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- Powerful
- Portable
- Long-lasting battery
- Expensive
- Needs a carry case
- Highest settings are very aggressive
The AirPump A10 is the third water flosser from Oclean, a break-out star in the world of dental hygiene. The A10 is the brand’s smallest flosser to date, promising impressive portability without sacrificing cleaning power.
Water flossers are a useful tool in your tooth-cleaning arsenal – though they’re not a replacement for standard dental floss. “While water flossers can be effective in enhancing oral hygiene,” explains Dr Chanpreet Kalsi, general dentist at Hermes London Dental Clinic, in our guide to water flossers, “these tools should not be used as a substitute for regular flossing.” Instead, Dr Kalsi recommends using a water flosser in tandem with your electric toothbrush and floss, to remove the maximum amount of plaque.
I say all this because it’s important to keep expectations in check. The Oclean AirPump A10 isn’t a silver bullet, but it is undeniably a potent addition to your cleaning routine – especially if you travel a lot. It’s surprisingly effective for its size, and it couldn’t be simpler to use. There’s just one problem: the price tag.
What do you get for the money?
I may as well get straight to the nub: the Oclean AirPump A10 costs £100. That gets you the device itself plus two nozzles (one standard rubber-tipped nozzle, and one orthodontic nozzle with bristles for those with braces) and a USB-C cable. The device has a 45ml tank that doubles as nozzle storage and measures 105mm high and 70mm wide – about the size and shape of a bottle of Chanel Number 5 perfume.
For comparison’s sake, we’ve also tested the larger Oclean W10, which costs £80 and has a 200ml detachable tank plus four different nozzles and a carry handle. At the time of writing, our favourite water flosser is the 200ml Panasonic EW1511, which costs £120 and comes with its own charging dock and 2 cleaning tips. It also has five cleaning modes, to the Oclean A10’s three.
What does it do well?
It couldn’t be simpler to use the Oclean AirPump A10. Simply fill the tank, attach your nozzle of choice and press the power button on the side of the device. The indicator light lets you know what level of cleaning you’ve selected: amber for Standard, blue for Soft Mode and green for Massage Mode. To cycle through them, hold the power button until the light changes, then release.
No matter which setting I chose, I was blown away by the power of the AirPump jet. After my first few uses, my teeth felt noticeably cleaner, the feeling of the space between my teeth comparable to how you might feel after a brutal trip to the dentist. It’s definitely more of a blast of air with water mixed in, rather than a stream of water, but that’s intentional – it’s supposed to be gentler on your gums.
If you’ve never used a water flosser and are finding the prospect a little intimidating, don’t worry. We’ve published our own guide on how to use a water flosser to help you out.
No matter which setting I chose, I was blown away by the power of the AirPump jet. After my first few uses, my teeth felt noticeably cleaner, the feeling of the space between my teeth comparable to how you might feel after a brutal trip to the dentist. It’s definitely more of a blast of air with water mixed in, rather than a stream of water, but that’s intentional – it’s supposed to be gentler on your gums.
I’d urge caution all the same. If you’re new to flossing, or you have sensitive gums, I’d strongly recommend working up from Massage Mode to Soft Mode to Standard, otherwise you’ll leave your gums sore and stinging like I did – not unlike the initial shock of using regular floss. But that being said, once I found a setting that suited me, it wasn’t long before my gums were comfortable with a twice-daily clean.
A cycle lasts 60 seconds, and the 45ml tank is good for one full cycle before it needs a refill (rendering the handy transparent window on the tank a little moot). That might not seem like much, but the Oclean W10 ploughs through its 200ml tank in a single sitting as well. In any event, I’m willing to let capacity concerns slide in light of how small the A10 is.
This is a seriously portable water flosser. Unlike many of our favourites, it’s effortlessly easy to hold thanks to the matte finish and meagre 136g weight. It’s so small, in fact, that you could comfortably slip the A10 into your pocket if the need took you, although that doesn’t sound particularly hygienic. It also looks the part – I’m fond of both the minty colour scheme and the round-edged design, and I think it actually looks good on my bathroom sink.
Oclean claims the battery will run for a good 40 days before it needs a top up, which is done relatively quickly via the USB-C charge port. I’ve not used the A10 for that long, but I’ve not needed to recharge it so far.
What could it do better?
I suppose the ferocity of the higher settings (particularly the misleadingly named Standard setting) is worth noting here. I cannot understate how surprisingly uncomfortable the blasts of water and air can be to the uninitiated.
But the biggest sticking point for me is that price tag. Yes, the AirPump A10 is effective and incredibly portable, but the W10 is £20 cheaper, just as powerful, more versatile and still small enough to pack for a trip abroad. At no point have I thought, I really need to carry my water flosser around in my back pocket.
Speaking of which, the A10 is crying out for some kind of carry case. Allowing the user to pack everything away in a bundled case (for no added cost, ideally) feels like a no-brainer for a product sold on its portability. It’d help justify the price tag, too.
Should you buy the Oclean AirPump A10 water flosser?
It’s a shame, because pretty much everything else about the Oclean AirPump A10 is great. It’s powerful, portable and surprisingly versatile for something so outwardly simple. It looks good and so far, its battery has proven impressively durable. But unfortunately, the relatively high price keeps the A10 from earning my recommendation.
If you love the idea of a water flosser this compact, there’s literally nothing on the market like the A10. But if not, pick up the Oclean W10 instead and save yourself £20 – or if money’s no object, spend £20 more on the excellent, heavy-duty Panasonic EW1511.
