Under Pressure

Designed for small shops and retail spaces, the AuraLux steam cleaner gives jewelers professional pressure and consistent performance in a compact footprint.

By Melissa Muir

(Originally Published by MJSA January, 2026)

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Cleaning jewelry is such an important step in jewelry making—whether it is cleaning a piece of jewelry that has been worn for a long time or throughout the process of making the piece itself. For many jewelry shops, ultrasonic cleaning does the heavy lifting: it dislodges polishing compounds, buffing dust, and grime from many surfaces. And for most independent studios, this is where the cleaning process ends.

But there’s a final, often overlooked step that makes all the difference—steam. A proper jewelry steam delivers pressurized, high-temperature steam to blast residue from under prongs, between tightly set stones, around filigree, and other hard-to-reach crevices. It leaves pieces instantly ready for polishing, final inspection, or presentation.

That said, steamers can be very costly, heavy, and bulky, which are all deterrents for a small studio jeweler or store. This is where the new AuraLux steamer comes in. Made in Italy, the AuraLux is a compact, bench-friendly steamer designed for jewelers who want more than a consumer-grade steam wand, but don’t need the footprint or cost of a full industrial boiler.

About the Steamer

The AuraLux features a dual copper tank system that requires only tap water. Unlike many steamers that require distilled water to avoid mineral deposits, the AuraLux’s copper boiler tank offers important advantages. Copper naturally resists corrosion and mineral buildup, especially in equipment that heats and cools repeatedly, which contributes to longer tank life and fewer maintenance hassles. That resistance also helps generate cleaner, high-quality steam: less scale, fewer impurities. The result is jewelry emerging spotless, without debris blasting through the nozzle. And for many jewelers, the ability to use ordinary tap water instead of distilled adds a layer of convenience and practicality.

Beyond the material advantages, the two-tank system employed in AuraLux is a clever design choice. While the primary copper tank is active and generating steam, the secondary tank can be filled on the fly—without needing to shut the machine down or wait for cool-down. This “steam-on-demand” approach ensures uninterrupted workflow, which is a real benefit in a busy shop or store.

Here’s a breakdown of AuraLux’s key specs and what each attribute means, especially compared to other mid-range and professional steam units on the market.

• Boiler Pressure: 7 bar (~102 psi). This level of pressure makes the machine rather robust, as many compact/mid-range units aim for 3.5 to 5 bar. Higher pressure means more force behind the steam jets, which lets steam reach and flush debris from places ultrasonic baths can’t always reach.

• Steam Production: 48 g/min. This means the machine has a moderate output—enough for jewelry finishing but far less than heavy-duty industrial steamers delivering hundreds of cc/min. It gives controlled bursts suitable for detailed finishing and on-the-spot work. It’s not designed for large-volume continuous cleaning, but it is well-matched for counter-side or bench work.

• Boiler Capacity: 2.8 L (3 quarts). The AuraLux is slightly larger than many small bench units (usually around 2.2 to 2.5 L), which means fewer refills during a normal day’s work.

• Heating System: Dual elements support faster recovery and steadier steam under repeated short bursts. This is good for shops doing multiple pieces per day, ensuring consistent steam without long waits between uses.

• Size & Weight: Measuring 17 inches by 15 inches by 18 inches, it is compact, bench-friendly, and easy to place on a finishing counter or behind the case. At roughly 24 lbs. dry (and about 40 lbs. when filled), the AuraLux remains much lighter than many traditional steamers, which often exceed 50 lbs. That lighter weight not only simplifies placement on a bench or shelf, but can also reduce shipping costs for the buyer.

Based on this, I would say that the AuraLux sits in a middle ground. Its pressure is strong enough for precision jewelry cleaning while the tank capacity, design, and steam flow are well suited for bench or retail level use.

How Well Does It Work?

In my testing, I found the machine very easy to move when empty. Setup was straightforward, and I was up and running quickly. The unit includes a wall-mountable hook, allowing it to hang and save valuable bench space. For my initial tests, I placed it next to my ultrasonic cleaner, though I may take advantage of the wall-mount option later. The spray nozzle does need to be installed, but it’s a simple process. I used a pair of pliers to give it a slight extra tightening, though it’s important not to overtighten.

From the moment I added water, the warm-up time to “steam ready” was about 10 minutes. The sound and vibration of the pump was a bit louder than expected, though not excessive and certainly not constant. After the initial fill, the pump only activated a few times, each lasting less than 30 seconds.

With steady, consistent pressure, the steamer removes stubborn polishing compound and residue from hard-to-reach settings in seconds.

Once the machine reached temperature, the “steam ready” indicator light confirmed it was at proper pressure and ready for use. I originally expected the AuraLux to operate in bursts like many smaller steamers, but I was pleasantly surprised by its steady, consistent steam flow with very little pressure drop. Even when the pressure did dip, the change was minimal and did not affect the cleaning of the piece I was working on.

The side of the machine features a water-level indicator, and once the protective film is removed, the panel reveals a mirror-polished finish. It’s an attractive detail though it will reveal how tidy your studio is (or isn’t).

Operation is simple: Just step on the included foot pedal. I found it helpful to set a thick paper towel or other absorbent material beneath the work area to catch overspray.

For performance testing, I pulled various rings—both finished and in-progress pieces still carrying polishing compounds. I intentionally skipped any ultrasonic or pre-cleaning steps to see how the steamer performed on its own. Within seconds, gemstones and metal surfaces came alive with a beautiful sparkle. Stones that had debris and residue on them cleaned up beautifully.

The biggest challenge was holding the pieces securely; I didn’t have the proper holding tools on hand. I highly recommend proper-length tweezers (not fingers) with silicone ends or a similar grip. I also suggest steaming above a small strainer to catch any stones that might be loosened by the powerful jet.

Pieces coated with polishing compound required a little more time, which was not surprising since I skipped the ultrasonic bath I would normally use first. Even so, the AuraLux removed compound effectively. As expected, it performs even better when the piece has been ultrasonically cleaned before steaming.

As far as maintenance goes, representatives from Ikohe recommend emptying the machine at least once a month and refilling it with fresh water. Because the tank is made of copper and naturally resists limescale, descaler is not required.

Although I’ve used both industrial-sized and personal-sized steamers in the past, I had not owned one in my own studio until now. I’m genuinely impressed by the power and capacity of this machine, as well as its ease of setup and small footprint. The ability to use tap water and the low maintenance are additional bonuses.

I don’t see this machine as trying to replace a large-scale, continuous-use industrial steamer, but rather a professional-grade steamer in a compact and manageable package that is more affordable and useable and fits in smaller shops and workflows. This is going to be great for places that need to steam a few dozen pieces a day, rather than dozens an hour.

MJSA would like to thank Ikohe for supplying the steamer for testing.