Garlyn GST-08 Pro Steam Generator Review: Efficiently and Easily Steams Delicate and Natural Fabrics

The Garlyn GST-08 Pro steam generator provides easy and effective clothing care. The iron with a ceramic coating and stable temperature support, as well as a powerful steam blow, promises to cope with any fabric creases. Additionally, the ability to adjust the temperature and intensity of steam supply is attractive.

During the testing, we will evaluate the quality of the steam station, describe our feelings and impressions from interacting with it, and also take some measurements.

^* Contrary to popular belief, this is not a period after which the device will necessarily break down. However, after this period, the manufacturer ceases to bear any responsibility for its functionality and has the right to refuse to repair it, even for a fee.

The device comes in two boxes: a shipping box and the main packaging. The outer box made of unpainted corrugated cardboard contains a minimum of information: the brand name, model number, image of the steam generator, as well as the dimensions and weight of the box. The inner box is designed in the corporate style of Garlyn, with a black and orange color scheme and a geometric pattern, it also contains a photo of the device and a list of its characteristics and features. The box does not have a handle for carrying.

The device is securely fixed inside the package with two molded cardboard inserts made from recycled materials. Additionally, the body is wrapped in thick polyethylene bags. The steam generator comes with a package of documentation, including a user manual, warranty card and brief operating instructions.

The Garlyn GST-08 Pro steam generator, like other similar devices, is a single steam station with an iron connected by a steam hose. The body is made of glossy white plastic with neutral gray inserts. The whole design looks compact and quite elegant, as far as possible for steamers of this type.

The removable water tank is located at the front of the device. On the front side, there is a long vertical gray handle, and the button for removing the tank is located on its inner side. By pressing the button and simultaneously pulling it towards you, the tank is easily detached.

On the outer walls you can see marks indicating the maximum water volume and pictograms of the main functions of the device.

The diameter of the water filling hole is 4x2.5 cm, which seems to us quite convenient for manipulation. The maximum volume of the tank is 1.5 l.

Above the tank, in the front part of the device, there is a button for releasing the iron lock. When pressed, it lifts the part that holds the iron tip motionless on the platform. The iron stand is made of heat-resistant plastic, with three soft inserts made of a material similar to silicone. At the bottom of the stand there is a protrusion that fixes the lower part of the iron.

On the opposite side from the front of the steam station is the control panel, which consists of three large buttons and a display.

Around the base of the steam station is a groove for storing the steam hose. This groove is also suitable for laying the electric cable. The lengths of both cables are standard — they are not too long, but not too short either. In our experience, the flexible steam hose length of 1.5 m is enough for comfortable use of the steamer. Both cables fit easily into the groove and are fixed in place thanks to the 4.5 cm high limiter on the right side of the body. The connection point of the steam hose to the base is protected by a durable rubberized casing 3.5 cm long.

On the bottom of the device there are four low feet 2-3 mm high with rubber inserts that prevent slipping. Also on the bottom there are several narrow technical openings, an information sticker with data about the device and a hole for draining water, closed with a rotary plug.

The first impression of the iron is extremely positive. It is elegant, light and fits comfortably in the hands, despite the smooth surface. On the body of the iron, of all the controls, there is only a steam button, located in the usual place — on the inside of the handle. On the outside, there is an oblong temperature indicator.

The steam hose is attached to the base of the iron. The hinge moves freely up and down within the opening. The height of the protective casing is 4 cm.

The soleplate is covered with a ceramic layer that looks durable and the surface is smooth and pleasant to the touch. The steam outlets are located at the top and sides of the soleplate. There are not many of them: five in the narrow part and six on each side (the three lower ones are just recesses from which steam does not come out).

The first impression of the Garlyn GST-08 Pro steam station is very positive. The device looks well assembled, all surfaces are carefully processed, and the joints are well-fitted. The controls are located in familiar and convenient places, and the locking buttons are highlighted in bright orange.

The documentation set includes two A6 brochures — a user manual and a warranty card — as well as one thick glossy A5 sheet with a brief operating manual.

We are particularly pleased that instead of studying the 26-page manual, you can simply read both sides of the brief instructions. It covers all the key points regarding the operation of the device: safety precautions, the design of the steam station, start-up and operation, as well as maintenance and cleaning. If you need a more detailed explanation, you can refer to the full manual. The print quality of the documentation is excellent, the information is well structured, the text is supplemented with illustrations, lists and tables, which makes it easier to understand.

