I hardly ever iron these days – just the odd collared shirt or linen garment – and when I do, I really, really resent hauling out the ironing board and iron. It’s enough to make me avoid wearing certain clothes altogether, because I’m not sure I can pull off ‘stylishly rumpled’.
Lots of my colleagues (especially the ones who love a billowy dress) wax lyrical about their garment steamers, claiming they’ll never iron again. That sounds great to me, but I never really thought I’d get on with a steamer – I just thought they looked a bit faffy and ineffective.
That was until, during a video shoot, I fired up a new model by Morphy Richards, which we were testing over at the Good Housekeeping Institute. Here’s what happened... and why I immediately slipped it into my bag.
The Morphy Richards Vibe Garment Steamer in a nutshell
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Pros
- Rapidly steams wrinkles out of clothes, even on tricky fabrics
- Optional brush attachment can loosen thicker fibres
- Great for travel thanks to compact design and storage bag
- Spits less than other garment steamers
- Simple one-button control with see-through water tank
- Great value
Cons
- No descaling advice – distilled, deionised or demineralised water recommended
Key specifications
| Tank capacity | 70ml |
|---|---|
| Weight | 700g |
| Transparent water tank | Yes |
| Hanging equipment | Yes – hanging loop |
| Included accessories | Brush attachment, storage bag |
| Dimensions | 30 x 11 x 6cm |
| Wattage | 1200W |
With its pistachio green curves and low price tag, this fab little steamer by Morphy Richards caused a bit of a stir over at the Institute, especially when it performed so well in testing. It has simple one-button controls (just hold down to steam), heats up quickly (33 seconds in our tests) and is one of the smallest, lightest models we’ve ever tried.
It also comes with a brush attachment that you can use to loosen the fibres of thicker fabrics – you simply pop it on and brush the fabric while steaming. Plus, there’s a handy storage bag to keep everything tucked away and protect it during travel. Not bad for £24.
My review of the Morphy Richards Vibe Garment Steamer
So much faster and easier than ironing.
As I mentioned, my first encounter with the Vibe steamer was at the Good Housekeeping Institute. As a clothes steamer newbie, I was demonstrating it for the camera and, I’ll be honest, was in a bit of a rush. I unpacked it, filled the little water tank, turned it on and was steaming a crumpled cotton shirt in less than a minute. Very speedy.
As I held the fabric taut with my left hand and moved the steamer across the shirt with my right, it emitted an impressive stream of steam for the ‘gram. I was actually boggled at how the creases melted before my eyes, fast. It had to be mine... so once filming wrapped, I took it home for ‘further testing’ (and I don’t want to give it back, sorry).
Before and after the GHI testers used the Vibe on a silk dress.
As soon as I got home, I fired up my Vibe and got to work on a small mountain of wrinkled shirts and dresses that I’d been putting off ironing for literal months. Not only did it heat up and steam them exceptionally quickly, it was light and comfortable to use for an extended period of time.
It does an amazing job, too. It smooths wrinkles out of all kinds of fabrics with ease, from linen to thick cotton (the brush helps with sturdier fabrics). Even shirt collars get to a wearable state, though not as perfectly pressed as they would be with an iron. My work wardrobe was suddenly looking much bigger, not to mention a whole lot sharper.
The only downside – aside from having to refill fairly often – is that this steamer’s instructions don’t provide any advice on descaling, instead advising that you use distilled, deionised or demineralised water. While I admit I’ve been using tap (and for now it works fine), I’ll be switching to one of these inexpensive options to avoid limescale buildup, as I do live in a very hard water area.
Final verdict
It’s a permanent fixture in my bedroom.
I’m now using my trusty Vibe steamer multiple times a week – I either steam just-dried clothes before I put them away in the wardrobe, or steam in the morning to freshen an outfit I'm wearing that day. I keep it hung up on a door hook with the handy loop that’s in the design of the head.
Considering I used to begrudgingly get the ironing board out about every two months, that really demonstrates how quick and easy this thing is to use. And yes, the iron and ironing board have been gleefully given away. Good riddance.
While I haven’t taken it on holiday yet, I certainly plan to – it will be perfect for refreshing holiday outfits that have been crumpled in transit (I’m looking at you, linen shirts). If the GHI ever wants this steamer back, I’m afraid they’re going to have to wait. It’s one of the best things I’ve bought (okay, acquired) this year.
The Good Housekeeping Institute verdict
Linen trousers before and after a session with the Vibe.
The Good Housekeeping Institute gave this steamer a very strong score of 88/100, placing it second overall in our best clothes steamers roundup with the title of best budget clothes steamer. It heated up quickly and managed to steam most of our wrinkled test garments in around a minute and a half, from a silk dress and cotton shirt to tricky linen trousers (above). “I was really impressed with this little garment steamer,” our tester enthused.
We didn’t see any spitting (a common issue with clothes steamers) and our clothes were left barely damp thanks to the quick steam time. While we would have preferred some more comprehensive descaling instructions so you can use tap water confidently, we loved the user-friendly design, which is compact, comfortable and light.
It’s a vibe.
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Jasmine is the Good Housekeeping Institute’s homes writer. With a background in design, she is committed to sorting the good products from the great –and helping Good Housekeeping readers do the same.
Throughout her career, Jasmine has written extensively about product quality, craftsmanship and sustainability, and is passionate about consumer rights. She previously worked as a writer and researcher at the product longevity platform Buy Me Once.
If she isn’t reviewing the latest gadgets for your home, you can probably find Jasmine cooking elaborate meals or crafting something weird and wonderful!
Tilly brings a unique blend of skills to the Good Housekeeping Institute’s Homes Testing team. She has hands-on experience testing equipment across both editorial and television, working on live and pre-recorded productions. Alongside this, she is an experienced food stylist and producer, having collaborated with celebrity chefs and leading brands, including representing companies as a demo chef. Her work also spans advertising campaigns and branded content across the UK and internationally.
Originally trained as a cookery journalist, Tilly specialises in equipment testing and recipe development. She is passionate about making life easier for consumers, with a particular focus on simplifying instructions and improving usability.
When she’s not testing products, Tilly can usually be found singing in a choir or cooking up a feast for friends and family.