The world of waterpiks is filled with interesting and unique options that leave the discerning buyer with much to consider.
A deep dive look at all the nuanced features of a pik is required to make sure that it is right for you, which is exactly what we have done with the Waterpik Sidekick Water Flosser (WF-04CD).
The Sidekick features an ultra-sleek design that is optimized for people with limited counter space. Shoppers looking for one of the most compact flossers in the world are going to want to read on as we take a close look at the features of the Waterpik Sidekick Water Flosser!.
Product Overview
The principal selling point of this unit is without question its sleekness. The compact design establishes this unit as a strong option in a couple of categories, actually. For one thing, the design appeals to users that have very limited counter space. The waterpik is typically a fairly bulky hygiene product that many people are not going to have room for.
The compact nature of the design also adds a sleek component to the unit as well, appealing to shoppers that are interested in something with a flair for style. This unit is also marketed towards travelers. The small size of the Sidekick Water Flosser naturally makes it easy to pack, and this utility is further serviced a storage case that makes travelling with the flosser fairly simple.
Finally, and most obviously, this unit is also positioned, like every waterpik, to appeal to people looking to expand their oral hygiene regiment. Water flossing, in general, is a clinically proven way to make your smile healthier and happier.
This unit is certainly no exception to this rule. Users of the Sidekick Water Flosser should experience up to 99.9% plaque removal in treated areas—a number that is sure to combat much dreaded tooth decay. It also comes with a guarantee that regular use will yield quantifiable results within two weeks. Then there are the stats: water flossing with the right equipment is capable of removing up to 50% more plaque and bacteria than traditional string floss.
In short, if you want the most thorough supplemental oral hygiene care possible, you are going to get it here.
Appearance and Designing
While most waterpiks look roughly the same, this unit actually represents something of a departure from what we have seen in other similar products. The concept is fairly simple. The base is rectangular, short, and narrow, with the tank placed across it, and the pick itself resting on a small edge just before the reservoir.
The controls on the unit are similarly simple. A power button on top of the front ledge activates the unit, while a nob placed next to it adjusts and controls the power settings. The components of the waterpik are also optimized to pack and fold easily for simple and straightforward transportation.
In particular, the design component that allows the water reservoir to double as a sheath for storing the base is a very clever and quick way to move around with this piece of equipment quickly. Basically, if you can’t find room in your bathroom arrangement for this flosser, you probably are going to need to rethink whether or not you can accommodate a water flosser at all.
The design is very slim and compact, but the utility of the equipment is very effective and straightforward. The pik is available in 3 color options: white, rose gold, and black.
Key Features & Technologies
As we have already addressed, the primary benefit of this waterpik is that it is going to be optimal for people with an on the go lifestyle. In addition to being very easy to pack up, it’s also just very small, and easy to situate on small counters or limited sink space.
One notable feature that will be of particular interest to the traveler is the dual nature of the reservoir. For typical use, this component of the flosser can be filled to use for cleaning your mouth. However, if you find yourself in need of packing it quickly, simply remove the reservoir and slide it over the base so that you can transport both in one easy package.
The usefulness of this is, of course, obvious, but alone does not account for the quality of a Waterpik. The most important component of any waterpik is always going to be performance, and to this end the Sidekick Flosser excels as one would hope for.
Part of this high level of performance is built into the design. The stylus has been optimized to be both ergonomic, and highly equipped for accessing challenging parts of the mouth. This is accomplished largely by the swivel handle – it offers the full size tip although the handle looks more compact than other regular size flossers. This component of the waterpik allows the flosser to access tighter corners of the mouth interior than would have otherwise been possible.
It also features a reservoir capacity of 60 seconds, which ensures that you can get the full dentist recommended clean without encountering the need to refill the tank midway through your oral hygiene regiment. While many similar products feature an oversized 90 seconds capacity tank that builds in a margin of error for users, most people should not encounter any problems with what is provided in the Sidekick Flosser.
While a 60 seconds capacity reservoir might not always make its way onto a list of pros, there is actually something to be said of it in this case. Given all of the measures that have been taken to ensure that this unit is as small and easy to transport as possible, it is nice to see that it is still capable of delivering an industry standard level clean for daily use.
