This Surprising Appliance Is a Must-Have for Your Laundry Room
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- Value: 19/20
- Aesthetic: 17/20
- Efficiency: 17/10
- Ease of Use: 19/20
- Setup: 15/20
TOTAL: 87/100
Meet the LG Styler: What It Is and How It Works
My Experience Putting the LG Styler to the Test
Setting up the LG Styler was my first challenge. I enlisted my boyfriend to help position the drip tray and feet—an awkward task given the machine’s size, especially for my 5'2" frame. It also comes with anti-tipping hardware, which the company recommends installing.
The first snag? The power cord. It’s relatively short, and since using an extension cord is a fire hazard, I had to do some last-minute maneuvering to get it close to an outlet. My advice? Check your outlet placement before setting everything up.
Next came the Wi-Fi setup, which unlocks extra cleaning cycles, energy monitoring, and tech support (including a smart diagnosis feature). This process has two steps: First, you connect to the Styler’s own network via your phone’s Wi-Fi settings using a specific password. While the instructions are clear, I initially missed the key detail that the last four digits of the network name need to be entered twice—leading to an unnecessarily frustrating back-and-forth. Once I got past that, the second step was easy: connecting it to my home Wi-Fi with my regular password.
Operating the Styler itself is simple. You fill the removable water tank at the base, hang your clothes inside, press the power button, and select a cycle on the touchscreen door. With so many delicate items to refresh, I tested multiple settings: the wool/knit cycle for cashmere, the Wi-Fi-only Air Fresh cycle for pleather pants, and the sanitary cycle to remove allergens and germs.
Since I tend to let my dry-clean-only items pile up, I put the Styler to the test by running it nonstop for 24 hours. To my surprise, it handled the workload flawlessly. I’ve also used it countless times in one-off situations, like freshening up a swimsuit for a beach day.
Perhaps the ultimate test came in March when I moved from Chicago to Tampa—a grueling 1,800-mile journey in a bumpy moving truck POD. The verdict? The LG Styler took the trip like a champ.
It (Almost) Works Like Magic
While LG doesn’t market the Styler as a dry-cleaning replacement, after seeing how fresh my clothes come out, I absolutely do. It completely eliminates stale odors—my cashmere sweater, which sat at the bottom of my dirty laundry for six months, came out smelling brand new and looking just as pristine as the day I bought it.
One by one, my neglected silks, pleathers, and delicate fabrics emerged from the Styler refreshed and revived. But you might be wondering, “Nicole, how do you know they’re actually clean?”
Beyond my own eyes and nose, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) certified the Styler as asthma and allergy friendly in 2018. According to the foundation, fabrics must be cleaned at temperatures of at least 130°F to effectively reduce allergens like dust mites, bacteria, and fungi. The LG Styler not only generates steam hot enough to meet that standard, but its certification confirms it reduces bacteria and fungi by an impressive 99 percent. (For comparison, a 1993 study found that traditional dry cleaning reduces total allergen levels by about 70 percent.)
The AAFA certification standards also require that the appliance doesn’t increase humidity in its environment by more than five percent during use or disperse water contaminated with bacteria or fungi. “We are happy to confirm that the LG Styler meets our strict standards,” said Dr. John McKeon, CEO of Allergy Standards Limited (ASL), in a press release at the time.
What’s even better? The LG Styler achieves all of this using nothing but steam—no bleach, detergents, or harsh chemicals. That’s a major advantage over traditional dry cleaning, which often relies on chemicals like perchloroethylene (perc) to clean fabrics.
That said, the Styler isn’t perfect. My only gripe? Its wrinkle-removal performance on cotton and linen. While it smooths out a good portion of creases, some items still need a quick pass with an iron—something I try to avoid whenever possible. Still, in most cases, the results are good enough to wear straight from the closet without a second thought.
It’s a Money-Saver in the Long Run
Yes, the LG Styler is an investment. Depending on the model you choose (I have the SC3W, which is $899), the price can go up to $1,899 for one with smart technology features. However, when you consider that my average dry-cleaning trip—usually five to seven items—costs at least $100, it actually feels like a great deal. The Styler also comes with a ten-year limited warranty on its compressor, so you can use it for years without any extra cost, cleaning your high-end items as often as needed. Trust me, those savings add up fast. After about nine dry-cleaning trips, the Styler would have already paid for itself at its $900 sale price.
If the price taIts Flaws Are Minor
g still has you hesitant, there are more affordable options like the Everyday Steam Closet ($299) or the CHI hanging garment steamer ($123). While I haven’t tested these myself and the reviews are limited, the Everyday Steam Closet also claims to kill 99 percent of bacteria with steam and folds down for storage. The CHI model, however, doesn’t make similar claims, so it might be more effective for wrinkle removal.
Now, let’s talk about the downsides. My biggest gripe? Its size. This thing is huge—taller than a refrigerator! Because of that, I docked a few points off its otherwise sleek design. On top of that, the delivery guy could only bring it to the parking lot. Without my boyfriend’s help (who, I’ll admit, wasn’t thrilled about this new addition), I never would have managed to get it inside, let alone lift its 183-pound frame to set up the drip tray underneath. If you don’t have extra hands around, I highly recommend adding the $10 installation service at checkout on LG’s site.
It also requires a good amount of space (it’s 72.75 inches tall and 17.5 inches wide), so you’ll need to plan where to place it. The door is reversible, offering a bit more flexibility, but it still has a bulky footprint. Right now, mine’s just barely crammed into our laundry room.
During use, my only issue is that some of my harder-to-hang items tend to slip off the hangers as they move and vibrate. While they still come out clean, they often fall into a pile in the corner, affecting both wrinkle removal and drying time.
This could be easily fixed with the Styler shelf ($30), which lets you steam items that don’t do well on hangers, like sweaters or bulkier things such as blankets. But, of course, it’s sold separately from the appliance. You’d also need to buy a third moving hanger with a bar for pants ($20). Neither of these extras are terribly expensive, but it’s a bit frustrating they’re not included with the machine.
Lastly, the app could definitely use some improvement, especially during setup. It would be way easier to connect the device to your Wi-Fi right from the start. If it was that frustrating for me—someone who’s relatively tech-savvy—I can’t imagine how tough it could be for older or less tech-inclined users trying to get their appliances set up.
The Final Verdict
The LG Styler steam closet is a game-changer for someone like me, who has plenty of clothes requiring specialty cleaning. (Even Olivia Palermo is a fan!) While it has a few drawbacks—such as its size and a somewhat complicated app—the benefits far outweigh them. I’m saving money, my clothes are cleaner, and I have a wider range of items to wear. My dresses stay fresh, my tops look sharp, and I no longer have to schedule dry-cleaning drop-offs and pickups.
If you have a little help getting it inside, whether professionally or with a friend, I’d rank it up there with a dishwasher. Is it absolutely necessary? No. But it sure makes life easier.
- Pros: Effectively cleans and sanitizes clothes, saves money over time, easy to use, no harsh chemicals
- Cons: Large and bulky, complex app, several accessories sold separately
- Size: 72.75 inches tall by 17.5 inches wide
- Weight: 183 pounds
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