Laifen Wave Pro Electric Toothbrush Review: a techy brush that actually feels like an upgrade

I’ve been using electric toothbrushes for years – mostly Oral-B and Philips Sonicare – so I wasn’t expecting to be surprised by another one. I grabbed the Laifen Wave Pro because of the mix of oscillation plus sonic vibrations and the big claim about plaque removal and battery life. I’ve used it twice a day for about three weeks now, and I’ve also handed it to my partner a couple of times to get a second opinion. So this isn’t a one‑day unboxing impression; it’s based on daily use in a normal bathroom, not some lab test.

The first thing that stood out is the brushing feel. It doesn’t behave like a classic Sonicare that just buzzes, and it doesn’t feel like an Oral‑B round head either. The head actually pivots while it vibrates, so you get this sweeping motion that kind of "scrubs" the tooth surface. The first two or three brushes, my gums felt a bit more worked than usual, but not in a painful way – more like I’d had a longer clean at the dentist. After a few days my mouth got used to it.

In terms of results, my teeth do feel very smooth after brushing, especially along the gum line and behind the front teeth where plaque tends to hang around. I didn’t change my toothpaste or routine, just swapped my old Sonicare for the Laifen. Plaque build-up between cleanings seems slower, especially on the lower front teeth where I usually see tartar first. I’m not measuring “13x” anything, but there is a clear difference versus a basic sonic brush.

It’s not perfect though. The app is a bit overkill for my taste, the button can be annoying when changing modes, and the price is not exactly budget territory once you factor in replacement heads. Still, as a day‑to‑day tool it’s pretty solid. If you’re already used to electric toothbrushes and want something that actually feels like a step up rather than just another vibrating stick, this one is worth a look – with a few caveats I’ll get into below.

On the price side, the Laifen Wave Pro sits in that mid-to-high range, roughly in the same zone as higher-end Sonicare models and below the super premium Oral‑B iO top tiers, depending on deals. For what you get – strong performance, long battery, wireless dock, pressure sensor, app features – I’d say the value is pretty solid but not cheap. This is not a budget brush for someone coming from a £10 manual. It feels more targeted at people who already own an electric brush and want an upgrade.

You do get two different heads in the box: one whitening and one plaque removal. Both feel decent and the bristles are not overly harsh. The spiral design seems to help with getting between teeth a bit better than flat bristles. My concern, as usual, is the long-term cost of replacement heads. Laifen isn’t as established as Oral‑B or Philips, so you’re kind of betting that the brand will keep selling heads at a fair price. At the moment, the head prices are reasonable, but not dirt cheap. If you replace them every three months as recommended, you’re adding a steady cost on top of the initial purchase.

Compared to a Philips Sonicare I replaced, the Laifen feels sturdier and more modern, and the cleaning feels a notch stronger. Compared to an Oral‑B iO, it’s a bit less polished in terms of app integration and mode switching, but also usually cheaper. So you’re trading a bit of polish and ecosystem stability for better value and a longer battery. For me, that trade-off is acceptable, but if you’re heavily invested in one ecosystem (for example, you already own a pile of Oral‑B heads), switching might not make financial sense.

Overall, if you just want a brush that cleans really well, lasts ages on a charge, and you don’t mind a slightly clunky button and a basic accessory kit, the value is good. If you care a lot about premium extras like travel cases, ultra-smooth app experience, or having replacement heads easily available in every supermarket, then there are safer but more expensive options from the big brands. I’d rate the value as good, not crazy good, mainly boosted by the strong battery and cleaning performance.

Design-wise, the Laifen Wave Pro looks more like a gadget than a medical tool. The translucent finish is actually pretty cool in person – you can see a hint of the internals, but it doesn’t look cheap or toy‑like. It’s slimmer than some chunky Oral‑B handles I’ve had, and it fits well in the hand. The surface has just enough grip that it doesn’t feel slippery when your hands are wet, even though it’s mostly smooth plastic. I used it with wet hands and toothpaste drips and never felt like it was going to shoot into the sink.

The single button design is where things get a bit mixed. You use the same button to turn it on, off, and switch modes. In theory it’s simple, but in practice the button is a bit stiff and not super responsive when you’re trying to triple-press to change the mode you set in the app. A couple of times I ended up turning the brush off instead of switching modes. After a week, I gave up on swapping modes mid-use and just stuck to one main setup. So, design looks good, but the button could be more user-friendly.

