:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/hlt-group-shot-water-flosser-jkim-0100-f159ecf136d44fffb49e58fc6dd1ceda.jpg "The 6 Best Water Flossers, Tested by Editors")
Keeping your teeth and gums healthy goes beyond just brushing—flossing is essential. Water flossers make this process easier by using a targeted stream of water to remove plaque and debris from between teeth and along the gum line, helping to prevent cavities, gum disease, and inflammation. They’re especially useful for those with braces, aligners, gingivitis, or difficulty using traditional string floss. To find the best options, we tested over a dozen water flossers from top brands like Waterpik and Aquasonic, evaluating their effectiveness, ease of use, settings, and overall value. The top performers were simple to operate, comfortable to hold, and had reservoirs large enough for a full flossing session. Plus, an orthodontist from our Medical Expert Board reviewed this article to ensure medical and scientific accuracy.
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What to Look For
- Reservoir Tank Size and Overall Footprint: Before committing to a water flosser, consider how much counter space you can devote to it and how large of a reservoir tank you’d like to have—the two are directly correlated. If you don’t have a lot of room, a cordless or more travel-friendly option might be better, but the smaller tank will need to be refilled more often.
- Nozzles: Water flossers come with various nozzle options to cater to different users. The classic jet tip is the most commonly used and recommended. However, specialized tips can be useful when used appropriately. The orthodontic tip flexes around brackets, the periodontal tip delivers medication, and the plaque tip is useful for crowns and implants.
- Pressure Settings: Water flossers have different speed and strength settings. It’s recommended to start on the lowest setting and gradually increase it over time. The best pressure setting is the one that’s most comfortable and beneficial for you. If you have sensitive teeth or gums, make sure the flosser has a gentle “low” pressure setting. Using a setting that is too high can cause a sore mouth and sensitivity.
- Ergonomics: Make sure you like how the water flosser feels in your hand. Many of our testers noticed when a product was easy to hold or had an ergonomic, well-balanced handle. Since fitting the nozzle into the hard-to-reach places of your mouth can be awkward, you need a flosser that maneuvers smoothly as you twist and turn it around.
- Alerts & Timers: Some water flossers, like the Waterpik, include auto timers to let you know how long you’ve been flossing. Most of these products are set to alert you at the one- or two-minute mark, which is a good guideline for how long you should floss in a given session.
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Our Testing Process
We tested 14 water flossers in the Health Lab and at home in the real world for the last two years to get a sense for how they hold up and perform over time. When testing, we evaluate each water flosser in the following areas:
- Ease of Use and Settings: We set up each device, filled the tanks with water according to the manufacturer’s instructions, and evaluated the different tips and pressure settings, familiarizing ourselves with how it maneuvers around our teeth.
- Effectiveness: We set a one-minute timer for consistency and used each device to clean near the gumline and between our teeth. We noted how well each water flosser removed debris and plaque from their teeth, whether it left anything behind, how it handled in hard-to-reach places, how easy the different settings were to navigate, and how quickly the device ran through water in the tank.
- Overall Value: Water flossers that left our mouths with that “just left the dentist” feeling of cleanliness rated high on our list, along with products that featured larger reservoir tanks, multiple pressure settings, and simple designs free of confusing assembly steps or instructions. Products that didn’t make our list of recommendations missed the mark on one or more attributes: They were too awkward or clumsy to use, didn’t offer enough variable pressure, or simply weren’t worth their higher price point compared to similar flossers.
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Editor’s Take
I’m an Editor at Health, and as someone who prioritizes dental health, I’ve found the Sonic Fusion 2.0 water flosser to be a game-changer. This innovative device allows you to brush, floss, or do both simultaneously, streamlining my routine while providing a comprehensive clean. The combination of sonic brushing and targeted water pressure effectively removes plaque and debris, making my mouth fresher and my gums healthier. Since incorporating the Sonic Fusion 2.0 into my daily regimen, I’ve noticed significant improvements in my gum health. It’s a small change that can make a big difference for anyone serious about elevating their dental hygiene routine.