The main controls of the Garlyn GST-08 Pro steam generator are located on the side panel of the case. Under the display with indicator lights there are three buttons: the device power button and two buttons for adjusting the steam intensity — decreasing and increasing.

The Garlyn GST-08 Pro steam station offers three operating modes with different steam intensity and iron sole temperature:

1. The first mode: 75±20 g/min and 145±20 °C
2. The second mode: 100±20 g/min and 145±20 °C
3. The third mode: 160±20 g/min and 160±20 °C

After connecting the device to electricity, you need to press the power button. The device emits a sound signal and starts in the first mode. Select the desired program using the "+" and "-" buttons. The indicators of the selected modes will light up on the display. During heating, the indicator of the selected mode on the display and on the iron flashes, and when they stabilize, you can start ironing — this means that the device has reached the specified parameters.

To use the steam function, simply press the steam button located on the inside of the iron handle. A quick double press on this button activates a steam burst.

In general, the Garlyn GST-08 Pro steam generator is intuitive to operate and does not require a deep study of the instructions or frequent references to them.

Before starting work, it is recommended to inspect the steam station for visible damage, and then wipe it, including the body and sole of the iron, with a damp cloth. When first started, there may be a foreign smell and condensation in the water tank, as well as drops of water coming out of the holes in the sole of the iron. This is normal, so before ironing clothes, it is better to first iron a small piece of fabric at maximum steam power for several minutes.

The Garlyn GST-08 Pro steam generator can be used not only for ironing with a constant supply of steam, but also for dry ironing and vertical steaming. It works effectively with vertical steaming: the iron is quite light, and the steam jet, especially in the third mode, is so powerful that after processing several things in the room, steam may form.

Despite the small number of holes on the sole of the iron, the device copes with steaming perfectly. In the first mode, the steam power is sufficient for the ironing board to often become damp.

The iron is securely fixed on the platform, and the steam station itself is stably placed on the edge of the ironing board or on a special holder if a large, sturdy ironing board is used. Otherwise, you will have to look for a place to install the device.

The anti-drip system works satisfactorily, although sometimes water drops fall on the fabric. When ironing thick fabrics, such as jeans, the inside of the clothes may be damp. After steaming, the fabric remains slightly damp, so it is better to hang the clothes on hangers to dry.

The automatic shutdown function, which is triggered if the iron is stationary for more than 10 minutes, is also pleasing. To restart the steam station, just press the power button.

Overall, the testing results did not raise any serious comments. If you iron often and enjoy it, the Garlyn GST-08 Pro will definitely be a great helper.

Maintenance of the Garlyn GST-08 Pro steam generator is simple and does not require much time. If the device will not be used in the near future, after work it is necessary to drain the remaining water from the tank. The soleplate of the iron and the body should be wiped first with a soft damp cloth, then dry.

Do not use hard napkins, abrasive cleaning agents, alcohol-containing preparations or other similar substances to maintain the device. Do not immerse the device in water or rinse it under running water.

If the descaling indicator lights up on the display, you need to clean the internal surfaces of the steam station. To do this, turn the device over, unscrew the drain plug, remove it and drain the remaining water from the tank. Then pour in new water, shake and drain again. Repeat this procedure 2-3 times. After the last drain, screw the plug back and set the steam station to its normal position. The procedure is simple, but requires accuracy.

The maximum power of the Garlyn GST-08 Pro, recorded during tests with a wattmeter, was about 2750 W, which is slightly lower than the declared value.

We measured the temperature of the iron sole in various heating modes. Measurements were taken immediately after heating was complete, based on the wattmeter readings, at five points. The average data is as follows:

• First operating mode: 120-160 °C
• Second operating mode: 120-165 °C
• Third operating mode: 135-195 °C

The lowest temperature was recorded at the base of the sole, and the highest — at its top.

During operation, the device makes quiet gurgling sounds. When you press the steam supply button, you can hear a quiet noise of steam passing through the holes in the sole. In general, the noise level produced by the Garlyn GST-08 Pro steam generator is rated as low.

The device reaches readiness for operation in the first heating mode in 1 min. 22 sec. Automatic shutdown occurs exactly after 10 minutes.

Although the author is not a big fan of ironing, he enjoyed working with the Garlyn GST-08 Pro so much that he put everything in order that required attention, not only for the current moment, but also for the future. Therefore, there were no problems with choosing suitable tests.

We will demonstrate two wardrobe items at once — a long sleeve and a T-shirt. The long sleeve has a very dense monolithic print, while the T-shirt, in addition to the print, has an abundance of sequins.

