Our Verdict
The Quip Refillable Floss Pick is a sturdy reusable floss holder which will help you clean between your teeth.
It is easy to use, and can be used with a floss of your choice if you don’t want to use the Quip floss refills.
It makes it easier to reach the back teeth as well as making the right technique easier to achieve.
It comes with a protective carry case which includes a mirror and space to store floss.
Pros
- Helps with flossing technique
- Reduces total amount of floss used
- Multiple colour options
- Easy grip handle
- Comes with a case
- American Dental Association Approved
Cons
- Difficult to source (only available online)
- More expensive option than other floss holders
Where to buy the Quip Floss Pick
The only place to officially buy this product is directly from Quip, although you may also find some good deals on Ebay.
Here are the options available from Quip:
Starter kit with plastic case (case + handle + one carton of floss) $11
Starter kit with metal case (case + handle + one carton of floss) $15 – $25 depending on color
Floss refill $5
Shipping is $10, but is free with a refill plan.
Are there any similar products you should consider?
At the moment there are not many equivalents to the Quip flosser.
We have also tested the Durapik floss holder, but would not recommend this product.
An alternative would be single use floss holders, but generally we would recommend against these due to the environmental impact. There are slightly better options like The Humble Co Floss Pick or Wisdom re:new Floss Harps.
Instead of floss, you could consider interdental brushes as these are more effective at cleaning.
How to use the Quip Flosser
- Open the case and remove the handle.
- Check the floss is stretched out in the case.
- Press the rubber “q” button on the floss holder handle. This opens the end of the handle.
- Press the open ends of the Y shape around the floss.
- Grip the floss with the floss holder handle.
- Press the handle shut.
- Pull handle and floss away from the case.
- Trim the end of the floss using the built-in floss cutter.
- Hold the handle between your index finger and thumb. I found it easier to have my thumb on the lower surface of the handle.
- Place handle into your mouth, pull down between two teeth, holding the floss tight against one tooth (in a C-shape). Pull up and then back down again tight around the tooth next door. See our guide to flossing here.
What’s in the box?
- One case
- One handle
- One pre-loaded floss cartridge
Key Features
- Refillable floss holder
- Helps flossing technique
- Case transports handle and floss
- Case has built in mirror
- Case has floss cutter
- Uses less floss than conventional techniques
- Quip sells floss refills (each supposed to last 3 months)
- Designed to last for years
Quip Floss Pick — full review
The Quip Refillable Floss Pick is a reusable floss holder that comes in a case.
Here’s Quip’s promotional video if you’d like to see it.
The handle is reusable and designed to last many years, whilst you replace the length of flossed used every time you use the device.
Both the floss handle and the floss have been awarded the ADA Seal of Acceptance, an indicator of its safety and that it does what they say it does.
In the rest of my Quip Floss Pick review below I share my experience from testing it, my criticisms and my suggestions for improving it.
Design, usability, clean & general use
The exact design and colour of the Quip floss holder and case depends on the variant selected, but for this review I have been testing the black metal version.
The colour choice refers to the travel case. The options available are:
- White plastic
- Metal – silver, slate, copper, gold, all-black and all-pink.
The case is hard, made of plastic and has a mirror on the inside. The case is designed to hold the device in place, and has a magnetic close. There is a floss holder, so that the refills are stored under a cover. This cover is held in place by a magnetic closing device. The floss is threaded through to the surface you can see, and there is also an in-built floss cutter.
The handle itself is made of plastic or metal (you choose). The metal handle comes in a choice of colours.
The case comes in different colours, whilst the handle is grey.
The handle is a Y shape and is made mostly of hard plastic. The grip is wide and flat rather than circular. There is a rubber grip on the underside of the handle. The parts which grip the floss are a serrated hard plastic.
There is a rubber button with a “q” on it. This is the button you press to open the floss holder.
During use I found the handle to be comfortable. It helped to reach the back teeth. Generally the floss is very taught for the first 3 or 4 teeth. After that, it became too stretched to really clean effectively and needed to be re-strung. This is slightly worse than disposable floss picks.
I tried this floss holder with the Quip floss, as well as a PLA floss, a silk floss, and a dental tape. All worked about the same.
The floss and the available refills are made of waxed polyester, are mint flavoured, and are vegan. It also comes in a paper “pod” which is recyclable when you have finished the floss.
It is designed to be expanding floss, as Quip says this provides a better clean (there is no evidence to support or deny this). This does make it more prone to shredding during use in my experience.
The polyester floss that Quip supplies is not the most environmentally friendly material option for floss due to it being made from petroleum based oil and not being recyclable or compostable. But, there is no reason you can’t use an alternative (although it won’t fit in the dedicated space in this case), see our guide to eco-friendly floss for more information about choosing the right floss for you.
It uses very short amounts of floss – about 2.5 cm per usage. Overall this means less floss is used than if you were to floss with a conventional technique. Reducing use of materials is one way to lessen impact on the environment.
Quip really play on this being an alternative to single use floss picks. I agree that this is a very good alternative as there is no wastage of a plastic handle being disposed of after a single use. It’s a shame that there is a lack of information about how sustainable their manufacturing processes are.
Summary of design, usability, clean & general use
- Protective hard case with mirror and floss dispenser
- Easy grip handle
- Easy to restring the handle
- Less floss use than conventional techniques
- Quip floss prone to shredding
Reliability & long term use
I used the Quip refillable floss pick once per day for two weeks. It held up well, and I can’t see why this wouldn’t be the case long term.
The tips may become grimy over time, but this can be easily cleaned with cool water and an old toothbrush.
How to recycle the Quip Floss Pick
This product is designed to last many years so should not need disposing of any time soon.
With the current recycling facilities, both the handle and the case would not be recyclable due to the multiple materials. This might change in the future, or if you were to dismantle the device yourself at home.
Conclusion
This is an easy to use device and I would recommend it if you really want to use a floss holder — you can order the starter kit here from Quip.
If you have advanced gum disease or struggle to handle floss, I would recommend using interdental brushes instead.
Size Guide
- Handle Length – 3 inches / 7.7cm
- Handle Width (widest point) – 1.1 inch / 2.7cm
- Handle Thickness – ¼ inch / 0.5cm
- Weight (without case) – 0.3oz / 8g
- Case length – 3.75 inches / 9.3cm
- Case width – 1.75 inches / 4.3cm
- Case thickness – 1 inch / 2.5cm
- Weight (in the case) – 1.9oz / 55g
All are approximates
Your Opinions
Do you own or have you used the Quip Refillable Floss Pic?
Are there certain features that you really like or dislike?
Let us know what you think about this brush and let others who may well be considering purchasing one know your opinions before they do.
I saw one at WalMart for $9.98 so apparently they are now available for retail ..