–Lauren Paige Richeson, Editor
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Why We Like It
We found the Waterpik Aquarius a solid flosser, not too complicated or too simplistic, with a long-lasting water tank that allowed us to get all the gunk out of our teeth without feeling rushed. We found it superbly effective because our teeth felt spotlessly clean after using it, even when we opted for the lower, more gentle settings.
One of the toughest things about using a water flosser, if you have braces, is that it can be hard to manipulate, especially for kids who might have trouble managing a larger-size flosser. But we think the Aquarius’s smaller handle would be perfect for kids (or those with smaller hands, in general).
We were impressed with the settings on the Aquarius, too. It features ten pressure settings, which are adjustable on the flosser base, a timer that alerts you after both 30 and 60 seconds of use, and seven nozzle tips for different purposes (or family members). If you want a countertop water flosser with a long-lasting reservoir and don’t mind sticking close to the sink while you floss, the Aquarius is a standout from Waterpik.
It’s Worth Noting
- The cord connecting the flosser to the reservoir is noticeably short; it made using the handle a little more difficult.
Product Details
Dimensions: 10.8 x 5.25 x 6 inches | Reservoir Size: 22 ounces | Pressure Settings: 10 | Attachment Nozzles: 7 | Extra Features: Built-in timer
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Why We Like It
While we we’re first impressed with it’s price, the Aquasonic Aqua Flosser proved to be a great water flosser in many ways. Ergonomics—how comfortable the water flosser is to hold and operate—is so important, and that’s just one area where this Aquasonic model really excels. With its easy-to-operate on-off switch and how simple it was to toggle between settings mid-use, we think it is well designed and has a nice shape to the handle.
When it comes to separating good water flossers from great water flossers, pressure settings and reservoir size are important factors. While it only has three settings they are effective and get the job done. The pulse mode, in particular, was one of our favorites—it did an excellent job getting gunk out from in between our teeth.
To get a thorough clean, you need a flosser with a large enough tank that won’t require refilling or cut your session short before you can reach every nook and cranny of your mouth. We are incredibly impressed with the tank size on the Aquasonic chiefly because it is a cordless design—typically, cordless models sacrifice tank size to be compact enough to handle. Plus, we found the tank easy to fill. Finding a cordless water flosser that’s high-powered and has a tank long enough to last through an entire cleaning session is a tall order. And at this price, we don’t think you can do better.
It’s Worth Noting
- This isn’t the fanciest water flosser available, so you should keep reading if you want something with more advanced settings.
Product Details
Dimensions: 3 x 4 x 10 inches | Reservoir Size: 150 mL | Pressure Settings: 3 | Attachment Nozzles: 4 | Extra Features: Includes travel pouch
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Why We Like It
If you’ve never used a water flosser before and aren’t sure if it’s right for you, a basic cordless option is the best way to experiment with a flosser without the commitment of a more complicated unit. The Waterpik Cordless Advanced’s lightweight, minimalist design is for anyone new to water flossing.
We found the reservoir easy to fill, and the water lasted much longer than the 45 seconds indicated on the package. We also like that it was easy to set up the product, and using it is very intuitive. However, with only three pressure settings, the Waterpik Cordless Advanced doesn’t offer a highly customized experience. It did a decent job cleaning our teeth—in some tests, we felt like our teeth were thoroughly cleaned after a minute, while in others, we noticed some residue and thought there was a little too much water to manage in our mouths. While it might be too simplistic for some, we recommend the Waterpik Cordless Advanced for first-time users and anyone concerned that string floss alone isn’t providing enough benefit to their oral care routine.
It’s Worth Noting
- You won’t find any special or standout features here; this is a basic flosser that simply gets the job done.
