Jiffy Steamer J-4000 Pro-Line Series Garment Steamer Reviews

• Great machine - worth the money!

  
  By A1H2LK4X6DTCJL on 2003-06-29
  After much research - I decided on getting the best machine on the market!

  I just received my Jiffy Steamer J-4000 Pro-Line Series Garment Steamer a few days ago, and quite frankly, I'm amazed at its effectiveness!

  First of all, assembling it was incredibly simple - took no more than 5 minutes. The machine comes with no more than 4-5 pieces to put together, and a wrench is included for free (so no extra personal tools needed). It comes on casters for easily mobility. It doesn't take much storage space (20 inches wide - 10 inch depth).

  It has 3 settings: Off, Preheat and Steam, so there is no complication. Also, it has automatic shut-off - and the best part: if you're planning to use it throughout the day, you can leave it on preheat to conserve water! Just switch to steam when ready and you're ready to steam immediately!

  Once assembled, you pour no more than 4 quarts of water (tap water or distilled water is fine) into the machine (while it's off), then turn on, switch the setting to "pre-heat", then wait about 15 minutes. You know it's ready to be switched to "steam" when the indicator light starts blinking on and off. You then switch to steam and wait about 2 minutes for the steam to start. Then you're ready to go (and go and go - this machine is capable of over 1.5 hours of steam time!)

  Steaming the clothes is very simple. As you go along, you'll find that some fabrics steam much easier than others, and you'll learn different methods of steaming different types of fabric. Some fabrics do perfectly steaming from the outside - some lend themselves better to the steaming process if you steam from the INSIDE of the garment. Other fabrics take longer to steam, others take only a few minutes. But in all cases - hold the fabric taut with one hand while steaming - helps remove the wrinkles faster!

  Just make sure you keep the steamhead in an upright position when steaming so the condensation can go back into the machine - if you don't do this - you'll hear a lot of sputtering. To stop the sputter, just place the steam head on its storage hanger and it will stop immediately!

  In addition to removing wrinkles, this steamer helps remove smells from fabric!

  The only "shortcoming" about this machine is that steaming long dresses is cumbersome (but not impossible). The steamer stands approx. 5 feet tall (I'm 5'2) - however, long garments/dresses call for you to get on your knees or sit down on the floor or chair to steam comfortably. However, if you're sitting on the floor, after several minutes of steaming, you start to hear sputtering and then you have to stop and place steamhead upright again. But the height might be industry standard. However, so much good outweighs this small inconvenience, that I would be willing to LAY DOWN on the floor to steam dresses!

  In summary, I recommend this machine 100%. Don't settle for cheapies - in the long run they may cost you more to own than this "workhorse"!
  
  

• A Bachelor's Favorite!

  
  By A1WQ8EDY36FG9C on 2005-01-23
  Let's get one thing out of the way here.... I HATE IRONING!!!
  
  I'm a 20-something bachelor, and although I know how to iron, I've always hated the particular mixture of tediousness/meticulousness necessary to get ALL the wrinkles out of clothes. So much so, that unless it is a special occasion, I just do the leave the clothes hanging in the bathroom while I take a shower (and hope for the best).
  
  Enter the J-4000 Jiffy steamer. I'd heard legends about steamers being wonderful to use and easier/quicker than ironing. But the only people I'd known had the hand steamers, which were always garbage, and the big models always cost several times even the fanciest iron. My parents eventually bought a low-level conair big steamer and used it for about a week. In my mom's words, it work nice, but it just didn't produce enough steam, so things took forever.
  
  Now I recently moved up in position at my job, and the wrinkled recent bachelor look just won't fly anymore. So I saw this during an Amazon Friday sale for a "buck seventy-five" with free shipping, did a little research, and saw this was the Cadillac of steamers. Knowing Amazon's excellent customer service, I ordered this, figuring if this didn't work as advertised, I'd return it, and close the door on steamers forever (and hope that someday I could afford a monthly dry-cleaning service).
  
  But it worked!! When I broke this out on laundry day, I was initially greeted by a load of laundry I'd accidentally left in the drier for 2 weeks. If there was ever a test for the de-wrinkling powers of this steamer, some creases that have been pressed for 2 weeks ought to do it. But even on those, even the most wrinkled shirt/sweater took only about a minute and a half.
  
