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245 of 247 found the following review helpful:
 Not as Good as It Used to Be Jul 14, 2005
By G. Greene
I've been using a Waterpik for several decades now, and while the effectiveness of the product -- excellent for oral irrigation and toughening the gums -- has been consistent, the design and quality of the product have faltered. My first Waterpik, purchased in the early 1970s for sensitive gums on the recommendation of my dentist, lasted far longer than my more recent purchases. Sometimes the motor gives out, and sometimes the hose gives out.
That said, no product lasts forever. But what really annoys me is the design of the current product. First of all, instead of two "picks," Waterpik now gives you one "pick" and a "tongue cleaner." And when you attempt to purchase replacement picks, you must buy them with the tongue cleaner as well. Furthermore, the design of the current model is too big and bulky, not neat and compact as it once was. And lastly, the only way you can close the Waterpik is by removing the pick every time; the top will not fit over the bottom otherwise.
Bottom line: It is still a good product, but it becomes increasingly inconvenient with each new iteration, and I think the market is ripe for the competition.
Update May 2008: This Waterpik finally went the way of all moving devices (the cable from the implement broke), and I purchased the newer "Ultra" model. Many of the inconveniences of the "Personal" model have been eliminated in the Ultra: The Ultra has a much smaller footprint, the jet is positioned better, and it has a top to cover the reservoir when not in use. Even though it is about 50% more in cost, it is worth it to me (despite the blue reservoir, which doesn't match any of my countertop accessories).
137 of 145 found the following review helpful:
3.5 Stars. Great Idea--Poor Design. May 06, 2003
By mtk5150
"mtk5150"
Look at the photo carefully. See the tub up on top where the water goes? It's not attached permanently. It just kind of wobbles up there with a small gasket around the hole in the bottom where the water is fed into the motor. In other words, if you were to remove or bump the tub while it has water in it, it will spill over everything. Also, you can't leave any water in it and place the mouth piece in its holder or set it on your counter for a moment, as it begins to slowly drain water if it's not held higher than the level of the water--a syphoning effect occours.The tube that extends from the unit to the mouthpiece is cheap and way too short (hardly 3 feet) and it's so strongly coiled it ends up hardly being able to reach 2 feet. The motor is very loud and sounds like an old rusty boat motor and shakes itself around my counter. (I learned setting it on a towell helps to immobilize it, and quiet it a bit, which is good because I'll also have a towell ready in case I bump into the tub.) Why then do I use it? Well, because it actually works! Once I mastered the art of using this half-baked contraption, I found my mouth, teeth, and gums are cleaner than ever. The stream of water it puts out is very powerfull and "Piks" up where brushing and flossing leave off. I'd gladly buy a better brand if one existed, but to my knowledge, WaterPik are the only ones making such a machine. I think that explains why WaterPik has cut so many corners making this thing--no competition! No one else wants to make them.
62 of 66 found the following review helpful:
 Save Your Sales Receipt Oct 24, 2005
By Jerry P. Danzig
What a piece of junk! I had it for a full day -- just long enough to throw out my sales receipt, of course -- before the hose popped off the handle, shooting water all over the bathroom. I'm not sure why Waterpik expected the hose to stay on the handle in the first place; it looks like it must have been secured with spit -- or prayers -- as there is no tape or gromit of any kind to secure it. Apparently a "handle replacement kit" is available from the manufacturer, and I have inquired how I might order one. I suspect Waterpik does a thriving business selling these, as the hose/handle connection is so flimsy it seems sure to fail -- in my case, within one day. My advice: save your sales receipt in case you need to return your unit to the store where you bought it, or you require warranty service. Pathetic.
ADDENDUM (written one week later): Well, I was wrong. You DON'T need to save your receipt, unless you want to return a failed WP-60 to the store. I contacted Waterpik at their website, explained the problem -- and one week later they sent a whole new unit. I must say, they certainly stand behind their (faulty) product! (Perhaps it helps if you point out, as I did, that if the problem of the hose detaching is common enough to warrant a topic on their customer support page, perhaps they might engineer a more effective solution!) Does the new unit work? The hose appears to be affixed more securely to the handle, but I am still using my first unit, as I devised a simple but effective solution while Waterpik was making their move: just by wrapping a length of Scotch plastic tape around the detached hose, you increase the circumference of the hose enough to make a snug fit with the little white plastic collar tucked in the handle where the hose attaches. So you just remove the collar from the handle, slide the collar on the hose now reinforced with the tape, plug the hose into the handle, then reinsert the collar so the tab fits under the lip of the handle. Again, one wonders how Waterpik stays in business effecting such elaborate solutions to such simple (but critical) design flaws; it's like an auto manufacturer giving you a whole new car because they had installed faulty lug nuts on one of your wheels. Another design flaw that shouldn't exist on such a mature product: the irrigation tips really need a gnurled grip so you can turn them in your mouth easily when they get wet while in use. Beyond this, the motor works (so far), and Waterpik does stand behind the product. One also has to wonder, however, what would happen to Waterpik's market share if a Japanese company who sweats the details like Panasonic decided to make a plug-in oral irrigator...
SECOND ADDENDUM (written a few months later): Grrr -- the cleaning tip broke this morning when I tried to remove it from the hose. You'll need to keep a spare or two in the house, and I understand that Waterpik only sells the tip with a tongue cleaner, which I don't need. Again, yet another fault in what should by now be a mature product...
35 of 36 found the following review helpful:
 unreliable Nov 22, 2003
Purchased the WP70W model two months ago. It is already nearly
non-functional. It appears to be leaking water from inside the handle therefore no water pressure at all. I have purchased
Teledyne Water Piks in the past and they didn't last very long
either. It had been a few years since I used this model, so I
decided to try them one more time. Big mistake. The Braun Oral-B
MD-15 Oxyjet is your better bet.
31 of 32 found the following review helpful:
This is not the best! Aug 04, 2005
By FromCharlotte
"ddppkosh"
I have been using waterpik for about 6 years now, my 3rd waterpik broke this week. When I tried to replace that one I found Conair Interplak Dental Water Jet in a local store, I had to buy it because they did not have a waterpik and I could not live with out one!!. When I tried Conair Interplak Dental Water Jet I was pleasantly surprised by its performance, it was quiet and jet had enough force but it did not hurt my gums at all!!!. A big problem with Conair Interplak Dental Water Jet was that it has a smaller tank, so you have to stop and refill 3-4 times before you complete!!!.
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