Conair Extreme Steam Reviews – Handheld & Upright Garment Steamers

Conair has always been a well-regarded brand name that produces affordable items for budget-conscious shoppers. It has a wide range of products under its belt from hair dryers to travel pillows. As for clothes steamers, it also has a few models available on the market. Right now, there are probably about 10 to 15 different models of Conair fabric steamers that you can find. These range from travel to upright steamers. Let’s pick the more popular Extreme Heat product line for our Conair fabric steamer reviews below.

Conair Extreme Steam Review

The features of the Conair Extreme Steam GS23 are:

• 1100-watt
• 75 seconds heating time
• Dual heat settings
• 15 minutes steam time
• Steam trigger with built-in switch
• 7.3 oz removable water tank
• 9 feet power cord
• 3 removable attachments

==> Check Price

The Conair Extreme Steam fabric steamer is a handheld unit similar to the Rowenta X-Cel Steam. It is claimed that this steamer is 30% hotter with its dual heat technology and concentrated steam so that it is also effective for erasing wrinkles on heavier fabrics. It can also release wrinkles 5 times faster than other steamers with this technology.

There is another model similar to this one which is an Amazon exclusive (model no. GS23AMP). It is purple instead of the standard blue/white color. The features are the same too. So, if you are considering buying the Conair Extreme Steam, it might be a good idea to also check out the Amazon exclusive. I have noticed that it is cheaper at times compared to the standard model.

Why You Should Buy The Conair Extreme Steam Fabric Steamer

There are a few features that make it a good buy. The dual heat feature is one of them. Not many handheld garment steamers have a heat setting option. A low heat setting is necessary for more delicate fabrics while high heat is needed for cotton and linen. Apparently, the high heat setting is also sufficient to kill bed bugs and dust mites.

You can also get constant steam with a built-in switch. There is no necessity to keep pressing the steam trigger button for continuous steaming since you can lock it with a switch.

Lastly, the 15 minutes of steaming time is considered long for a compact handheld clothes steamer. Rowenta X-Cel Steam models can steam up to 10 minutes only. So, the Conair Extreme Steam is better in this aspect with a slightly larger water tank capacity. If it takes you 5 minutes to steam an item, you would be able to go through 3 items before you need to refill. Many people can steam a shirt in half the time. Thus, it is very likely you can do more than 3 pieces of clothing before a refill is needed.

The Negatives

It takes longer to heat up compared to the Rowenta X-Cel Steam. The latter can be ready in under a minute but the Conair Extreme Steam will require an additional minute before it is ready for use.

The other common complaint that is noticeable from the many Conair Extreme Steam reviews online is the steamer getting clogged up after a few months of use. You will need to disassemble part of it to clear the pump. While it works for some users, it is a hassle to keep doing it each time when steam can’t be emitted due to clogs.

Conair Turbo Extreme Steam Review

The Conair Turbo Extreme Steam (model no. GS76RGD) is a step up from the model above. The features are:

• 1550-watt
• 40 seconds heating time
• On/Off switch
• 15 minutes steam time
• Quilted aluminum steamer plate
• Built-in creaser
• 7.3 oz removable water tank
• 3-in-1 attachments
• Standing base

==> Check Price

Instead of dual heat setting, this Conair compact steamer has a turbo steam feature. This delivers 50% more steam with 67% quicker results than Conair’s most basic fabric steamer unit. It also does better in terms of heat output as its temperature can go up to 50% hotter.

Of course, there are more reasons to buy this than the GS23 above. At the time of writing, the price differential is about $10 thereabouts. Let’s see if the additional features are worth the extra money.

Conair Turbo Extreme Steam Selling Points

With the improvement in terms of features, the heating time is now lowered to under a minute. This is similar to what the Rowenta X-Cel Steam can offer. Since a handheld clothes steamer is often used when we are in a hurry, every little time saving is a bonus.

Next, although the steam is now more powerful, you can still get 15 minutes of steaming time with its large water reservoir. The Turbo setting will be great for more stubborn wrinkles and thicker fabric.

The other 2 features that you can’t get with the GS23 is the On/Off switch and standing base. What this means is there is no longer a need to unplug the steamer once you are done. Just turn it to Off and you can leave it standing and ready for the next use.

Lastly, it gives out a bit more steam than the GS23. It is effective for moderately wrinkled clothes. It won’t replace the best Rowenta iron out there but will give acceptable results for most clothes.

