text:
You go to the dentist twice a year, floss as often as you remember, and steer clear of sticky, sugary treats (most of the time). But don't forget: A+ oral hygiene is also about brushing, and electric toothbrushes make that twice-daily job a little bit easier.
Aside from being almost too easy to use (you stick it in your mouth, push a little button, and let the brush do the work), electric toothbrushes also require way less forearm effort and scream, "I'm super serious about my dental health!"
And while electric toothbrushes aren't exactly essential, they can be helpful in a lot of situations, says Mark S. Wolff, DDS, PhD, dean of the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine—like if your dentist is constantly telling you you missed a spot, or if you're not great at sticking to the 2-minute recommended brushing time.
FWIW, the American Dental Association (ADA) says that both manual and powered toothbrushes can be effective at getting plaque off of your teeth—you just need a little more skill with a manual brush. "The average person doesn't brush as well as they should, so electric toothbrushes can help," says Wolf. So even of you are a pretty good brusher, it's likely that an electric toothbrush can make you even better. The proof: In one independent study, all kinds of electric toothbrushes outperformed regular ones when it came to reducing plaque and gingivitis.
Related Story
Unfortunately, electric toothbrushes do tend to cost way more than your standard manual brush. But comparing the two is a bit like pitting a flip phone against a smart phone: You can make calls or text your pals on either one, but the latter has way more bells and whistles.
You can't watch cat videos on your electric toothbrush (yet!) but most models have features that you won't find on a manual scrubber. And keep in mind that you don't need to change out the head as often as you would a manual brush—every six months is fine for electric compared to every three to four for the old-school version, says Wolff. This means that in the long run, the investment may be worth it.
When choosing an electric toothbrush, a lot comes down to personal preference, what aspects of brushing you typically struggle with, and which technology details (think: timers, multiple speeds, pressure sensors) are most important to you.
So, if you want to ensure the very best clean when it comes to your teeth, it might be time to make the switch to an electric option. These top dentist-approved electric brushes from Amazon range from budget-friendly to splurge-worthy and will take your brushing game to the next level.
- 1. Philips Sonicare Essence
- 2. Oral-B Genius Pro 8000
- 3. Fairywill Rechargeable Sonic Toothbrush With Smart Timer
- 4. Philips Sonicare DiamondClean
- 5. Oral-B White Pro 1000
- 6. PRO-SYS VarioSonic Electric Toothbrush
- 7. Quip Electric Toothbrush Set
- Best electric toothbrushes for whiter teeth and a healthier mouth 2020
- How to choose the best electric toothbrush
- The Option That Comes With 8 Brush Heads and A Convenient Travel Case
- The No. 1 Best Seller With Over 4,300 Reviews
- The Option With Over 8,600 Reviews
- The Option You've Probably Seen At Your Dentist's Office Forever
- Best electric toothbrush 2019: The best toothbrushes for clean teeth and gums
- The best electric toothbrushes to buy in 2019
- 1. Colgate ProClinical 250+ Rechargeable Electric Toothbrush: The best cheap electric toothbrush
- 2. Oral-B Pro 2 2500N: The best-value budget toothbrush
- 3. Philips Sonicare EasyClean HX6511/50: The best electric toothbrush under £50
- 4. Oral-B Smart 6 6000N: The best mid-range electric toothbrush
- 5. Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 6100: The smartest mid-range sonic toothbrush
- 6. Oral-B Genius 9000: Last year's top smart toothbrush is still a great buy
- 7. Philips DiamondClean Smart: The best high-end electric toothbrush
- 8. Oral-B Genius X: The Top Smart Toothbrush of the Future
- 9. Philips Sonicare for Kids: Best toothbrush for children
- 10. Oral-B Teen White: The best electric toothbrush for teens and older kids
- Our Best Electric Toothbrush 2020 Choices
- Electric Toothbrush Buyer's Guide
- Explaining our choice for 'best overall'
- How important are other features and factors?
- How important is a timer?
- How important is a quad pacer?
- How important is a pressure sensor?
- How important is price?
- How important is battery life?
- How important is the cost of replacement brush heads?
- Is it useful to get a brush with a travel case included?
- How important is a gum cleaning mode?
- How important is sensitive cleaning mode?
- How important is a whitening mode?
- How important is a tongue cleaning mode?
- How important is brush head shape and size?
- How useful are the smart features in the likes of the Genius X and DiamondClean Smart?
- Is it worth having Bluetooth?
- Pre-purchase considerations
- What are the benefits of an electric toothbrush?
- Is an electric toothbrush worth the investment?
- Do electric toothbrushes damage teeth?
- Do electric toothbrushes cause gum recession?
- Do electric toothbrushes whiten teeth?
- How long do electric toothbrushes last?
- Can you share an electric toothbrush?
- Can electric toothbrushes get wet?
- Other pre-purchase topics
- Useful post-purchase information
- Fun & Interesting Toothbrush Topics
- Electric Toothbrush Reviews
- Electric Toothbrush Comparisons
- What is the best electric toothbrush?
- The best electric toothbrushes to buy, in order
- 1. Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Sonic
- 2. Oral-B Genius 9000
- 3. Philips Sonicare 6100 ProtectiveClean
- 3. Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Smart Sonic
- 5. Oral-B Pro 7000 Black SmartSeries
- 6. Oral B Pro 6500 SmartSeries
- 7. Emmi Dental
- 8. Colgate ProClinical A1500
- Electric toothbrushes: what you need to know
1. Philips Sonicare Essence
Essence Sonic Electric Rechargeable Toothbrush Philips Sonicare amazon.com $49.99 $19.95 (60% off)
Those hard-to-reach molars don't stand a chance against this budget-friendly toothbrush's angled neck. It also has super-soft rounded bristles that sneak their way between teeth. Travelers, take note: The battery can last up to two weeks between charges.
Among the more than 8,600 reviews (!!!) on Amazon is this glowing recommendation: "I can't believe the feeling of pure cleanliness within my gum line, teeth crevices, and overall mouth. It is remarkable and just like being at the dentist EVERYDAY."
2. Oral-B Genius Pro 8000
Amazon Genius Pro 8000 Electronic Power Rechargeable Battery Electric Toothbrush Oral-B amazon.com $179.94 $135.49 (25% off)
This pretty rose gold toothbrush connects to a smartphone app via Bluetooth to offer real-time feedback. When the light on the front turns red, it means you're brushing too hard (most of us do) and need to ease up on the pressure.
