Best facial steamers for a sauna-like treatment at home

Best for: a salon-worthy treatment at home

If you’re trying to kick your expensive spa habit but you’re reluctant to forgo frequent facials, Sarah Chapman’s face steamer offers a happy compromise. While at first the £138 price tag seems on the indulgent side, for anyone who regularly gets facials you’ll get your money back within the first couple of uses.

This skincare gadget, much smaller once out of its packaging, is made to upgrade your at-home skincare routine and comes packed to the rafters with high-tech features like ionic and ultrasound tech. It’s designed to give you the same steam experience you’d have during a proper Sarah Chapman Skinesis facial (which start at £150), just from the comfort of home.

Getting started is simple: fill the back reservoir with water, much like you would a steam iron (we used Evian because we were feeling fancy but filtered or tap will work just as well), plug into the mains and hit start for a pre-programmed five-minute steam, adjusting the nozzle so it’s aimed 20cm from your face and upper neck.

At first, it might seem that the mist is too gentle to make any real impact, but keep the faith. It’ll soon gather pace, gently warming pores with an ultra-fine mist, which for the sceptics will feel like it’s not doing much – especially for the short run time. However, once you’ve done a post-steam cleanse you’ll clearly notice the difference in your skin’s hydration levels and texture. Bouncy, plump, soft.

The instructions advise steaming no more than three times a week, which should be plenty to see lasting changes in your complexion. If you’ve got particularly congested skin, try a deeper cleanse of 10 minutes to loosen the worn-in dirt.

Post-steam, now’s the perfect time to smooth on pricey lotions and serums and let the active ingredients work their magic.

Best for: glowy results

Dr Dennis Gross is one of the most advanced and leading dermatologist-led brands on the market, incorporating products and treatments that you’d find in-clinic to an at-home experience. That’s where this facial steamer comes in. A good facial should always start by cleansing and encouraging the pores to open in order to make the ingredients that follow better absorbed and more effective.

The Pro device brings this to your regular skincare routine with a sleek design. The white exterior is embellished with a rose gold nozzle that combines fashion and function. It has a wide hole for steam output to encourage a wider treatment area, yet still provides a lightweight mist. There’s an antibacterial interior coating to keep it fresh and ultrasonic technology that provides smaller water particles to more easily penetrate the skin and provide deeper hydration.

There are two settings which can be switched between by the white button on the front; orange is the lower setting that should be used by beginners and those with sensitivities. Once you become a regular to the facial steaming game, switch up to pink, which is hotter and better for oily skin types. You will be able to see the difference immediately. The glow-giving results are impressive and it’s ideal for blemish-prone too to counteract deep-rooted congestion.

Best for: a deep clean for squeaky clean skin

Size matters: especially when it comes to water droplets, it seems. The smaller they are, the easier they can penetrate your cells and leave you with clear, glowy skin. Panasonic’s device uses nano-ionic technology to create steam particles that are 18,000 times smaller than normal making them more effective at clearing out gunk like excess makeup, oil and other impurities while also boosting collagen and water levels.

This hot box of skin-enhancing tricks comes programmed with three, six and 12-minute steam cycles, so you can enjoy express or deep steam when you like. Take care to finish with an oil, serum or moisturiser afterwards to prolong the hydrating effects.

The device is extremely compact, making it perfectly suited for on-the-go use. Small but mighty, it offers powerful steam and minimal fuss in the way of set-up. There is just one button for on/off. To choose a program, you fill the removable tank at the back with the amount of water as detailed. Be aware that some water may remain on the device at the end of use so pour it out before you put it away.

Best for: facials on a budget

Give central-heating parched skin the quench it needs with this nano-ionic steamer from EZBasics. Once you’ve filled up the tank and plugged it in, it turns water into a steady consistent stream of steam in 30 seconds.

It runs for 10 minutes, significantly longer than the other steamers on our list, making it ideal for a deep cleanse - especially if you use the five-piece stainless steel blackhead and blemish extractor kit that comes free with every purchase.

The longer operating time means it’s also helpful if you’re trying to shift a cold.

Top tip: allow the steamer to run twice fully to get rid of the plastic smell before exposing it to your face.

Best for: clearing sinus issues

Offering a more purse-friendly option, this steamer comes with gleaming five-star reviews from Argos’s fans. As well as a steam function for your skin, it also comes with an inhaler add-on; perfect to use if you’re feeling sniffly and want to unblock your sinuses.

Unlike many other models, this is aromatherapy oil-compatible, so dim the lights, crack open those scented candles and prepare for a soothing spa-like experience without leaving the house.

A long cord means you can position it wherever’s comfortable and keep it well out of reach of curious little hands once you’re finished, as it takes around 20 minutes to fully cool down.

Best for: better product absorption

This little gadget uses ionic technology to deliver a thin veil of mist over your face, loosening dirt-locked cells and leaving your complexion radiant with hydration. Get ready to glow.

Send congested skin packing by micro-steaming with Magnitone STEAMAHEAD. Harnessing the latest technology, it preps skin for products with ten minutes of de-ionised micro steam particles for a gentle, deep clean that will leave dry skin feeling perfectly hydrated.

It’s also helpful if you’re trying to shake off a lingering cold as the heat will open up your sinuses and loosen mucus.

You can use it with facial essential oils for a more soothing experience, turning your bathroom into a spa. Best of all it won’t take up much room when you’re not using it as you can dismantle the parts and store them with ease.

Best for: multitasking humidity

StylPro is an innovative label, turning otherwise arduous tasks into easily solved and satisfying solutions - we’re referring mainly to its makeup brush cleaner, an electric tool that washes and dries the bristles. That is all to say that expectations were high for the brand’s Facial Steamer.

The device has a conical-like shape that diffuses ionic mist into the air and works in a few different ways. You can place your face in close proximity to encourage the warmth to open pores, or you can add drops of aromatherapy oils for a calming, relaxing ambience. There’s another setting that can make it a humidifier and it be used to warm up towels too - talk about a luxury experience! The dial on the front switches between the four functions.

At such an affordable price point, we were surprised just how premium and quality the StylPro Facial Steamer is. It sits at a good height so is comfortable through the process, has a quick heat-up time and great steam distribution

An at-home pamper essential.