The past few years have been pretty busy ones – what with five major moves in less than five years. A lot has changed, and I’ve had to learn to roll with the punches as the saying goes. My current apartment is pretty minimalistic and while I might take a clean and crisp approach when it comes to my indoor decor, my wardrobe is as colorful as they come, especially for a New Yorker (we wear lots and lots of black).

While many of my favorite pants, skirts and dresses have followed me from move to move, taking care of them hasn’t always been a priority. Yet, with each move, my closet has whittled down to a handful of staples and as such, I’ve started putting more care toward maintaining my favorite pieces while making room for new additions.

So, when I heard about the new Rowenta Steam ‘N Press, I decided to give it a try. Well, now I’m obsessed and I think you will be too. Scroll down for a few reasons why this is coming with me on my next trip…and the trip after that…and the trip after that 🙂

It’s dual-purpose

When my Rowenta arrived in the mail, I was surprised by the size of the package. Despite photos I’d seen online, I somehow doubted that it was as small as was being advertised. Lucky for me, I was wrong. The dual-purpose iron and steamer is compact, fairly lightweight and comes with a fabric brush, lint pad and water cap so you don’t overfill.

I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t iron my outfits every day (at home or abroad) but I was pretty excited about the steamer component. I tend to pack my suitcase to the brim because I hate checking a larger bag and as a result, my clothes arrive wrinkled. If you’re jet-lagged or simply feeling lazy, having the steamer option is a nice alternative.

It’s carry-on ready

I’m headed to Costa Rica for the entire month of August (yay!) so I decided to do a little pre-trip planning. Based on previous irons I’ve owned, it never crossed my mind to travel with one…especially when they take up about half of my small carry-on. As you can see below, this is no longer an issue.

Truthfully, many hotels do have in-room irons but it’s definitely not always the case. This is especially true if you’re staying at budget hotels and hostels. I’ve been obsessed with steamers ever since my semester working at a fashion agency in London. It does wonders! Since I very rarely see steamers in hotel rooms, it’s a must-have for me.

It’s fabric-friendly

Sure, irons and steamers are designed to be fabric-friendly but from my experience, that’s not always the case. I’ve ruined a couple shirts before because I pressed the iron too hard, spritzed too much water or just wasn’t paying close enough attention to the garment seams.

I found the Rowenta really easy to use, perhaps because it’s lightweight and not super clunky like other models I’ve owned. Most of my summer clothes are made out of cotton or linen, and the iron glided over both fabrics smoothly.

It’s affordable

Let’s talk numbers because some of our budgets are smaller than others. It sells for $29.99, which is pretty fairly priced. Considering I sometimes spend $15 on a salad or $20 on a craft cocktail, this really puts things in perspective. I don’t remember what I paid for my previous iron but it was definitely much more expensive and less impressive. 

Even with a lower price tag, the quality is really good. I don’t see this breaking anytime soon and, on the off chance it might get jostled around in my suitcase, there’s a little travel pouch that slips over the iron to keep it from wear and tear. Plus, when you’re not using it, the bag doubles as storage for delicate jewelry pieces. 

It’s a time-saver

Maybe I’ve been living in New York a few years too long, but I’m almost always pressed for time. It happens here at home and it happens abroad, too, which means that I’m always trying to beat the clock.

I decided to test out the Rowenta Steam ‘N Press to see how many items I could steam before the water ran out. Granted, I’m not the most seasoned steamer, but I was able to get through two skirts, one dress, a blouse and a pair of shorts in the span of about 15 minutes.That’s easily my entire wardrobe for a long weekend. They weren’t too wrinkled to begin with but I definitely noticed a difference from start to finish.

What product do you never travel without? Tell me in the comments below! 

This post was in collaboration with Rowenta and 5wpr. All opinions are my own.

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