The cleaning it gives is also next level: "My teeth feel just like I left the dental hygienist, every day," says one reviewer. Plus, this Oral-B model has the ADA Seal of Acceptance, which means the ADA finds the product to be effective at removing plaque and preventing gingivitis and is safe as advertised, so you know you're making a solid choice for your dental health.
3. Fairywill Rechargeable Sonic Toothbrush With Smart Timer
Amazon Rechargeable Sonic Toothbrush with Smart Timer Fairywill amazon.com $29.95
"My teeth feel the freshest they ever have," wrote one reviewer. Another fan, who bought it for travel, wrote in a review that they use it as their everyday at-home brush of choice.
Plus, whether you're on the go or at home, you can charge it with your USB phone charger that you definitely always have around anyway (it's okay—embrace it). Just a four-hour charge gives you a whopping 30 days-worth of battery life.
4. Philips Sonicare DiamondClean
Sonicare DiamondClean Classic Rechargeable Philips Sonicare amazon.com $199.99 $152.00 (24% off)
This is like the Maybach of electric toothbrushes. Sure, it promises to remove stains and all, but it also charges in the small glass it comes with, syncs up with an app on your phone that can tell you which side you're brushing more than the other (you know it happens), plus other ways your brushing style needs a little improvement.
It's basically like having an on-call dentist. "The has really taken oral hygiene to the next level," says one reviewer.
5. Oral-B White Pro 1000
White Pro 1000 Power Rechargeable Electric Toothbrush, Powered by Braun Oral-B amazon.com $49.94 $39.94 (20% off)
This beauty oscillates, rotates, and pulses to get rid of gunk on your teeth. It also comes with a timer to help you meet the dentist-recommended 2 minutes of brushing that, let's be honest, no one does on their own.
This model may not have the bells and whistles of more expensive toothbrushes, but people say that's NBD. "I love it," wrote one reviewer. "I wish I had purchased it sooner. It's not too harsh on my gums and my teeth feel very clean after each use."
6. PRO-SYS VarioSonic Electric Toothbrush
Courtesy PRO-SYS VarioSonic Electric Toothbrush PRO-SYS amazon.com $79.99
This is a brand that dentists sell in their offices and also comes with the ADA Seal of Acceptance. In addition to offering 25 (!) cleaning modes (via the combos of five different brush heads and five speeds), the battery life from one full charge covers a month of brushing.
7. Quip Electric Toothbrush Set
Quip is a direct-to-consumer toothbrush that allows you to set up auto brush-head refills so you never forget and end up using old, subpar bristles. The brushes come with a magnetic wall mounting system to make for easy brush access in by your bathroom sink.
One note: Quip isn't technically electric; it requires batteries, and you can buy fresh ones on the Quip website or sign up for an auto-refill delivery plan and they'll send you new brush heads, floss, toothpaste, and/or batteries every three months.
And the sleek design could make get you interested in more consistent brushing. This brand also has the ADA Seal of Acceptance, meaning dentists think it's legit.
Korin Miller Korin Miller is a freelance writer specializing in general wellness, sexual health and relationships, and lifestyle trends, with work appearing in Men's Health, Women's Health, Self, Glamour, and more. Tracy Middleton Tracy Middleton, the Health Director of Women's Health, has more than 20 years' experience covering health and wellness. Aryelle Siclait Assistant Editor Aryelle Siclait is an assistant editor at Women's Health where she writes about relationship trends, sexual health, pop-culture news, food, and physical health for verticals across WomensHealthMag.com and the print magazine.
One of the fancier brushes in the Sonicare line, the Philips Sonicare FlexCare Platinum Connected not only has far more cleaning settings than you need (three total, each with multiple speeds), it can connect to an app on your phone via Bluetooth that's meant to track if you're adequately brushing every part of your mouth. (See What about "smart" toothbrushes?) The app shows an illustration of a mouth that starts out tinged yellow, and it gets whiter as you brush your teeth over the course of two minutes. The areas of your mouth that you fail to brush well enough will stay yellow, in theory. In reality, the location tracking wasn't accurate enough to give us much useful information about this. The app divides the mouth into six areas, and it could reliably tell if I was neglecting either the front or back of teeth, but not if I was missing one specific tooth. The app also expects you to brush the areas of your mouth in a specific order, and if I moved the brush to a part of my mouth where the app wasn't expecting it to be, it didn't pick up on that. When a brush like this costs about as much as an uninsured office visit to a dentist, I'm going to stick to getting brushing advice from a professional.
The Oral-B Pro 3000 3D White Smart Series is another smart brush. The least expensive of all Bluetooth models we've considered, this brush is part of the Oral-B line of electric toothbrushes that have earned the ADA Seal of Acceptance. It is similar to our top pick in form and function, except it has three cleaning modes (two more than necessary), and connects to an app via Bluetooth. It's also twice the price. Though this model does not offer position detection, it stores brushing time and pressure data from the 30 most recent brushing sessions, which you can sync to the app later, should you prefer not to bring your phone or tablet into the bathroom every time you clean your mouth. If you find reviewing your basic brushing performance motivational, and would rather not need an app or pen and paper handy each time you brush, consider the Pro 3000 Smart Series.
The Oral-B Genius 8000 can track the brush's position in your mouth, thanks to on-board location sensors and access to your phone's front-facing camera. (For more on our experience with the Genius, see "Oral-B Genius Pro 8000 Review: Who Needs a Smart Toothbrush?") Smart capabilities aside, the brush itself, like our pick, is a reliable tool. Like other models in the Oral-B line, it has more cleaning modes than necessary and is compatible with any of the company's replacement heads. And like the Pro 3000, the Genius has an on-board pressure sensor that flashes red when you brush too hard (no app necessary). If you travel with an electric toothbrush, you'll appreciate the included case, which can charge the brush handle and a phone. Still, unless you find that being "watched" helps motivate you to thoroughly brush regions in your mouth you'd usually miss, you could spend half the cost of this brush for another habit-tracking smart model, such as the Pro 3000, or less than a quarter of the cost for an equally great clean with our top pick.
