The best teeth whitening kits 2023: Strips, gels, powders and pens tested by experts

My Sweet Smile claims that its teeth whitening powder helps remove built-up stains, yellowing and plaque caused from food, drink and even smoking. Dentist-approved (100 per cent fluoride and peroxide-free, as well as being non-abrasive), the powder combines pentasodium triphosphate and calcium carbonate in order to remove plaque and keep teeth squeaky clean and pearly white.

At first, we thought the powder might be messy to use but it wasn’t at all. It involved a quick process of dipping our toothbrush into the powder before brushing for four minutes. Compared to most products which recommend you use the whitening products nightly, the time frame for this one is twice a week, which was easy to fit into our routine alongside our regular brushing.

It was actually pleasant to use, with no issues of sensitivity – thanks to the inclusion of strontium chloride – and we found it gave us a naturally upgraded white smile from just a couple of weeks’ use.

Read the full My Sweet Smile dentist-approved teeth whitening powder review

The first thing thing that drew us to these teeth whitening strips was the price. We always think of strips as being a more affordable option and under a fiver is certainly a good start. However, it is worth noting that this is only for seven strips, so works more as an introduction to teeth whitening at home or for top-ups, as the brand recommends a course of 28 treatments.

Out of all of the strips we tested, we did find that Morclean’s “no-slip grip” aspect worked and that these stayed on with no issue for the course of the 30 minutes. Although there was mild sensitivity sensations, we found these easy to put on while we watched an episode of our favourite TV show; Morclean recommends a minimum of 30 minutes but suggest that these strips can be left on for up to two hours, should you really want to dazzle with your smile. While we didn’t test them for that long, we didn’t notice when we exceeded the minimum of 30 minutes. And while it initially took a week of use to notice a brightened smile. after that, we saw a whiter gleam with each single use.

Colgate is an OG oral hygiene brand so expectations were high and optimistic, here. The max white overnight teeth whitening pen works by aiming to reverse discolouration caused by food and drinks.

Our minds were put at ease by the fact that this pen is enamel safe and found it pretty easy to use. The brand is correct when it warns you that upon first use, you may need to click the pen up to 20 times before a small drop appears on the brush, but after that it’s pretty simple – as long as you remember to wipe the brush clean with a dry tissue after using it.

After about a month’s consecutive use, we did find less discolouration to our teeth and found it to be a great option to take when travelling or on-the-go. One thing to note that we didn’t love was the thin layer of gel on our teeth the next morning. It wasn’t the most comfortable feeling on our teeth and required a bit more aggressive brushing than we’d usually do to remove it.

Claiming to make your teeth up to 10 shades whiter than their original state after just six daily treatments, this CurrentBody LED device is well worth a look. It uses PAP whitening technology to break down stains and is also good for gum health – it increases oxygen by using clinically-proven light wavelengths to help stimulate cell production – as well as contributes to overall oral health.

The device was very easy to use and was one of our favourites as we had no issues with sensitivity or irritation to our teeth (thanks to the neutral pH of the product and the calcium, aloe vera and vitamin E in the gel). Unlike some other teeth whitening treatments, this peppermint-flavour also meant there were no problems with taste either.

Sure enough, we did begin to see results after the first six-day course of treatment. However this device is a lot more expensive tha other kits on the market so it’s something to bear in mind when making your purchase. Another thing to bear in mind is the device itself is slightly more invasive to keep in your mouth for 20 minutes, compared to other treatments we tried.

Teeth whitening strips can sometimes fill your mind with literally painful dread but that’s not the case at all with these strips from Hismile. The oral healthcare brand, which just so happens to be loved by celebrities such as Kim K herself, has developed peroxide-free teeth whitening strips that aim to cause zero disturbance while you have them on.

After testing these strips, we can confirm we felt nothing but a nice cooling effect – thank you, menthol. Plus, despite these strips not being flavoured like the brand’s innovative range of toothpastes (£6, Boots.com), they were, by far, the most pleasant-tasting strips we sampled. Don’t worry, we didn’t start nibbling away but considering these strips are in your mouth for 30 minutes, a sweet, minty taste is much appreciated. We noticed an immediate brightness to our smile, after just one use and have been using them ever since for a continued whitening effect.

This teeth whitening duo contains both a toothpaste and strips and the key seems to be using a balance of the two products. We were slightly unnerved at the fact that both contain hydrogen peroxide – especially as the strips are required to be applied to dry teeth for an hour at a time – but we were still willing to give the kit a go for a brighter smile.

We tested both products over the course of a few weeks and found that the toothpaste was more of an enhancer to the primary effects of the teeth whitening strips. We admit that wearing strips for so long was irritating at first but worth the slight discomfort as they delivered quick results.

