There aren’t a lot of gadgets I consider packing on trips, but the Ovo Steam Iron is now one of them.
It may seem silly, but this little egg has really saved my ass a few times. Whether it was going out to dinner during a friend’s bachelorette weekend and finding my dress crumpled at the bottom of my bag, or when every single t-shirt I had for my 4th of July trip ended up balled up on the floor of my room after a drunken rifle through my luggage for a sweatshirt.
Most travel steamers are twice the size of this thing, with a long handle and nozzle-like tip. Because of the Ovo’s shape, it fits nicely into crevices in over-packed luggage, plus it feels good in your hand while in use. It outputs a nice amount of steam and the water reservoir is surprisingly spacious, which lends itself to an up to 10-minute-long steam session.
But the best part about this thing is that it can also iron. With its ceramic plate, not even jeans that have been folded every-which-way in a duffle bag can hope to stay wrinkled. It’s also delicate enough to use on a swimsuit (true story).
As for its oval-shaped design, it fits well in your hand, which means you can easily do a full garment without much effort. The one-touch continuous stream of steam keeps your hand from cramping; there’s no need to hold your finger down on a button or trigger.
Yes, practically every hotel in existence has an iron, but if you’re renting out an Airbnb or staying at a friend or relative’s house, having a travel steamer on you takes basically all the hassle out of looking presentable.