  The thing operates like a breeze, is a snap to assemble, and produces a bunch of steam. The only drawback I see is that it's a little oddly-shaped, so it's kind of hard to store without breaking down, but breakdown only takes about 30 seconds.
  
  I also saw in the brochure that there is a steam board that you can put on the wall, which might make things even easier, as it will prevent garments from swaying while being steamed, but Amazon doesn't sell it. It is pricey on Jiffy Steamer's website. I may end up making a home-made version, as it doesn't look that complicated.
  
  But the end result is that even this iron-hating bachelor doesn't mind dewrinkling his clothes anymore. I wish I'd bought this thing years ago!! :)
  
  

• Fabulous Tool for Busy People Who Have to Look Good

  
  By A17ZK6SQ1UPZMW on 2005-02-25
  Since I never know what I want to wear (to work) until morning usually, my modus operandi previously was to iron in the morning if I felt up to it. In addition, to get good results was a huge pain and time consumer, let alone that the clothes that I ironed looked worse and worse over time.
  
  Enter the J-4000...
  
  I first purchased the Jiffy J-2000 based on reviews on the Web and the fact that it was on sale at Costco.com. Upon receiving it and trying it out, I was not especially impressed because the steam seemed to merely seep out of the head. It did a passable job of getting wrinkles out, but did not seem to have what I felt was the power to really get my clothes in great shape quickly and effectively.
  
  I then visited Amazon.com and re-read the reviews of both the J-2000 and the J-4000. I noticed that people were absolutely raving about the J-4000. I also discovered that the price at the time was a steal, so I decided to try it side-by-side and return the model I did not want.
  
  Well, I received the J-4000 today and whipped out a few of my daughter's tiny little button-down lacy shirts that have been a nightmare to iron (and hence, have not been getting any wearings). I also steamed a suit I wore today to an all-day meeting and now it is as fresh as if I'd just gotten it dry-cleaned. Unlike with the J-2000, I actually could see the steam moving through all of the layers of fabric and making a true difference in my suit's appearance (and odor with a little Febreeze).
  
  I am sold on the J-4000 and will be returning the J-2000. I think the J-4000 works so well because of the 1500 W vs. 1300 W heating element. It makes a big difference.
  
  I paid $124 with shipping at Costco.com for the J-2000 and $199 with shipping at Amazon.com for the J-4000. Since then, I've only seen it as low as $250, so you'll have to watch for specials.
  
  

• Check out J-4000 "I" model first!

  
  By A2EWH1TX83SLC2 on 2006-11-27
  I would have rated this 5 stars if it was the J-4000 I model.
  
  Just a heads up to those shopping around: If you just want this steamer for clothes, then the J-4000 is a great choice. However, in my research, I found the J-4000 I model to be much better deal if you want to use the steamer for other applications. Why? The J-4000 I comes with 4 metal head attachments versus one plastic one. You can buy the other attachments separately but range from $80-90 for the kit - why not spend the same amount ($250) and get all the attachments up front? Also, the I model comes with a 7.5 foot hose instead of the 5.5 foot hose on the standard J-4000. (longer hose = easier to reach drapes while hanging, behind toilet, etc.)
  
  Here's the 4 interchangeable heads the I series comes with:
  9" bent aluminum pipe head attachment (small spaces with focused steam)
  "B" brush steam cleaning head (upholstery, spot stains, etc)
  6" wide metal steam head (clothing, drapes, etc)
  12" wide carpet steam head
  
  Unfortunately I don't see the I series on Amazon's site, but did see it elsewhere on the web for $250.
  
  Hope this helps.
  
  

• Take note of the Heat-Up Time

  
  By A106SCLJJ0MVEB on 2007-04-12
  Hello,
  
  I haven't bought either item yet, but I want to start out with the "personal" J-2000 line. Thanks to everyone for reviewing the steamers (as it has helped me figure out which model is best for me) , and for those who wish to UPGRADE to the J-4000 (you do get more power and the extra attachments) that this commercial model has a 15-20 minute heat-up time (which is not included in the item description), while the J-2000 is ready in 2 minutes -- so the consumer version would be best for daily use (if you're on the go and always have to figure out what you're wearing for work at the last minute). The J-4000 then would be best if you don't mind waiting for the steamer to be ready, if you're going to steam several items of clothing for future use, or use it for bigger jobs most of the time.
  
