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12 Best Teeth Whitening Kits and Toothpastes for Men 2023

We've found the at-home gels, strips and powders that actually work

By and Jess Denham
VerifiedTested by Beauty and Grooming Testing Manager
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Red wine and black coffee may be two of life’s greatest pleasures, but they can leave you with a stained smile that’s more Keith Richards than George Clooney. Enter at-home teeth-whitening kits that promise to get your gnashers gleaming, minus the Hollywood price tag.

The gel or powders used in these kits penetrate your tooth enamel and break down any discolouration, leaving your pearly whites looking brighter. They are safe and legal to use, as long as they contain less than 0.1 per cent hydrogen peroxide or 16 per cent carbamide peroxide. For stronger teeth whitening, you must go to a professional dentist.

Want to start whitening now? Here are our top picks:

  • 1
    Spotlight Teeth White Strips

    Best teeth whitening kit

    Spotlight Teeth White Strips

    £40 at Cult Beauty
    Read more
  • 2
    Perfect White Black 2-in-1 Whitening Kit

    Best budget teeth whitening kit

    Beverly Hill Formula Perfect White Black 2-in-1 Whitening Kit

    Read more
  • 3
    Whitening Pen

    Best teeth whitening pen

    Spotlight Oral Care Whitening Pen

    Read more
  • 4
    Express Max Effect 5 Minute Dissolving Tooth Whitening Strips

    Best for ease of use

    Rapid White Express Max Effect 5 Minute Dissolving Tooth Whitening Strips

    Read more
  • 5
     Kendall Jenner Teeth Whitening Pen

    Best vegan formula

    Moon Kendall Jenner Teeth Whitening Pen

    Read more

Note that teeth whitening kits are useless on false teeth, including veneers, and you should speak to your dentist before using if you have sensitive teeth or gums.

Whitening toothpaste is also worth a try, but it only targets the surface of your teeth. Some toothpastes coat teeth with a blue-toned brightener for ‘instant whiteness’ while others bleach enamel to make it look cleaner. (It also goes without saying that it's all redundant unless you're brushing your teeth properly, so invest in one of the best electric toothbrushes while you're at it.)

How we test

To find the best teeth whitening kits and toothpastes, we recruited 596 testers. Each had before and after photos of their teeth taken in the lab, using a complexion analyser, to assess the product's whitening capabilities. They also provided feedback on each kit's ease of use, speed and results.

1
Best teeth whitening kit

Spotlight Teeth White Strips

UK Approved(Esquire,Red,HB,GH,Country Living,Prima)
Spotlight Teeth White Strips
1
Best teeth whitening kit

Spotlight Teeth White Strips

£40 at Cult Beauty
Credit: Cult Beauty

Strips infused with teeth whitening formula are a smart choice for blasting stubborn stains with minimal mess. They stick to teeth and are thrown away after daily use.

Our testers noticed a difference after eight days and they were hugely impressed by the final results after a fortnight. They liked the minty taste and travel-friendly sachets, although some found the hour-long processing time too long. Nobody complained about sensitivity though.

Specifications

Treatment time1 hour
Course duration14 days
Includes28 strips
2
Best budget teeth whitening kit

Beverly Hill Formula Perfect White Black 2-in-1 Whitening Kit

UK Approved(Esquire,Red,HB,GH,Country Living,Prima)
Perfect White Black 2-in-1 Whitening Kit
2
Best budget teeth whitening kit

Beverly Hill Formula Perfect White Black 2-in-1 Whitening Kit

Credit: Beverly Hills Formula

This teeth whitening kit is a bonafide bargain. Simply apply the strips directly to your teeth and peel them off half an hour later.

Charcoal powder is the active agent here, making them messier to use, but they gave many testers their desired results just four days into the fortnight-long course. The packaging is compact and the discreet touch-up pen is handy for popping in your bag.

Specifications

Treatment time30 mins
Course duration14 days
Includes28 strips
3
Best teeth whitening pen

Spotlight Oral Care Whitening Pen

UK Approved(Esquire,Red,HB,GH,Country Living,Prima)
Whitening Pen
3
Best teeth whitening pen

Spotlight Oral Care Whitening Pen

Now 19% Off
Credit: Amazon

This pocket-friendly whitening tool can be whipped out in case of emergencies to vanish Shiraz-induced stains. We appreciated its compactness, and it gave the majority of our panel a “natural-looking whiteness”, avoiding the dreaded faux veneer effect. It was gentle on sensitive teeth, too.

Specifications

Treatment time5 mins
Course durationInstant
IncludesPen
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4
Best for ease of use

Rapid White Express Max Effect 5 Minute Dissolving Tooth Whitening Strips

UK Approved(Esquire,Red,HB,GH,Country Living,Prima)
Express Max Effect 5 Minute Dissolving Tooth Whitening Strips
4
Best for ease of use

Rapid White Express Max Effect 5 Minute Dissolving Tooth Whitening Strips

Credit: Boots

These minty, peroxide-free strips dissolve on your teeth after six minutes, so you don’t need to faff about peeling them off. They stick on easily but some testers said they left a tacky gel-type residue.

It takes a week of twice-daily use to achieve the best results but our testers spotted a difference after four days. The sachets are small enough to carry around for overnight stays, too.

Specifications

Treatment time6 mins
Course duration7 days
Includes14 days
5
Best vegan formula

Moon Kendall Jenner Teeth Whitening Pen

UK Approved(Esquire,Red,HB,GH,Country Living,Prima)
 Kendall Jenner Teeth Whitening Pen
5
Best vegan formula

Moon Kendall Jenner Teeth Whitening Pen

Credit: Boots

There’s no denying an expensive-looking smile runs in the Kardashian/Jenner family. This Kendall-approved pen features a vegan formula and has a pleasant vanilla-mint flavour, which went down a treat with our panel. Although only half were impressed with its whitening powers, it was easy to use, and didn’t cause any sensitivity.