The Oral-B Genius X, like the Genius 8000, has extraneous cleaning modes and can connect to your phone. Rather than using your phone's front-facing camera, however, the Genius X uses on-board sensors and "artificial intelligence" to track the brush head's location as you move it around your mouth. We found the tracking spotty; the app counted some unbrushed teeth as "clean."
The Colgate Smart Electronic Toothbrush E1 also uses on-board sensors and "artificial intelligence" to track the brush head's location as you move it around your mouth. (For more on our experience with the smart capabilities of the E1, see "Oral-B Genius Pro 8000 Review: Who Needs a Smart Toothbrush?") The E1 vibrates but does not oscillate, and does so more quietly than most electric toothbrushes we've tested. Although it does have an on-board two-minute timer with quadrant pacing, this device lacks a pressure sensor (a possible dealbreaker for some), and it is compatible with only a single style of replacement brush heads, which can be purchased only from the Colgate website. Factoring in shipping costs, these replacement heads are among the most expensive we've considered, by far (a definite dealbreaker, in our opinion). The handle itself is among the lightest and most streamlined we've tested, featuring a single on-off button (Colgate doesn't offer superfluous cleaning modes). As with other smart toothbrushes, we believe the E1 is overkill for most. However, if you're interested in accurate brush head position detection along with automated habit-tracking, and would prefer not to grant another app access to your phone's camera and/or microphone, the E1 performs well in these respects (and—replacement brush heads excluded—generally costs less than its closest competitors, the Oral-B Genius X and the Philips Sonicare FlexCare Platinum Connected).
Greater Goods's Sonic Electric Toothbrush costs less than any brush we've considered so far. However, the replacement heads come in only one style. And though heads are about half the price of those that accompany our top pick, I found myself needing to replace them in about half the time (the bristles got smashed down), virtually negating the long-term savings for this brush.
The Philips Sonicare 3 Series Gum Health feels similar to and works much the same way as the ProtectiveClean 4100, with a glossy plastic handle and minimal gripping ridges. Now that our runner-up comes with a quadrant timer, this toothbrush has no features that we think are worth spending extra on.
The Waterpik Sonic Toothbrush Sensonic Professional Plus (SR-3000) is from a newer brand and has a bulky base with grippy rubber panels, a single button, and smaller range of heads than Oral-B or Philips. This brush's higher price gets you one extra cleaning mode, two extra battery level indicator lights, and a travel case. It claims to give better results by moving the brush head faster than Philips Sonicare models do, but according to all the research we could find, faster doesn't mean better.
The battery in the Oral-B Healthy Clean + Pro White Precision 4000 lasts about three days longer than that of the Pro 1000, and the base is a bit chunkier than our pick's. The brush has four cleaning modes (programmed to a separate button) and includes a pressure sensor, though to activate it you have to really cram the brush into your teeth, making it ineffective. The additional cleaning modes are extraneous, so there's no reason to pay for them.
The Dazzlepro Advanced Sonic's handle is a little large and unwieldy, a satiny plastic tapered toward the middle of the handle, and the charging base is hefty, but this brush does a reasonable approximation of the Philips Sonicare brushes' motion. The Dazzlepro brush has a separate "sensitive" cleaning mode. However, the company has a lower profile, and the warranty lasts only one year (compared with Philips Sonicare and Oral-B's two years), so if you need support you may be left wanting. This brush is currently unavailable on Amazon and Overstock.
The Oral-B SmartSeries Black 7000 comes with a "digital guide," another (unnecessary) abstraction of a timer, and six brushing modes programmed to a separate power button. The base is very heavy, with large rubber panels in black and silver plastic, and weighted toward the bottom, with the same light-up pressure sensor as the 4000 model. The 7000 comes with a travel case and a charging stand that can hold four extra brush heads encased in a little plastic dome.
The Philips Sonicare DiamondClean is pretty sleek with a matte plastic finish, and it has some real luxury features, like an inductive charging glass and travel case, but its price is a lot to spend for those items. The DiamondClean has five cleaning modes (four too many) that you must manually cycle through if you need to turn the brush off before reaching two minutes. It also has some of the most expensive brush heads, at around $11 apiece.
The Burst is a sleek toothbrush with quadrant pacing that you may have seen advertised on Instagram. It has three brushing modes (two more than necessary) and can charge via USB. In our testing, the battery lasted more than four weeks on a single charge with twice-daily brushing. Unfortunately, the "charcoal-infused" bristles didn't last as long—on each of the two heads we tested, the bristles became bent out of shape in as few as three weeks. A company spokesperson said that our tester may have been applying too much pressure while using these brush heads. Burst offers an optional subscription program for replacement brush heads (which at this writing cost the same as subscription-only replacement heads for our also-great pick, the Goby).
Similarly, Shyn offers an optional subscription program for replacement brush heads made for its four-brushing-mode, quadrant-pacing toothbrush. Purchased individually, the least-expensive replacement heads cost $5, which is generally more than what Oral-B heads cost but less than the price of Philips Sonicare heads. Although you can adjust the intensity of the brush's vibrations in each of the modes, in practice we found no appreciable differences between the intensity levels; they felt the same. When activated, the ultrasensitive pressure sensor alerts you with a beep that we found overly loud compared with alerts from the competition (fortunately, you can turn the pressure-sensing beeps off). In our twice-daily brushing test, the Shyn's battery lasted 3½ weeks.
Bruush, too, has an optional subscription program for its replacement brush heads ($6 each, shipped in packs of three). Purchased without a subscription, a three-pack of replacement heads is about $23 (just under $8 apiece). The brush itself offers six cleaning modes—five more than needed—and quadrant pacing, plus optional USB charging. Compared with other sonic brushes we've tested (including the Burst and Shyn), on the default setting the Bruush was a touch quieter, and its vibrations felt more gentle. We found that its battery lasted more than 3½ weeks on a single charge. The topmost and bottommost bristles on the Bruush head are longer than those in the center, creating a sort of flared shape; depending on your preferences, this head design may feel like a feature or a bug.
