I've had my Steamfast SF407 for a little over 3 years now. It's been used multiple times a week since. For the price, this is a great steamer. Safe and more effective than ironing multiple times a week! Looking back I have no idea how I went without a steamer. Never wearing wrinkly clothes is awesome!
The heat up is fast, faster than my Jiffy J-2000, which is a much more expensive steamer. The unit, for the price, is built fine. The telescopic pole is a little flimsy and a little too short in my opinion, but the hook provided to hang your garment on is easy to use. I also like the hook to hang the hose on when not in use. I prefer these hooks over my Jiffy J-2000. The included attachments make steaming easier provided you're using them for their intended purpose. Most modern steamers include castors which is a convenient. This unit should include some locking castors for use on hard smooth flooring.
Onto maintenance issues...this unit WILL clog eventually if you use tap water. Do not use tap water, use de-mineralized water with any steamer. It is a pain to have to clean out a steamer when it could have been prevented. I did not listen to this advice in any manual I have read about steamers and today I cleaned out 3 years of mineral build up from my Steamfast. I will also be cleaning out my Jiffy J-2000. The Steamfast would produce steam steadily and then about 60 seconds in it would taper off to nothing. Figuring it was clogged I eventually just decided to take it apart today and see if I could clean it myself. No amount of vinegar steaming through this unit would do anything - HOURS of steaming with vinegar. From disassembly to cleaning to reassembly it took about 20 minutes. Easy peasy anyone can do it. Many pipe cleaners later it's working perfectly again. I included pictures of the before and after. It was disgusting. If you decide to take this unit apart yourself, be careful with the hose it, it could crack and they do not sell this part, they just want to sell you another unit!
For the price this unit is absolutely worth it if you intend to take care of it. Steaming is easier, safer, and more efficient than ironing.
Steamfast SF-407 is one of three types of steamers I've used. SF-560 and SF-520 are the others. The SF-407 has been more reliable and easier to maneuver for me.
I use the steamer with tap water and clean out the tank at least once a day to remove some mineral deposits. Every month or two, i use vinegar to more thoroughly clean out mineral deposits. I accept this as part of using the steamer and with using tap water. I have taken a couple of them apart and cleaned out deposits inside as well.
Having purchased a number of units over the years, I have seen differences as Steamfast made changes to the SF-407. And there are differences in quality of steam from unit to unit. Some units produce steam easily while others struggle more. Some units may overheat and the unit's internal shutoff mechanism will trigger frequently. I've noticed that some units' steam quality may actually get better with use. I've had only one unit that just did not produce good enough steam. Even with these inconsistencies, I rely on the SF-407 to produce decent steam with the hack listed below.
HACK FOR MORE CONTINUOUS STEAM: The steamer outputs steam but periodically needs to add more water to boil in the internal tank. It can be frustrating if the steamer does this while you want to steam something continuously. My solution: First, add plenty of water to the external tank. Turn on the machine. Then, lean the machine forward at 30 degrees -- lean the machine so the back 2 wheels are off the floor. Use the pole to apply leverage. This fills the internal tank more fully so it doesn't have to refill so often. You will see bubbles as water leaves the external tank and the internal tank fills with water. When you see no more bubbles, lean the steamer back so it rests on all 4 wheels again. The steamer will take a little more time to produce steam because it needs time to boil the extra amount of water in the internal tank. You will get decent continuous steam with less frequent refilling. After using it a while, the internal tank boils off most of the extra water and starts refilling like usual. You can refill the internal tank again by tipping the machine forward. This probably would not be recommended by the company, but I use this method to get better continuous steam for longer periods of time. Note: Be careful if you remove the external tank and replace it, this hack adds water to the area holding the external tank. Replace the external tank slowly. If you drop the external tank quickly, you will splash water out.
