I Tried the Nori Press, a Travel-Friendly Steam Iron That Resembles a Hair Straightener
Updated: Feb. 28, 2024
The Nori Press is an iron-steamer combo that promises to eliminate wrinkles in half the time without the need for an ironing board. I put it to the test to see if it deserves a spot in your suitcase.
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“Are you bringing your steamer?” is a question I often get asked by friends and family as we’re packing up for a trip or coordinating logistics for an out-of-state wedding or special event. And given the convenience of my portable clothing steamer and my loathing for old, rusty hotel irons, my answer is unequivocally always “yes.” Now, the only one I’m packing is the Nori Press.
While a portable steamer is helpful for refreshing tightly packed clothing out of the suitcase or last-minute touch-ups to the dresses of an entire bridal party (yes, I’ve taken on that role one too many times), it has some drawbacks. Steamers aren’t as effective on tougher fabrics, such as heavy-duty cotton, linen and denim, which require the power and press of an iron to smooth out wrinkles. A steamer also can’t mimic an iron’s crisp finish to dress shirt collars and cuffs, or create sharp fold lines on pants and slacks. And while I love the small footprint of my steamer for travel, its compact size requires more time to work the entire length (and front and back) of a garment.
The Nori Press offers a solution that marries the convenience of a portable steamer with the power of an iron–and it doesn’t require an ironing board. This compact, iron-steamer combo promises to cut ironing in half while accommodating six different fabric types. I had the pleasure of testing out this innovative appliance while traveling on two trips and at home (because let’s be honest, if something is as convenient as this, I’m not just using it for travel). Read on for my full Nori Press review, and to find out whether it will replace my beloved steamer as my new travel companion.
What is the Nori Press?
Nori is revolutionizing irons and ironing as we know it—so much so that the company’s name “Nori” is “iron” spelled backwards, in an attempt to show it means business. But semantics aside, the Nori Press is not your typical iron.
With an uncanny resemblance to a hair straightener, the Nori Press is a handheld, double-sided press iron that doesn’t require an ironing board. It features six fabric-specific heat settings in addition to a steam setting. Although it’s travel friendly and lightweight at just 1.4 pounds, it doesn’t skimp on functionality, offering elongated arms to reach the entire width of the garment. And because you’re able to press and steam the front and back of your garment simultaneously, you’ll get the job done in half the time.
VIA MERCHANT
I Tried It
Nori Press
This two-plated, handheld steam iron de-wrinkles garments in half the time, and without the need for an ironing board.
Nori Press features
The Nori Press is designed to bring ease to a common household chore, add convenience when traveling and cut down on trips to the local dry cleaner. Here’s an in-depth look at its patented design and most notable features.
Double-sided press
Similar to a hair straightener, the Nori Press features two heated plates that utilize a clamping mechanism to press and smooth the front and back of your garment simultaneously. The pointed tip functions to accommodate hard-to-reach areas. Whether you choose to hang your garment or lay it down, the double-sided press feature eliminates the need for an ironing board and gets the job done in half the time.
Six fabric-specific heat settings
A click of the side button toggles between six different fabric-specific heat settings—polyester, linen, silk, wool, cotton and denim—which are all presented clearly on the iron’s light-emitting diode (LED) screen. So whether you’re working with delicate silk or thick denim, the Nori Press has got you covered. Once your fabric of choice is selected, the LED screen will blink until it’s reached its desired temperature letting you know it’s time to begin.
Steam feature
The press also functions as a steamer or steam iron, featuring a mini reservoir for filling with water (or Nori’s Fabric Facial). Similar to the iron fabric settings, the steamer is activated by a side button and ready for use when the steamer icon stops blinking on the screen. A water droplet icon will appear when it’s time to refill. For steaming, simply point the iron tip toward the ceiling as you move along your garment. And for steam ironing, press as usual.
LED screen
The handy LED screen beautifully illuminates the fabric and steamer settings and, once selected, blinks until the desired temperature has been reached so you know when it’s ready to go. It also notifies you when the steamer reservoir is empty.
Lightweight and travel-friendly
At 1.4 pounds, the Nori Press is lightweight, compact and perfect for travel (be sure to check out Nori’s cute travel case, sold separately). That being said, its elongated arms and industrial-grade performance makes it practical for home use, too.
How we tested it
My Nori Press arrived in a beautifully packaged box and with a QR code containing helpful instructions on how to get started. Right out of the box, I’ll admit the iron was larger than I was expecting. But after giving it a go, I realized its length was required to successfully reach the width of my garments. I had the pleasure of taking my Nori Press on two trips, as well as testing it for a few weeks at home.
I tested the Nori Press on two different types of fabrics. The first was a delicate cotton blouse with wrinkles, and the second was a tougher denim shirt with deep-set marks caused by my drying rack. With the blouse, the wrinkles were eliminated in record time. While this is a shirt I typically would have steamed, I appreciated that the press was able to tackle the front and back at the same time, and that my item didn’t feel damp afterwards (which is a common occurrence with steaming).
As for de-wrinkling the denim top, this would’ve been a task too challenging for my steamer (and I’ll be honest, would have likely called for me re-washing the thing just to get the lines out). So I was eager to try out the Nori Press to see if this is where the steam iron might really shine. Because the lines were deep-set, I decided to utilize the steam feature alongside the iron.