  
• My favorite new toy!
  By AIQS68K7OV1I3 on 2005-05-01
  If you have thought of buying a high quality garment steamer, this is the one to get. There are a few things that aren't clear from the description that I thought I'd share. First, the reservoir can hold more than a gallon of water, and I wasn't sure how long it would take to be "ready" to steam - well, if you fill the reservoir completely, it takes about 15 minutes to heat up the water to be ready. The steam is HOT and continuously pumps out of the steamhead, until you turn the machine off, or on standby. And the reservoir holds enough water to continuously steam for about 2 hours. Don't think that you will be able to steam up your clothes each morning before you go to work, because of the impracticality of heating up the water for 15 minutes first (I suppose you could, but that wouldn't be a very environmentally-friendly usage of this great tool). What I did this weekend was spent about 45 minutes steaming just about everything in my closet that had the slightest wrinkle to it. I think this is the first time in my life I don't have anything in my closet that is wrinkled! This machine is going to save me a ton in dry cleaning bills because about half the time, my dry-clean-only clothes aren't exactly dirty, just wrinkled. But the steam also removes odors - I noticed this when I was steaming my draperies - the steam released a dusty/musty smell from the drapes while I was steaming them. Anyway, bottom line, this is a good buy. Easy to assemble and definitely a quality work horse. One down side is that it does have a rather large "footprint" so you will need a little space in your closet or laundry room to keep it handy and ready to rock. Good luck and enjoy!
  
  
• Worked great for 1 year- now it's dead
  By A1M3DCA1FG7ZNS on 2006-07-27
  I bought this a little over a year ago because of the rave reviews. I will admit- it is a powerful steamer and I loved using it. However, just over a year now it has completely stopped working. I turn it on and the light comes on- but it never heats up or steams. Over $200 is quite steep for an item if it will only last a year.
  
  
• Not for Me
  By A1MMVMI7M2786J on 2005-05-17
  I bought this steamer to replace my much hated iron. I have to iron uniform shirts, tee shirts and khaki pants every morning. I found the steamer to be much less effective on those items than an iron and more time consuming. I am terribly disappointed because I very much wanted to throw my iron away. Instead I am exchanging my steamer for a new iron.
  
  
• Buy it but Keep your Iron.
  By A3GK3NTZXXKVGN on 2005-12-28
  I just received my Jiffy Steamer J-4000 Pro-Line. It was missing a funnel which would be no big deal if they had not printed the words "USE ENCLOSED FUNNEL" in caps every where. I sent an email and they said they will send me one (they seem to have a good customer service).
  
  Now that we have dispensed with the whining, lets talk about the product itself. If you need sharp lines on your pants or shirt stick with your iron, this is not for you. However if you would like to take wrinkles out of your clothes and you don't want to bother with hanging them in the bathroom while you take a shower or taking them out of the dryer on time, this does do an amazing job.
  
  I have also purchased a JIFFY personal hand held steamer that works fairly well and provides adequate amount of steam for most of your needs. However if you take wrinkles out frequently and have the space go for J-4000. You get the wrinkles out faster.
  
  If you have a concern about startup time, you do have some control over that. I just put enough cold water in there for a few shirts and it started steaming in 4 minutes. If you put hot water out of the tab and reduce the amount of water you can get even quicker startup time. Or you can put it on standby in the morning before you go to the shower and put it on steam when you are ready to use it. Standby setting uses a thermostat to keeps the water temperature at 90C degrees (close to boiling).
  
  If you can afford it, buy one. It would make a great re-gift item if you find out that you don't like it.
  
  
• Works great on suits!
  By A2XDO8EWNFJ9VR on 2005-11-03
  As an attorney with offices in two counties, I travel quite a bit and used to run up hefty dry cleaning bills because my suits would wrinkle. The Jiffy has saved me some money and works fairly well on my wool suits and cotton shirts.
  
