The best water flossers
For anyone who knows they should floss and doesn't: a jet of water that gets between teeth and round braces, without the fiddly string.
A water flosser pulses a thin jet of water between the teeth and along the gumline. Plenty of people find it far easier than string floss, especially anyone with braces or tight gaps, and it only takes a minute or two.
All five here are cordless and rechargeable, so they can live by the basin or go in a wash bag. The differences are the tank (bigger means fewer refills mid-clean), the number of settings, and the tips in the box: one for braces, a tongue cleaner, or spares so a family can each have their own.
What matters
- Start on the gentlest setting and step up as you get used to it.
- A bigger tank means fewer refills mid-clean.
- Check the tips: braces, tongue cleaner, spares to share.
- Most charge by USB, often with no plug in the box.
#1 of 5
Best overall
Hangsun HOC700 Cordless Water Flosser
£20–£30 Price range
A 300ml tank that lasts a whole clean, three modes starting from a soft setting for beginners, and six tips, including one for braces, one for gum pockets and a tongue scraper.
What owners say: Owners say it leaves teeth feeling really clean, is much easier than string floss, and is strong enough to shift bits from between teeth.
A closer look: The tips are colour-coded, so a couple or a family can share one handle with a tip each; Hangsun suggests a fresh tip every three months. It charges from any USB plug, power bank or laptop, but there's no plug in the box.
- 300ml tank
- 3 modes: soft, normal, pulse
- 6 tips, incl. braces and tongue
- IPX7 waterproof
- 36-month after-sale service
Best for: Braces and first-timers
- Water tank
- 300ml
- Settings
- 3 modes
- Tips in the box
- 6
- Charging
- USB, 4-hour charge, no plug
- Good to know
- Tips for braces, gums and tongue
#2 of 5
Best for travel
GOLDANT Cordless Water Flosser with Travel Bag (350ml)
£10–£20 Price range
The biggest tank here at 350ml, five modes including a gentle Child setting, and a travel bag. One charge lasts up to 30 days, so the charger can stay at home for a week away.
What owners say: Owners say it cleans gently but thoroughly, is powerful and easy to use, comes apart easily for washing, and is good value.
A closer look: The maker suggests the Child mode for anyone's first go, then working up. Keep your lips nearly closed round the tip, as the instructions say, and lean over the basin to keep the mirror dry.
- 350ml tank
- 5 modes, incl. Child
- 5 nozzles, incl. braces and tongue
- Travel bag
- Up to 30 days per charge
Best for: Holidays and travel
- Water tank
- 350ml
- Settings
- 5 modes
- Tips in the box
- 5
- Charging
- USB-C, 3-hour charge, up to 30 days, no plug
- Good to know
- Child mode, travel bag
#3 of 5
COSLUS Cordless Water Flosser (C20)
£20–£30 Price range
One charge lasts up to 30 days, the maker says, and the 300ml tank has a wide opening that makes it easy to fill and rinse out. Of its three pressure settings, Soft is the one for beginners and sensitive teeth.
What owners say: Owners find it as good as far pricier flossers, say it cleans teeth and gums well and is easier than string floss, and like how quickly it charges.
A closer look: It's quiet enough for early mornings without waking the house. Being IPX7, it can come into the shower once the charging port cover is shut tight.
- 300ml tank, wide opening
- 3 pressure settings
- Up to 30 days per charge
- 5 tips, incl. braces and tongue
- IPX7 waterproof
Best for: Long battery life
- Water tank
- 300ml
- Settings
- 3 pressures
- Tips in the box
- 5
- Charging
- USB cable, up to 30 days, no plug
- Good to know
- Quiet, shower-safe
#4 of 5
Best for beginners
Waterpik Cordless Pulse Water Flosser
£44.99 RRP
Two pressure settings on a simple slider and a precision tip make it an easy first water flosser. Waterpik invented the idea in 1962, and this one is approved by the Oral Health Foundation.
What owners say: Owners say teeth and gums feel noticeably cleaner, it reaches the awkward places, and it's good value.
Heads up: Each fill gives up to 45 seconds of flossing, so top up the reservoir partway through a full clean.
A closer look: For the very first go, Waterpik says to run it on High pointed into the sink until the water flows, then floss on Low with your lips partly closed. It's fully waterproof, so it can come into the shower.
- 2 pressure settings
- Precision tip and tongue cleaner tip
- 177ml reservoir, about 45 seconds
- USB-C, up to 4 weeks per charge
- Two-year limited warranty
Best for: First-time water flossers
- Water tank
- 177ml, about 45 seconds
- Settings
- 2 pressures
- Tips in the box
- 2
- Charging
- USB-C, 4-hour charge, up to 4 weeks, no plug
- Good to know
- Simple two-setting slider
#5 of 5
Best premium
Philips Sonicare Cordless Power Flosser 3000 (HX3826/31)
£119.99 RRP
Its X-shaped Quad Stream nozzle splits the water into four jets to cover more of each gap at once, with two modes and three intensities to tune it. A travel bag, a USB plug and a standard nozzle come in the box too.
What owners say: Owners say it deep-cleans well, is much easier than manual flossing, and holds its charge for a good while.
A closer look: Deep Clean mode pulses the water to guide you from tooth to tooth, which helps with finding a rhythm. Philips pitches it as a full clean in 60 seconds, so it suits someone who wants flossing over quickly.
- Quad Stream X-shaped nozzle
- 2 modes, 3 intensities
- Up to 40 days per charge
- 360° rotating nozzle
- Travel bag and USB plug included
Best for: A quick, thorough clean
- Water tank
- 250ml
- Settings
- 2 modes, 3 intensities
- Tips in the box
- 2
- Charging
- USB-A, up to 40 days, plug included
- Good to know
- X-shaped Quad Stream nozzle
How they compare
| Feature | #1Hangsun HOC700 | #2GOLDANT 350ml | #3COSLUS C20 | #4Waterpik Cordless Pulse | #5Philips Power Flosser 3000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best for travel | Best for beginners | Best premium | ||
| Picked Rating | 8.8 | 8.7 | 8.6 | 8.5 | 8.4 |
| Price | £20–£30 Price range | £10–£20 Price range | £20–£30 Price range | £44.99 RRP | £119.99 RRP |
| Water tank | 300ml | 350ml | 300ml | 177ml, about 45 seconds | 250ml |
| Settings | 3 modes | 5 modes | 3 pressures | 2 pressures | 2 modes, 3 intensities |
| Tips in the box | 6 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 2 |
| Charging | USB, 4-hour charge, no plug | USB-C, 3-hour charge, up to 30 days, no plug | USB cable, up to 30 days, no plug | USB-C, 4-hour charge, up to 4 weeks, no plug | USB-A, up to 40 days, plug included |
| Good to know | Tips for braces, gums and tongue | Child mode, travel bag | Quiet, shower-safe | Simple two-setting slider | X-shaped Quad Stream nozzle |
| Best for | Braces and first-timers | Holidays and travel | Long battery life | First-time water flossers | A quick, thorough clean |
| Check price | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon |
Swipe sideways to see all 5.
Photos are illustrative. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. How we pick · How this works.
