Abstract: To provide only dry steam to a steam appliance, under controlled conditions, a housing block is formed with steam inlet and outlet flanges or the like, a filter being removably located in the housing immediately behind the inlet and a control valve located in the housing immediately behind the outlet; the housing forms a space between the filter and the control valve to dry admitted steam, including a condensate collecting region at the bottom thereof which terminates in an outwardly accessible drain opening. The drying chamber formed by the housing is separated or subdivided into compartments by at least one impact or deflection plate against which the steam is guided in order to separate the drying chamber into a pre-drying and a post-drying chamber and efficiently remove moisture and water droplets from the steam introduced into the system.