LG Vapor Cleaner Styler: dry cleaning and sanitizing in our house – Analysis
Today we analyze a very particular product that is far from what we usually try because of its peculiarity. since it is a steam cabinet that brings us the functions of a dry cleaner at home, but with the added bonus of being able to sanitize our clothes and home textiles. The device in question is the LG Vapor Cleaner Styler, a cabinet that can iron with the force of steam, remove odors from clothes, sanitize them by eliminating up to 99.99% of the coronavirus, and can even dehumidify a room.
First of all, thank LG for not only allowing us to test the product, but also giving it more than enough time to know if it is an appliance that you end up using or end up abandoning in a corner. This is something that we cannot always say, since it is not the same to try a product for a few days as it is to be able to do it for a couple of months, something that always gives you a better idea of the final use that we give it if we buy it.
Table of Contents
A closet that brings the dry cleaner home
The LG Vapor Cleaner Styler has the appearance of a cabinet and is available in a white or mirror finish. In our case we have the mirror finish that allows you to try on clothes and have a full-length mirror so you can see yourself when you put on the clothes you just got out of the Styler or your closet.
Before starting, we are going to review its specifications so that we can familiarize ourselves with LG's proposal.
Specifications LG Vapor Cleaner Styler
Its dimensions are those of a one-door cabinet, so it is very important that we know where we will place it. In its favor, we only depend on having a plug nearby, since both the water it needs and the water it collects when dehumidifying the garments are collected in two tanks. In my case I have found the hole in the room, right next to the closet to be able to pass the clothes and put them in their place.
With a gray body and a front with a mirror finish, there is a display that allows us to turn the LG Vapor Cleaner Styler on and off, select the program to use, start the program or pause it and even connect it via Wi-Fi to be able to use it. remotely and take advantage of LG ThinQ features. The positive part of this mirror finish is that aesthetically it gives it a more elegant and useful appearance and keeps it from looking like a "refrigerator" in the room. The bad part is that its touch screen causes that every time we use it it is filled with fingerprints that have to be cleaned, we go to the normal problem of putting our hands on a mirror.
The Display is extremely intuitive, with four main columns that are divided into: Refreshment, Special Care, Hygienization and Quick Dry. Each column has the available functions and to switch between them we just have to click on the icon so that the chosen option flashes, depending on the chosen option on the right side it will show us the time it will take, and next to this clock we have the start button or pause.
Opening the LG Vapor Cleaner Styler we find a white interior with an upper part where we place the clothes or textiles and a lower part where the machinery and water tanks go. All of this has a glossy white finish to accentuate that feeling of cleanliness and hygiene that is usually associated with this type of product.
People are do immersed in making in SOPs that now we are seeing SOPs on anything- how to grate coconut, how to open door.... #boredinthehouse
— ₹@v!: Ravi Sun Apr 12 16:34:42 +0000 2020
The cleaning space has a shelf made up of a large grid on which we can place already folded clothes, blankets or any object that we are going to clean. In the upper part we have a bar with three recesses to place three hangers, while in the door we have the pants ironing system. The bar where we place the hangers is not fixed, but it allows a slight oscillation that in some modes helps to obtain better results.
In the area of the hangers found two normal hangers and a hanger for pants located in the central part. For obvious reasons, if we use other types of hangers, we must take into account that they are capable of withstanding the conditions of humidity and heat that are generated inside, since otherwise we could not only damage the hanger but also the garment that it holds.
In the lower part of the cabinet we have two water tanks, one that provides the water necessary to generate the steam with which it cleans and another that collects the water when we dehumidify the garments. We won't have to worry about filling the first or emptying the second, since LG Vapor Cleaner Styler itself will notify us if we try to use it and we have to do one of the two things. The warning appears in the form of a notification on the display and in sound form thanks to a series of beeps that indicate that something is happening.
As you can see in the image above, some condensation can be generated, so the bottom of the cabinet has a catcher so that if there is any dripping, it does not end up on our floor. Here to point out that in the months that I have used it this has never occurred and the only way to show the condensation that we see in the upper photograph has been to open the door in the middle of a cleaning cycle.
In the part of the base of the upper space we find a filter in the front part, while in the back part we have a small tray that allows us to place some scented wipes that give the clothes fresher results and with a «smell of cleansed".
A smart closet with ThinQ
The LG Vapor Cleaner Styler comes with the ThinQ seal, that is, it is grouped within the devices that make use of the company's Internet ecosystem of things. This means that we can download the LG application for smartphones with which we can see the status of the device and download new programs. In addition, if we have other devices such as an LG television, we can see how it is linked to it and, among other things, we will be notified on television with a notification when, for example, a cleaning cycle has finished, just as we receive it on the smartphone.
