Waterpik Comparison: Waterpik Ultra vs. Aquarius

Waterpik, Inc. has led the industry in the production of oral health products for more than fifty years. That is mainly the reason why the firm has amassed so much experience and popularity in the online marketplace since the advent of the internet age. The company manufactures oral hygiene products that are innovative and offer excellent benefits and stunning features. Subsequently, their products have gained millions of users around the globe from their consistency, especially in delivery.

Is it worthwhile to upgrade your older Waterpik Ultra WP-100 with its upgraded successor, the Waterpik Aquarius WP-660? It is critical to scrutinize the differences between the two to make an educated choice. It is pretty challenging to find real disruptive innovation in today's market, especially given that the countertop water flossers are an established technology.

While both products generally have outstanding features, there are some differences that you might want to run through your fingers before running them through your wallet. I hope this piece of information provided below will be critical to your finding a product that best suits your daily teeth flossing needs while still considering your pocket.

Both the Aquarius and the Ultra will provide you with an equivalently excellent clean. However, the little differences can make a huge difference when it comes to a routine you must repeat every day.I will compare the two water flossers in-depth to help you make an informed decision.

Waterpik Aquarius water flosser WP-660

On a scale of 0 to 100, the Aquarius flosser WP-660 makes an impressive 75% in usefulness, 65% in design, 85% in reliability, and 75% in return on investment.

The Unique benefits of WP-660

• It has new features such as an LED function indicator, 30s timer, and a Hydro Pulse massage mode.
• It is slimmer with a more modern design
• It has more vibrant colours compared to its predecessor
• It has a more comfortable to use handle and hose

Waterpik Ultra water flosser WP-100

The Waterpik Ultra water flosser WP-100 managed 70% on its usefulness scale, 50% in design, 85% in reliability, and 85% in ROI.

The unique benefits of WP-100

• It features a removable tank lid that is efficient and does not get in your way
• It has a more prominent and easier to use replacement tip storage
• It also has a bigger and easier to use handle holster
• It is cheaper

The Major Differences between Waterpik WP-100 and WP-660

Waterpik Ultra vs. Aquarius: Innovative Features

The two flossers have several distinct features. Most of the differences between them are the new features in the Waterpik Aquarius. However, I would not class any of the differences as significant. None of the changes will radically affect the results of your floss.

The most notable difference is the LED function indicator, but more importantly, the hydro pulse massage mode. You obviously think it is a gimmick and doesn't use it at all. I thought so too until several dentists confirmed to me that the slower water jet pulses enabled in the massage mode are better at stimulating blood flow in your gums. If you have any gum related problems, the Aquarius WP-600 could be a better investment for you than the Ultra WP-660 due to this feature.

The other feature that is new to the Waterpik series is the 30 seconds timer. Though some people may find it useless, it could come in handy. Dentists recommend that you water floss for at least one minute daily.

The feature will remind you to move to the other side of your mouth after thirty seconds. If you fail to move to the other side in the first signal, you have an extra thirty seconds to finish up since the water lasts for about 90s on high pressure. For people with a busy schedule, as I do, this feature helps the device fit right into your plan every day without fail.

If you are familiar with an electric toothbrush’s timer and pacer, the principle is similar.While the differences might not radically influence the results of your daily floss, sometimes it is subtle or allegedly less significant differences in a water floss that actually affect your attitude towards flossing your teeth on a day to day basis. The Aquarius gets the upper hand in this aspect.

Waterpik Ultra vs. Aquarius: Tip Storage and Tank Lid

The Waterpik Ultra WP-100 scores most of its points in its lid and tip storage. It has a removable lid that does not get in your way when you are configuring its tank. Its tip storage is efficiently accessible and well-designed inside the lid. It can hold up to four replacement tips, which is impressive compared to the two the Waterpik Aquarius can hold.

