care series, covering two appliances designed to eliminate unsightly wrinkles from your clothing -- the iron, and the garment steamer.
0:00 Why you need them
01:12 History of the iron
03:23 History of the steamer
04:21 How does the iron work?
05:21 How does the steamer work?
06:50 Iron - Pros
07:55 Iron - Cons
08:34 Steamer - Pros
10:13 Steamer - Cons
10:37 General safety tips
11:47 Iron vs. Steamer: Which is Better?
12:42 Outfit Rundown

#GarmentCare #Clothingcare #ironing #steaming

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[jediaero]

You guys explain the things others fail to explain...

[noxplum]

this guys jaw line is c h i s e l e d

[sonny]

A combination of any good iron and a portable steamer is—in my opinion—ideal for most households. I use my iron to remove wrinkles from washed shirts and jeans, and I use my portable steamer to freshen up any shirts, suits or trousers I have worn.

I usually steam my worn clothes at the end of the day, leave them to air out and then I either wear them or store them in my wardrobe the next morning. Steaming works wonders when it comes to getting rid of bacteria and unpleasant odors, which can save a ton of money on dry cleaning and washing—especially when you tend to wear suits often.

[suem]

Whatever you do, do not use steam on knitted wool. Will cause felting which is disastrous. Happened when I trusted ‘professional’ dry cleaners who should have known better. If needed, I mist knitted item with cool water then block to dry. Professional fiber artist here.

[JohnBrown-goro]

You gentlemen always do an excellent job with the history/background of the topic your discussing. Always entertaining and educational and I love your socks!

[lorisewsstuff]

One use of steam that you didn't mention is that it kills germs and fungi. A lot of disagreeable smells come from wee beasties we can't see. I know more than a few people take all of their clothes to a dry cleaner before the start of a season. If you notice funky smells on clothing that has been in the closet for a few months a steamer can help. Start steaming your clothes in the off-season. Take your winter clothes out of your closet in mid-summer, give them a good steaming, hang them in a well ventilated area to dry, then put them back in the closet. When late fall rolls around they should still be fresh. A friend had a closet that had a bad smell of it's own. He took everything out and steamed the walls, floor and ceiling. Worked like a charm.

[davidbrown]

Both. Also found out that trying to de-wrinkle window curtains is next to impossible, but a steamer works great

[Tru_lie]

Way more information than I wanted however, I enjoyed the journey. Thank
You for the great video.

[eberthzorzi]

You gave all the necessary informations in the right moments. Bravo

[d]

Very good information, I'm going to look into one of the small, portable steamers.

[juanfigueroa-serville]

Well spoken gentleman. Words are concise, well detailed, and clear.

[adrianna]

Great historical info on how the iron was created.
I am currently looking for reviews on irons vs steamers. I only ever used iron but it’s such a hassle to prepare the ironing station if I just want a quick fix for couple of creases my on dresses. I think after watching your video, I might treat myself to a steamer. Thank you for the prons and cons 😃

[Romary]

Here's the short answer: BOTH.
You're welcome.

[shawnz]

Excellent video and brilliant delivery from Preston!

[estuchedepeluche]

Once I bought a steamer, I stopped using my iron. The trick is to insert a pillow or towel inside the garment so that the plastic actually presses the fabric. This method even worked on a leather jacket that had traveled in a suitcase, gotten wet, and looked terrible.

[AleTheDLT]

How have I never come across this channel?! This is great

[neilhay]

Thank you, that was a very good video for the information that I wanted to know on steamers. The history and comparision was good too as it gives a very well rounded information on both for a better desision on what suits what I need.

[KibatheMalinois]

This video is very informative and worthwhile to watch however I myself am rough and rugged guy that wears cargos, denims, casual shirts and heavy duty wear items so can't really relate to the gentlemans dress code lol however I do believe in being neat and having tidy looking clothes on the occasions that call for a non hard work day such as a meeting, date etc. so I guess I am the garment steamer guy because I would never aim for perfect but I will always strive for presentable.

[Larry-qzes]

I have both an iron and a steamer. I use the steamer for my blazers and suits while I use the iron for my shirts and recommend when ironing and steaming, use distilled water, and set on low steam pressure. A steamer is also great to use when traveling.

[jasonchang]

a comprehensive, in-depth, objective video as always. great job.