Remember how that keepsake piece of jewelry shimmered when you first put it on? It’s probably become a little dull and lifeless over the years.
To save money on using professional services to bring back that shine, a steam jewelry cleaner is a necessity.
A jewelry steam cleaner can help restore any jewelry to all its shining glory. Not only do they clean a range of valuables like rings, necklaces, and earrings, but they add a glimmer, remove oil, and get rid of dirt.
✅ Benefits of a Steam Jewelry Cleaner
Using a jewelry steam cleaner is great for adding value to your collection.
If you are thinking about selling your jewelry, use a steam cleaner first. In a matter of seconds, you’ll see why it is one of the easiest ways of increasing their value.
Another benefit of using a steam jewelry cleaner is that they produce impressive results without the use of harmful chemicals that can damage precious stones and delicate pieces, keeping your keepsakes clean with confidence thanks to the power of steam.
How Does Steam Cleaning Work?
Every steam cleaner has a water reservoir that is heated beyond the boiling point to produce high-pressure steam. When directed at your jewelry, minute vapor molecules penetrate the pores on a diamond or ring band to remove oil, grime, and dirt from the surface.
The pressure that a jewelry steam cleaner can generate depends on the model, but anything with 50 to 55 psi is more than enough to restore your valuables to their former glory.
What Type Of Jewelry Do They Clean?
Jewelry steam cleaners work wonders on gold and sterling silver, so anything from gold chains to delicate earrings will look new again after steam cleaning them.
Diamonds, rubies, and sapphires can withstand high temperatures, but such conditions are not suitable for every precious gem.
Therefore, it is important to always read the instructions before steam cleaning as it can damage delicate gemstones like emeralds and tanzanite.
What To Consider When Buying A Steam Jewelry Cleaner
To make this important decision easier, we have compiled a list of the important factors to consider when buying a steam jewelry cleaner:
Water Tank Size
Water tank capacity differs from model to model, but anything above 12 oz should generate around 15 minutes of steam, enough to clean many pieces of jewelry in one sitting.
Consider how many pieces of jewelry you need to clean, and how frequently you will use your steam cleaner before choosing a product.
Steam Pressure Capacity
Steam cleaners that offer a maximum pressure of 50 psi (pounds per square inch) and above will be powerful enough to clean your jewelry quickly.
But maximum power isn’t everything.
Adjustable steam pressure and temperature are vital when cleaning jewelry. Some materials are more sensitive than others, so being able to adjust these settings protects the surface as you clean, and prevents you from ruining a favorite piece.
Budget
Always set a budget before you start looking for a steam jewelry cleaner, but also consider your needs.
The vast range of prices can seem daunting, but there are steam cleaners for every budget and reliable models available for under $100.
Some high-end models cost thousands but will be better suited to commercial use because of features like higher psi and a bigger water tank.
The Best Steam Jewelry Cleaners
ProGem Elite Jewelry Steam Cleaner – Best Budget Option
- 1000 watts of power
- 1000 watts of power
- Fast heating. Ready to operate in just 3 minutes
- Simple one button operation
- Easy-fill tank with built-in funnel eliminates spills
✅ Pros
- Heats up quickly
- Doubles up as an ultrasonic cleaner
- Easy to refill
- Plenty of steam cleaning power
???? Cons
- AA batteries for sonic cleaner not included
With a heat-up time of just 3 minutes, this steam jewelry cleaner is well suited to commercial use but is a fraction of the price of larger machines.
Perhaps the most impressive feature of this product is its sonic cleaner, something that you are going to be hard pushed to find on another steam jewelry cleaner within this price range.
These vibrations measure up to 5,000 wavers per minute, meaning it deep cleans areas that brushes can’t reach. As a result, the ProGem provides a more thorough clean of your gold, silver, platinum, or compatible gemstones than a lot of the competition.
The downside is that it does not come with the AA batteries needed to run this feature, but considering the performance, once it is up and running this is a minor inconvenience.
When refilling compact devices like a steam jewelry cleaner, spills are common. But with its easy-fill tank and built-in funnel, the ProGem is less messy and keeps surface areas clean.
In a matter of seconds, its 1,000 watts unit pushes out enough steam to remove stubborn oil and give your jewelry a true shine before a night out. Overall, this is a good budget option and can be used as a mini repair shop.
Steamfast SF-1000 – Best Jewelry Steam Cleaner
- Price: Check on Amazon now
✅ Pros
- Compact design
- 15 minutes of steam cleaning
- 58 psi
- LED light for accurate cleaning
???? Cons
- Can leak after extended use
The 12-oz water tank of this steam jewelry cleaner makes it one of the best on our list for capacity. This gives you 15 minutes of cleaning time to blast oil and grime off your precious pieces, more than a lot of the competition.
One small setback is that it can start to leak a little after prolonged use, but this is due to the tank running low and is fixed by refilling it.
It takes just 4 minutes to heat up, letting you put the impressive 58 psi of power to good use in no time. Working with the one-button operation is simple and the LED light makes it easy to see the results in real-time as it blasts grime and dirt away from your valuables.
