Automatic Ironing Machine vs Steam Iron vs Garment Steamer

If you are tired of ironing, you have three main options: stick with a steam iron, switch to a garment steamer, or let an automatic ironing machine do it. Each one suits a different kind of person and a different kind of week. Here is an honest comparison.

At a glance

	Steam iron	Garment steamer	Automatic ironing machine
Your effort	High, you do all the work	Medium, you hold and move it	Low, put it on and walk away
Your time	All of it	All of it	A minute to set up
Finish	Crisp, sharp creases possible	Relaxed, good for light creases	Smooth and wrinkle-free
Also dries clothes	No	No	Yes
Best for	Sharp trouser creases, precise collars	Suits, dresses, quick touch-ups	Weekly shirts, people who hate ironing

The steam iron

The classic. With practice and an ironing board, a steam iron gives the sharpest finish of the three, including crisp trouser creases. The downside is that it takes your full attention for every single garment, and it is the option most people are trying to escape.

Choose it if you enjoy ironing, or you need a sharp crease down the front of your trousers.

The garment steamer

A steamer relaxes creases with hot steam while the garment hangs. It is quicker to get out than an iron and great for delicate fabrics, suits and dresses that only need a refresh. Getting crisp collars and cuffs takes practice, and you still have to stand there for every garment.

Choose it if you mostly need quick touch-ups, or you travel a lot.

The automatic ironing machine

An automatic ironing machine works differently. You put a damp garment onto an inflatable form, set the time and temperature, and warm air inflates it from the inside. It dries and irons at the same time, and you do not need to be there while it works.

The Scanovus Automatic Ironing Machine 4.0 takes around 8 to 12 minutes per shirt and works with shirts, t-shirts, polos, blouses and trousers, in sizes up to 3XL. It switches itself off when the timer ends, and also if it tips over or overheats.

Choose it if you wear shirts most days and you want the job gone, not just made easier. The finish is smooth and wrinkle-free rather than pressed with sharp creases, which is exactly what most people want from an everyday shirt.

What about cost?

A basic steam iron is the cheapest to buy, a good steamer sits in the middle, and an automatic ironing machine is the bigger upfront spend at £129.90 for the Scanovus. The real difference is in your time: with the iron and the steamer you pay with your evenings, every week. With the machine you set it going and do something else. Our guide on how long ironing really takes puts some numbers on that.

Our honest recommendation

Many households end up with two of these, not one. A steamer for the occasional suit or dress, and either an iron or an automatic machine for the weekly shirts. If ironing the weekly pile is the job you dread, the automatic machine is the one that changes your week.