The head shape is rectangular and fairly compact, which is good for reaching behind the molars and along the inside surfaces. The oscillating motion means you don’t have a huge bulky mechanism in the head like some round brushes. It gets between teeth reasonably well, especially with the spiral bristles. I didn’t feel like it was too big for my mouth, and I don’t have a huge jaw. If you’re used to the very small round Oral‑B heads, this will feel a bit larger, but not by much.

The IPX8 waterproof rating is reassuring. I didn’t shower with it, but I rinsed the handle under running water almost every day and had zero issues. No water getting under the translucent shell, no condensation marks. The overall build feels tight and solid. It’s not a heavy brick, but it doesn’t feel hollow either. For a daily-use gadget that’s constantly getting wet and banged around the sink, that’s pretty important. Design-wise, I’d say it strikes a good balance between looking modern and being practical, with the main weak point being that slightly annoying button.

The battery life claim is up to 70 days on a single charge, based on two uses per day in the default mode. I obviously haven’t hit the full 70 days yet, but in just over three weeks of use (twice a day, around two minutes each time, medium intensity), the battery indicator hasn’t dropped to a worrying level. No sudden power drops, no need to top it up. I charged it fully once out of the box and then just left the dock in the cupboard to see how it holds up. So far, it looks like the long battery claim isn’t just marketing fluff.

Compared to my older Sonicare, which needed a charge roughly every 2–3 weeks, this is a clear upgrade. It’s nice not having to keep the charger permanently on the sink. If you’re the type who hates plugging in gadgets all the time, you’ll appreciate this. You could easily take it on a two- or three-week trip without the charger and be fine. For longer trips, I’d still throw the dock in the bag just to be safe, but realistically you probably won’t need it often.

The wireless charging dock works as expected. You just drop the handle onto it and it starts charging; no fiddling with contacts or lining up pins like some older models. The dock itself doesn’t take up much space and has a stable base, so it doesn’t slide around. I like that you can also just store the brush on it all the time if you want. Since it’s IPX8 waterproof, a bit of water dripping onto the dock area hasn’t caused any issues for me so far.

One thing to note: the product listing mentions “1 AAA battery required (included)”, but in practice this is a built‑in rechargeable unit, not something you swap like a TV remote. You charge it via the dock and forget about it. Overall, battery life is one of the strong points of this toothbrush. If you’re tired of constantly recharging your brush or dragging a bulky charging base on trips, this one is a clear step up in convenience.

Comfort is usually where powerful brushes can be a bit too much, especially if you have sensitive gums. The Laifen Wave Pro definitely has some punch. The first time I used the default mode at medium intensity, I could feel the power right away. It’s not painful, but it’s more intense than a basic Sonicare. The 60° oscillation plus the high vibrations give a kind of scrubbing feel that takes a couple of days to get used to. On the first evening my gums felt slightly tingly after brushing, but there was no bleeding or soreness the next day.

Once I dropped the intensity down a notch in the app and used the “Daily” style pattern, it felt more natural. The pressure sensor is genuinely useful. I tend to push too hard, especially on the front teeth, and with this brush you get feedback if you’re overdoing it. The motor slows down a bit and you can feel and see that you’re pressing too hard. It’s not intrusive, it just nudges you to ease off. Over a week, I noticed I was brushing more lightly without really thinking about it, which is good for gums in the long run.

The handle shape itself is comfortable to hold for the full two minutes. No weird edges, no slipping. Even when my hand was soapy, I didn’t feel like I had to grip it tight. Noise-wise, it’s not silent, but it’s less rattly than some cheaper sonic brushes I’ve tried. More of a steady buzz than a loud drill. If you brush while someone is sleeping in the next room, they might hear it faintly, but it’s not obnoxious. In the bathroom with the door closed, it’s fine.

For people with very sensitive gums, I’d say start on the lowest intensity and maybe keep it there. The power is there if you want it, but you don’t have to go full blast to get a good clean. Overall, comfort is good once you’ve tuned the settings, but out of the box on default it might feel a bit strong if you’re coming from a very gentle brush. After a week I didn’t think about it anymore – it just felt normal and effective without being harsh.

This is the main reason to buy a brush like this, so I paid close attention over the three weeks. In simple terms: it cleans very well. After each brushing, my teeth feel smooth when I run my tongue over them, especially along the gum line and behind the bottom front teeth where I normally get rough spots. Compared to my older Philips Sonicare, the Laifen seems to break up that film of plaque faster. I don’t have lab numbers, but the difference in smoothness is clear after a two-minute session.