HACK FOR DRAINING OUT MINERAL DEPOSITS: The steamer will lose quality of steam easily as it ages with usage of tap water. Cleaning deposits out everyday becomes necessary. After using the steamer, you will drain the internal tank of water and deposits. The manual tells you to wait 15 minutes for the water to cool. But if you do, the mineral deposits harden to surfaces inside the machine. To remove these deposits, drain the water while it is still hot/warm. Just avoid touching the hot water as it drains out. First, add plenty of water to the external tank. Put a very large bowl/container to hold the drained out water or have the unit placed near some drain. Then, undo the unit's drain screw and remove it completely. (Use a tool like pliers to loosen the drain plug. Afterwards, you will want to screw it back on later tightly to avoid water leaking out.) Water will drain out. Periodically, tilt the unit forward and then backward so water is released from and then filled into the internal tank. This cleans out the internal tank more completely. If the unit's internal tubing becomes clogged, the water will only trickle out of the drain. Replace the drain plug and then pick up the unit a couple inches off the floor and tap it down against the floor a couple of times on its 4 wheels to dislodge mineral deposits. Open the drain plug and continue to drain water. You will notice cloudy water with small particles of mineral deposits in the drained out water.
I bought this steamer in 2013 from Amazon. It was really great the first couple years. I only steam clothes once or twice a week and it worked well for me. Sometimes the black hanger connection falls off but not often.
For the last couple years it doesn't produce much steam. I was about to throw it out until I read a review of this steamer in which the reviewer recommended opening it up and cleaning it out. I don't know why I didn't think of it. I tried to clean it out before by dumping the water and opening the drain hole with no luck. So I decided that I didn't have anything to lose. I removed the bottom, took off the tubing and yep... it was completely clogged with sediment. I use filtered water most of the time but not always. It was packed. So it stopped working well because it couldn't get the water from the reservoir. I used a little silicon caulking left over from a different project to reseal the tubes.
After putting it back together it's going strong. I just saved myself $50 since I didn't have to buy another steamer and peace of mind that I won't be adding to this item to the city trash heap!
I hate ironing, but there are some garments that no matter how I wash or dry always need ironing. My pile was always huge and stayed there for a long time until I finally had to get to it. Then, a month ago, my iron broke. It was not heating anymore and I had to get a new one... Started looking on amazon for one with good ratings, but then I stumble across the fabric steamer.... Looked it up for reviews and videos on you tube to see if it was worth it. Purchased the handheld one and it was terrible. I had to fill with water after steaming half the shirt, and not to mention the terrible burning smell that was coming from the unit. Returned it. More research on steamers/iron... Then, set on this unit. All I gotta say is WOW! This thing works. Leaves my clothes so nice, better than my ironing... It's easy to use, sturdy enough for the price point and the best part is that the wrinkles does not come back after the clothes are steamed and hanged for a while. I steamed my huge pile of clothes - that was waiting to be ironed for over a month - and did it so fast! Love love love it! I went to the closet and looked for the clothes that needed some steaming and voila! Done... Now no more pile of clothes waiting for ironing...
Now, regarding durability I can't say anything yet, as I just got it. I do use distilled water because here we have hard water. I'll update if something goes wrong with this unit.
I had an older version of this steamer for years. I treated it horribly. I fed it water directly from the faucet. I cleaned it out far less frequently than I should have. I violently yanked the cord out of the wall on a regular basis. And still, it persevered - with everyday use - for SIX YEARS.
It passed quietly a few days ago. I think the heating mechanism must have given out. Or it was clogged. All I know is my usual trouble-shooting tactic of turning it off and then on again didn't fix the issue. I went so far as to empty it out and refill it - and when that didn't work, I decided I'd see what the new model was going for. It was affordable enough that I figured I'd spare myself the hours of frustration I'd undoubtedly spend fixing it/ breaking it further.
But the point is that I didn't hesitate to buy this steamer again. So far this updated model works just like my trusty old version. This one even protects you from the hot tube (the old version didn't have a wrapped tube, which made it kind of dangerous but also trying not to touch it was an oddly satisfying challenge).