Although you can technically use the sleek Oclean One without any of its smart functions (the associated Oclean Pro app for iOS and Android offers brushing analyses), this sonic toothbrush does not have an onboard timer. As a result, if you don't connect the brush to your mobile device, it's up to you to determine the pacing. In its promotional materials, Oclean promises that people who "use the app to maintain good brushing habits" are eligible to receive "free replacement brush heads in the mail every three months for the life of the brush," which is covered by a two-year warranty. A company spokesperson confirmed that the earned heads are indeed free; no shipping or handling costs are associated with this offer. We can see why this program might be tempting: For one year of ownership, replacing the brush head ($9 each) every three months, the One costs $102. At three years, the cost is $174 (a touch more than the three-year ownership cost of our runner-up pick). If the company's "free" head-replacement offer holds true, and the brush lasts long enough, the one- and three-year ownership costs are both $75—a bargain. But to earn the brush heads, you need to check in to the app every day and achieve a "brushing score" of 50 or above each time you use it. Is the inconvenience of a daily check-in worth the potential cost savings? Probably not. On top of all that, the One can charge only via USB.
If you typically use an electric toothbrush and a water flosser, replacing two separate tools with a combination electric toothbrush–water flosser like the Waterpik Sonic Fusion SF-01 might seem appealing. But in practice, we preferred using our electric toothbrush pick and our water flosser pick separately. The Sonic Fusion SF-01's water-flosser nozzle is built into the toothbrush head. In brush-only mode, the Sonic Fusion SF-01, which is warrantied for three years, has quadrant pacing. Replacement heads cost $12.50 each, making them some of the most expensive we've considered. Both of Waterpik's Sonic Fusion models have earned the ADA Seal.
The Conair Opti-Clean is cheap for a rechargeable brush, but it did not survive a dunk in the water.
The Quip is a no-frills toothbrush with a single brush head style and a simple timer that indicates each 30-second interval, shutting off at the two-minute mark. It uses replaceable batteries instead of a built-in rechargeable battery. Like Goby, Quip offers an optional subscription for replacement brush heads (though Quip's plan also includes a replacement battery). Although the stylish design (of the more expensive metal model) and the quiet operation are both impressive, we found the Quip toothbrush's vibrations to be weak. (In fact, we like the Quip Kids model as an electric toothbrush for children pick because of this gentler brushing motion.) The Quip could be a nice option for someone who travels a lot and prefers the freedom of no charger, but it doesn't have the brush head options or wide availability of our main pick. Like our top pick and runner-up, the Quip toothbrush has earned the ADA seal.
In addition to the Quip, we tried two other $25-plus battery-powered toothbrushes, from Gleem and Smile Direct Club, plus three sub-$10 ones: the Arm & Hammer Spinbrush Pro Series, the Colgate 360 Total Advanced Floss-Tip Sonic, and the Oral-B Pro-Health Battery Toothbrush. We wouldn't recommend any of these brushes over our rechargeable picks, which produce stronger-feeling vibrations. Over the course of two years of use, the price difference between the sleek battery-powered brushes with optional brush head and battery subscriptions and the less-expensive models commonly found in most drugstores shrinks—in one case, substantially so. (See our blog post on these battery-powered toothbrushes for more.)
We were surprised by how much we liked brushing with the Triple Bristle Go, another $25-plus disposable-battery-powered brush that has an onboard two-minute timer. But its unconventional brush heads, however effective they may be, cost $10 each when purchased in the most economical pack—nearly double the cost of replacement heads for our top pick. (The brush is also available in a rechargeable version.)
We also eliminated a few other models without testing:
The Foreo Issa is a silicone brush with a sleek and unusual look, but customer reviews suggest that the all-silicone brush tips lack the ability to clean as thoroughly as plastic bristles. Foreo's Issa Hybrid integrates traditional bristles with silicone ones but has middling reviews.
The Cybersonic 3 Complete Sonic and Cybersonic Classic came up in our product searches, but we decided not to test them because they have a very limited selection of brush head options (with an optional and dubious-looking "free" replacement program that winds up costing $8 in shipping per brush head).
We don't plan to test the forthcoming Y-Brush. In its promotional materials, the company claims that this device can clean all of a person's teeth simultaneously, in 10 total seconds (five seconds for the top, five for the bottom). Rather than a standard head on a handle, the Y-Brush brushing apparatus looks like a mouthguard lined with bristles. The company sells four mouthpiece sizes—accommodating children 4 and up through adults—and recommends replacing the mouthpiece ($25) every six months. Questions of efficacy aside, a single user could expect to pay $150 for the starter kit and one replacement head in the first year of ownership. At three years, replacing the mouthpiece every six months, the cost of ownership would be $250, making this model far more expensive than any of our picks. (Similar, mouthguard-style automatic toothbrushes include the AutoBrush V3, the Amabrush, and several lookalike models.)
Best electric toothbrushes for whiter teeth and a healthier mouth 2020
Angela Lang/CNET
According to the American Dental Association a manual toothbrush can clean your teeth and remove plaque just as well as powered ones. But with electric toothbrushes, you can step it up a notch by hitting harder-to-reach nooks and crannies, cleaning with more ease and brushing for longer.
So how do you choose the best electric toothbrush? Well, the right toothbrush partly depends on your personal preference. Do you have sensitive teeth or sensitive gums? Are you looking for a two-minute timer? (Dentists recommend brushing for two minutes twice a day with a soft toothbrush head.) Do you want to focus on plaque control, oral hygiene or teeth whitening?
You'll also want to consider your budget. Would you prefer to spend a little more on a powerful model that does extra work for you, or stick to something simple and classic?
We get it, the choice can be overwhelming. Before you start shopping for the best electric toothbrush, check out this guide featuring our electric toothbrush reviews. Our electric toothbrush comparison walks you through nine high-end products for cleaning your teeth, gingivitis, teeth whitening and more. But, regardless of whichever brush you choose, don't forget to floss!
Read more: 3 smart toothbrushes from CES 2020 that you'll want this year
How to choose the best electric toothbrush
When looking for the best electric toothbrush, you'll want to consider a few factors.
Cost: First things first: What's your budget? On the lower end, you can get a cheap electric toothbrush for $20 to $50, but the cons are that they won't have certain features such as a lithium-ion battery, a water flosser or a sensor.
Many people won't want to spend more than $40 or so on a toothbrush, but if you've got extra money to spend, investing in a higher-ticket toothbrush in the $100 to $200 range with more features may be worth it in the long run, especially if it helps you have fewer cavities and dentist visits.
Capabilities: What do you need the toothbrush to do? Maybe you just need one mode for cleaning a little deeper than you can with a manual toothbrush.
