Waterpik Cordless Advance Review (WP-56 series)

In their advertising, Waterpik claims to be the only brand approved by the American Dental Association – this is not quite true, but the only other product that currently holds that distinction has been excluded from this list due to some concerns about its quality and reliability.

With a pressure range of only 45 to 75 PSI, many people will find this product too feeble to get the job done, while individuals with very sensitive gums will find its lowest setting to be too harsh. Despite this limitation, it remains an attractive option for those who have particular dental care needs and are looking for a water flosser they can take on trips. People with bridges, crowns, or periodontal issues would do well to consider the Cordless Advanced.

Wide Selection of Tips

The reason for this is that this oral irrigator comes standard with a “plaque seeker” nozzle that works well for cleaning the gums around implants. An orthodontic tip is also included to take care of the intricate, difficult-to-clean gaps around braces. In addition, you’ll get two standard jet tips designed for removing food particles and plaque from the interstices between teeth and along the gum line.

Handy for the Jet Set

Unlike many portable flossers, the Cordless Advanced is available in five color schemes and comes with both a microfiber travel bag and a hygienic, hard-shelled case in which to store your tips. The charger is also compatible with electrical supplies ranging from 100 to 240 volts, meaning that you can use it anywhere in the world where electricity is available. Each charge should give you around a dozen uses.

Unfortunately, like with all appliances designed for easy transport, a couple of tradeoffs have to be accepted, even though this water flosser, at almost 12 inches (30 centimeters) tall, is on the bulky side. The relatively small reservoir runs dry in only 45 seconds on the “High” setting. If you like to floss with a mixture of water and mouthwash, refilling it halfway through your routine can quickly become a pain.

With no countertop unit to store the water and provide pressure, you’ll also need to hold it approximately upright to keep the water flowing. The tips can rotate through 360 degrees, at least, which makes getting to the back teeth a little easier.

User-Friendly, But Only up to a Point

These tips snap in and out easily and are retained by a latch while in use. It is possible, though not very likely, that you’ll press the eject button while the pump is running, but this will probably not result in any kind of serious injury.

Although it’s marketed as “ultra quiet”, you should expect a noise level comparable to that of an electric toothbrush or razor. This is about as silent as any water flosser can be, especially when using the highest of the three provided power settings. Since unnecessary noise often means that a machine is badly constructed, we’re actually far more interested in the 2-year warranty.

It’s also waterproof to a greater extent than the other one-piece (i.e., without a countertop station) water flossers we’ve selected for review. This is due to its unique charging system: instead of requiring a cable to be plugged in, a magnetic contact clings to the side of the unit and charges it wirelessly. This eliminates the need for a charging port, which might otherwise let water into the inner workings and cause a short circuit.

It needs 4 hours to charge fully; the battery and charging status is shown by a LED display. Unfortunately, this arrangement doesn’t allow for the current to be cut off once charging is complete, which leads us to the Cordless Advanced’s worst feature: the battery will be damaged if you fail to remove the charger at the proper time. This is a major flaw in an otherwise decent product; if you’re in the middle of preparing dinner or watching a movie, your water flosser’s charge status is probably the last thing on your mind.

It’s also difficult to drain the reservoir completely, which makes us wonder what might end up growing in there if it’s left unused but not clean and dry. At least a plug is supplied to prevent it from leaking out in your suitcase. This reservoir is easy to remove and can be cleaned in a dishwasher.