So after going against the grain and not ordering the popular table top steamer that is advertised on many natural hair care forums, I received this one just today. The item arrived sooner than it was even estimated to ship (VERY happy about that)and packaged very securely & safely. It arrived in several pieces and needed to be assembled. The directions were useless but luckily a bit of patience and a little common sense saved me. Ok, I love that the steamer adjust in it's height (slides up and down almost like a mic stand) as well as the hood tilts downward and upward. I was able to adjust the height & hood to fit both me & my 10yr old daughter perfectly and we tried both a bar stool and the dining room chair to test it. The hood is very generous in size and can accommodate any size head or amount of hair. Unlike the table top steamer, the entire head & nape of neck is covered. I am sure longer hair (mid-back lenth & longer) will need to be pinned up for steaming.
The steamer has two switches at the back of it that is suppose to help you regulate the flow of steam however with no directions you have no idea which switch controls what. I guess switch I is for low and II high because the steam seemed to flow moreso when we switched?!?!?!? Also, the steamer directions mentions a fuse but no directions on where / how it is to be used, we figured that it had to be an extra one since we tested the steamer & everything seems to work. There is a dial type timer that goes up to 60 mins. When removing the water jug, we let the steamer run to clear water that may be left in the tank and after about 15mins (we set it to 60)it auto shut off and I am sure that is because the reservoir was empty of water.
I chose this steamer simply because of the listed product features for height & tilt adjustment and because so many people complained about how inconvenient the table top was for comfort. Even though I took a risk since I couldn't find a single review A-N-Y-W-H-E-R-E about this particular model, I am happy with this steamer and can't wait to share the difference (if any) it will cause for our newly natural heads.
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I have a relaxer, and I live on the West coast where the climate is dry and arid so moisture is important when it comes to taking care of my hair. At first I was hesitant about purchasing a steamer because I couldn't see the difference between using my heat cap on a weekly basis versus using a steamer. Without having experienced it, it seemed to me like steam treatments were a passing fad. I looked at reviews on the internet and youtube, heard raves about steam treatments, and considered purchasing the tabletop version, but I was concerned about the quality of the product.
Well let me start by saying that my steamer is one of the best investments I've made in my hair care routine. I condition my hair by mixing my favorite conditioner with a little oil, and I sit under my steamer without a plastic cap. I air-dry as normal. The results are soft, flowy, moisturized hair.
This steamer is sturdy, easy to put together, and is of salon quality. The only issue you may have is that this steamer takes up a lot of room. I take the head off my steamer and keep it on the shelf.
Update:
I've only had my steamer for a little over 8 months and my unit started constantly dripping. In addition, the water reservoir rusted and I'm no longer able to use my steamer. I still like the steaming technique but I would not recommend purchasing this product.
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The instructions are USELESS. I had to remove my plastic cap, to even get comfortable results. I have never used a steamer. I bought this instead of the More popular brand; for all of the reasons that you may have heard. CON #1, im sitting under it now and it has shut off 3 times for no apparent reason and then cut back on. Well if I am on a time limit, and it shuts off for about 2-3 minutes, then i am clearly not getting my entire 50-60 minute hair treatment. CON#2,the directions did not indicate what switch #1 and 2 were for...i just picked a switch, who knows..UGH...(one second, it just shut off again)....CON#3, there is not alot of steam coming out of mine, as I have seen with other more popular Steamers and I am pretty sure mine is hooked up appropriately)but how would I really know with crappy instructions. I am irritated because I could have saved moneyby buying the more popular one....ANOTHER FAIL!!!!!Hopefully, I will get at least my money's worth.
Although the hood is large and it gives you the impression that this covers the Nape(back of the head), it DOES NOT. SO if thats the only thing stopping you from buying the more popular Brand(go with the more popular brand)....(one second, it cut off once more)....
Pro: My hear is soft and moisturized, so it did the job. My 7 year old daughter can also use it without me sitting her on 4-5 pillows. GREAT!
Hope this review helps!!!
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I bought the Melissa hair steamer in October 2011 and it stopped working in October 2012. It worked extremely well for the entire year until it just stopped steaming in October 2012. It came with two extra fuses and I replaced the fuse, but it still does not work. And as others have said, the directions are very poor and does not contain troubleshooting. Will not buy this brand again.
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This steamer looks like the ones at the hair salon. A very professional help for any hair. I loved it.