If you need help brushing for the dentist-recommended two minutes, it's a good idea to select one with a built-in smart timer. If you want to easily track your oral hygiene habits, go for a Bluetooth-enabled toothbrush with an app.
If you have sensitive teeth or sensitive gums, consider looking at the types of brush heads that you can get for your electric toothbrush. Some models, like those from Oral-B or Sonicare, offer many different types of brush heads for different needs, such as brush heads for whitening, gum care and cleaning around braces.
Convenience: Are you going to remember to replace your brush heads when it's time? If not, maybe a subscription-based electric toothbrush is right for you. Don't forget to look into how long a toothbrush holds its charge because the last thing you want is for your toothbrush to be dead when you grab it from the charging dock and you're trying to get ready for bed.
Read more: Y-Brush at CES is a toothbrush that cleans your teeth in 10 seconds
Simple, long-lasting and relatively inexpensive, this toothbrush effectively cleans plaque without an overload of features you may never use. It's equipped with a timer, pacer and an alert system that reminds you when it's time to change the head. Your brush will also pulse gently to tell you when you're brushing too hard. For its modest price point, the Philips brush offers a lot of features for a really good daily clean.
It's available at Amazon, the Philips website, most Target, Wal-Mart, Best Buy and Walgreens stores.
Read more: Quip toothbrush review: Is it better than brushes twice the price?
Angela Lang/CNET
Dubbed one of the Best Inventions of 2016 by Time when it debuted, the Quip electric toothbrush is compact and powered by a single AAA battery (which means no charging dock eating up counter space). Quip brushes are slim, stylish and convenient: Quip sends you a replacement head and battery in the mail every three months, so you don't have to remember to pick them up from a store yourself.
Quip's sleek design makes it easy to pack in a carry-on or even a small handbag so you can easily brush wherever you might be.
Priced at $25 to $40 (depending on model; the $25 model is an electric toothbrush for your child's teeth). The electric toothbrush for kids and regular model are available from Quip's website and most Target stores.
Read more: Perfect skin, sinus relief and a Roomba-like toothbrush: 5 wellness devices you'll want in 2020
There are a handful of electric toothbrush subscriptions available these days, but Shyn (pronounced "shine") might top them all just because of the sheer number of options.
With Shyn, you can completely customize your subscription with different brush heads, including whitening, gum care or anti-plaque, as well as add-ons like dental floss picks, whitening strips and toothpaste. You can set your refills to deliver every two or three months, but if you want to try out just the brush first, you can get it for just $50.
This DiamondClean toothbrush is a more feature-rich version of the 4100 described above. You get three modes and three intensity settings that promise a whiter smile in just one week. The DiamondClean brush head works to remove surface stains with special bristles, and the QuadPacer lets you know when it's time to move to another quadrant of your mouth.
It's available on Amazon, the Philips website and at most Target, Walmart, Best Buy and Walgreens stores.
The standard brush head that comes with this Oral-B Vitality brush has a dual-clean action that promises superior dental plaque removal. The top brush spins and the bottom brush oscillates side-to-side. If dual-clean isn't your jam, you can opt for a different Oral-B head.
This brush is compatible with Oral-B's Cross Action, 3D White, Sensitive Clean, Precision Clean, Floss Action, Deep Sweep, Ortho and Power Tip heads.
It's available at Walmart and at most convenience and department stores.
A bargain compared to buying an electric brush and a Waterpik separately, this two-in-one includes five water floss tips, two Triple Sonic brush heads, 10 pressure settings, three brush modes and a two-minute timer with quadrant pacing. Water flossers reach hard-to-clean spots with ease, so they're ideal for people who struggle with flossing and people with braces.
It's available on the Waterpik website and at Best Buy, Bed Bath & Beyond, Kohl's and Walmart.
Clean, whiten, polish, rinse — Fairywill electric toothbrushes possess all the modes you need to get that just-left-the-dentist super-clean feeling.
Use the clean mode for daily brushing, massage mode for gum care, sensitive mode for sensitive teach and toothaches, and whitening mode for, well, you know. Polish mode offers a quick way to get an extra bit of shine as you work on your oral hygiene.
It's available from the Fairywill website and at Amazon.
You'll pay a premium for this smart electric toothbrush, but it may be worth it if you really want or need to track your dental hygiene habits. The FlexCare Platinum sends real-time brushing data to the Sonicare app, where you'll find a 3D map of your mouth along with personalized coaching and feedback. It has two modes — clean and deep clean — and claims to remove stains and improve gum health in two weeks.
It's available at Amazon, Walgreens, Target, and Walmart.
Oral-B via Amazon
With thousands of five-star reviews, Oral-B's simple rechargeable electric toothbrushes are perfect for making the initial switch to an electric model and really starting to get into those nooks and crannies. The Pro 1000 offers only one mode, daily clean, but it's budget-friendly and compatible with a large number of replacement heads.
Its simplicity can help first-time buyers avoid purchase hesitations. And according to Oral-B, this brush has pressure sensors and impressively removes up to 300 percent more plaque along the gumline than a manual toothbrush.
Priced at $50 and up, it's available at Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, Walgreens and CVS.
It sounds too good to be true, but this brush lasts an entire year on a single charge. Oh, and the brush head only needs replacement every six months. In contrast to the rotating bristle brush that's become the standard, the Issa 2 uses a silicone brush that matches the bright color of its handle with pulsing technology that Foreo claims is 35 times cleaner than brushes with regular bristles.
Priced at $169, the toothbrush comes with a USB charging cord and travel pouch. It's available on the Foreo website, Amazon and Sephora.
The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.
Despite the hundreds of thousands of things you can pick up during the 48-hour shopping marathon that is Amazon Prime Day 2019, when it comes to sales, one of the most rewarding things you can do is pick up things you actually need. You know, the practical things you were going to buy anyway, just the on-sale versions. For that, nothing fits the bill better than a splurge-y electric toothbrush upgrade, because they can sneak into quite an expensive territory. Thankfully, there are plenty of electric toothbrushes included in the Amazon Prime Day goods, and top brands like Philips Sonicare, Waterpik, and Oral-B are discounted significantly — we're talking nearly 60 percent off.
The e-retailer's major shopping event kicked off on Monday, July 15 at 3:00 a.m. PST and wraps up on July 16, so to help you make the most of that time and get straight to the best of the best, we've pulled together a list of five of the top electric toothbrushes on sale right now.