If you are worried about a bulky steam jewelry cleaner taking over your work area, then the Steamfast SF-1000 would make a sensible choice.
It’s compact and only weighs 3.56 lbs, which makes it great for anyone with a modest jewelry collection they need to bring back to its former glory but are working with limited space.
GemOro Black Diamond Brilliant Spa – Best Under $100
- Price: $99 — Available here
✅ Pros
- 50 psi of power
- Convenient size
- Blue LED light for accurate cleaning
- Good value
???? Cons
- Not good for cleaning multiple items at the same time
GemOro makes a variety of user-friendly steam jewelry cleaners, but the Black Diamond is a travel-sized product that packs quite a punch.
It is a powerful cleaner that produces an impressive 50 psi of steam to remove dirt from the nooks and crannies of your most sentimental pieces of jewelry.
This is unusual for a product that is so compact, and its convenient size sits nicely on a counter without taking over the space.
The GemOro Black Diamonds convenient size is partly down to the 1-liter water tank. But don’t be fooled by this, it is still big enough to support both commercial and personal use.
A blue LED light illuminates jewelry as it steam cleans, so you can accurately remove debris from diamonds, gold, silver, and other suitable pieces of jewelry.
This combination of power and accuracy is best used immediately after a polish, to steam clean any small bits of debris, and add a glimmer for a professional-looking finishing process.
To top off what is a slick steam jewelry cleaner, the GemOro Black Diamond Brilliant Spa comes with a variety of useful accessories.
Each of them makes it easier to clean your valuables without the risk of causing damage and includes tweezers to safely handle jewelry, a basket, a steam residue mat, and a water funnel.
Sienna Trioshine – Best Under $150
- Price: Check on Amazon here
✅ Pros
- 3-in-1 steam jewelry cleaner
- 55 psi
- Ultrasonic bath
- Compact design
???? Cons
- Small water tank capacity
The Sienna Trioshine is another advanced steam jewelry cleaner combining the power of high-pressure steam with ultrasonic technology to provide a thorough clean of your valuables.
Ultrasonic sound waves create 43,000 vibrations a second to loosen dirt and oils, and when using the UV light chamber as the final step of the process, this device will sanitize jewelry, killing 99.9% of bacteria as your keepsake dries.
Tweezers and round tongs help you grip your jewelry as you steam and its stainless steel basket ensures you never lose any pieces that may fall out of your grasp.
It takes just 5 minutes to heat up, but this is partly because of its smaller capacity. This means it won’t last as long as some of the other options on our list, but it does stand out for the UV light giving it unique sanitizing cleaning power.
GemOro Ultrasonic Cleaner – Best Jewelry Steam Cleaner Under $200
- Price: Check on Amazon here
✅ Pros
- Dual cleaning power
- 6 minute timed cycle
- 50 psi of power
???? Cons
- Can be a little noisy
Another excellent option from GemOro, the Ultrasonic Cleaner will clean a variety of jewelry that fits inside the unit and uses a different approach to make bracelets, rings, necklaces, and diamonds sparkle like brand new.
The GemOro Ultrasonic cleaner has an impressive 2-in-1 option that uses a 1-pint tank to produce 42,000 ultrasonic waves per second, removing the tiny bits of dirt that other methods can’t get to.
The 6-minute cleaning cycle is timed so you can leave it to work its magic and remove oil, grease, and any other unsightly blemishes from your rings, bracelets, necklaces, and more.
Some will find this product a little noisy, but it can be used every day, making it a good option for commercial use. Either way, the 50 psi of power will be more than enough to bring those precious pieces back to life again.
Reliable 5000CJ – Best Commercial Jewelry Steam Cleaner
- Price: $639 — Available here
✅ Pros
- 4 hours of continental steam
- The stainless steel tank and enclosure
- 50 psi
- Massive water tank
???? Cons
- Takes 15 minutes to heat up
Made in their Italian factories, you can expect a lot from this stainless steel steam jewelry cleaner from Reliable.
Still, you need to have confidence in a device that cleans your most precious items, which is why its four safety systems are so impressive.
With a pressure switch, a probe safety thermostat on the heating element, a low water indicator, and a safety cap and valve, rest assured your jewelry is always in good hands when the machine is in use.
The 5000CJ pushes out 50 psi of steam, and its pressure gauge gives you a visual indicator as to how much pressure the boiler is creating.
This way, you get the most powerful clean to remove oil and grime from those necklaces and bracelets that have become dull and lifeless over the years.
Its water tank holds over 84 oz of water, making it the best steam jewelry cleaner on our list in terms of cleaning time.
With 4 hours of continual steam, it’s perfect for large collections and for professional use where it’s going to be used day in day out.
Quality elements and wiring make this a high-end option that provides impressive results with every use. The downside is that it takes 15 minutes to heat up, but this is to be expected with such a huge tank capacity.
Looking for some extra steam cleaning help? Check out our guides below: