[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I was hesitant upon accepting this product as I have never been one to iron anything. However, Conair was a household brand for me growing up and this was a product market of theirs I had never been a part of. Don't get me wrong: I certainly know how to iron, but laziness and a large wardrobe usually cover my need to starch or press any clothing last second. IE, If it has wrinkles, I'll just wear something that doesn't. I have an iron, but it's usually reserved for crafts and the like. Given the people who make up my household, I am the only one who has an apt for its proper use, and I worry about others burning themselves (or the house down) when they get ahold of it.
When I finally unboxed the Conair ExtremeSteam Fabric Steamer, I was surprised to find an incredibly intuitive setup. There were a few bells and whistles to the design itself, such as a lever within the steam trigger that enabled constant steam output (this served to be very useful to me!) but for the casual user, everything was incredibly straightforward. There is a trigger for steam, a water tank with a rubber stopper, an indicator light that tells you when the device is ready to use, and of course.. a large on/off button on the back (labeled, for all to see).
Every time I review or receive a new product, I open it and investigate whether or not I could use it without the attached manual. I myself tend to read manuals—just for safety and extra features that may not strike at first glance—however within our busy society, people tend not to. Setup and use of the device was very easy to infer just off of the design alone, and upon reading the manual, I was only wrong about the water tank—which is supposedly detachable.
For this alone, I deem this product idiot-proof (this is a subjective label and I do not hold any legal responsibility for mishaps).
Use was quick and easy. I had a NASTILY wrinkled shirt that is NOTORIOUSLY hard to iron that I pit against this machine. I really wanted to push it to its limit to see if it could tackle the task and found that I actually MUCH preferred it much over ironing! The instructions heavily advised to use distilled water to avoid unnecessary maintenance and mineral build-ups, but tap water was what I used (sorry!) The manual also suggested that there would be a small ticking noise on the first start up, but I didn't hear this at all. I was able to steam a garment to my own personal satisfaction (like I mentioned, this shirt is just a nightmare to get wrinkles out of) in about 7-8 minutes—MUCH quicker than it would if I was ironing. It also cooled very quickly as opposed to an ironed garment, which I enjoyed. The only caution I would give is the cooling of the metal plate, which takes about 30-40 minutes like most devices of its kind (straightening irons, clothing irons, etc). I would recommend this product to friends and especially people with small living spaces that don't accommodate an ironing board. All in all, great product and another hit from Conair.
Customer reviews for Conair® ExtremeSteam® Lightweight Fabric Steamer for