All products featured on Allure are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
1. Waterpik WP-665 Aquarius Water Flosser (Was $74, Now $40)
Courtesy of Brand
You've probably heard of the Waterpik courtesy of Queer Eye grooming extraordinaire Jonathan Van Ness, who graciously alerted us to its flossing-for-lazy-people realness and often gifts it to his clients. But even if your dental hygiene isn't in need of a full-fledged makeover, with the 10 pressure settings and seven Waterpik water flossing tips, this gadget is the perfect addition to any routine, providing you an easy, effective, and fun floss.
2. Philips Sonicare Healthy White Electric Rechargeable Toothbrush (Was $120, Now $49)
Courtesy of Brand
With dental work as costly as it is, the best line of defense is a good toothbrush. Perhaps you've always used the most affordable multi-pack you could find at the drugstore. Maybe you've always used whatever your mom bought for the house. Maybe you are still responsible enough to make it to the dentist every 6 months like clockwork and that's where your toothbrushes come from. But if you're looking for something more, something better, something more thorough, electric toothbrushes are among one of the most adult belongings you could come to own.
You might be thinking, they're too expensive but what's that compared to what you might put it into your mouth to get a root canal or filling down the line? Sure, some electric toothbrushes come with a steeper price tag than others, but I'll be the first one to tell you, it's not nearly as much as you'd think.
Below you'll find the top-rated electric toothbrushes available on Amazon, at a variety of price points and equipped with different features.
The Option That Comes With 8 Brush Heads and A Convenient Travel Case
Why We Picked It: Imagine a toothbrush that you never have to replace. Starting off the bat with this set—including 8 DuPont designed brush heads—you already have more than 2 and a half supply of dental hygiene. Not only that, but AquaSonic removes up to 10 times more plaque than manual toothbrush options and nearly 3 times more than competing electric toothbrushes. A single charge can last up to 4 weeks of daily brushing and when it is time to charge, it's as easy as placing it on the wireless charger that fits perfectly on your vanity or sink. With 4 distinct brush modes with a smart vibrating timer to ensure the best clean, including Clean, Soft, Whiten and Massage, you can find the one that works best for you or rotate through some combination that best suits your needs. The handle is made of BPA free plastic and is designed to be waterproof to further lend itself to increased functionality and longevity. With over 2,200 rave reviews giving this toothbrush a solid 4.7 star rating, you can't overlook this option.
The No. 1 Best Seller With Over 4,300 Reviews
Why We Picked It: With a pre-set 2 minute timer recommended by dentists that ensures that you give your teeth the best chance at cleanliness, 5 smart modes that vibrate 40,000 times per minute, you can improve your dental hygiene in just 2 weeks. The bristles on the 2 included heads are made with DuPont-made nylon and specially designed to get all the hard to reach places and the included polishing head will provide you with a clean just as good as if you went to the dentist every morning. The month long battery life makes this an ideal toothbrush for all travel and when battery life gets low, it just takes 4 hours to get another month of clean. Over 4,300 reviews sing the praises of this toothbrush and that's how it became Amazon's best selling electric toothbrush.
The Option With Over 8,600 Reviews
Why We Picked It: Although the aforementioned options boast multiple brushes options—and yes, this is alluring—this electric toothbrush from legacy brand, Oral B is beloved by over 8,600 Amazon buyers and for good reason. It uses clinically proven superior 3D Cleaning Action that rotates, vibrates and oscillates to remove 3 times more plaque than any manual toothbrush option on the market. Like the others, it has a built in 2 minute timer for a thorough clean every time and a full charge will last you up to a week. You can purchase from Oral B's comprehensive line of brush heads to meet your unique needs for a deep sweep, brushing with braces, whitening and sensitive teeth among others. It also has a built-in pressure sensor that adjusts to protect your teeth if you brush too hard.
The Option You've Probably Seen At Your Dentist's Office Forever
Why We Picked It: Philips Sonicare is the most recommendation electric toothbrush brand by dentists across the country. As such, you've probably seen it displayed in your dentist's office at some point in your life and through decades of brand recognition, this rechargeable electric toothbrush is among Amazon's biggest sellers. Designed to protect your gums and teeth with a built-in pressure sensor that'll let you know when you brush too hard, thus training your hand to be lighter, this toothbrush delivers a tough, but gentle clean that your dentist will notice. The battery will last up to 14 days of daily brushing and will remove up to 7 times more plaque than your usual manual toothbrush. On top of all that, your toothbrush will remind you when it's time to replace your head so you always get the optimal clean.
As baby boomers start aging, provoking them to think more seriously about the lifespan of their teeth, the toothbrush industry has become fiercely competitive. Toothbrush sales are expected to reach $1.2 billion this year, a 20 percent increase from 1999, driven largely by manufacturers' attempts to stake out a middle ground between bargain plastic toothbrushes and their upscale, electric cousins, which often sell for $100 or more.
Ergonomic brushes with racing car lines, like the Gillette Oral-B CrossAction released last year, now sell for $5 or more. On the other end of the spectrum, prices on a new generation of hand-held electric toothbrushes, like Colgate's Actibrush, have fallen to as low as $20, as manufacturers try to woo consumers willing to spend only a little more than the price of an old-fashioned toothbrush.
And yet, amid hefty advertising by these big companies, the little-known SpinBrush has become one of the nation's best-selling toothbrushes — manual or otherwise — after only a year in stores, according to Information Resources Inc., a Chicago-based market research firm.
Mr. Osher said his 11-person company, based in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., built entirely around the product, was on track to net $50 million in sales this year, about half of what Johnson & Johnson makes from all its toothbrushes and two-thirds of what has been the Procter & Gamble revenue in the field.
P.& G. officials say that the SpinBrush's appeal lies in its price, which is well below most other electric devices and just slightly above high-end manual brushes. But given the many obstacles small consumer products companies face in getting their products in stores, Dr. John's market share is considerable.
Best electric toothbrush 2019: The best toothbrushes for clean teeth and gums
Electric toothbrushes are clinically proven to do a better job than the manual brushes of old and should be part of everyone's everyday dental routine. After all, we'd all like squeaky clean teeth and a whiter smile – and absolutely no-one enjoys fillings or root canal surgery. However, finding the best toothbrush for you can be a minefield. Not only do all the toothbrushes look nigh-on identical, but the manufacturers seem to have decided that confusion is good for business, producing several different ranges with different characteristics all at the same time. It's hard to distinguish between so many similar products, while the boxes and adverts bombard you with pseudo-science and marketing-speak.
