Samsung Airdresser review

Caring for and cleaning delicate clothes isn't easy – and even keeping those every day items pressed can be a hassle, so we were intrigued to try out Samsung's AirDresser. 

One of the AirDresser's main attractions is that it promises to keep clothes looking refreshed and revitalized, without washing, so – in theory – you will make fewer trips to the dry cleaners, you'll do less washing and ironing, and delicate items should last longer. That said, it doesn't remove stains or clean clothes: 'freshen' is very much the term you are looking for here.

However, the AirDresser is somewhat of an investment: both in terms of its price and the space it takes up – it's the size of a tall, narrow closet, so you will need to create a dedicated space for it, something consider if you are working up a floorplan for a remodelled walk-in closet, bedroom or are looking for laundry room ideas. That said, you won't need a separate or new water line for it – just a socket. So, is it worth the space and cost? Our review will help you decide.

What is a Samsung AirDresser?

A Samsung AirDresser is part-closet, part-appliance that can sanitize, deodorize, steam, and dry clothes – including delicates. 

What does a Samsung AirDresser do?

Hang clothes on the three removable AirHangers, which are designed so that the air, heat and steam can treat your clothes from the inside as well as outside, choose your preferred setting and let it work its magic.

Samsung's AirDresser uses a Jet Steam system to remove bacteria and loosen dust from clothes to sanitize the fabrics; a deodorizing filter removes odors; and the HeatPump gently dries the clothes at a low temperature, so you don't have to worry about heat damage – or clothes shrinking. 

The capacity of the AirDresser is three jackets and three trousers, plus there's space to hang ties on the back of the door. 

It's worth mentioning, too, that the AirDresser works with Samsung's smart home platform, so if you already have other Samsung appliances, this might be a better buy for you than a competitor's.  

Samsung AirDresser: specifications

• Weighs: 97 kilos/214lbs.
• Size: 445 x 1850 x 615 mm.
• Power: Needs a 230V/50Hz outlet. 
• Controls: Touch panel LCD display with 11 'buttons' on the mirrored door. 
• Looks: like a mirrored cabinet. 

Samsung AirDresser: functions and usage

The AirDresser is heavy – but it was delivered and plugged in by two delivery men who also took away the packaging – and advised me to wait two hours before using it.

For the AirDresser to work to its best capacity, it needs half an inch around the top, sides and back to prevent poor ventilation and a condensation build-up. I tested it in an open room and while it gave off a 'new' smell when I began using it, there was little steam given off from what is a well-sealed unit. 

The AirDresser has an LCD display on its mirrored front; you can use it to select the desired cycle, read the estimated time remaining, notifications and your Wi-Fi connectivity.

To select a cycle, you can choose from: normal (39 mins); delicates (36 mins, for lace, chiffon, rayon or items with decals); quick (20 mins – for light odors and wrinkles); and sanitize (1hr 52 mins – for streaming a few lightweight or one larger item at a time). There are also professional care options including dry and special – for suits, school uniforms, wool/knit, down jackets, fur/leather, heavy duty, winter coats and denim.

A child lock/silent button reduces operating noise but will increase cycle time. The delay end button increases the end time from one to 24 hours, which is useful if you want something ready-to-wear and fresh for when you come home from work and need a quick turnaround. The keep fresh function will stay on up to 24 hours after a cycle has finished if items cannot be taken out immediately – and I'd recommend using this because steamed items will quickly crease again if left hanging in the AirDresser for any length of time. 

Each of these different options has its own time limit that is displayed on the screen, you can scroll along to the one you want. There is, by the way, an instruction booklet that contains a fabric care guide table to make sure you are able to make the most of the AirDresser – however, even without reading the instructions, the AirDresser is pretty self-explanatory.

Finally, the smart control function deals with the Wi-Fi connection, and the SmartThings app. You can use the app to customize your settings and tell the AirDresser what kinds of clothes your putting in it – and it can give you feedback on the cycle to use – or whether to run them on separate cycles.

When using this product we first did a normal cycle with a top that was clean but once-worn and didn't smell 100% fresh, hoping that by the end it would smell as good as new, and a silky maxi dress that was clean but creased.

The dress, when hung up by the straps, was too long for the AirDresser, which meant that the bottom was extra creased at the end of the cycle. To remedy this, we ran the dress through another cycle, with the hem held by a second hanger. It's unlikely many of us will want to clean or freshen more than one long gown a week, but it's worth knowing that you will really only have space to do one or two at a time.

However, we ran the dress on the normal cycle and it did come out perfectly pressed.

As for the T-shirt, it was certainly fresher after being on the normal – but wasn't as squeaky fresh as I wanted; I ran it again on the sanitize function, after which it was fresher again, though there was still a lingering 'worn' smell.

After this, we ran a whole load of garments, from suits to jackets to shirts and ties through various cycles. What we found was that the AirDresser will freshen items up and remove light creases. Even with the weights provided to pull creases out of heavily-creased items, they still came out crumpled.

It's worth noting that despite the 'self-cleaning' function, there is a reasonable amount of upkeep needed to make sure the AirDresser keeps running smoothly. A redeeming factor is that you will receive notifications when any of the maintenance above is needed – more on this below.

Samsung AirDresser: extra features

Dehumidifier: If the AirDresser's door is left open it acts as a dehumidifier for the whole room, which is ideal if the AirDresser is left in an open wardrobe like the one shown at the top of this page.

Self-cleaning: After 40 cycles, the AirDresser reminds you it needs a self-cleaning cycle, as the heat, air and steam used to keep the clothes fresh also work to keep the AirDresser itself clean and odorless for best performance.

Silent door: The AirDresser's soft closing door is a great little addition and gives it a luxe feel.

Built in water tank: With the fitted water tank, there is no need for it to be plumbed, in which means it is easy to relocate the AirDresser. You just need to keep an eye on water levels and remember to top up the water tank.

Lint filter: Make sure the lint filter is clean. 

Drain tank: This will have to be emptied occasionally but is very easy to do. 

Water tray: At the bottom of the AirDresser, this should also be emptied on a regular basis. 

AirFilter: Should frequently be removed and cleaned.

Samsung AirDresser: the verdict

The AirDresser is not a must-have unless you own a huge amount of delicate, quality clothes that need to be well cared for, are tired of going to the dry cleaners every other day, and regularly need to fresh or knock the creases out of clothes that have hung in a closet for a long time. If this is you, the AirDresser will save you time ironing and washing and, over time, money spent at the dry cleaners.