Look, we all want whiter teeth – maybe not like Bachelor-in Paradise-level-fake-white-veneers white, but it’s undeniable that a glowing smile is attractive no matter who you are. We also all want them in an affordable, easy way, but we know that a trip to the dentist or professional bleaching treatments can be costly and time-consuming.
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Fortunately for us, affordable and convenient at-home teeth whitening kits are available that can dramatically improve our smiles. But which teeth whitening kit is right for you?
There are dozens of options on the market today ranging in price, method, performance, and ease of use. This article will help you make the best decision for your smile and your wallet.
Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about the best at-home teeth-whitening products.
In This Post
Key Takeaways
- Our top picks for at home teeth whitening are HiSmile, Auraglow, Snow, and GLO
- The best products for at-home teeth whitening are generally LED kits, whitening wands, and whitening strips. Choosing the right product for you depends on your budget, preferences, and your teeth sensitivity.
- These products are more affordable than over-the-counter products. They don’t last as long as professional treatments but are much more cost-effective & convenient.
- We agree with your dentist. Whitening products are no substitute for brushing and flossing regularly 😉
Best at-home teeth whitening kits: HiSmile vs Auraglow vs Snow vs GLO
We know it’s important to compare some of the high points before we go into a deep dive. Are you motivated by price, how it works, how long it takes for whiter teeth? Let’s go through these first.
Best teeth whitening kits | 
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price Range | $25 - $399 | $25 - $149 | $26 - $80 | $8 - $299 |
| Whitening Products | - LED Whitening Kits - Whitening Wand - Whitening Serum - LED Whitening Electric Toothbrush - Whitening Toothpaste - Whitening Strips - Whitening Mouthwash - Whitening Foam - Whitening Powder - Whitening Booster Gel | - Whitening powder - Whitening strips - LED Whitening Kit - Color Correcting Foam - Color Correcting Powder - Collor Correcting Serum - Stain Eraser + bundles of each of the above | - LED Whitening Kit - Whitening Pen - Whitening Strips - Custom Whitening Trays - Prefilled Whitening Trays | - LED Whitening Kits - Whitening Pen - Whitening Toothpaste |
| Shipping Destinations | US & International | US & International | US & International | US only |
| Free Shipping | ✔ ($99+) | ✔ ($50+) | ✔ to US | ✔ |
| Money-Back Guarantee | ✔ 30-day guarantee | ❌ Refund within 30 days if unopened | ✔ 30-day risk-free | ✔ 30-day guarantee |
| Warranty? | 5-year warranty on electronic devices 2-year warranty on electric toothbrush | 1 year warranty on LED Kit | ❌ | 1-year warranty on devices |
| Website |
How Long Does Teeth Whitening Last?
If you don’t want to undergo professional teeth whitening, whether that’s due to the cost, convenience, fear of the dentist (I’ve been there), or what have you, there are various at-home whitening treatments you can try. However, the effects of over-the-counter products don’t last as long as professional treatments do. That said, some products on the market can deliver some impressively long-lasting results, especially with consistent use. So, how do you choose the right one?
Well, before you buy a whitening device or treatment, it’s important to understand the difference between extrinsic and intrinsic stains.
Intrinsic stains occur beneath the surface of the teeth themselves when particles work their way through the outer layer of your tooth and accumulate within the dentin (beneath tooth enamel). Since they are below the surface, they cannot be removed through teeth-whitening and require professional treatments such as veneers or bonding.
Extrinsic stains, though, are superficial and affect the enamel. These are usually caused by smoking or drinking coffee, tea, wine, smoothies, etc., and can be removed with teeth-whitening products or treatments. Even over-the-counter products like teeth whitening kits, LED mouthpieces, whitening serums, whitening strips, and whitening wands can work wonders in the right circumstances with continued use.
As for how long the effects last, it really all depends on the specific product and your oral hygiene. Many products can deliver whiter teeth for up to six months following a course of treatment. Of course, you can keep your teeth looking whiter by using these products on an ongoing basis as part of your regular oral hygiene routine.