The tip storage in Aquarius is on the inside of the machine, unlike in the Ultra, which is situated outside the machine. It makes it hard to reach if the tank is not removed from the device. It also makes storage more miniature. Moving it was probable in the manufacturer's attempt to make the Aquarius appear slimmer. As much as they succeeded in making it look more modern, it came at quite a cost in tip storage.

The lid of the Aquarius WP-660 is fitted to the flosser’s body. The feature is quite popular, but some people complain that it gets in the way whenever they want to remove the tank.

Waterpik Ultra vs. Aquarius: Hose and Handle

The Waterpik Ultra (WP-100) loses most of its points in its hose and handle. Its hose is a little shorter than that of the Aquarius, making it a little harder to use the machine. You would have to place it on the edge of the sink to efficiently use it. Besides, its handle has significant flaws in its design:

It has a slightly stiff pause button (stops the water streaming). You have to hold it down to stop the flow of water, which is quite a hassle. It is not uncommon to release the button by accident. Doing this will eject its tip with quite some force and might spray water all over the place. It’s quite annoying to have this happen to you every once in a while.

Most of the flaws have been fixed with the hose and handle featured in the Aquarius Professional flosser. They have made the hose a bit longer with a foolproof release button. Waterpik has also managed to solve the stiff pause button in the WP-100.

They have replaced the button with an on/off slider on the Waterpik Aquarius’ handle. As much you will not have to press down continuously, the on/off slider is pretty stiff. Most people prefer to use the main on/off switch on the flosser’s body both in Aquarius and the Ultra.

With time you get used to either of the approaches, but in my opinion, the Aquarius offers a much more efficient and less messy strategy for all users new and existing alike.

The holder of the Aquarius’ handle is probably the only thing that I like more in it as compared to the Ultra’s handle. While it is a little bigger, it also features a hose and handles that are designed to go back into place more efficiently. A bit more fiddling could do the handle of the Aquarius in placed neatly and appropriately.

Waterpik Aquarius vs. Aquarius: Design

The Waterpik Aquarius easily tramples the Ultra in design. It is the main feature that makes the Aquarius stand out over the Ultra. You might have already had a peek of the design of the two flossers.

The Aquarius looks much more presentable than the Ultra. While looks matter, especially in oral health, it is essential that the product maintains the consistency of its results.

At first, it might seem easy to floss for 1 minute at least once a day. However, it might get tedious to floss for a minute every day over a period. It might get much more comfortable to remember to floss if you actually like the machine.

Although the Waterpik WP- 100 does not feature a groundbreaking design, it is a decent modern piece of technology that is quite handy. However, it is more than ten years old now, and sad as it is, it looks its age.

The privilege in the Aquarius to choose the colour of your choice and have glossier buttons makes it a bit more expensive. However, if choosing a colour that fits your bathroom makes you like the machine a little more, it is definitely worth the investment.

For those whose counter-top space is limited, the Aquarius offers a compact and better-looking design of the two and could provide additional space for some of your other gadgets.

Price

The last and arguably the most important difference to customers around the globe, especially when purchasing devices, is the price. The Waterpik Ultra comes at a retail price of $59.99 compared to $79.99 for the Waterpik Aquarius.

While there is a $20 gap between the two, you can save approximately $10 when purchasing the costlier option as compared to other products in the category.

Although I would primarily recommend the Aquarius, the Ultra is still an exemplary example of excellent water flossers available in today's market. What's more, you get to save a cool $20 by purchasing it. If your budget is a little limited, do not sweat it, the Ultra does just as much of an excellent job as the Aquarius.

Similarities between Waterpik WP-100 and WP-660

Waterpik utilises a patented technology in their devices that are programmed to achieve superior levels of teeth cleaning. Over the years, they have upgraded the machines to be more and more efficient water flossers, and their devices currently offer impressive stats.

Both products do an equally good job when it comes to effective flossing. There are even clinical studies to back the products’ effectiveness. The brand takes a lot of pride in this particular fact.