Then there are the 5 pressure settings, easily accessed by a sliding control system build into the handle. The pressure settings ensure that you are able to optimize your clean in a way that suits the unique needs of your mouth, or even the needs of how you feel on a given day. If your mouth is particularly sensitive, you can use lower settings to clean your gums without pain. On the other hand, higher settings are going to be a simple way to remove particularly challenging debris.
These features all account for a water flosser that performs as most people familiar with this device would come to expect and hope.
Just by virtue of how a water flosser functions alone, it will be good for people with implants or braces. Of course, the base function of this equipment will also ensure that it removes more plaque and bacteria than other options for a healthier mouth and smile that water flosser users demand and deserve.
Accessories & Packages.
This unit is actually surprisingly lacking in the department of accessories. While most waterpiks have a myriad of different tips and attachments that make using them under various circumstances simple and easy, that really is not the case here.
For your purchase of the Sidekick Water Flosser you get only two things. For one, you get the stylus, which is almost hard to even refer to as an accessory, given that the flosser will not function without it.
This unit also comes with a traveling carrying bag which will further support the needs of people who are using their flosser for the purposes of travel. Like the unit, the case itself is also compact. Travelers shouldn’t have any trouble squeezing the Sidekick Flosser into a suitcase, or even a carry-on bag as they go about their travels.
All in all the lack of accessories may be surprising or even disappointing to some, but there is something of a silver lining to this departure from the norms of the water flossing world.
While attachments and extra tips are nice to have, they do also cost money. With this unit (assuming that your stylus remains in working order) you aren’t really going to need to buy anything to further support its use.
To that end, there is an economical benefit to buying a water flosser that does not require or encourage additional accessories.
Ultimately, despite departures from standardized norms, the Sidekick Flosser does manage to come equipped with everything that you need to get the job done.
Pros & Cons
PROS
- Compact: As mentioned all throughout this article, there are few, if any, water flossers out there that are as compact and easy to transport as this one. The actual size of the flosser itself is sleek enough to fit on almost any bathroom counter, and there plenty of design component at work here that make it easy to get around.
- Swivel Head:Unlike most styluses, the one associated with this unit is incapable of taking attachments, so the swivel head component is something of a saving grace. While most water flossers utilize a slew of different tips to ensure that they can access different areas of your mouth, and fulfill a variety of needs, this unit uses a swivel head to give your broader access to your mouth than you otherwise would have had.
- Carrying Case:Carrying cases are often purchased separately, which in and of itself makes it nice to see it included as an accessory in this package. Given that the primary function of the Sidekick Flosser seems to be ease of transportation, it does make sense that it is featured here, but it is still nice to see.
CONS
- Price:Water flossers are a “luxury” item in that you do not need them to get through your day. That being the case they are usually more expensive than many shoppers might prefer them to be. This seems largely to be a result of the novelty that it provides. Being one of, if not the most, compact water flossers in the world, this unit fulfills a niche that others do not. If you require something with these transportation capabilities, you might appreciate the opportunity to get them with the Sidekick Flosser, and not mind the price very much. On the other hand, if you don’t need to travel with your water flosser, and your counter space isn’t an issue, you may want to think about going with a more mainstream option that also features a smaller price tag.
- Basic:In a world where most products are capable of doing increasingly more, you don’t want to see something take a step in the opposite direction. That is sort of what the Sidekick Flosser does. As we have touched on throughout this article, the main emphasis, and indeed seemingly all of their effort is placed on making sure that this unit is as compact as possible. While this is a perfectly acceptable pursuit it does seem to come at the cost of features that many buyers might appreciate. If you are looking for components like a timer, additional flosser tips, and a larger water tank, you just aren’t going to get them here. Given the nature of the design this is perhaps forgivable and understandable, but given the elevated price tag, it is also somewhat disappointing to see.
Conclusions
So, what is the verdict on the Waterpik Sidekick Flosser? It seems pretty clear that if you are a frequent traveler, or just someone with very limited counter space, there is no beating this flosser.
On the other hand, if that doesn’t really describe your situation, you may want to consider looking at other options. While this is certainly a good water flosser that ultimately accomplishes everything that you would look for in a similar unit, it isn’t quite as feature rich as some of the other options out there.
The emphasis here seems to be on maintaining a reasonably compact size. If you don’t need that, you may want to look for something that includes features more coordinated to your lifestyle.
This said, if you do decide on the Sidekick Flosser, you are sure to appreciate the high-quality clean that it provides!