Tips to Extend the Life of Your Teeth Whitening
The good news is that by following a few tips and tricks, you can extend the life of your teeth whitening and keep your smile looking its best for longer. Here are some tips that will help you in this regard:
Brush your teeth twice a day – We’ve been told this since we were old enough to brush on our own, however, brushing alone won’t remove teeth stains.
Eat foods rich in vitamin C – Vitamin C is known to be one of the best antioxidants in keeping teeth healthy. Foods that are rich in vitamin C include oranges, strawberries, kiwi, and broccoli.
Avoid foods & drink with staining properties – Coffee, red wine, and tea are our biggest contenders – if you use any of these while teeth whitening, they may make your teeth appear less white.
Don’t smoke – It should go without saying that smoking is very bad for your health, but it also stains your teeth.
With all of that out of the way, let’s dive in and check out some of the very best teeth-whitening products on the market so that you can choose the one that fits your needs, budget, and lifestyle.
Hismile vs Snow vs GLO vs Auraglow: Who Has the Best LED Whitening Device?
There are literally dozens of companies producing LED teeth whitening devices, but have differing ease of use, price points, features, and results. Some of the most reputable brands on the market include HiSmile, Snow, GLO, and Auraglow. But before we look at the specifics, let’s review how they actually work.
What is an LED Teeth Whitening Device?
LED whitening devices come in a few different forms like toothbrushes and mouthpieces. The basic idea behind all of these devices is that they use LED light in conjunction with a tooth-whitening product to break down the chemicals which cause stains, effectively removing the stains from your teeth, resulting in whiter teeth.
How Do LED Teeth Whitening Kits Work?
LEDs function as a catalyst, hastening the chemical process generated by the whitening ingredient (usually hydrogen peroxide). In other words, the LED lights speed up the tooth-bleaching process by helping the hydrogen peroxide in the whitening gel or serum to break down faster. This, in turn, forms free radicals that can whiten your teeth over time.
Other LED devices use heat to loosen stains. The idea is that the heat loosens the bonds that hold the stains in place. Following treatment, you can brush the stains away much easier than would otherwise be the case. For the purposes of this article, we will be looking at devices that use the first method to remove stains.
Now, let’s go over some of the best LED whitening products on the market to help you decide which is the right option for you and your needs.
SNOW LED Whitening Overview
SNOW is the only brand that has multiple options for LED whitening, and they are all viable. They, of course, make a mouthpiece, but they also make a unique LED toothbrush that is even easier to incorporate into your usual oral hygiene regimen for only $129 – a convenience & time-saver.
SNOW’s mouthpiece is also perhaps the most advanced LED mouthpiece on the market. The kit uses a special serum and whitening wands to produce arguably the best results available. The most popular Snow LED whitening system starts at $149, and they have 2 other kits with different features like cord-free or advanced whitening.
HiSmile LED Whitening Overview
HiSmile is one of the best brands for LED whitening kits. Their devices are mouthpiece designs that are used in conjunction with a patented PAP+ Primer. The biggest advantage of the HiSmile devices is that they show results the quickest. Many people report having noticeably whiter teeth after only one or two 10-minute treatments. The price is in the middle of the road at $149, which is a great value, especially compared with professional whitening treatments at a dentist.
Auraglow LED Whitening Overview
Auraglow is another great brand that many people prefer for their LED whitening needs. The Auraglow system is also a mouthpiece but uses a professional gel instead of a primer. You should use the mouthpiece for thirty minutes a day for one week to see the best results. The best thing about the Auraglow system is that it has the lowest price at only $80, making it an affordable option for most people.
GLO LED Whitening Overview
GLO also has a mouthpiece that’s available in several colors and includes a whole kit of additional products like lip care treatment, a travel case, a handy lanyard, and more. GLO uses a whitening gel and comes with sixty applications to ensure that your teeth stay white for a long time. GLO has a few different devices that range from $159-$299, which are the most expensive options out of these. GLO also allows you to pay in 4 easy installments, which makes the device even more accessible.
