Laifen Wave electric toothbrush review

Laifen, a fast-growing Chinese brand known mostly for its powerful blow dryers, has just released its first-ever electric toothbrush — and it is anything but ordinary. Announced with fanfare at the 2024 Consumer Electronics Show, the Laifen Wave electric toothbrush is packed with innovative technological solutions that promise to freshen up your dental care routine. 

The Laifen Wave is the first toothbrush that combines oscillation and sonic vibration. This means that its brush head not only rotates at high speeds, but also generates up to 66,000 vibrations per minute. According to the manufacturer, this novel dual-action design helps to achieve high brushing efficiency while still being easy on the gums. 

The Laifen Wave also features an innovative pressure button and magnetic charging cable, and comes with an app that offers endless brushing personalization features. 

Based on the brand’s claims, the Laifen Wave could easily be ranked among the best electric toothbrushes on the market. But is it really worth investing in? To find out, we put the Laifen Wave toothbrush through extensive at-home testing. 

Laifen Wave electric toothbrush: How we tested

We spent nearly three weeks testing the Laifen Wave electric toothbrush, looking at its brushing efficiency, ease of use, battery life, smart features and value for money. We ran the toothbrush on all of its settings and modes, both with and without the app, and with all three brush heads. 

We also measured how loud it is with a decibel counting app, and tested its water resistance by submerging it underwater for the duration of one brushing cycle.

Laifen Wave electric toothbrush: Design

The Laifen Wave toothbrush is available in three finishes: white ABS plastic, aluminum alloy and stainless steel. All three are essentially the same toothbrush, but they come with different price tags — $69, $79 and $99, respectively — and differ slightly in weight, with the stainless steel being the heaviest option. In this review, we have tested the Laifen Wave in ABS plastic, which is the lightest and most affordable toothbrush in the range.

We liked the minimalist design of The Laifen Wave electric toothbrush. Its toned-down colors blend well with most bathroom decors, while its small, compact build makes it a convenient travel accessory. We also have to applaud Laifen for ditching the typical plastic packaging in favor of a cardboard box made out of recyclable materials. 

The Laifen Wave electric toothbrush comes with a magnetic charging cable, three different brush heads and a detailed, easy-to-read user manual. The toothbrush does not require much assembly — to attach the head, just press it downward onto the motor shaft, and to replace it, simply pull the brush head upwards while holding the handle. 

There always needs to be a small gap between these two parts, otherwise the toothbrush may not work properly. This means that you will not hear a clicking sound or any other indication when the brush head is in the right position. During our at-home testing, the brush head remained firmly attached to the motor shaft at all times. However, we occasionally had to twiddle the toothbrush around to release the head that got stuck, presumably from the water that slipped through the gap.      

The Laifen Wave electric toothbrush looks neat and unobtrusive when sitting on a bathroom shelf. The motor shaft measures just 4.7 in (12 centimeters) in length, and features only one pressure button and a color-coded battery life indicator. Thanks to its seamless build, we found the toothbrush quick and easy to clean.   

However, the Laifen Wave toothbrush does not include a stand or other features that would help it better grip the surface. This means that some people may prefer to store this toothbrush in a horizontal position — something to take into account if you are short on shelf space. Another downside is the lack of a travel case, and there is no case for brush heads, either.    

Laifen Wave electric toothbrush: Features

The Laifen Wave toothbrush is a great option for those looking for endless brushing personalization modes. This device may be small in size, but it is packed to the brim with smart features that will make daily brushing easy and efficient. We also applaud the reasonable price of Laifen Wave replacement brush heads — $9.90 for a pack of 3 or $16.99 for a pack of 6.

There are three different brush heads in the pack: the Gum-Care brush head with soft ultra-fine tapered bristles designed for those with sensitive teeth, the sharper Super-Clean brush head for a thorough clean, and the Ultra-Whitening brush head with W-shaped bristles that deliver a squeaky clean polish. We found all three of the Laifen Wave brush heads to be comfortable to use, and none of them lost bristles or changed shape after three weeks of daily testing.   

The toothbrush itself is equipped with a motion sensor that awakens it from the sleep state when picked up by the user. We found this feature quite useful — there is no need to wake up the device, just apply toothpaste and press the start button to begin brushing. We also liked that every 30 seconds the Laifen Wave toothbrush will stop vibrating for a second to indicate that you need to change the brushing area (this feature can be switched on and off in the app). 