Well, rest assured that we've done our homework to help you pick the right toothbrush. All the models reviewed here will get your teeth squeaky clean, even if they vary widely in terms of brushing technology, battery life, accessories, extra functions and price. Do you want a toothbrush that gives detailed real-time feedback via your smartphone? Do you want a choice of brush heads? Do you need a charging travel case? Or do you just want something simple that gets the job done? We're here to help you work that out.
How to buy the best electric toothbrush for you
Generally speaking, electric toothbrushes have settled down into four basic types. The cheapest brushes have a rotating bristled head that spins at speed to brush away the plaque. Above these you'll find brushes that oscillate, rotating quickly one way then the other many thousands of times a second to scrub your teeth, usually one tooth at a time.
Alternatively, you can opt for the newer style of "sonic" or "ultrasonic" brush, which has a head that vibrates very quickly at frequencies that buff the tooth surface and force toothpaste through to clean between your teeth. Ultrasonic toothbrushes are the fastest of all, creating millions of sound waves per minute to push a special "nano bubble" toothpaste into your teeth and gums, helping to clean and protect them with even greater efficiency.
What features should I look out for?
Battery life is the biggie. Unless you plan to keep your toothbrush recharging when it's not in use, you should look for newer models boasting a lithium-ion battery. With one of these you can brush without a recharge for anywhere between two and six weeks, as opposed to the seven days you might have had from the older brushes. Find out how often you'll need to replace the brush heads, too. This could be anything from every few weeks to every six months, and if the brush heads are expensive the running costs soon mount up.
Other nice-to-have features include a brushing timer and pressure sensors to warn you when you're pressing too hard and risking damage to your gums. Bundled extras such as travel cases may also come in handy, and especially so if the toothbrush can be charged in the case using a USB cable – it's one fewer charger to carry. Finally, check if the handle is comfortable to hold. Some of us just can't get on with a brush that's too chunky or thin.
Do I need a Bluetooth-enabled toothbrush?
Bluetooth-enabled "smart" toothbrushes are growing more popular. They work with companion apps that time your brushes, keep a diary of your activity and provide oral hygiene tips or snippets of news. These features are fun and can be useful if you often skimp on or neglect your dental workouts, but they're by no means essential. They're also highly reliant on the quality of the apps themselves, and on how prepared you are to take your smartphone to the bathroom every morning for your brushing. If you're a head-down brusher, or like to roam the bathroom while polishing your gnashers, you'll get very little benefit.
Which replacement heads should I buy?
This can be a confusing experience, but these days you'll find that most modern toothbrushes make buying replacement heads a relatively simple affair.
All of Oral-B's current heads work on its entire range of brushes, although, as Oral-B makes several different designs of head, it's worth buying smaller twin-packs to decide which you like best. Its CrossAction, FlossAction and PrecisionClean heads all feel quite different in use.
It's a similar story with Philips and its Sonicare brush heads. Just because your brush came with a DiamondClean or ProResults brush, that doesn't mean you can't use an Optical Gum Care or Premium Plaque Defence head – although certain features, such as BrushSync mode and brush head matching, won't be available with all handles.
We've included links to compatible brush heads in the reviews below, so you can stock up when you run out.
The best electric toothbrushes to buy in 2019
1. Colgate ProClinical 250+ Rechargeable Electric Toothbrush: The best cheap electric toothbrush
Price: £15 | Buy now from Amazon | Buy brush heads now from Amazon
Colgate's brush is much lighter and more compact than other electric toothbrushes – great if you need to carry it around with you – has an impressive battery life (40 full brushes) and recharges quickly (in under ten hours). It lets you know when it's been going for 30 seconds, so that you move onto a new section of your mouth, as well as telling you when the full two minutes is up.
It's quiet, which is great if you don't want to wake anyone up, but there's only one sonic speed setting and no rotation, which might help explain why it didn't feel quite as effective at removing plaque as some brushes – although it isn't bad and leaves teeth feeling pretty clean. Perhaps the best thing about this brush is that you can regularly find it for less than £20 if you shop online, which makes it a great bargain brush or travel standby.
2. Oral-B Pro 2 2500N: The best-value budget toothbrush
Price: £30 | Buy now from Amazon | Buy brush heads now from Amazon
The Oral-B Pro 2500 has long been one of the brand's best-value brushes. It's cheaper than other CrossAction models but compatible with the same standard, 3D White, Sensitive, Precision and FlossAction heads. The same goes for the updated model, the Pro 2 2500N. It includes a pressure sensor, which slows down the brush and warns you with a red light if you're pressing it too hard. There might only be two modes to choose from – daily clean and gum care – but the round brush heads do a great job of cleaning teeth and getting into the gaps. While cheaper, it manages the same 40,000 pulses and 8,000 oscillations per minute as the more expensive Oral-B brushes.
What's more, the Pro 2 2500N feels sturdy and well made, even if the small opening halfway up the brush head is liable to get clogged with gunk. Oral-B also scores points for including a basic travel case in the box.
While the previous-generation Pro 2500 was dogged by poor battery life, the new model features a lithium-ion battery that lasts around two weeks – and there's now a warning light to tell you when it's running out. If you don't need the fancy connected features of Oral-B's high-end brushes, this does a great job of brushing – nothing more, nothing less.
3. Philips Sonicare EasyClean HX6511/50: The best electric toothbrush under £50
Price: £41 | Buy now from Amazon | Buy brush heads now from Amazon
While no longer the entry-level model in Philips' Sonicare range, the EasyClean gives you great value for money without the low-life NiMH battery and slower speeds of the cheaper CleanCare+. Instead, you get the same 62,000 brush movements per minute as you do with Philips' mid-range brushes and the same lithium-ion battery.
Using the EasyClean can be a strange sensation, but it's clearly effective and teeth feel clean and smooth after brushing. What's more, the battery lasted for an astonishing 114 brushes between charges, although this was tested over a short period; expect less when used twice daily. There was plenty of notice when it came close to running out of charge, so you're unlikely to be caught short, and the advantage of the lithium-ion battery is that you can charge at any time rather than having to wait until it's fully depleted.
