The 13 best water flossers for squeaky-clean, jet-washed teeth: Tried and tested by GQ's editors (2024)

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Grooming

By Owen Gough and Esat Dedezade

8 January 2024

Take oral hygiene into high gear with the best water flossers, tried and tested by GQ's grooming editors.

For those of us unfortunate enough to have spent time in the dentist chair recently, there's likely one thing they told you to work on and that's flossing. We all hate it, but there's no denying the benefits of clearing out the gunk between your teeth, spaces that even the most adept electric toothbrushes simply cannot reach. But the old days of sawing some fluoride thread along your gums are over, we've entered the era of electric-power. Welcome to a future that now includes the best water flossers.

Wielding the power of an electric jet stream, these powerful tools blast warm water into those hard-to-reach areas to give you that squeaky-clean smile that'll make your hygienist proud. Even just a cursory blast along your gum line and between your teeth can make all the difference to your oral health, combatting bad breath, gingivitis and a build-up of plaque that can damage your teeth and send you to an expensive and painful trip to the dentist. Grinning with excitement? Good. We've rounded up our favourite water flossers below to help guide you towards your dream oral cleansing.

What's the best water flosser in 2024?

Best water flosser overall: Waterpik Cordless Plus

Waterpik Waterflosser Cordless Plus

~~£60~~ £38

Boots

Like any bit of specialist grooming kit, it's easy to just throw money at a flosser by opting for the most expensive model going – especially if you want to keep your teeth in great shape for the long run. Thankfully, Waterpik's Waterflosser Cordless Plus is proof that you can get a great wireless model, with plenty of oomph behind it, for an affordable price. It might look like some scary bit of kit you find on your dentist's table, but it'll treat your gums as though they're royalty. And isn't that what you're here for?

Best whitening water flosser: Waterpik Whitening Water Flosser

Waterpik Whitening Water Flosser

~~£110~~ £90

Amazon

Its corded nature might throw a spanner in the works when travelling, but Waterpik's socket-powered water flosser is mighty powerful, with the added benefit of having built-in support for whitening tablets. Claiming to restore your teeth's natural whiteness in just four weeks, it comfortably kills two birds with one stone.

Best value water flosser: Fairywill

Fairywill Water Flosser

£27

Ebay

How we test the best water flossers

Our expert testers have opted to include water flossers that we've personally tested wherever possible, especially those from particularly well-regarded brands such as Waterpik, Philips and Oral-B. That means using them as part of their daily dental care routine and assessing their ergonomics, power and plaque-eliminating performance. We assessed the overall value of the device and how well they performed in their tooth-cleaning duties, from the number of cleaning modes, how many attachment heads (like periodontal tips or flat cone heads for a wider spray) come as standard, and the water tank capacity. We've also awarded merit for models that come with a travel bag or travel case to maintain that wonderful smile when travelling abroad. Some products which we've been unable to test as of yet have also been included, based on their general reviews and specifications.

What is a water flosser?

So what are these magical cleaning machines? While they look similar to a toothbrush, a water flosser utilises high-powered water streams to blast plaque and dirt from in between your teeth. The thin blast of water acts as a gentler, more efficient way to ensure a total tooth clean and is a solid option if your teeth are a bit crooked and you struggle to get on with regular flossing every morning. Simply fill up the basin with enough water, turn it on and then press the button to shoot the jet in between each tooth. Some will have the ability to add countertop fluoride to your water or have different strength settings for those with more sensitive gums.

A water flosser can go a long way to helping to maintain a cleaner, healthier mouth, but should always be used in tandem with a quality toothbrush and toothpaste –preferably of the electric variety– to get the best results.

What are the benefits of water flossers?

The narrative on flossing and how regularly you ought to be doing it has been conflicting, but pretty much any dentist worth their jar of lollipops agrees that some form of daily interdental brushing or flossing is essential. Especially if you want to avoid any future dental work because of gum disease, gingivitis and sensitive teeth.

If you’re lacking in space between your teeth, flossing is especially necessary for eradicating plaque in areas your toothbrush simply won't reach in your twice-daily two minutes in front of the bathroom mirror. That’s because brushing will only target the front and back of your gnashers, neglecting the harder-to-reach sides. Left uncleaned, this can lead to plaque build-up and, in turn, oral health ailments such as gum disease.

And if the floss you usually use is causing you toothaches at home, then a water flosser can take a lot of the stress away from that whole process, with a high-pressure cleaning experience overall and the ability to quickly whip around your mouth and blast away those loose bits without digging your fingers into your gums. We know it’s yet one more thing to place next to your toothbrush and toothpaste on the bathroom sink, but trust us when we say you’ll thank us for it.

Do dentists recommend water flossers?

Similarly to how the best electric toothbrushes are touted as the easier and more efficient way to keep your teeth clean, the main appeal of a water flosser, or oral irrigator as it is sometimes known, is its convenience. Water flossers are particularly well suited to anyone undergoing orthodontic work involving attachments on their teeth, such as fixed braces or Invisalign, for whom normal flossing is particularly difficult.

There's also less chance of you doing any self-inflicted damage to your gums, with a kinder stream of water that isn't as brash as you chisel away with some string. For dentist-approved results, some suggest using both traditional floss and water flossers to dislodge food particles, then rinse away plaque, as the latter won’t replicate the scraping motion of the former.

How do you use a water flosser?

The most important thing to remember when using a water flosser is to always place the classic jet tip inside your mouth before turning it on to avoid any splash-related incidents in the bathroom.

Water flossers shoot out a thin, pressurised stream of water between the teeth, most coming with various pressure settings to tweak the force with which it comes out, so it's good to find your favourite and stick with it – just be patient and find the one that feels natural.