Product Details
Dimensions: 11.65 x 2.7 x 3.8 inches | Reservoir Size: 7 ounces | Pressure Settings: 3 | Attachment Nozzles: 4 | Extra Features: Travel pouch
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PHOTO: Health
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![Person looking at attachments for the Waterpik Rechargeable Cordless Plus Water Flosser]()
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PHOTO: Health
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Why We Like It
As an electric toothbrush and flosser in one, the Sonic Fusion 2.0 allows you to brush, floss, or do both at the same time—and we found it super easy to toggle back and forth between settings, making it a clear choice for best electric toothbrush-water flosser combo.
The unit features a large reservoir but is still compact, a rarity in countertop flossing units. It’s downright sleek and is designed to look nice on your bathroom counter, in addition to being a solid water flosser.
The Fusion doesn’t just look good, either: We found it both effective and easy to use. Whether we’re using the pik flosser or the toothbrush (or both), the Sonic Fusion left our mouths feeling instantly clean, as if they had just had their teeth scrubbed by a professional.
We also like that the interface is simple to navigate, with a dial to control the pressure setting to specific levels and more convenient handheld-based controls to adjust function settings when switching from brushing to flossing. If you don’t have time to mess around with an entirely separate oral care device, the Sonic Fusion performs both functions well and saves time.
It’s Worth Noting
- Because of the combination brush-flosser, you won’t get any nozzle variety with this model.
Product Details
Dimensions: 10.9 x 5.25 x 6 inches | Reservoir Size: 16 ounces | Pressure Settings: 10 | Attachment Nozzles: 2 | Extra Features: Built-in timer, travel case, recharge indicator
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Why We Like It
We found the Philips Sonicare Power Flosser 5000 to be the best pick for those with braces because it was extremely efficient in cleaning our entire mouth thoroughly. Our test came after indulging in some nachos, and we were pleased to find that our mouths felt completely clean afterward.
The setup process was straightforward. We started by plugging in the base, followed by filling the reservoir. The lid is attached easily and secured well. The instructions provided were clear and helpfully included guidance for cleaning with braces, which we appreciated. This model boasts a ‘Clean’ and ‘Deep Clean’ mode, complemented by ten intensity settings, making it versatile for different cleaning needs. We found it very easy to switch between pressure settings as needed.
The Philips Sonicare Power Flosser 5000 delivers a very effective whole-mouth clean. Considering its effectiveness, we believe the price point of $99 is justified. Its compact size and light weight make it an appealing choice for an effective, space-saving water flosser.
It’s Worth Noting
- Despite its impressive range of intensity settings, some users might find even the lowest setting to be too powerful or intense, especially if they have sensitive gums or are new to water flossing.
Product Details
Dimensions: 5.32 x 5.91 x 9.92 inches | Reservoir Size: 550 mL | Pressure Settings: 10 | Attachment Nozzles: 3 | Extra Features: Magnetic dock w/auto shut-off
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Why We Like It
We found the Quip Rechargeable Cordless Water Flosser to be highly effective at removing plaque and debris, making it a great alternative to traditional floss or picks. Since testing, we’ve been flossing much more regularly—a clear testament to its convenience! Our teeth feel noticeably cleaner and smoother compared to our previous dental routine.
The Quip flosser comes with a single nozzle attachment and offers two pressure settings—gentle and deep clean. Its minimalist design is simple but effective. The cordless nature makes it easy to handle, even though it’s slightly bulky. The controls are user-friendly, with accessible buttons for selecting water pressure and stream mode (continuous or on-demand). The rotating nozzle is a big plus, helping us reach those hard-to-access areas, though it does require a little effort to reposition due to its strong magnetic attachment.
The USB charging feature is sleek and convenient. It stands upright while charging, adding to the flosser’s overall ease of use. The replacement nozzles, which need to be swapped every three months, can add up in cost, but overall, this is one of the best cordless options for a simple, effective water flosser.
It’s Worth Noting
The water in the reservoir runs out quickly, especially when using the more powerful deep clean setting, requiring frequent refills during longer flossing sessions.
Product Details
Dimensions: 9.29 x 3.78 x 2.64 inches | Reservoir Size: 150 mL | Pressure Settings: 2 | Attachment Nozzles: 1 | Extra Features: Magnetic charging cable
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