All fabrics were smoothed and steamed without problems. The first mode with almost continuous steam supply was used for processing T-shirts. The print on the T-shirt with rhinestones was processed from the front side, and the long sleeve — from the back. Sometimes drops of water fell on the fabric.

Both items were put in order quickly and without effort. The print and sequins were not damaged — everything still sparkles, shines and shimmers to the delight of the child.

The steam power and sole temperature at the first intensity level were sufficient and not excessive for high-quality smoothing of cotton fabrics with sequins and prints.

Result: excellent.

White summer trousers made of rough, hard-to-iron material, which had been lying in the depths of the closet for many years, were also put to the test (we prefer to give the devices we test non-trivial and complex tasks).

We admit, we didn't enjoy this test. We started with the second setting, then moved to the third, and the steam was so intense that we almost burned our skin a couple of times. However, the strong creases were not completely smoothed out. Nevertheless, we were sincerely impressed by the power and constant steam supply, and after the test, the room felt very humid.

The trousers looked much better than before the test. However, some creases, even those that didn't seem particularly strong, were not completely smoothed out.

I would like to say that the fabric was initially extremely difficult to iron and wear — the trousers look un-ironed as soon as you put them on and sit down. We should also note that the fabric was dense and very dry.

Result: good.

The thick denim item was intentionally over-dried in a twisted state. This test will help to find out whether the shortcomings in the previous test were caused by the fabric or whether the device failed to cope with the very over-dried and wrinkled fabric.

We used the third mode with an almost constant supply of steam. Sometimes we had to pause, as the steam was so hot and intense that the author was afraid of getting burned. The steam flow was powerful, not weakening even after 10 seconds of operation. We were especially surprised that, after turning the leg over, we saw traces of moisture on the back of the fabric.

After a few minutes of ironing, we got perfectly ironed jeans. It's even a bit embarrassing for everyday clothes to be so well and carefully cared for.

Result: excellent.

Now let's move on to delicate fabrics. The viscose dress has a label stating that it should be dry cleaned or washed and ironed on a delicate cycle. However, we can handle such simple-cut clothes without dry cleaning.

We worked on the first heating mode. The steam supply was frequent, and the fabric was immediately straightened out, without requiring repeated ironing: it was enough to spray a little steam, run the iron, and you could move on.

This test also showed drops of moisture on the fabric.

The processing took very little time, the flowing fabric is perfectly smoothed.

Result: excellent

The skirt fabric is not entirely wool, but mixed with 35% wool. Ironed from the inside out on the first setting. The skirt does not wrinkle much, so the process was quick and easy. Sometimes we applied steam, and then went over the dampened area again with a dry iron.

The fabric did not deform and did not acquire a specific shine. The skirt began to look neat and tidy.

Result: excellent.

After the second test, it became obvious that the steam jet was powerful. To confirm this, we decided to steam a dress that had been hanging in the closet for a long time in a vertical position. The dress was simple, not very wrinkled, but had an interesting print containing small silver sparkles. In this way, we will check whether the steam will affect the appearance of the dress.

As you can see in the photo, the dress's appearance was not damaged. We worked on the second mode — the temperature is not maximum, but the steam is released more intensely than in the first. We carefully stretched the fabric and, lightly touching it, ran the sole of the iron over it. We held the steam button constantly. The steam flowed in a powerful stream, strong enough to moisten and straighten the fabric fibers. The process turned out to be very fast and convenient.

Result: excellent.

It is safe to say that if the author loved ironing, he would definitely love the Garlyn GST-08 Pro. The device is easy to use and maintain, with intuitive controls and high efficiency. We also note the excellent quality of the ceramic coating of the sole and the comfortable weight of the iron. The steam generator operates in three heating and steam supply modes, and the 1.5-liter tank is easy to fill and securely fixed on the steam station.

The device successfully passed all tests: it did not damage delicate fabrics, smoothed out overdried jeans and did not ruin a wool skirt. However, buyers should remember that a steam station requires more space both during operation and for storage. Although this is not exactly a disadvantage, it is worth considering that the steam generator requires regular descaling of the internal tank. In tests with soft St. Petersburg water, scale did not form (the indicator did not light), but the process of removing water turned out to be somewhat inconvenient. For prevention, it is recommended to use purified or distilled water.

Pros:

• Ease of use and maintenance
• Intuitive and clear controls
• Powerful steam supply and steam boost
• Three steam and heating intensity modes
• Automatic shut-off function

Cons:

• When working in the first mode, drops of water fall on the fabric