The combo of oscillation and high-frequency vibration does help. You don’t have to "scrub" manually like with a manual brush. I mostly just guide it along the teeth and let it do its thing. The head angle lets it reach the back molars without me dislocating my jaw, which is something I always notice with bulkier heads. I also noticed less staining from coffee around the edges of my front teeth after about 10 days. I didn’t switch toothpaste, so I’m giving that credit to the brush head design and the stronger motion.

The built-in timer is standard two minutes with pauses to tell you to switch quadrant. Nothing fancy but it works. You can tweak patterns in the app, but honestly, after playing with it for a few days I just stuck to one consistent setup. The app does let you create some overcomplicated routines if you’re into that, but day to day it’s not necessary. The biggest practical benefit of the smart side is being able to set intensity precisely instead of just "low/medium/high".

On the downside, the power button makes switching between custom modes kind of annoying, as one Amazon reviewer mentioned. You’re supposed to triple press to cycle modes, but the button isn’t very sensitive, so half the time it doesn’t switch, or you turn it off by mistake. In practice, that means you’ll probably set one profile you like and leave it there. Not a dealbreaker, but it makes the whole "thousands of combinations" claim feel a bit like overkill. Overall, though, if you care mainly about how clean your teeth feel, this brush does a solid job, and I’d put it above the mid-range Sonicare and on par or better than the Oral‑B iO I’ve tried.

Out of the box, the Laifen Wave Pro keeps it fairly simple. You get the handle, two brush heads (one for whitening, one for plaque removal), a wireless charging dock, and a small quick start guide. No fancy travel case, no spare caps for the heads, nothing extra. For the price, I would have liked at least a basic travel cover or pouch, especially since they push the “ideal for travel” angle. You can still travel with it, obviously, but you’re either throwing it loose in a wash bag or buying a separate case.

The quick start guide is short but clear. It tells you how to attach the head, charge it, and switch between modes. It mentions the app but doesn’t force you into it, which I appreciated. You can literally charge it, press the button, and brush – no account creation needed. For people who hate apps for everything, that’s good news. That said, a slightly more detailed leaflet about the two different heads and when to use which would have been useful. You have to figure that part out yourself or check online.

The charging dock is small and neat. It’s wireless, so you just drop the handle on it and it starts charging. There’s no big ugly cable mess, just a single cable going into the dock. It feels stable enough on the counter and doesn’t wobble. The handle stands straight and doesn’t easily tip over if you bump the sink, which is nice when you’re half asleep in the morning. The dock, like the brush, feels more solid than some of the flimsy chargers I’ve had with cheaper models.

Overall, the presentation is clean and modern but a bit barebones. It feels like they invested in the brush itself more than the accessories, which is fine, but small additions like a head cover and a travel pouch would push the experience up a notch. If you’re used to premium Oral‑B or Sonicare kits that come with a case and sometimes extra heads, this will feel a bit stripped down, even though what’s there is decent quality.

The Laifen app is a nice idea, but how much you actually use it depends on your patience. To set it up, you install the app, pair the brush via Bluetooth, and then you can customise brushing modes: duration, intensity, and pattern. It does work, and pairing was straightforward on my phone. Within a few minutes I had a "Daily" mode and a slightly stronger "Deep Clean" mode set up. You can save several presets, which is cool on paper.

In reality, the weak point is switching between those presets using the physical button. As already mentioned, you’re supposed to triple press to cycle, but the button is stiff and sometimes unresponsive. I found myself annoyed enough after a few attempts that I stopped using multiple modes and just adjusted one mode until it felt right for both morning and evening. So while the app gives you a lot of theoretical flexibility, the hardware button limits how convenient that flexibility is.

The smart pressure sensor, on the other hand, is actually useful without feeling gimmicky. If you press too hard, the brush reacts right away by reducing speed and giving visual feedback (depending on how you’re looking at it). You can also see pressure data in the app if you care about that, but honestly, the in‑hand feedback is enough. Over time, it trained me to use a lighter touch, which is good for gum health. It’s not annoying or constantly beeping at you; it just quietly corrects you.

As for all the extra tracking and brushing stats in the app, I’ll be honest: after the first week of playing around, I stopped opening it regularly. It’s nice to know it’s there if I want to tweak something, but for daily use I just pick up the brush and go. So, smart features are a mixed bag: the pressure sensor is genuinely handy, the deep customisation is overkill for most people, and the app is more of a one‑time setup tool than something you’ll use every day. If you’re a data nerd you might enjoy it; if not, you can ignore 80% of it and still get a good experience.