Technically, both products are quite similar. Both feature ten pressure settings, a flow rate of thirteen ounces per minute, and a maximum pressure level of up to 100 PSI.

They also both feature a water tank that has the capacity to hold up to 650 millilitres of water. The amount is more than enough to sustain a flossing session at maximum pressure for about 90 seconds. They both feature a 120VAC/60hz (American-only) voltage and very similar noise levels.

Customers in some product reviews criticise the Aquarius for being lighter than the Ultra. Some are even drawing the conclusion that Waterpik has been using less durable materials to cut on costs.

Nonetheless, though the shipping weight is indeed indicated to be lighter, the weight of the actual device is almost equal to that of the Ultra. The Waterpik Aquarius weighs 1.46lbs, as compared to the Ultra’s 1.48lbs.

Both products have the same types of replacement tips, with classic jet tips, a Plaque seeker tip, an Orthodontic tip, a Pickpocket tip, and equal length toothbrush tips. The only difference in the machines is that you get three classic jet tips with the Aquarius Professional while you only get two with the Waterpik Ultra WP-100.

Both models also require the same maintenance: the standard of using vinegar solution when running the device to prevent mineral and mildew buildup. We also recommend soaking the Waterpik Ultra's handle is a vinegar solution to stop mildew from building up in its crannies and nooks. You should do it with the Aquarius as well, you know, just in case.

The most vulnerable part in both devices is the handle. Thankfully it is replaceable in both devices. In addition, the most common problem, according to customer reviews in most sites are leaks under the tank in both devices.

The Final Decision

If we are to be totally honest, neither the Waterpik Aquarius’ innovative features nor its design is much of groundbreaking. The two devices are equally efficient at taking good care of your oral health and are reasonably reliable.

Simultaneously, both similarly feature specific flaws in their design. While the Waterpik Aquarius deals with inconvenience issues with the handle, the Waterpik Aquarius has hassles with its lid as well as the replacement tip storage.

We can summarize the comparison between the Waterpik Aquarius vs. Ultra as follows:

• The Waterpik Aquarius offers a more elegant design and some new enticing features.
• The Waterpik Ultra a better return on investment

However, in my conclusion, I have chosen the Waterpik Aquarius as the victor. It offers more features and has a more attractive and modern design, which makes it a little exciting for me to water floss twice every day. This was the primary reason the Waterpik Aquarius trampled its predecessor and, arguably, ,most other water floss devices in the market.

In my opinion, the slight updates done on the Aquarius are well worth the extra $20 it will cost you to acquire it. Whether you are a new water flosser user or have used the devices for a while, you are bound to be impressed by how it performs and the features it boasts.

However, if the value for your money is your first priority, I would recommend you choose the Waterpik Ultra. For your information, Amazon has been offering the Waterpik Aquarius professional WP-660 at a discount for quite some time. If at the time you are reading this, the offer is still open; the Ultra loses its main advantage over the Aquarius –the more affordable price tag.

In my opinion, buying the newer piece of technology at more or less the same price as its predecessor is a good deal. It offers all I could ask for in a water flosser and more. It is not surprising it ended up at the top of our best water flosser list. Go check out the current price of both equipment's before you proceed to make a purchase.

Conclusion

Ultimately, your final decision will boil down to personal preferences. However, I would recommend that you make a decision based on which device solves your needs best or that of the end-user if you are purchasing it for someone else. Do not be pushed into buying something that does not satisfy your needs, and only pay the price you are comfortable with.

If, after going over this article and reviews in online platforms, you are convinced which of the two is the better option for you, but you have no idea where to begin, the devices are quite easy to use. From the moment you unpack them from their boxes, it is quite apparent how you should use the machine.

It is however, recommended, as mentioned earlier in this article, that you use vinegar solution in the devices to prevent the growth of mildew in certain parts of the machine. This and any other critical information will be provided after purchasing either of the products. I hope I was useful in your quest to find the better of these two outstanding pieces of innovation from Waterpik.