Nori Press review

What is the Nori Press travel iron?

The company, which launched in spring 2021, says its Nori Press is the “next generation wrinkle-removing device” that can reduce ironing time from setup to press. It requires no ironing board, has six fabric settings, and has a built-in steam option. At less than 1.5 lbs, the brand says the compact iron is ideal for tossing in a carry-on.

It’s different from a traditional iron in that the fabric is clamped between two aluminum plates. When I first pulled it out of the box, it looked like a larger version of a hair straightener with plates that are similarly shaped to a traditional iron.

Instead of temperature control settings in numerical degrees (like some irons or hair straighteners), its settings simply include polyester, silk, wool, cotton, denim, and linen. The Nori Press can be used with or without steam and removes wrinkles by clamping material between the plates and dragging it over the fabric. This can be done on a clothes hanger or laying flat on a surface such as a dining table. (I found it easier to iron on a flat surface so I wouldn’t have to worry about tugging too hard and pulling the clothing off the hanger.) It can also be used as a garment steamer by filling the small water reservoir located on the handle and turning on the steam mode.

What I like about the Nori Press travel iron

Living in a small New York City apartment, I’ve never owned an ironing board because it takes up precious storage space. And, if I’m being really honest, I despise having to drag one out to freshen up my clothes.

The Nori Press eliminates both of these hassles. At 14 inches long, it’s fairly flat, lightweight, and can be held with one hand. It was easy to take out and put away, and this convenience encouraged me to iron more than I normally would.

When I tested it on various items like a button-up shirt, skirt, and drapes, it worked best on flat fabric that doesn’t have details such as pleats or buttons. With a few swipes, I was able to easily get rid of wrinkles.

Normally, I use a garment steamer, though it doesn’t always get rid of deep-set wrinkles. But when I used the Nori’s steam feature while pressing, I found that it was much better than my garment steamer at getting rid of even the deepest wrinkles. I should note: A traditional steam iron and ironing board would do the same job as well.

Its fabric-specific settings are designed with the most common materials in mind, making it easy to determine what will best fit your needs. It takes the guesswork out of picking the proper temperature if you’re working with one of those materials. In case you forget to turn off or unplug the Nori, it has an auto shut-off feature that kicks in after 10 minutes.

What I don’t like about the Nori Press travel iron

The Nori’s limited temperature settings are great until you encounter a fabric that’s a blend of fibers or not on the Nori fabric list, such as rayon. Unfortunately, some Googling and guesswork may be required to figure out which of the six settings to choose. Nori does not have any recommendations on its website for this situation.

If you’re unsure, it’s best to start on the lowest heat setting possible. (On the Nori, choose polyester.) Then do a small test spot in an inconspicuous area to make sure it doesn’t damage the fabric. Work your way up in heat settings until you find the one that's high enough to remove wrinkles.

Besides the potential temperature issue, if you’re used to a traditional iron, this ironing method may take some getting used to as it operates more like a hair flat iron. To use it, you need to clamp the press on the fabric and drag it across the clothing item. At first, it was tricky to get the positioning of the iron right while keeping the fabric flat in between the plates. The size is slightly bulky for my small hands, and because I had to clamp and unclamp the iron quite a bit, I found that my hands got tired.

When ironing long sleeves, I noticed it hard to maneuver and achieve a good flat press because the sleeves would bunch up. Despite the company’s claims that the product would be more time-efficient, it took much longer than it would have with a regular iron. I also found it hard to work around buttons and pleats, though using the pointed tips did make this slightly easier.

Lastly, because the small water tank is located on the handle, the steam mode lasts for about 10 minutes (for what it’s worth, this is the length the company advertises). It was possible to steam one or two garments before I had to refill the reservoir, whereas I can get through four to five garments with my handheld steamer before needing to refill. The iron was also prone to spitting when the water level was running low and it didn't give any warning.

Is the Nori Press travel iron worth buying?

Ultimately, the Nori is for someone who values convenience. It would be great in situations where you want a quick touch-up. In these cases, it would cut down on ironing time because you wouldn’t have to set up an ironing board. For example, it would come in handy for someone who is running out the door or finds themselves on the road quite a bit. Because of its compact shape, it can easily fit into a weekender bag or suitcase so you can quickly get rid of packing wrinkles if your vacation rental doesn’t have an iron.

For those that already own a handheld steamer, it may or may not be worth it. I don’t own a lot of clothes that my steamer can’t take care of, and my ironing philosophy tends to be “good enough” without having to get out every last wrinkle. But if your steamer isn’t tackling those deep-set wrinkles, this is worth an upgrade as the iron-plus-steam combo really worked well to give clothing a clean, pressed look.