The Negatives

It could be heavy for some people. It weighs slightly over 3 lbs. It is like the weight of those big, high-end steam irons that are effective in removing wrinkles in one sweeping motion. But with a steamer, you need to hold it up to do the task which can be tiring for some.

The Conair Turbo Extreme Steam reviews on the net also have quite a fair bit of complaints on defects. It spits water and for some buyers, it doesn’t last beyond a few months of use. But generally, it works for the majority and the higher than average ratings reflect this.

Conair Extreme Steam Professional Upright Fabric Steamer Review

From compact handheld garment steamers, let’s move on to a bigger unit which is the Conair Extreme Steam Professional Upright Fabric Steamer:

• 1800-watt
• Dual heat technology
• Aluminum face plate
• Energy-saving steam pause
• 45″ telescopic pole
• 360-degree rotating collapsible hanger
• 60 oz removable water tank
• 100 seconds heating time
• 60 minutes steam time
• 5 feet insulated hose
• Bristle brush and crease attachments

==> Check Price

The dual heat technology for this upright garment steamer means bringing the water to a boil in the base and re-heating it again in the nozzle to get hotter steam. The temperature reaches a very high level that dry steam is formed which penetrates deeper into the material and erases wrinkles quicker. It is claimed that the steam penetrates fabric 3 times faster due to its high velocity and the steam is 40% hotter than standard 1500-watt upright garment steamers.

Should You Buy This Conair Upright Fabric Steamer?

You will get a lot of steam with this one. It is very hot and together with the steam, wrinkles are gone quickly from your clothes. The steam pause is also a great feature. There is a button on the nozzle which you can turn on and off. This will control the steam emission. Turning it off while you adjust your clothes will help to conserve water and power.

The heating time is not too bad for a large water tank. It will be ready in less than 1.5 minutes. Some brands can do in it less than a minute but a 30-second difference shouldn’t be too big a deal for a full-size garment steamer. The 60 oz water tank ensures a long steaming time of up to an hour. This would be sufficient for home use. If you are quick, you can certainly steam a lot of items in an hour, especially if the heat and steam output are high.

The Cons

The bad news is the customer ratings for this model is only average. From the many online Conair Extreme Steam Professional Upright Fabric Steamers reviews, this model seems to be prone to spitting water. Some buyers have been left frustrated because of this issue.

The other drawback is it doesn’t have a steam level setting. There are other brands on the market at a similar price point that has this feature such as the PurSteam Full Size Garment Fabric Steamer. This Conair model only has a steam pause option which is not the same as a variable steam setting.

For a 60 oz upright garment steamer, the price is reasonable and comparable to other models of similar capacity in the market. But with the user complaints, perhaps it is also a good idea to look at other brands that are available since the price differentials are quite small for a few of these units at the time of writing.

Conair Extreme Steam Reviews: Handheld vs Upright Steamers

Which one should you buy? Should you buy the Conair Extreme Steam compact steamers or the Professional Upright garment steamer? A compact fabric steamer will not have the same power as an upright model. The wattage and steam strength tend to be lower. But it is more convenient and less cumbersome to use. There is no big water tank to carry to and from the tap. Current technology also enables compact models to emit a sufficient amount of steam to get rid of wrinkles.

If you are a light user, an upright steamer may indeed be an overkill. If all you need to steam is a shirt or two, you don’t need a big unit that allows for an hour of continuous steaming. A handheld garment steamer will do the job. On the other hand, if you are steaming the clothes for the whole family, then you will need one with a bigger water capacity. A higher volume of steam output will also make the task easier and faster to complete.

From the Conair Extreme Steam reviews on the different models above, I would say go with the handheld versions for light use and quick touch-ups. If you want to do more serious steaming, shop around for other brands for an upright garment steamer given the drawbacks of the Conair Professional.

What Are The Latest Deals For Conair Fabric Steamers? Find Out Now:

Lastly, if you are a perfectionist, no garment steamers might be able to satisfy those high standards. You will need the best steam iron or the best steam press to give you the crispness and sharpness that you need. Garment steamers can get rid of soft wrinkles easily. These are the main wrinkles found on our clothes. But for those stubborn and obvious lines that could appear on a few spots, a steamer may not work as well as an iron. For some fabrics, faint wrinkles may also still be visible after steaming. The weight and pressure that you apply while ironing is lacking when you do steaming and this makes it less effective in erasing wrinkles compared to an iron or a steam press.