Does Mister Steamy Work?

If you're scanning the channels late at night, a pointed rubber toy with a name of "Mister Steamy" may make you think you accidentally switched on the Playboy Channel. Or, given the fact that the device looks like a pointy rubber ball chew toy, perhaps some decadent after hours Animal Planet programming. Alas, you've not stumbled on something seedy, but rather one of the latest late night gadgets designed to make your life easier.

WHAT IS MISTER STEAMY AND WHAT DOES MISTER STEAMY DO?

Mister Steamy is essentially a knobby steam releasing ball that you fill with water (or the included Fresh Shot liquid) and toss into your dryer with your clothes. As the dryer heats up, Mister Steamy releases allegedly releases water through holes in the ball, which the company says removes wrinklesand odors from your clothes, saving you from both the iron and the washer.

DOES MISTER STEAMY WORK?

So can a dog's chew toy really make your clothes look like you just spent 10 minutes ironing them? Will Mister Steamy make your clothes smell as fresh as though you just washed them? A scan of the Internet reveals a mixed bag. Reviews of the primary function of Mister Steamy, steaming out wrinkles, are not very enthusiastic. Some reviews on infomercial-reviews.org note that Mister Steamy seems to help reduce wrinkles, but none indicate it's going to completely replace ironing. Others found on asseenontvonsale.com proclaim that Mr. Steamy is pure junk, not eliminating wrinkles any better than a wet towel or wet tennis balls tossed in with the clothes.

The odor removal functionality of Mister Steamy seems to fare better. Reviews on infomercial-reviews.org indicate that Mister Steamy is very effective on stinky clothes that you (yuck) don't feel like washing, like those of people who work in smoky environments. The "Fresh Shot" liquid included with Mr. Steamy is apparently very good at removing odors, although many reviewers have indicated it is sticky and there isn't a lot of the liquid included.

IS MISTER STEAMY A GOOD BUY AND IS MISTER STEAMY SOLD BY A REPUTABLE COMPANY?

Looking at the comments on asseenontvonsale.com, it seems as though Mister Steamy's company name might need to be changed to Mister Seedy. While Mister Steamy is sold in the typical two for $19.99 format, the company tacks on an insane $6.99 for shipping and handling for EACH of the two sets, making your $19.99 offer $33.97. So you're paying $33.97 for a couple of plastic balls and some fragrance. Yes, the company will refund your $19.99 if you're not completely satisfied with Mister Steamy, but they keep the $14.00 you paid in shipping and handling (which is certainly more than enough to cover the cost of Mister Steamy and shipping it to you) and YOU have to pay to send the product back.

What is more troubling is that several people on asseenontvonsale.com say they've been charged for FOUR Mister Steamy dryer balls when they only ordered a set of two. Consumers are reporting they will only refund your money for the second set if you send it back, and the company refuses to refund the shipping and handling for the extra set.

While these reports cannot verified, it is worth noting that MisterSteamy.com is tied to Merchant Media LLC, a company that according to Ripoffreport.com has a history of shady business practices and bad customer service.

Additionally, the Better Business Bureau indicates that Merchant Media (now going by the name of Newroads) has an F rating with the BBB with complaints ranging from refund issues to getting charged for products that were not ordered.

BOTTOM LINE

Mister Steamy seems like another in a long line of heavily promoted "As Seen on TV" products that do not live up to expectations and are being sold by shady businesses. My advice is to wait out the infomercial promos and wait until Mister Steamy is in stores to purchase one if you're so inclined.