I Never Thought I’d Need a Steam Closet — This Smart One Changed Everything

My husband and I have lived in many different types of homes in the New York metro area over the years (one studio, five small apartments, and, most recently, our first house, to be exact). Despite moving from one small living quarter to the next, and eventually settling into a more spacious home, there’s one household clutter problem that seemingly follows us everywhere we go: the “clothes chair.”

A “clothes chair” is a chair, bench, or random piece of furniture typically in your bedroom where you frequently stack lightly worn clothing that doesn’t really belong anywhere else, for two important reasons: The item (a pair of jeans, blazer, or jacket) isn’t quite clean enough to be put back into the closet or drawers with other clean clothes, nor is it dirty enough to be tossed into the laundry hamper.

Whether you call yours by the same name or not, I’m going to guess you have one, too. And if so, I may have just found your new favorite appliance: the LG Styler steam closet. I didn’t think I needed one, but I first tried it a few years ago and it’s been a true game-changer for keeping lightly worn clothing clean and wrinkle-free. It instantly eliminated the need to leave lightly used clothing lying around the house.

I’ve owned and tested the LG Styler Smart Wi-Fi Enabled Steam Closet with TrueSteam Technology in my home for nearly three years now. Before unboxing it, I wondered if a steam closet system was actually something that our tiny household of two needs, but it’s proven to be a surprisingly handy tool for the laundry room, bedroom, or closet. Here’s why: The LG Styler is a steam-powered clothing care system that refreshes, sanitizes, and gently de-wrinkles your clothes — no washing or dry cleaning required. Just hang your items inside, press a button, and let the steam do the rest. It’s a slim appliance that you place anywhere you have an outlet handy. Just plug it in and go, no water line access needed.

All you need to do to get it going is to add tap water to The LG Steam Closet. It uses the company’s signature TrueSteam® Technology to deodorize, refresh, and sanitize clothing without chemicals. It comes with two moving hangers that vibrate from side-to-side to help loosen allergens, dirt, and debris, plus a shelf at the bottom to place items like sneakers or pet toys.

Below, find all the reasons why the LG Styler Steam Closet has been such a game-changer in my home.

I’ve found this to be the best steam closet for any small space because it’s so compact and easy to use to refresh items I wear but aren’t quite ready to throw in the wash. I’ve used it to sanitize and steam clean blazers, my favorite jeans, and delicate dresses and evening wear I’ve only worn for a few hours that would typically need to be dry cleaned.

On cool nights, I have a sweatshirt and throw that I like to wear when I sit outside. I like to throw them both into the LG Styler when I come back inside, and the next time I need to use them they’re refreshed, smelling good, and ready to use.

When my husband and I get ready to head out for a date night or event, we’re often running late. Sometimes having to iron our clothes before we go is an extra step that we dread, and the LG Styler is the best steam closet solution for this problem. Once we know what we’re planning to wear, I throw his slacks and my dress into the Styler, select the “Refresh” mode, and 30 minutes later our outfits are ready to go just about the same time we are.

There’s also a pants press inside to help remove wrinkles from trousers and restore the creases. It’s also great for light jackets and coats that are a pain to iron. (My spring trench coat is a regular in mine.) We joke that we feel like we have a personal dry cleaning service at home, and it’s been the biggest time-saver.

In addition to the Refresh cycle, I also find the Sanitary cycle to be super helpful in our day-to-day lives. In just 45 minutes or less, it can sanitize items, removing pollen, pet dander, bacteria, dust, and all the other pesky airborne allergens out there — without having to use any harsh chemicals like bleach or soaps.

We have two dogs and suffer through allergy season, so this has been incredibly useful. When my husband’s seasonal allergies flare up, he sanitizes his jacket and shirts as soon as he walks in the door, and he says the difference is immediately noticeable for his breathing and comfort. The LG Styler has come in handy when I’m sanitizing the dogs’ balls and plush toys or blankets, too (they’re delicate and often don’t wash well in the machines, but they come out looking and smelling so much fresher from the Styler).

We also do a lot of gardening and yard work, so our sneakers and garden gloves also need a good refresh and sanitizing from time to time. We’ve thrown them in the LG Styler, too.

Another great way to use the LG Styler has been to gently dry individual pieces that you don’t want to use extreme dryer heat on. When my clothing and shoes are soaked after coming inside on a rainy day, I pop them into the Styler and select the Gentle Dry setting. They’re bone dry in minutes and this mode also works great when drying non-washable fabrics. I’ve also used the Gentle Dry mode to dry wool sweaters and other delicate fabrics in the winter, and it works like a charm.

I should note that the Styler is narrow and the rack and shelf are very compact. It only holds two to three small garments or one larger coat/jacket at a time. The size — about 17.5 inches wide, 73 inches tall, and 23 inches deep — makes it easy to store inside a medium to large closet or laundry room, but doesn’t make it ideal for steam cleaning in bulk or larger items, if that’s your primary need.

To keep it cleaning, you’ll need to refill the water reservoir with fresh water between uses and dump the dirty water in the accompanying output reservoir as well. It takes less than a minute, and the ease of use is phenomenal. The touchscreen is also user-friendly and easy to navigate between cleaning and sanitizing modes. The overall design aesthetic of the unit is quite chic (we have it in white to match our washer and dryer, but it also comes in black) and our guests immediately want to know more about it when they see it. After playing around with mine, a close friend was even inspired to purchase one to use to sanitize and refresh all of the vintage clothing she snags at local thrift stores. 

Three years later, my LG Styler Steam Closet is still in regular rotation and working just as well as it did on day one. I use it several times a week to refresh clothing, sanitize our dogs’ toys, and clean delicate items that aren’t practical to wash after every wear. It’s also become my go-to solution for reviving clothes and linens that have been sitting in storage bins for months. Best of all, I’ve experienced zero performance issues over the years — the touchscreen still works perfectly, every function operates as intended, and it hasn’t required a single repair or service call. If you’re wondering whether the LG Styler is worth the investment long-term, my answer after three years of ownership is a huge yes.

If you’re looking for an easy solution for refreshing, drying, or sanitizing lightly worn clothing or tough-to-clean items in your home, I think you’ll find that the LG Styler (model S3CW) — coming in at just under $1,200 on most retail sites — is an appliance splurge that’s well worth the price tag. It’s also a great solution for pet owners, families with small or very active children, and anyone who is a regular at the local dry cleaner. The LG Styler can be purchased (and you can learn more about their functionality with tutorial videos) over on LG’s website, as well as on Best Buy and The Home Depot.

Buy: LG Styler, $1,199

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