I opened up the water reservoir and used a small cup to fill it up with water. The tiny compartment doesn’t hold much, and I accidentally overflowed it and had to empty it a bit in order to close it back. While I was worried that such a small reservoir would require frequent refilling, I was pleasantly surprised to find it lasted longer than expected. With my shirt between the two heated plates, I watched the iron successfully press out every line and wrinkle.
While the iron was able to eliminate wrinkles and deep lines from two of my garments when applying contact (both with steam and without), I found that utilizing the steam feature on its own did little to remove wrinkles. In fact, no steam appeared to be coming out at all unless I clamping the iron onto the garment. While the videos on Nori’s website demonstrated the steamer in action, I was not able to get mine to follow suit.
Pros
- Steams and presses clothes without an ironing board
- Portable and compact for on the go
- Can be used on polyester, linen, silk, wool, cotton and denim
- Double aluminum plates work on both sides of the garment
- Lightweight at 1.4 pounds
- Automatic shutoff safety feature
- Available in seven trendy colors
Cons
- Might not be as powerful as a traditional iron
- Steam feature functions more as a steam iron than a steamer
- At $120, it’s not cheap (but with professionally pressed clothes, you’ll look like a million bucks)
FAQ
How does the Nori Press work?
The press has six fabric-specific heat settings that can be adjusted as needed. It works on almost every fabric and beyond, including polyester, linen, silk, wool, cotton and denim. Just hang the garment on a hanger or lay it on a flat surface. Then, with the two-sided iron, simply give wrinkled areas a few passes by clamping down on the garment and gently dragging across, similar to how you would use a hair straightener.
After making sure your clothes are crisp and the tool has cooled down, wipe the plates with a cotton cloth to prevent residue buildup. If the plates do start getting cakey, use a damp sponge to restore them. Sometimes buildup can nestle into the steam vents, but that can be fixed with a Q-Tip and steaming over an old cloth.
Can you use water in a Nori steamer?
While the site suggests you can utilize tap water, Nori recommends adding its Fabric Facial deionized cleaning solution, which works as a deodorant and sanitizer for clothing while keeping the iron performing at its best.
What other reviewers had to say
The Nori Press is a hot item (literally) among shoppers and travelers. Here’s what a few of them have to say:
Five-star reviewer, John F. Kemmerer, finds the Nori Press convenient for compact dwellers. “As someone who lives in an apartment with limited space, this compact iron (and steamer!) is a total game changer. Its simple controls make it very easy to use, and the adjustable temperature settings cater to different fabrics, ensuring that your clothes are treated with the care they deserve.”
Another verified five-star reviewer, Katie, loathes ironing, and was relieved to find a more user-friendly replacement. “Ironing has always been such a force, pulling out the ironing board, reading the clothing tags to make sure I don’t melt off an arm by accident. So, giving Nori a try was not high on my priorities, but I am SO glad I decided to go for it.” She adds, “..the appeal of Nori is that I can use this on the go, quickly, conveniently and anywhere.
Barbara, a five-star reviewer on the Nori website, loves the Nori for everyday refreshes. “I live in New York City and find myself turning to this device for jeans, button downs, my husband’s cuffs and collars, pillowcases and more,” she writes. As a self-proclaimed dry-cleaning fanatic, “this definitely has meant fewer dry-cleaning runs. I highly recommend!”
Product comparison: Nori Press vs. portable steamer
Since I currently own—and travel with—my portable steamer, I was curious to see if the Nori Press would take its spot on my shelf and in my luggage. Without a doubt, my portable steamer is much smaller and more compact than the Nori Press. It also holds significantly more water for steaming. What I like about my steamer vs. an iron is that it doesn’t come into contact with my garment, but simply removes wrinkles by releasing hot-water vapors. But it’s only useful for targeting lighter wrinkles on gentler fabrics, such as cotton, silk, chiffon, nylon and wool.
The Nori Press, on the other hand, directly presses your garments to eliminate deep-set wrinkles on tougher fabrics, such as heavy-duty cotton and denim. While it’s longer and slightly heavier (1.4 pounds and 14 inches compared to my portable steamer’s 1.2 pounds and 8.5 inches), the press iron is able to work out wrinkles in half the time by pressing the front and back simultaneously. And thanks to its steam feature, you can activate the steam iron or simply steam the garment as you would with a regular steamer.
Final verdict
Given I don’t own an iron (but own a lot of easily wrinkled clothes) and lack the space for an ironing board, I absolutely recommend the Nori Press for home use. Not only does it de-wrinkle garments in record time, but it comes in handy when you want to mimic the crisp, clean lines achieved at the dry cleaner. However, because of its length and large, rounded tip—and the fact that most of my clothing items out of the suitcase only call for a gentle steam—I will likely still choose my portable steamer for travel (and I’ll just give ’em a good press before I pack!).
Where to buy the Nori Press
VIA MERCHANT
I Tried It
Nori Press
This lightweight, travel-friendly iron features six heat settings and a steam option to accommodate every type of fabric.
You can shop the Nori Press directly from Nori’s website for $120. You can also add the press to your cart on Amazon, Nordstrom and Williams Sonoma. We think this is a fair trade-off for an appliance that will leave you and your clothes looking like a million bucks.
Originally Published: April 12, 2023