The most important point of the application, in addition to being able to use the LG Vapor Cleaner Styler remotely, is being able to download new programs for other functions or garments that require special care. For example, if we have children and we want to sanitize their stuffed animals or dolls, there is a specific program for this that we can download. It also allows us to see the status of each cleaning cycle, see the usage statistics and even make a diagnosis of the status of the LG Vapor Cleaner Styler, something that we will talk about in the maintenance section.
user experience
LG, when explaining the functions of the LG Vapor Cleaner Styler, indicates that "Eliminates odours, sanitizes, dries and reduces wrinkles from your clothes", so we will detail the experience we have had in each of these functions, how it is carried out and the results obtained.
The capabilities of this device are given by TrueSteam steam technology, which manages to reduce wrinkles thanks to the power of steam itself, while sanitizing and eliminating odors using a combination of steam, temperature and the humidity generated. As reported by LG, Intertek tests have resulted in an ability to eliminate up to 99.99% of human coronavirus 229E samples. In the same way, it achieves 99.9% sterilization of E.coli and S.epidermidis, achieving the BAF certificate on the reduction of fungi and dust mites.
To dry the garments, the steam chamber uses an Inverter Heat pump, which, unlike a washing machine, does not damage the garments as it does not cause it to hit while it rotates in a drum, so it can be used even with delicate garments. such as cashmere or silk. This system is not only capable of drying clothes, but can be used to dehumidify the room you are in by leaving the door open at a 45 degree angle. This is the only way that doesn't stop when we open the door but does so if we close it.
As it appears on the display, we will start by talking about the “Eliminate odors” function, although we will see it as “Refreshment” and whose functions we can choose between Normal, Mild and Intense. This mode is useful when we want to eliminate odors from a garment that has been stored for a long time or to eliminate odors that may have been impregnated, such as tobacco or our pet.
The operation uses steam attached to an oscillation of the hangers where we place the clothes. The results are surprisingly effective, although, depending on the degree of "aroma" to be eliminated, it is advisable to choose the correct program, in garments with persistent odors such as tobacco, it is advisable to use the intense mode to achieve good results, while for a a garment that has been in the closet for a long time, a lighter program is enough. If we notice that the odors are not eliminated in some garment, it may be more convenient to use the Sanitization program, something that we will learn as we use the LG Vapor Cleaner Styler.
The sanitization program is designed when it is necessary to eliminate bacteria and allergens, with Normal, Bedding, Fine dust and Deep modes. Cleaning clothes that smell of sweat or those products such as sheets, duvets or even pillows, cushions or stuffed animals that tend to accumulate dust and can be a source of dust mite allergies come into this field.
In this process, steam is the great ally, although it is also accompanied by the same vibration system of the hangers, but above all the difference is in the time of the programs that are lengthened to maximize the elimination of everything that can cause bad odors or can cause allergies.
The most common reason why we resort to taking a garment to the dry cleaner is because it needs a special cleaning, either because of the type of fabric, because of the delicacy of the garment that prevents us from cleaning it in the washing machine or because it is of something large format that doesn't end up in the washing machine without being destroyed, as is the case with an XXL teddy bear that I treasure. This section is found in the Special Care section and includes knitwear, sportswear, wool, suits and coats. We also have a section dedicated to downloaded programs that include a huge variety of modes that adapt to almost any need that we can imagine.
By having the LG Vapor Cleaner Styler for several months, I have had the seasonal change period leaving behind the coats and taking the shorts out of the drawers. This is a process that used to involve “rewashing” some other already washed garment to store it for a few months, while washing others that already smelled like a drawer for months in storage.
Taking advantage of having this device, they have passed from coats to woolen garments that they have to store. The results are quite correct, making clothes and objects leave with a fresh and clean aroma that I even like more than the typical hospital smell of some dry cleaners. That yes, better use scented wipes to achieve those results.
Of course, if we have a garment with a stain, the LG Vapor Cleaner Styler will not remove it, for that we will have to pull the washing machine, wash by hand or use the usual dry cleaner.
On the topic of drying clothes we have Dehumidification, Rain/Snow and Normal options, we can use it to dry clothes without leaving us with the particular smell of some dryers or the touch of "excessive drying" that can scratch the rough. The results are really good, but given the low load capacity that its use has, it is rather anecdotal or to get out of trouble on a day that you need to dry a specific garment and the weather prevents it from drying.
Are you able to iron?