Specifications

Treatment time10 - 30 mins
Course durationInstant
IncludesPen
6
Best for reducing stains

Billion Dollar Smile Teeth Whitening Strips

UK Approved(Esquire,Red,HB,GH,Country Living,Prima)
Teeth Whitening Strips
6
Best for reducing stains

Billion Dollar Smile Teeth Whitening Strips

Now 56% Off
Credit: Amazon

These minty fresh strips were great at tackling even the most prominent stains in just 15 minutes, leaving most of testers with whiter teeth. They're fuss-free to use, too.

Specifications

Treatment time15 mins
Course duration14 days
Includes28 strips
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7
Best for sensitive teeth

Millionaire Smile Teeth Whitening Kit

UK Approved(Esquire,Red,HB,GH,Country Living,Prima)
Teeth Whitening Kit
7
Best for sensitive teeth

Millionaire Smile Teeth Whitening Kit

Now 36% Off
Credit: Currentbody

If you’ve tried teeth whitening kits in the past and been unimpressed, this one will help restore your faith. With a sleek and tidy design, the kit itself was fool-proof to use.

The peroxide-free mix proved to be gentle on teeth and gums, but didn’t compromise on whitening results, with most testers seeing brighter smiles.

Specifications

Treatment time20 - 30 mins
Course duration6 days
IncludesLED light, 3 x 5ml gel syringes, mouthguard
8
Best for travel

Mr. Blanc Teeth Whitening Strips

UK Approved(Esquire,Red,HB,GH,Country Living,Prima)
Teeth Whitening Strips
8
Best for travel

Mr. Blanc Teeth Whitening Strips

Now 10% Off
Credit: Boots

With individually packaged sets of strips, travelling and whitening your teeth doesn’t get any easier than this. They boosted whiteness for half of our panel, without leaving a nasty aftertaste or scent behind, while three quarters reported no sensitivity issues.

Specifications

Treatment time30 mins
Course duration14 days
Includes14 strips
9
Quickest processing time

Pearl Drops Professional 3 Step Whitening Treatment

UK Approved(Esquire,Red,HB,GH,Country Living,Prima)
Professional 3 Step Whitening Treatment
9
Quickest processing time

Pearl Drops Professional 3 Step Whitening Treatment

Credit: Superdrug

There are three steps to this kit: brightening serum, activating serum, and polish. It sounds fussy but the treatment only takes three minutes.

Our testers found it a bit messy to apply and it proved tricky to keep the serum in place for the recommended 30 seconds. Still, they raved about the speed. It leaves a fresh taste in your mouth and doesn’t trigger sensitivity, but the whitening effects could be stronger.

Specifications

Treatment time3 mins
Course duration10 days
Includes2 serums and a tooth polish
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10
Best whitening toothpaste

Pearl Drops Strong Polished White Toothpaste

UK Approved(Esquire,Red,HB,GH,Country Living,Prima)
Strong Polished White Toothpaste
10
Best whitening toothpaste

Pearl Drops Strong Polished White Toothpaste

Now 50% Off
Credit: Amazon

This minty whitening toothpaste has been specially formulated to buff and polish teeth without eroding enamel. It dominated the competition in our lab tests, leaving teeth noticeably whiter after three weeks of twice daily use.

Our testers loved how clinically clean and fresh it left them feeling too, with some saying it rivalled a trip to their hygienist. Those with sensitive teeth did not find it remotely aggravating and it successfully banished even long-term stains.

Specifications

Treatment time3 mins
Course duration10 days
Includes3-step brush-on treatment
11
Best whitening toothpaste for fresh breath

iWhite Whitening Toothpaste

UK Approved(Esquire,Red,HB,GH,Country Living,Prima)
 Whitening Toothpaste
11
Best whitening toothpaste for fresh breath

iWhite Whitening Toothpaste

Credit: Amazon

If you don’t believe a toothpaste can whiten your teeth in two weeks, try this one. It lathers up a storm to deep clean both surface and underlying stains and stops pesky plaque building up. Our testers were so wowed by its professional whitening power that they said they'd continue to use it at home.

Specifications

Treatment time2 mins
Course duration2 weeks
IncludesN/A
12
Best whitening toothpaste for stains

Colgate Max White Expert Complete Whitening Toothpaste

UK Approved(Esquire,Red,HB,GH,Country Living,Prima)
Max White Expert Complete Whitening Toothpaste
12
Best whitening toothpaste for stains

Colgate Max White Expert Complete Whitening Toothpaste

Now 50% Off
Credit: Boots

Fed up of yellow teeth denting your self-esteem? This toothpaste battles existing stains from food and drink, but crucially also helps prevent further staining. The whitening effects are gradual but long-lasting.

It tastes a touch medicinal – think a minty antiseptic –which not all of our testers enjoyed, and its blue colour stained our sink a little, but the tube lasts ages.

Specifications

Treatment time2 mins
Course durationInstant
IncludesN/A
Headshot of Maria Kumar
Tested byMaria Kumar
Beauty and Grooming Testing Manager

Maria is our Beauty and Grooming Testing Manager, and since joining in mid-2022, she has managed the testing for mutiple categories including scalp scrubs, collagen supplements and retinol serums. In addition to her master's degree in chemical engineering and a diploma in cosmetic science, she recently received her MBA from the London College of Fashion, focusing on case studies within the beauty industry. Prior to joining the company, she worked within the global technical team at the Estee Lauder Companies for over six years, collaborating with the chemists and engineers to launch luxury beauty products at scale and to quality. She has also worked as a formulation scientist within the pharmaceutical industry and takes this evidence based approach into all her product testing. 

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