Quick reference for the best LED whitening devices:
| Snow | HiSmile | Auraglow | GLO | |
| Product |
At-Home Teeth Whitening Kit Wireless Teeth Whitening Kit LED Whitening Electric Toothbrush |
VIO405 Teeth Whitening Kit | Complete LED Whitening Kit |
Classic GLO BrilliantGLO BrilliantGLO Platinum Wireless |
| Price |
Whitening kits: $149 – $399 Whitening toothbrush: $149 |
$149 | $80 | $159 – $299 |
| Design |
Mouthpiece or Toothbrush |
Mouthpiece | Mouthpiece | Mouthpiece |
| Whitening Products Included | Whitening Serum | Whitening Primer (PAP+ formula) | Whitening Gel | Whitening Gel |
| Length of Treatment | 9+ Minutes | 10 Minutes | 30 Minutes | 3x a day for 8 Minutes |
| Number of Treatments to see results | 21 days | 1 – 2 Treatments | 7 Days | 5 days |
| Built-In Timer | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| During use | Cable or Cordless | Cordless | Cordless | Cable or Cordless |
Best Teeth Whitening Pen/Wand - Hismile vs Snow vs GLO vs Auraglow
A teeth whitening wand (or pen) is a handheld device that you can use to apply tooth whitening gel or liquid directly to your teeth. These devices have two main components: a base with one or more bristles and a handle that you hold while applying the whitening gel or liquid. Some wands have features that allow you to adjust the intensity of your scrubbing motion, as well as an on-off switch to prevent the accidental application of gel or liquid.
HiSmile iD Stain Eraser Overview
The HiSmile Stain Eraser system is a 2-in-1 treatment that highlights stains you didn’t know existed and removes them with an eraser. The pen uses a red paste to identify stains on your tooth’s enamel and the eraser uses a polishing paste to remove stains while maintaining enamel health. The red is jarring at first, but don’t worry – it’s not permanent and it actually produces noticeably whiter teeth in as little as one application. The kit is $35 for both products.
SNOW Whitening Wand and Serum Overview
All of SNOW’s LED products work in conjunction with a serum, two standalone pen-type whitening products. Their Extra Strength Whitening Serum is $29 and is their most advanced whitening wand to date. It’s also safe to use on caps, veneers, braces, crowns, and bridges. Their Sensitive Whitening Wand ($35) is one of the only whitening products available specifically for sensitive teeth. While it does require more applications for results, it’s perfect if you’re prone to hot/cold sensitivity when whitening.
GLO To Go Teeth Whitening Pen Overview
The GLO pen is another option that uses a gel whitening paste. The main difference with the GLO pen is that it uses a silicon applicator tip, which is a bit softer than some of the other wands (typically made of plastic). One of the biggest advantages of the GLO system is that it is safe to use on crowns, veneers, and dental bridges. Most people see results after using the system for a week, but the kit includes enough whitening paste for many applications. It’s also a budget-friendly option at only $25.
Auraglow Teeth Whitening Pen Overview
The Auraglow pen system is one of the quickest ways to get whiter teeth, with an application only taking around one minute. The kit includes 15 applications of a whitening gel and is best for maintenance or touch-up whitening. For the best results, you should use the wand twice per day after brushing and flossing. Auraglow’s pen is only $26, the most affordable of your options.
Best Teeth Whitening Strips: Hismile vs SNOW vs Auraglow
Probably the first thing you were introduced to when you started whitening your teeth was the strips. They can produce good results but can be annoying and aren’t always suitable for use on dental work, such as dental bondings, crowns, or veneers. That said, if you don’t have any dental work to worry about, then whitening strips might be a great choice for you.
Whitening strips contain a bleaching agent (usually hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide) that reacts with the tooth’s surface. The agent penetrates through the enamel layer and turns the surface more transparent, making it appear whiter.
When the bleaching agent enters the oral cavity, it immediately begins to bleach the teeth. This process causes a chemical reaction that changes the color of the surface of the tooth. Over time, this increases the whiteness of the tooth and makes it look healthier.