  It doesn't give a really crisp dry cleaned look to the shirts- not a pressed look, but it's good enough in a pinch to freshen up a shirt that's been a little wrinkled by the closet.
  
  On wool suits, it's masterful. It takes the wrinkles completely out and leaves you with a suit that's ready for court. It takes me about 3 minutes to steam a completely wrinkled suit.
  
  I've also used it on my ties with success, though i've been warned that it may be bad for more delicate ties.
  
  The only downside is that it takes a while for the Jiffy to heat up- sometimes up to 10 minutes, so it's not really the solution if you're in a big hurry. I'll turn it on before I get in the shower and will usually do a few garments at a time- it's pretty fast once it has heated up.
  
  
• Commercial Workhorse Steamer
  By AK2G92NUCF3C0 on 2003-02-22
  When the J-4000 arrived, it transformed our process of removing wrinkles in our botique. Now we can use it on ANY fabric to quickly and easily wipe away wrinkles. If you are in retail, you simply HAVE to have one!
  
  
• Too Large
  By A38U50VR0CYJRM on 2007-02-12
  The steamer is an excellent in taking out the creases and wrinkles in clothes. However, it is cumbersome, requires a definite amount of water and emptying the steamer was what I didn't like. If you want a steamer for one or two items, I wouldn't reccommend getting the J-4000. Something, smaller would serve your needs better.
  
  
• New to steamers
  By A332XQUX54PES8 on 2005-08-10
  I just got into nice clothing and a salesman at a clothing store in Boston said if you have the space for it, get the real thing - a comercial Jiffy steamer. I took his advice and am very pleased with it. Works very well and it steams up my 510 square foot condo well enough to activate my fire alarm in about 20min.
  
  
• Cashmere sweaters and St. Johns tanks
  By AMOBK619H7MDP on 2007-06-04
  This Jiffy does an excellent job on the fine-gauge cashmere sweaters that I wear year-round in Florida. I have laundered my cashmere for many years, now using Mrs. Meyers, and previously ironed with a warm iron. Iron was adequate, and actually worked better than bothering with an inferior model of steamer. Now, this top-of-the-line Jiffy, on the inside of the cashmere, smoothes quickly, making ironing unnecessary and giving a more professional look.
  
  The primary reason for the purchase, however, was to tackle laundering my St. Johns tanks also. (Tanks need to be laundered with greater frequency than the jackets, at great expense.)
  
  Previous laundering attempts, with an inferior steamer, had produced inadequate results in removal of the embedded wrinkles in a St. Johns Collection wool weave. This Jiffy produced the steam/heat necessary.
  
  With instructions from my saleslady, I now launder a St. Johns tank with a little vinegar in the cold water to retain the color. I slowly steam the tank from the inside, with slow movements to remove the embedded wrinkles. I then "finish" the garment by laying a damp handkerchief-weave cotton cloth against the outside, and ironing. This gives the woven wool its pristine "department-store" sheen.
  
  The real benefit of owning this Jiffy is stains. Frequently, dry cleaners will not attempt St. Johns stains at all, especially those that have been sitting for very long, such as having been stained on a vacation. I had only owned the Jiffy for a few days when I stained a tank during dinner. That evening, I washed the stain out in cold water, knowing fully that, on my busy schedule in the coming week, I would have no time to get the garment to the dry cleaners, or to even finish the process myself. Yet, even several weeks later, I was able to restore the tank to its original beauty! This gives much freedom from anxiety in knowing that I have not permanently ruined a garment that is an integral part of a coordinated outfit.
  
  
• Jiffy Steamer garment steamer
  By A2P40UNY3JP74V on 2007-07-11
  This is an excellent product which has saved me hundereds of dollars at the dry cleaners. A friend of mine told me to get one because it will save a lot of money in dry cleaning bills. She was right! But in addition to that, it's easy to use and does a great job. It not only gets wrinkles out of garmets with difficult folds, but also deodorizes your clothes without harming them. I've used this machine on delicate fabrics such as silks, to heavy wool suits. It does a great job on the whole range of fabrics.
  
  I've seen stores use this machine to keep their clothes wrinkle free.
  
