A question we seemed to get asked very often is which hair steamer is the best for black hair or natural hair. This is a very valid question, but in most cases it is a fairly easy one to answer. When the temperature of water gets hot enough to steam, the resulting temperature of the steam is hot enough to penetrate any kind of hair. Most black women have type 4 hair, which is fairly tight and closely knit together especially those of you who have types 4b and 4c hair. This means that your hair will tend to dry out faster, and thus it needs more conditioning and moisture. The good news though is that any kind of steamer will be able to penetrate your hair cuticles, so the question of which model will work best is not really valid.
So at this point you should be asking which model will be best for my needs? Having reviewed a variety of different models over the past few months, we can without a doubt say that the standalone models are definitely a better choice. Most of them cost only marginally more than the portable tabletop steamers (such as the popular Huetiful), but they come with a variety of advantages. The main advantage is that you don’t need to find a surface for them to stand on, as you can simply wheel them to where they are needed. All these models have a height adjustable stand, so there is no worries with getting a good position to use them in. The other main advantage is that the size of the steamer tanks are often a lot bigger on the standalone models. Most tabletop models like the Secura S-192 will only run for around 20 minutes on a full tank of water, whereas the standalone models can give you an hour of use off a single tank which is much more desirable.
The last main advantage of these kinds is that the hood of the standalone models often fully encloses your head, unlike the tabletop models. Looking at a model such as the Huetiful, you can see the hood is basically a circular shape cut in half, which means the front and top of your head is covered, while the nape of your neck is fully exposed. Standalone models tend to cover the nape of your neck, which in our eyes make them a more desirable choice.
So there you have it. As long as you can get a decent model which produces enough steam, it doesn’t really matter which model you get. No matter how dense your natural hair is, you do not need to worry if certain models will work with your hair, assuming they work properly! Our recommendation is to look out for a quality standalone steamer, as these are the best kinds of steamers for home use. The Sky Enterprise Hair Steamer and the Online Salon Store Hair Steamer are both fine choices, which don’t cost a fortune. Otherwise take a look at our reviews section for some other choices.