HiSmile PAP+ Whitening Strips Overview
The HiSmile PAP+ whitening strip system is specifically designed for people with sensitive teeth and gums. Traditional strips use a peroxide-based formula that can trigger sensitivity, while HiSmile PAP+ strips use a sensitivity-free PAP-based formula. These strips require a longer application of thirty minutes, but you only need to use one strip per day. The kit comes with 14 strips for $39 ($2.80/use).
Auraglow Teeth Whitening Strips Overview
Auraglow makes a flexible whitening strip system that are designed to stick comfortably without sliding to your top and bottom teeth. Each is applied for 30 minutes, and for the best results, you should apply twice per day. Right now, the strips are priced at $40 for 14 sets of top and bottom strips ($2.86/use).
SNOW Magic Whitening Strips Overview
SNOW also makes a whitening strip system. The main difference is that these strips dissolve in your mouth, rather than being taken out and thrown away. They’re also only recommended to be used once per day for 28 days, but only for 15 minutes a day, rather than 30. They come in a cool flavor – lavender mint – designed to taste both calm (? can you taste calm, lmk) & clean. The full kit of 28 strips is $49 ($1.75/use), which is the most cost effective option.
Honorable mentions: Best Teeth Whitening Products
In addition to LED kits, whitening wands, and whitening strips, there are also a few other teeth-whitening products on the market that are worth mentioning. From whitening trays to color correctors, here are a few products that you might want to consider using alongside the whitening solutions we’ve already discussed.
SNOW Whitening Booster Gel
SNOW’s newest formula can be used alone or in combo with the Electric Whitening Toothbrush. The peroxide-based whitening gel brushes away teeth stains with ease with no sensitivity, and it’s designed to start whitening in seconds – faster than a normal “whitening” toothpaste. Right now, SNOW Whitening Booster Gel is $30 for each tube.
Auraglow Whitening trays
Auraglow also makes whitening trays, which is a different form of mouthpieces, different from the LED ones. Their custom teeth trays – made to fit the shape of your mouth – includes 20 treatments of whitening gel for $45 ($2.25/use). Their prefilled whitening trays include whitening peroxide solution, 7 disposable treatments for $45 ($6.43/use). For both treatments, you’ll insert the tray for thirty minutes, twice per day.
HiSmile PAP+ Whitening Powder
PAP+ Whitening Powder: HiSmile took their groundbreaking PAP+ Whitening solution into powder form, transforming your existing toothpaste into an effective, daily whitening treatment. The PAP+ Powder oxidizes stains without causing pain or sensitivity, and is $25.
V34 Colour Correcting Powder: Best used as a post-whitening treatment applied to your teeth, eliminating unwanted yellow undertones. The powder is purple (directly opposite yellow on the color spectrum), which can conceal yellow staining and give you an instantly whiter smile in just 30 seconds. It’s currently $25 for a 0.4-ounce jar.
GLO Twice Toothpaste
GLO’s whitening toothpaste can substitute your normal toothpaste for a visibly whiter smile after a few weeks. It comes in thre different flavors, wintergreen, lavender, and spearmint, and is only $8/tube, with free shipping (no matter how much is in your cart).
TLDR – Are teeth whitening products worth it?
If you have extrinsic stains on your teeth (hint: you probably do), then there’s no shortage of whitening products that can work wonders and are even cheaper than professional or in-office alternatives. Some of the best ones include LED trays and mouthpieces, whitening wands, and whitening strips.
And so, now that we’ve reviewed allll these products, hear me out: what if you combined a little something from each company for the best results?? I’m imagining a bundle pairing the GLO Twice toothpaste with the Snow LED toothbrush (step 1), Auraglow’s custom whitening trays (or LED whitening) (step 2), and the HiSmile V34 color correction powder as your finale… now, that’s a smile to be reckoned with.
Either way, we can confidently recommend the products from Auraglow, HiSmile, Snow, and GLO. These are all reputable brands with tons of great reviews and results in delivering results. Lots of what it comes down to will be your budget, how fast you hope to see results, and how often you want to do your whitening treatments. We wish you the of luck in your whitening journey & hope you flash lots of people your improved smile. 🙂