I'll treat this one a bit better. If it doesn't live up to its predecessor, I'll come back and report.
Feature Product
- SATISFACTION - Backed by a 2-year hassle-free and supported by a customer service team based in Andover, KS
- QUICK HEAT UP TIME - 40-ounce capacity removable water tank heats up in 45 seconds and provides up to 45 minutes of continuous steam
- 100% CHEMICAL-FREE - More effective and gentler on fabrics than ironing for all-natural garment care using the power of steam
- REMOVE WRINKLES AND REFRESH - Removes wrinkles and odors from clothes, linens, curtains, upholstery, and more, without the hassle of dry cleaning
- EQUIPPED FOR THE JOB - Comes equipped with a cool-touch fabric hose, telescopic pole, illuminated power switch, attachable fabric brush, and clothes hook
- Built to meet U. S. voltage requirements. Certified, safety-tested, and warrantied for use only in the U. S.
Description
The Steamfast SF-407 Fabric Steamer is the effective, reliable steamer that belongs in every laundry room. Its 40-ounce removable water tank provides up to 45 minutes of steam time and is ready to use in 45 seconds for quick touch-ups. Hot steam penetrates deep into fabrics and relaxes fibers, releasing wrinkles faster than ironing and freshening clothes in seconds. The SF-407 is gentle on your most delicate fabrics, yet works equally well on drapes, upholstery and other heavier materials. Strong steam not only freshens fabrics and releases wrinkles, but reduces dust mite allergens, kills germs and bed bugs as well. Less expensive and much safer than dry cleaning, the SF-407 requires no chemicals, making it safe for use around your family and pets.
Recieved it on time, packed very well, no damage, all parts were there. It ws very easy to put together using the included manual. Directions were very good explaining how to use and cautions. Warranty information explained well. After assemblying I put it through an initial operations check. Filled it with water (highly recommend distilled or deminierlized water only). Electric plug very short, if extension needed highly recommend using 3 prong only due to high 1500 wattage rating. After pluging in it immediatly began heating water. Takes about 45 sec to 1 minute before steam began to show. Initially made a lot of gurgaling sounds, the manual stated this would happen on first startup. Steam began to flow very well, caution gets very hot. I steamed a shirt and it removed the wringles easily. One thing noticeable is that after half the water was used it slowed down its steam. I noticed that the water had stopped flowing into the heating chamber. Recommend that you put something under the back end of steamer in order to help the water to flow into the heating chamber. I used a a ½ inch thick piece of card board to slightly raise the rear to get the rest of the water do flow into the tank. Seems to be a slight design flaw but it worked fine after that. Another person had mentioned this issue. All in all it works very well, it is a not very sturdy so I would use care in handlling it, but it does not take away from its operation.
I bought this for 2 reasons: 1st, to steam the wrinkles out of several pairs of sheer curtains in a house we are selling. It was hot work, but I pretty quickly learned how to use the steamer most effectively - by holding out the curtains (hung on their rods) and s l o w l y steaming. (these curtains had been stored in a pile in a plastic bag for several years, so they are VERY wrinkled. I let them hang on their own for a couple of weeks ahead of time.) The 2nd reason I bought it was to use to quickly steam wrinkles out of clothes - it works pretty well.
I think this product would be improved with two changes: (1) It needs is an option to shoot a more focused shot of steam when one is dealing with a particuarly tough wrinkle; (2) it is very diffocult to pick up -safely - and move when it's got water in the tank. Because I was steaming curtains on the rods, I had to place the steamer on a chair in order to reach the highest part of the curtains. SO - it needs some kind of a handle somewhere.
That said - I would buy it again.
Works great, I use it almost every day. It cannot handle heavily wrinkled 100% cotton or linen fabrics very easily, but it works great for light to medium wrinkles in most fabrics. Only use my iron now for table linens. I steam all my laundry now and it helps me to wear almost all of my wardrobe now since I can easily just de-wrinkle individual items in less than 2 minutes in the morning before putting them on. With a traditional iron, I would have to set up the ironing board and wait for the iron to get hot which never worked in my small space. But with this all I have to do it turn it on, and in a few minutes it is ready to go. Wrinkles are worked out quickly for most lightweight fabrics and knits. It is easy to use.
I will caution that it gets VERY hot so be careful. Make sure fingers are not in the way of the nozzle. Blistered myself a few times when I used it.
I think this is a great little steamer. But it won't last more than 2 years with moderate use with tap water. I spent years ironing....but finally have the whole family using this for quick wrinkle steam-outs. I do not think this works well on some 100% cotton dress shirts or when you need pleats flattened out. Sometimes, you still need to use a good old iron and ironing board with spray starch. But for most basic things, it is okay. It is stated that you should use distilled water to a avoid calcium/mineral buildup or hard water deposits from clogging the unit. It is also recommended to use clean it using vinegar from time to time. That being said, I am lazy and never use distilled water. Basically I know I will end up needing a new one. When this unit was heavily used, it lasted for one year. When one of my kids left for college, a unit lasted us 2 years with one less person using it. I will still continue to buy this unit regardless. I am to blame as well. BUT.....I believe this unit does get steam condensation inside the unit which does cause a problem. I would always notice sand like pieces coming from the bottom of the unit towards its "last days". Also I would see sand bubbling up through the hole where the water reservoir adds water to the unit. I assumed this was mineral deposits. I couldn't understand why it was coming from the bottom of the unit. My last unit was leaking water from the bottom. So yes, I did buy a new one, but I took the old one apart. WOW.....lots of sand. And in the photo you can see how it is "clinging" to the unit on the left side. So there is no way it could be on the outside of tubes unless there was condensation in there. All of the screws inside of the unit's open area are rusted. So you know it was wet in there. Now I have read about this type of thing on many different models of steamers. I also read where someone said they only used distilled water and it still had sand in the unit. Scratching my head on this one
like the title suggests, it has larger pool for water and gives you 45 mins max worth of constant steaming for longer projects.
I use this steamer just for making synthetic dreadlocks, I make all types, steam seal DE and SE dreads as well as crocheted with steam seal DE and SE dreads. Here is what I found for a good steamer to use;
I purchased two steamers, both this company, one was the handheld Steamfast SF-435 Compact Fabric Steamer and the other is this one the Steamfast SF-407 Fabric Steamer. I tried both out and found that the handheld one only steamed for like 5 mins before you had to refill and try again. if you tipped it by just an inch or two it spills out hot burning water, you literally have to keep it totally straight upright. It does steam really well if your doing like 1 dreadlock but if your like me and in a day turn out many dreads, or just even like 5 dreads you should get the one with the larger pool of water.
This one, Steamfast SF-407 Fabric Steamer, has up to a max of 45 mins total of consistent steaming. You can then refill and keep going and you can tip as much as you need.
Heres the hitch, this one has a downside. it works super perfect if your reaching up where the hose to the handle is stretched up all the way but if your sitting like me every now and then (every few mins) it will stop steaming and you will have to stretch it out for a min or two before it starts up again. I dont mind this because it doesnt really take up much time to do this when it happens so thats as bad as it gets.
The upside besides lasting longer with steam is that the unit heats up hotter than the handheld making it go much faster and better for sealing and locking your dreads. I put the handheld in with my husbands things so he can steam his shirts but I keep this one for nothing but locking dreads because I think its one of the best in this price range. I did try my mothers steamer which is an $80 super big time high quality fancy steamer and it literally does nothing, no sealing, instead it blows steam in a fine stream and burns you while NOT sealing and locking your dreads. Hers was the Eureka 350A Enviro-Steamer Hotshot Hand-held Steamer-dont buy the Enviro Steamer it is really crappy.
I have talked with other dreadmakers and they say the Steamfast and Rowenta brands are best. Hope that helps!
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