You can choose between three intensity modes while brushing, and after two minutes of use — the recommended brushing time — the Laifen Wave toothbrush will automatically enter sleep mode, so there is no need to switch it off manually. 

The device itself stands on its own merit, but it is the app that makes the Laifen Wave toothbrush stand out among the competitors. The Laifen App allows you to customize the modes across three settings — vibration strength, oscillation range and oscillation speed — and 10 levels (but with the High-Frequency Mode enabled, the vibration strength can go up to a whopping 20 levels). These settings can be easily changed throughout a brushing cycle, and saved for later. 

The Laifen App will also allow you to turn on the timing reminders and a flight mode, as well as adjust the duration of a brushing cycle up to 5 minutes. During testing, the app worked flawlessly, and we did not experience any connectivity issues or lags.   

However, we were disappointed by the charging feature. True, using a magnetic cable comes with tangible benefits: the whole process is safer than wireless charging, and you can power up the whole battery in just 2.5 hours. However, we did not find it very user-friendly. To charge the Laifen Wave toothbrush, you have to attach the magnetic cable to the base of the unit, meaning you can only do that if the toothbrush lays flat. And since the cable itself is quite short, it may not reach the socket in your bathroom, forcing you to charge the toothbrush elsewhere. We solved this issue with a portable power bank, but a simple charging pod or stand would vastly improve the overall experience.

Laifen Wave electric toothbrush: Performance

The Laifen Wave toothbrush impressed us with its efficient brushing capabilities. All three brush heads did a brilliant job. Both the Super-Clean and Ultra-Whitening left our teeth squeaky clean, without aggravating the soft tissues in the mouth. The Gum-Care brush lived up to our expectations, too. It was soft and easy on the gums, and while we do not have sensitive teeth, we would imagine this brush head could well be a go-to choice for those with bleeding gums and other dental issues. 

We also liked its exceptionally long battery life. Laifen claims its Wave toothbrush can run for up to 30 days of use on a single charge when used twice daily. After testing it extensively for three weeks, we suspect that its battery could hold up for even longer. We can vouch for the waterproofness of the Laifen Wave toothbrush, too — the device worked fine after being submerged in water for two minutes.  

We also found this toothbrush to be relatively less noisy than other models in this price range. When measured with a decibel counter app, the Laifen Wave toothbrush generated on average 40 decibels, which is equivalent to a conversation or quiet refrigerator. The sounds made by this toothbrush were also less piercing than those emitted by some other similarly priced devices.  

However, its flimsy pressure button knocked a star off the otherwise glowing rating. In theory, the internal optical touch system should automatically detect pressure and distance changes to activate the Laifen Wave toothbrush. In practice, it is hit and miss. The controls can be unresponsive, and they take some time to get used to, especially when it comes to mastering the “double tap” for switching between modes. 

Should you buy the Laifen Wave electric toothbrush?

If you are looking for an electric toothbrush that can deliver outstanding cleaning at an affordable price point, the Laifen Wave should definitely get on your radar. This electric toothbrush is quiet, compact and energy-efficient, and does look great on the bathroom shelf. More importantly, the Laifen Wave offers three different brush heads and a wide range of personalization features, making it a particularly good choice for those with specific dental needs.    

However, if you prefer straightforward controls and fuss-free charging, you may need to find a different model. Despite its excellent brushing performance, the Laifen Wave toothbrush can be slightly frustrating to use — especially if you require a long charging cable to reach the socket in your bathroom, or have limited sensation in your fingers. 

If this product is not for you

If you are looking for an equally affordable model, the Bitvae R2 Rotating Electric Toothbrush could be a great alternative to the Laifen Wave toothbrush. It boasts similar battery life and brushing performance, but comes with USB-charging and a handy travel case — and it is often discounted to an attractive $45.99. 

If you would prefer a model with a more premium feel, check out the Oral-B iO Series 10 electric toothbrush. With seven intelligent modes, visible pressure sensor and live brushing feedback, it blows the Laifen Wave out of the water with its high-tech solutions. However, it is also far more expensive.