  One downside is that it takes a little while for the steam to heat up, but that's not really a big issue. It also takes up a fair bit of space, so if you are limited in space you might want to think twice before you buy one. (I keep mine in my closet.)
  
  This machine seems to be very durable. I think that this commercial steamer is much better in quality than some of the plastic steamers. Just use a little care to not get hot steam on yourself as this machine gets quite hot. Sometimes I have to hang things on a separate pole in my closet to make it easier to move around the fabric.
  
  
• It actually works
  By A8Y5CCWM61Y2H on 2006-07-27
  I was quite cynical about buying another steamer since the smaller models I'd tried dripped water on my clothes and didn't remove wrinkles. I went for the top-of-the-line model after some research and, lo and behold, it actually removes wrinkles. Clothes don't look crisp and perfect as when they come back from the drycleaners, but steaming will let me save a fortune and save the cleaners for actual cleaning.
  
  The machine was easy to assemble, and the tank is easy to fill. The whole gadget has a pleasantly retro, basic setup, which is aesthetically clunky yet charming. It sturdiness is reassuring.
  
  
• Good, but not perfect
  By A3CZOTT8FIX27X on 2007-10-22
  The Jiffy steamer works well on linen and shirts with a lot of hard-to-iron detail, but this is not a replacement for your iron. If you are tall, you will bend over a lot to reach the bottoms of pants, etc. that hang while you steam. Also, this is very hard to use without a steam board to push against. But there is a lot of steam and it is very hot, so drapes, linens, etc. are quick work with this steamer.
  
  
• works well
  By A2PH4TLDWI9XQA on 2006-07-17
  I use the Jiffy steamer j-4000 for clothing in my store. The clothes are all organic cotton, bamboo, hemp and hemp-silk blends. It works great for everything except the hemp and silk blends. For some reason, silk seems to be resistant to anything except an iron for getting the wrinkles out. If you're using this product for anthing but silk - go for it.... it's great. Just be careful, as it gets hot enough to cause burns if you don't move your hands quickly in tight places like pants legs.
  
  
  
• worth the price for the extra power
  By ANPX0ZJG5C72Q on 2007-01-06
  I bought this steamer about three months ago on the advice of a friend who has had it for years. I was going to get the less powerful, less expensive Jiffy model, but my friend cautioned against it. More power means faster results. I hate ironing! But I've steamed shirts, pants, linens and more and don't mind it at all because it's easy.
  
  It saved me money in washing after moving across the country. I had tons of wrinkled clothes that I normally would have put through the wash again. The steamer made it fun and easy to get them back in shape.
  
  The only problem I've had with it is the hanger sometimes moves around and is not very stable on the pole I have to hold the clothing still with one hand and steam with the other.
  
  
• Jiffy Steamer is the best
  By A2VS935C3080PD on 2006-07-08
  This is a great steamer. It was a little more money than I wanted to spend, however, over the long haul this will be worth it. It takes a little while to heat up, but once it is done it works great. I use it for my home based business and it is wonderful. For longer garments like pants or 2X shirts, I wish the hanging pole was longer or could be raised. Overall, I am 100% satisfied with this purchase.
  
  
• Jiffy Steamer
  By ACWA8VLMOXS3P on 2007-08-12
  Very durable, good quality item. The only drawbacks that I have observed in the approx. 10 minute pre-heat stage. A further 2 minutes is required after to produce steam. The unit holds 4 quarts of water but seems to use up quickly. All-in-all a good product.
  
  
• Love It !
  By AIJNRKAP61MPW on 2008-01-10
  Works like a charm, the first time used it, I went through 10 button up with collar shirts in 18 minutes and it creases the arms, which impressed me.
  
  The only con I have, is resting the head of the steamer, it's awkward and it has to be precise and even that isn't very stable, I plan on creating something that will hold it while I hang up the pressed garment and get another.
  
  It seems costly at $250.00, but I figure the time it's saving me, it has already paid me back.
  
  It's made well, professional and industrial like, no cheap hardware, it's obvious that it's built to last.
  
  I have never used a steamer before, so I really don't have anything to compare it to.
  
  I bought this based on researching it online and reading reviews.
  