There were some slight sensitivity issues (but nothing major) so something to be aware of if choosing this product. We did find that using the strips for less than an hour helped a little, while still delivering a dazzling smile.

Read the full Spotlight Oral Care teeth whitening system set review

Designed to deliver results in just six days, this teeth whitening kit from HeySmile is formulated with PAP to ensure your smile is as white and bright as possible. Featuring an LED light and mouth tray, a shade guide and three gel syringes, each kit offers a total of six treatments.

We did find that there were less sensitivity issues with this device, than strips or gel pens – thanks to the PAP (and lack of peroxide as an ingredient) which ensures teeth are whitened minus any pain or sensitivity. This treatment is a lot more time-appropriate, too, taking only 10 minutes out of your day.

Overall, we were impressed with the results, found it was easy to use and not only did we notice a difference but we had comments from other people, too.

While Whites Beaconsfield offers its own LED device as well as a toothpaste, whitening strips, kits and a bundle of all of the above, we were intrigued by the coconut oil pulling sachets. We’d heard that this was a teeth whitening strategy and were drawn to the idea of it being a more natural solution (plus knowing that it wouldn’t taste bad!).

These sachets aim to whiten teeth, detox the mouth, kill bad breath and remove plaque, plus, they’re on the cheaper end of the spectrum of treatments we’ve been testing out. Cold pressed coconut, peppermint and spearmint oils all have powerful antioxidants to remove toxins from the mouth, while coconut oil has long been a more herbal remedy of whitening teeth – and doing it faster than the average oil pulling treatment.

While this did take a bit longer than some of the other methods and products tried in this review, we had zero issues with sensitivity and felt a lot more reassured using a natural product. It was also easy to add into our daily oral hygiene regime; simply requiring warming the sachet in our hands or under water to soften the oil and then using it as a mouthwash for between five and 15 minutes every day.

We wanted to give another teeth whitening strips product a go, as the first we tried were part of a set and also involved quite a lengthy process. For any issues one might have while wanting to whiten their teeth on-the-go or regarding waste or sustainability problems, these Boots dissolvable whitening strips might be the answer.

These strips only require being applied for approximately 15 minutes and what we did enjoy about this product was that you don’t have to really time the treatment as they will start to disintegrate on their own. We didn’t love the taste of these (they missed the nautral, peppermint or spearmint taste the other products had) but have to admit their handiness and will certainly be adding a few to our handbag for emergencies.

The visibility of whiter teeth took a bit longer to come about but after a couple of weeks, we were able to see less yellowing.

This teeth whitening kit from Volt is made up of an LED device and dental-grade PAP whitening gel. Free from hydrogen peroxide, we noticed zero irritation when using the LED device – though we do maintain that they are not the most comfortable things to hold onto with your teeth for the duration of 30 minutes.

Still, the results do make a small moment of discomfort (pain-free) worth it, with us noticing the visible reduction of stains on our teeth, after a few uses of the kit. It uses dual light technology to optimise the effect of the teeth whitening gel, which in itself contains oxidising ingredients such as phthalimidoperoxycaproic acid, hydroxypatite and PVP, which all help safely and effectively aim to whiten your teeth with each use. While the results and lack of irritation from the gel were huge sells to us, we also really appreciated the fact this particular kit focuses on enamel care, containing aloe vera, calcium and vitamin E, to care for your teeth.

What sets this LED teeth whitening device apart is the application. While you’ll still need to use the device for 20 minute a day, this time is split into two sessions (one in the morning, one in the evening). While the overall usage time is still comparable with other models, we felt more relaxed knowing we need only keep this device in our mouth for 10 minutes at a time (20 minutes or more at a time is a lot – we’re not saying it’s not worth it, but it isn’t the most comfortable process to go through for that length of time).

If you have the cash to splash on this kit from Colgate, you’ll also benefit from the fact it includes the Colgate teeth whitening pen we praised earlier in this article. This is ideal should you need any touch ups or should you be looking for something to take with you on-the-go.

While we really enjoyed noticing the results of using this LED device, the same concerns with the pen remain – there was a slightly filmy sensation left on our teeth the next morning. All easily rinsed away, of course, but something to note should this be a dealbreaker for you.

Similarly, we definitely saw a brightness and whiteness to our teeth after two weeks’ continued use of the LED device – however, it is important to note a key active ingredient in this particular application is hydrogen peroxide, and it is fair to say there was a (minimal) level of discomfort felt on our teeth.

Overall, we definitely rate this product for delivering fast and sparkling results, however, there are many products on the market that allow you to maintain and improve your pearly whites without the use of hydrogen peroxide.