A question that I asked myself before trying it is if it would be able to iron as advertised by LG. The answer here is that we can say yes, but with many conditions and only on certain occasions.
If you are thinking of using the LG Vapor Cleaner Styler as a substitute for your iron, I hope you only use suits, since in other situations the results are far from what we achieve with an iron
Looking at the description of the interior of the device we see that we have two hangers where we can place a shirt and the suit jacket, while on the door we have a support from which to hang the pants while a second door presses the legs helped by two tabs that keeps the pants stretched. Here you have to be careful to place all the clothes with the folds correctly since closing the inner door will exert pressure that if the fold is not left correctly could result in wrinkles.
When we place the suit correctly, if it does not have very pronounced wrinkles, we achieve very correct results, although depending on the type of fabric they may vary. Personally I'm not much of a suit, but biting my heart I've tried what a working day would be like with it on and how it would turn out after going through the LG Vapor Cleaner Styler. The truth is that if you look closely you can see that it is not a finish like the one we get with an iron, but it is quite close. In its favor, we do not have to resort to tricks such as placing a garment between the iron and the suit or lowering the temperature a lot to avoid shine, so that in addition to being more comfortable it seems that in the long run it takes more care of our suit, so When it comes to ironing this type of garment, we give it a thumbs up.
If what we have is light shirts, skirts or dresses, those that are so delicate that ironing them makes you sweat, the results are also very good but always depending on their shape and type of fabric. To get an idea, we talk about being indicated for a so-called "delicate" dress or one that you usually take to the dry cleaners, "satin" type shirts and similar fabrics.
Of course, this device is not designed for other types of more "coarse" garments, but it would not be us if we stopped testing how it behaves to see its results.
When I have tried garments such as t-shirts, sweaters or jeans, the thing drops a lot of points and it is only saved if we do this with the garments that are not completely dry and have not picked up wrinkles. In the case of the jeans I have not been able to use the door system since they are too thick, so they had to be hung. The result is quite weak and certainly not ideal. Trying t-shirts and some other jersey the results is that although we can prevent wrinkles from forming, you never achieve the smooth appearance of an iron, a jersey may not be appreciated, but on a t-shirt it is quite noticeable. If we use it with wool, a fabric that is not usually ironed or if it is done with measurements similar to those taken with a suit, here the results are as good as those we obtain with an iron.
Maintenance
One of the points that intrigued me was knowing the maintenance of the LG Vapor Cleaner Styler and the truth is that this is minimal, the most common being having to fill and empty its water tank systems, something that depends on its use. give but in my case we can say that it used to be every 10 days or a couple of weeks. Luckily it is a simple and fast process, you just pull as if you were going to take out a drawer, lift the cap and empty or fill the tank. Let's go in a matter of seconds.
The other maintenance points affect the aromatic wipes, which we can leave open or closed and that we change when we see that they stop fulfilling their function, as well as the base filter, which is cleaned with a simple brush to eliminate the traces of dust that clothes usually leave behind when they dry. Simple and fast, as maintenance of any device should be.
The LG ThinQ application allows us not only to download cleaning programs but also has a diagnostic system for the LG Vapor Cleaner Styler. When we start it we have a check of various parts of the device and it gives us an evaluation indicating how to solve the problem.
Conclusions and opinion
As expected, we are not talking about a cheap product, with a price of €1,799 for the mirror finish and €1,599 for the white model, so it is certainly not for all users.
The LG Vapor Cleaner Styler is a very curious device with a very specific audience, especially suitable for "suited" professionals or users with a wardrobe with many delicate garments that cannot be constantly going through the washer or dryer.
In my case I have been surprised to find alternative uses that above all focus on my particular obsession with smells, or rather with the search for their absence. Using this device to remove odors from garments such as jackets or coats, refresh duvets and pillows or remove the smell from kitchen curtains have been some of the cases, although without forgetting the good results cleaning objects such as stuffed animals. But of course they can only be considered as extras if you see that you are going to give them the main use that we mentioned, since by itself it is difficult to think that it is a reason for their purchase.
If we have to summarize, we will say that for the vast majority of the population it is difficult to buy the LG Vapor Cleaner Styler, not because of its results, but because of its price and its capabilities. I see it for an executive or commercial person who has to wear a suit all day, or for a [email protected] with a good purchasing power who wants to take care of their delicate garments at home, in both cases they will have the extras of being able to give other uses and have connection with LG ThinQ system. For a user who has a wardrobe where casual clothing is predominant, and cashmere or silk are conspicuous by their absence, it is difficult to think that it could be an advisable purchase.
