The best water flossers for fresher breath, tested by our panel

Score: 84/100

This Oral B water flosser – and its jet stream – blew most of the competition out of the water, largely due to its clever oxyjet technology, which scored almost full marks for removing plaque. Our testers were particularly impressed with the three different attachments for varying intensity levels. One said the whirlpool tip doubled up as a great tongue cleaner.

Everyone who tried it raved about the battery life, and it was very quiet in use in the lab – so you don’t have to worry about waking up your partner with early starts. You have to fill the flosser up halfway through use, which isn’t ideal, but you only need to do it once if using it as advised, according to our lab testers.

Score 83/100

This is a stellar gadget loved by our testers. It has a smaller water tank than the Spotlight flosser below, and our panel found it easy to fill up and use. They also liked that it has six different settings, allowing them to select the perfect pressure for them.

They said it was easy to angle around their mouths to get to those hard-to-reach areas and dislodge any leftover debris post-brushing, too.

Score 83/100

This super-powerful brush gave what our testers described as a “dentist quality” clean. It features a hydro gravity ball, so it's able to continuously spray water, whatever angle you hold it at. The flosser's speedy charging and unique UV sterilisation mode, which removes potentially harmful bacteria from the water, also won points with the panel.

This flosser has the largest water tank of all the models on test, and it's also bigger than Spotlight’s previous model. This means you won't have to refill halfway through flossing — bonus — although some testers found it made it a little harder to hold.

Score: 81/100

Is there anything more annoying than a seemingly immoveable piece of food lodged in the back of your teeth? This Panasonic water flosser could be the answer, with panellists saying it was great for precision – the ergonomic grip makes it easy to reach every gap, from the front incisors to those hidden molars.

There are five different pressure levels too, although some felt that it could be stronger. The only other drawback is the chunky docking station, which our panel said made it tricky to store. However, overall, all testers agreed it left their smile looking cleaner without irritating their gums. And we think the design is sleek enough to have on display.

Score: 77/100

Testers were really impressed with how clean their teeth felt after using this flosser, with one telling us, “The tongue attachment is the best part – my mouth feels so fresh after using it.”

Many said it offered the perfect level of pressure – just enough for a fresh feel without it hurting or damaging their gums. However, there was some confusion over how to clean and refill the flosser, as its size makes it hard to angle in a small bathroom sink.

Score 77/100

If you suffer from sensitive teeth, don't assume water flossing isn't for you. The Binefia has been especially designed for those who experience sensitivity, with a ‘soft’ setting that the brand claims is so gentle even children can use it.

Aside from its sensitivity claims, the panel found this flosser easy to grip and control and it lasted “long enough to do the whole mouth without refilling.” It also comes with a handy travel bag to keep all the attachments together.

Score: 74/100

Water flossers can be pretty chunky devices, often prioritising function over style. But this model from Panasonic breaks the mould, considering looks as well as performance.

And our panel approved. “I liked the sleek black design as some of the other water flossers I’ve seen are super bulky,” said one tester. It’s not style over substance though. “After just one session, I feel like all the debris in my mouth has been removed, and it also seems to help get rid of plaque because of the intense pressure,” said another panellist. Others said it felt powerful and like it was really making a difference.

It also uses USB-C charging, which meant many were able to use their phone cable. One tester said they had to refill it during a two-minute flossing session, but everyone who tried it said the tank was easy to fill.

Score: 73/100

Available in four something-for-everyone colourways, including lilac and rose gold, this option could make a nice, albeit practical, gift. “Although it’s bulky, the colour and design make it at least look attractive on my bathroom sink,” said one tester.

It’s cordless and waterproof (you’d hope so) and the brand claims it helps to prevent bacteria build-up by over 99%. On test, our panellists praised the power of the stream and the clean feeling it gave. The travel bag and option to store the tips inside the body of the flosser are a nice touch. Our panel also liked the rubber base, which makes it easier to grip, and said it was easy to fill up, too.

The best bit? Every single person who tried it told us that the battery life was good, which is pretty unheard of with a rechargeable, daily-use device. Many didn’t need to charge it at all during the two-week trial period. Talk about low maintenance.

Score 72/100

For anyone who has braces or fixed retainers that sit behind the teeth, you'll know that flossing isn't easy, or always successful. But the Waterpik Cordless Plus won praise for both from our panel and in the lab, where it was the most effective at removing plaque and food deposits on the buccal surfaces of the teeth.

The panel also liked the fact it's cordless and has a compact design but said this meant they had to refill it halfway through flossing, which lost it some points.