Instagram Explore has become my gateway for discovering new fabric care products these days. After a quick scroll, I noticed this sleek iron shaped like a hair straightener and quickly researched the Nori Press Steam Iron. A portable device that also works as a steamer, and does not require an ironing board? Sounds like a dream! When the Nori team gifted me a full set to try, it felt like an early Christmas for this fellow laundry lover. Read on for my honest review: Does the Nori Steamer Work? I also provide a short snippet on the science behind wrinkles.
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THE SCIENCE BEHIND HOW WRINKLES ARE FORMED
Wrinkles develop from two main factors: heat and water. You notice this example in real life when you leave your clothes in the dryer for too long. Fabrics are made up of hydrogen bonds, a force that occurs at the molecular level of our clothes. Under heat and moisture exhaustion, these bonds shift into new positions. Your clothes eventually settle into this new arrangement in the form of wrinkles.
The best way to release wrinkles is by applying heat and moisture. Both of these factors allow molecules to realign, and form new hydrogen bonds. Hence, the iron and steamer are pretty handy tools when it comes to smoothing out your clothes. I recommend this article, as it has a great scientific explanation.
WHAT MAKES THE NORI STEAMER DIFFERENT THAN A TRADITIONAL IRON?
Even as someone who is passionate about fabric care, I find that traditional irons are difficult to manage. They take up space, and a long time to heat up. While steamers can be gentler on the fabric, most handheld versions release some wrinkles but do not get rid of them completely.
The Nori Press Steam Iron functions as a 2-in-1 steamer and iron, with two flat plates that eliminate the need for an ironing board. Another detail I love: there are 6 fabric-specific heat settings at the click of a button. While a traditional iron would be too hot to handle certain fabrics, I love that you can with the Nori!
NORI PRESS PRODUCT DETAILS
I love the sleek design of the Nori, and it comes in two beautiful colors: blue, and white. Luckily, the device is super lightweight, just over 1-pound. The plug-in cord also comes with a little leather tie to prevent it from tangling.
Other Technical Details:
- 6 Fabric Heat-Specific Settings: Cotton, Wool, Polyester, Silk, Denim, Linen (love the variety of heavy to lightweight/delicate fabrics)
- 2 Aluminum Ironing Plates
- Steam Reservoir: Use their ‘Fabric Facial‘ steam solution here
- Clamping Mechanism
As of 2022, Nori also came out with a few different colors. So this product makes a great gift for him or her during the holidays!
DOES THE NORI STEAMER WORK?
I have a cashmere turtleneck sweater that was shoved into a box when I moved, and it has been on my list of clothes to iron for a long time. Below are the results after using the ‘Wool’ fabric setting on the Nori:
Looks pretty impressive, with no damage to the fabric. Their ‘Fabric Facial‘ is another product I use to keep the iron in good shape, and to help deodorize garments. It is essentially an ironing water with hints of essential oil.
OTHER HONEST THOUGHTS ABOUT THE NORI
The design of the Nori is super clever, and this product will definitely become a household favorite for me. However, I did find that using it to iron bigger pieces can be troublesome. Unlike traditional irons, you are limited by the distance of the clamping arms. Thus, reaching the center area of a bulkier item (e.g. a wool coat) is harder.
The surface area of the heated plates is also a lot smaller than traditional irons. So while 1-2 glides is enough to get rid of wrinkles with a normal iron, I notice I would need several passes with the Nori. So does the Nori Steamer work as intended? Yes. However, keep in mind, that the Nori is much better for smaller ironing jobs and clothing pieces.
Below are also some other laundry products I have reviewed for your interest:
