We Tested 26 Water Flossers—You and Your Dentist Will Love Our Top Picks (2024)

• Our Picks

• How We Tested

• What to Look For

• FAQ

• Why Trust Verywell Health

With 10 pressure settings and seven interchangeable flossing tips, the Waterpik Aquarius provides a customizable cleaning experience, though it’ll take a bit of practice—and both hands—to master its operation. Adjusting the pressure settings, which are controlled by a dial at the base of the machine, is a bit awkward at first, but you get used to it. In addition to gooey cheese, it’s effective at removing plaque and improving circulation in the gums.

The tank holds 22 ounces of water, which the brand promises is enough for 90 seconds of flossing activity, but we were pleased to find that the reservoir was still half full after completing two full cycles. The cord that connects the flosser wand to the base is short, so you’ll want to position it close to your sink basin to avoid drips and splashback. At the end of our testing, we crowned the Aquarius Best Overall, because it’s effective and easy to use, and it doesn’t take up much counter space.

If you’ve never tried a water flosser and aren’t sure it’s worth the investment, we recommend the H2ofloss Portable Oral Irrigator. Priced under $50, it offers five different nozzles (including a toothbrush head), a tongue cleaner attachment, and five settings. The best part? It’s compact and completely cordless, making it the perfect travel flosser. The design is very clean and practical, and there aren’t any excessive pieces or extensions.

The H2ofloss has a 360-degree rotating head to help you target those hard-to-reach corners of your mouth, and it has a 300-milliliter reservoir that holds just enough water for a full cycle. Users with sensitive teeth or gums may find the higher pressure settings a little too intense. We noted that the higher settings were harder to control, and water got everywhere when we tried to use them.

If you’re a die-hard cord cutter, opt for the Aquasonic Aqua Flosser. It earned high marks for its lightweight design, which is dentist-recommended for kids and teens. It only has three settings, but we particularly enjoyed the pulse mode, which felt pleasant and did a great job removing food from between our teeth. Plus, it’s easy to toggle between the settings with one hand.

The reservoir only holds 150 milliliters of water, which provided 45 seconds of flossing during our tests, so it may not be ideal if you like to take your time. Still, it delivered a thorough cleaning. Included in the box are a travel case and four jet tips, and the waterproof body protects the rechargeable lithium-ion battery so you can floss in the shower.

If you have braces, flossing with standard string floss or dental tape can be tricky and time-consuming. Equipped with two flossing modes and 10 intensity settings, the Phillips Sonicare Power Flosser 5000 comes with a quad stream tip that covers a larger surface area for a deep clean. The instructions were clear and even illustrated how to use the device if you have braces.

The setup process was easy, so we could start cleaning her teeth within minutes of unboxing. The reservoir was one of our favorite features—the lid fits snugly, and the tank holds 18.6 ounces of water, enough for a couple of cleaning sessions. The countertop model is one of our more expensive picks, but it’s compact, easy to use, and effective, so we can declare it well worth the price.

If your least favorite part of preparing for a trip is figuring out how to pack all your toiletries, try the cordless, compact MySmile Oral Irrigator X, which delivers a thorough flossing and a just-brushed feeling. It’s cordless and holds a charge for up to 20 days, with a 350-milliliter reservoir that provides 50-150 PSI of water pressure, depending on the setting. It felt as if we were brushing our teeth and flossing simultaneously, we noted.

The flosser was easy to use, and the instruction manual includes easy-to-follow pictures. The five different settings are strong, normal, soft, pulse, and child mode, and there are eight interchangeable tips, enough to suit the preferences of the whole family. A digital display shows the modes, temperature, and battery level, which means a higher price tag.

If you like the Waterpik brand but want to go cordless, look no further than the WP-560. We loved its ease of use and effectiveness at cleaning gummy fruit debris from their teeth in under a minute. The ample 7-ounce reservoir is easy to fill and lasts for a full minute.

There are only two buttons—one to turn it on and off, and the other to move between pressure settings—so it’s a good basic flosser. We were a little disappointed that there are only three basic modes. While it falls a little short on settings, it does come with some useful accessories, including two classic jet tips, a travel bag, a plug, and a convenient magnetic charger.

The third Waterpik option on our list is the Cordless Express Water Flosser, our favorite budget-friendly option from the brand. It’s a basic model with just 2 pressure settings but was impressively effective at removing even tiny bits of debris from our teeth. The water pulls from a 5-ounce water reservoir, which lasts just shy of a minute and needs to be refilled often, sometimes mid-floss.

The battery-operated model left our mouth feeling clean, but we felt as though there was still some residue remaining after use. Still, the two included tips were easy to swap out, and it’s a great choice if your bathroom is short on countertop space.

The Waterpik Sonic-Fusion 2.0 does double-duty as a flosser and an electric toothbrush to clean your whole mouth. With 10 pressure settings, two flossing brush heads, and a 16-ounce water reservoir, it cleans teeth while removing plaque and gunk from even the tiniest crevices. We love the way the buttons are stacked so that you can change the pressure easily. There is no guessing which button will change the pressure and speed.

The Sonic-Fusion also has a two-minute brushing timer and a 30-second pacer to alert you when it’s time to switch to a different section of your mouth. It’s the most expensive model on our list, but it's a good investment if you’re looking for an all-in-one dental-cleaning device.

How We Rated the Water Flossers

Frequently Asked Questions

• Are water flossers better than conventional flossing?

  Traditional string floss or dental tape may be some dentists' preferred choice, but water flossers are considered an adjunct to brushing and traditional manual flossing. "It feels quite gentle, but it is quite a strong force through the little triangle between the teeth," says Dr. Creaven. "It's pushing the food and debris so it will pop off the teeth and away from that area." Conventional and water flossing are suitable for cleaning thoroughly, but traditional flossing should be a part of your dental hygiene routine.

• Are there any risks to using a wet flosser?

  Regarding safety, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, you don't want to leave water sitting in the reservoir. A water flosser that isn't well maintained can introduce more bacteria into your mouth, so Dr. Creaven recommends emptying it after each use and cleaning it often. You'll also want to pay special attention to excessive pressure. "Since water flossers utilize a pressurized water stream to remove plaque and debris, it is important that patients don't traumatize their gums with the device," says Dr. Kunen. "Follow the directions of use to prevent any damage to tissues."

• How often should I use a wet flosser?

  The order of the steps in your oral care routine matters. Start with a water flosser, and follow it up with a toothbrush. "We have a general rule of thumb: A water flosser should probably be used once a day before brushing," says Dr. Creaven. "There are active ingredients in your toothpaste, and you don't want to wash them away after you brush."

  Some research suggests that adding a water flosser to your routine can improve your dental hygiene significantly. One clinical trial showed that people who use a water flosser once a day and brush their teeth twice a day had improved gingival health, compared to people who brush twice daily and don't wet floss at all. Other research has indicated that routine water flossing (in addition to regular brushing) can reduce plaque and gum bleeding.

  "As long as those practices are maintained, I encourage those patients who like water flossers to incorporate them into their routines as often or as little as they like," says Dr. Kunen.