Similarly, water temperature is a variable that will alter the irrigation experience, lukewarm being recommended so as not to cause any unnecessary discomfort. A minute a day will do the trick, which isn't all that much to ask after a two-minute brush, and the good ones will shut off for you thanks to built-in timers. Your job will be to angle the flosser head between each tooth to blast away debris you might have tucked between your teeth, taking time to ensure you clear out as much as possible without pressuring your gums too much.

Many water flossers are cordless models for convenience, with rechargeable batteries, decent battery life, different tips, extra features, adjustable water pressure and a water reservoir for convenience. With proper use, they can be an incredibly helpful tool that can supplement string floss, helping to remove plaque and ensuring a healthier gum line.

Can I not just floss regularly?

Of course you can. In fact, you definitely should at least be flossing regularly if you don't want to disappoint the dentist. Flossing does an excellent job of clearing out any plaque form between your teeth, and any nylon string coated in fluoride will do the job for you. The only thing a water flosser does is level up your cleaning capabilities with a strong blast of water. If you'd prefer to continue struggling with manual options, then be our guest, but these devices alleviate a lot of the elbow grease that goes into making your pearlys nice and white.

What should I look for when buying a water flosser?

Cleaning modes

Most water flossers have several settings to help alleviate some of the gum-related pain you might experience when using one. For example, it might have a few modes that cater to sensitive gums, a deeper, more pressurised clean and then a standard mode somewhere in between. This is worth paying attention to if you're keen to avoid uncomfortable cleaning, as the jet of water that releases from the device can catch you off guard with its strength.

Water tank capacity

All flossers come with a water tank to draw resources from, but some are larger than others. You want a decent reservoir to guarantee you clean your entire mouth in one go rather than topping up mid-wash, but that all depends on how thorough you are with getting right into the corners. In most cases, you'll see anywhere up to 200ml which should be plenty for your twice-daily routine.

Included heads and tips

Top options are play nice with several tips that offer a slightly unique cleaning method depending on if you've got braces, close-grouped teeth or have trouble angling the device around your mouth. Thinner nozzles allow for more precision if your tooth gaps are narrower, while there are wider flat nozzles that deliver a wider blase of water to get right behind metalwork on teeth for a complete clean.

Battery life and charging method

Yep, yet another thing that will hog your wall socket. Water flossers run on a rechargeable battery, but some have more stamina than others, which can be frustrating if you're taking them on holiday or you've already got a plethora of gadgets taking up space at the plug. Some will be USB-charged, which simplifies things, as you can plug it into your laptop or a portable charger. Overall, you want to look for a device that lasts at least half an hour, as that should be more than enough to see you through a week's worth of flossing. However, others can go the distance, lasting over a few hours, which is our preferred length.

Are water flossers worth it?

As usual, this answer is largely down to your budget and personal preferences, but we'd say a dedicated device to get right in between your teeth is always going to be your best bet for a properly clean gob. Flossing string is cheap and readily available at your local pharmacy but does require a fair amount of elbow grease on your part, and can often be tricky to slide between crooked teeth or get right into the grooves at the back of your mouth.

A water flosser is inevitably a larger initial cost, but the effort you save from clicking a button and simply pointing the thing where you want it to clean is far more simple over your twice-daily routine. Throughout our testing, we've found our mouth to be healthier and feel cleaner, with small bits of debris slipping out from around the gums where we hadn't been able to clear it with our Oral-B electric toothbrush.

For our money, the water flosser simplifies the process, makes it easier to do a good job with your routine, and is a lot kinder to your gums if you happen to suffer from sensitive teeth. Our dentist is also thrilled with our efforts, which has got to be worth something.

Tips for using a water flosser

As you'd expect, shoving a high-powered stream of pressurised water in your mouth and have disastrous consequences if you're not thoroughly prepared for the initial experience, so allow us to help you get used to the process. In all situations, we'd recommend filling the tank with fresh water from the tap. Some models have soluble fresheners that can be added to the water, or even UV cleansing lights but you should always begin with clean, fresh water.

Next, select your preferred setting. For those with sensitive gums, go for a gentler mode that might pulse slowly or have a constant, low-pressure stream that won't irritate. We'd also recommend you lean right over the sink and keep your mouth open –we cannot understate how shocking it is when your mouth suddenly fills with water and you end up dribbling it all out. The jet of water will blast through the gaps in your teeth and collect in your mouth, but let it drain out into the sink and move methodically around your mouth, focussing on each tooth and behind them for a proper clean. Once finished, pop it back on charge ready for next time.

Can water flossers damage your teeth or gums?

Life may have taught you that sticking electric devices in your gob is likely going to do some damage, but in this particular case, there's nothing to fear. Water flossers are specifically designed to take care of your gums and teeth without causing any damage, unless you're purposefully ramming it around in there.

You may find that on the first use, your gums aren't used to the power of a water flosser and so they may bleed a little bit, especially if you lacked the commitment to floss with string. However, once your mouth is used to the process, you shouldn't notice any damage or pain and will go a long way to fixing a lot of the sensitivity issues you may have experienced before.

What are the best grooming tools?

As a modern man, it's time you took your grooming routine into your own hands. No matter whether you need a tidy and trim of your facial fuzz, a cut down on the mop, or healthier skin with some top moisturiser, you really should take care of yourself and start looking after your own well-being –think of it as a new year's resolution for 2024.

But how do you begin? We're glad you asked, as we have a guide for pretty much any major grooming concern you may have, and we're happy to point you in the right direction to help you get all the answers you might need.

Check out our expert guide to the best beard trimmers, hair clippers, electric toothbrushes, body hair trimmers, nose and ear hair trimmers, moisturisers for your complete morning routine.

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Shop GQ's edit of the best water flossers for 2024…

See Also
We Tested 26 Water Flossers—You and Your Dentist Will Love Our Top Picks