  
  
• Steamer
  By A3I3DVEBQHI86G on 2007-04-12
  This is the product we used at the majority of the large retail companies and I loved it then. When I saw this product for sale for my home I bought it because I knew the quality was commercial grade. The problem I have had in the past with other brands is the inflexibility and quality of the hose. With this steamer the hose is flexible, it doesn't leak and once its warmed up it is so much faster than ironing. It works great on curtains as well!! I love this steamer!
  
  
• Great steamer
  By AM7EU19LRU2SG on 2008-04-02
  I love this steamer. I use it to remove wrinkles, and to refresh dry clean only items, such as wool, silk, etc. I steamed all jackets and ties with it, and they all looked like new afterwards.
  
  Update: It's just another gadget - I use it infrequently, mostly to prove my husband wrong. Frankly it's probably easier to pull out the iron, it heats up faster and the results are much better.
  
  
• Absolutely a Fantastic Steamer
  By A1DI4K24C4H3FA on 2007-06-11
  After alot of research, and almost buying a different, less expensive steamer, I went ahead and spent the extra money and bought the Jiffy J-4000...I couldn't be happier..I have a home-based clothing business, and I have to steam hundreds of garments, and this steamer keeps up with it all...Its quick, puts out alot of steam, and one water tank fill does last quite a long time..Its very easy to use, and it doesn't take up that much space...If you need a professional type steamer, spend the extra money and buy this one...You will love this steamer
  
  
• More For Commercial Than Home Use
  By AJAN21R4IRPIS on 2007-10-10
  I got this Jiffy steamer for my wife who uses our old steamer all the time. I thought this would make a great upgrade for her but she found it to be too big & cumbersome. She felt it was more suited to a commercial business than for home use. We returned the product & received a credit promptly so great service on the return.
  
  
• DO NOT buy if you like the ironed look
  By A3VBTN9KDP283R on 2008-06-02
  So I dress up (slacks, shirt & tie) for work everyday. It typically took about an hour to iron my week's worth of clothes. I wasn't about to go and spend $50/month on dry cleaning, so I was looking for a simple solution instead of ironing. Reading the reviews of the Jiffy garment steamer, I thought it was worth a shot (given the reviews) to cut down time w/ the same result. Needless to say, I'm down $250 (the site I bought it from won't take returns - stupid me, should have bought it from amazon).
  
  For those that iron their clothes, and expect a crisp (non-starched), no-wrinkle look - DO NOT GET THIS! I will repeat myself just to help others avoid my same mistake - DO NOT BUY THIS if you are looking for that ironed look! Also, if you include the warm up time, you don't cut down much time.
  
  I'll leave this in closing... If you're looking for a replacement to ironing, this isn't it. I know you've read all the other positive reviews and are like I should just ignore these one or two negative review (I did the same thing), but don't do it! You'll definitely regret it... (save your money for a good iron).
  
  
• Jiffy Steamer J4000
  By A31DNQ4ZF0K8AH on 2007-04-10
  Steamer is a very good product and suggest those looking for a 50/60 htz steamer this is the one. All other steamers fail to heat up enough to produce plenty of steam. Only thing I suggest is that the extender that holds the hanging item needs to be a about 24" more.
  
  
• You will fight over who gets to do the iorning
  By A1G6C1KERLNVK on 2007-05-12
  It's that fun to use. Takes a while to get primed to go but worth the wait. Watch the hands, steam is really hot. Great results once you get a little practice. Highly recommended over the cheaper less powerful products and definitely better than the old steam iron.
  
  
• Did not meet expectations
  By A3RH26VSEW5KIE on 2008-04-02
  This product and its reviewers promise a magical machine that removes most wrinkles with ease. I did not find this to be the case. Awkward to use and really requires the use of the Jiffy board (which costs an extra $100). Nearly impossible to remove wrinkles in cotton shirts. This product did not work at all for my needs.
  
  

• Woolite Dry Cleaner's Secret Dry Cleaning Cloths, 14-Count Box

• Jiffy Steamer liquid cleaner.
• Jiffy Steamer 0892 steamboard.
• Jiffy Steamer
• Woolite Dry Cleaner's Secret Dry Cleaning Cloths, 14-Count Box
• TRAVEL HAND HELD STEAMER