There are signs of cost-cutting in the single bundled brush head and lack of travel case, and these may be reason enough to reject this toothbrush. If you're not put off, however, the Philips Sonicare EasyClean is a superb electric toothbrush at a great price.
Read our full Philips Sonicare EasyClean HX6511/50 review
4. Oral-B Smart 6 6000N: The best mid-range electric toothbrush
Price: £75 | Buy now from Amazon | Buy brush heads now from Amazon
The Smart 6 6000N could be described as the sweet spot in the Oral-B range, giving you the features you won't see on the cheaper Pro 2 2500N, but with a much smaller price tag than the Genius 9000. You still get a top-notch cleaning experience, with Oral-B's oscillating brush heads leaving teeth feeling smooth and polished, along with five different modes including gum care, whitening and sensitive.
There are cheaper Oral-B brushes with Bluetooth support (the Smart 4 4000N and 4500N also have it) but the 6000N includes a holder for your smartphone along with a conventional charging stand. With the app, you still get real-time feedback through the LED ring and a timer to make sure you brush all four quarters of your mouth. The app will also track your usage over time and give you hints, tips and news. And while you lose the smiley SmartGuide module of the old SmartSeries 6500, you gain a lithium-Ion battery with over two weeks of brushing from a single charge. Sure, it's not quite as luxurious at Oral-B's high-end models, but it's not crazy expensive, either, making it the best value of the mid-range brushes.
5. Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 6100: The smartest mid-range sonic toothbrush
Price: £105 | Buy now from Amazon | Buy brush heads now from Amazon
Another pricey model from Philips, this is one of the most automated brushes we've seen. The device lights up as you pick it up and when you attach a brush head (the three main ones are clean, white and gum care) it automatically selects the brushing program and intensity. It even remembers where you are in your cycle if you have to pause brushing.
As if that wasn't enough, the ProtectiveClean 6100 also turns itself off when you've done your two-minute program (or three minutes for gum care), which it splits into four segments: one for each part of the mouth. There's also a sensor to warn you if you're overbrushing and let you know when the brush needs replacing. We're not keen on the size or design of the carry case, but this brush gives a very thorough clean, while the battery lasts for ages.
6. Oral-B Genius 9000: Last year's top smart toothbrush is still a great buy
Price: £120 | Buy now from Amazon | Buy brush heads now from Amazon
If you're willing to spend money like this on a toothbrush, you can expect something pretty special. Fortunately, the Oral-B Genius 9000 delivers.
For starters, it gives a really thorough clean. We particularly like the 3D White brush head with its plastic polishing cup, and the FlossAction head that's designed to give a deep clean between teeth. The handle gives a choice of six brush modes and warns when you're using too much pressure. It uses a lithium-ion battery, which you can charge at your convenience, and lasted for 31 brushes on a single charge.
The Genius 9000 connects via Bluetooth to your phone, giving real-time brushing feedback, an activity diary and gentle chastisement when you miss a brush or finish early. It can even use the phone's camera to make sure you're brushing each area sufficiently. It's quite entertaining and educational, although we suspect the novelty will wear off.
If phone connectivity is less important to you than looks, you're in luck: the Genius 9000 comes in a palette of different colours. If your toothbrush simply has to match your phone, or you're just keen to avoid picking up the wrong brush in the morning, you can choose from black, white, silver, rose gold and – the most recent addition – "orchid purple". Helpfully, the box includes a suction-based phone holder, four brush heads and a sleek travel case that doubles as a charger. This uses a two-pin adapter, and while the integrated USB socket is for charging other devices, you can't charge the toothbrush via USB. If you're not fussed about the smartphone features, you can save a little cash by opting for the cheaper Genius 8000, but Oral-B's high-tech brush is outstanding.
Read our Oral-B Genius 9000 review
Key specs – Cleaning modes: 6; Battery type: Li-ion; Accessories included: Four brush heads, brush head holder, charger, travel case with integrated charger; Battery life (tested): 62mins; Warranty: Two years
7. Philips DiamondClean Smart: The best high-end electric toothbrush
Price: £210 | Buy now from Amazon | Buy brush heads now from Amazon
This is one of the most expensive toothbrushes we've ever tested, but it has oodles of features including lots of brushing and cleaning modes, as well as brush head types. And it's one of the best toothbrushes we've come across for removing plaque. It also has – and this will be the big pull for many – smartphone compatibility, connecting with the Philips Sonicare app, which offers personalised and detailed brushing guidance and tips, including the ability to set goals (whiter teeth, for example) and track progress.
The sensor technology can also tell you if you're using too much motion or pressure and it comes with a USB travel case (good for going on holiday) and an inductive-charging glass (which you can also use to rinse) – although, frustratingly, it takes nearly 15 hours to fully charge. A fabulous brush for 21st century living, but if you don't plan to use the app to improve your dental hygiene, it's probably not worth the money.
8. Oral-B Genius X: The Top Smart Toothbrush of the Future
Price: £130 – £207 | Buy now from Amazon | Buy brush heads now from Amazon
Electric toothbrushes that give you feedback via Bluetooth are nothing new, but the Oral-B Genius X goes one better. It has embedded sensors that work with an app to give you detailed live data about which areas of your mouth you have neglected. The app shows the different sections of the mouth turning blue-to-white to show when you've brushed them for long enough, and afterwards, it uses the data to score your brushing and show you how you can do better.
Like Oral-B's previous flagship brush, the Genius 9000, the Genius X also offers multiple brushing modes and gum pressure detection, with the 360-degree smart ring glowing red when you apply too much. Meanwhile, the bundled charger doesn't just charge your toothbrush but your phone via USB. It's a pricey toothbrush – though it is now turning up in sales – but make the most of the app and it takes the whole smart toothbrush concept to another level.
Key specs–Cleaning modes:6;Battery type:Li-ion;Accessories included:USB travel case with integrated charger;Battery life:Two weeks;Warranty:Two years
9. Philips Sonicare for Kids: Best toothbrush for children
Price: £39 | Buy now from Amazon | Buy brush heads now from Amazon
Getting kids to clean their teeth well is rarely easy, but a decent electric brush can help and this one will make it fun, too. The interactive Bluetooth app puts the character Sparkly, who loves nothing more than cleaning his teeth, at the centre of the action on your device. Not only can kids mimic Sparkly cleaning his teeth in real-time, focusing on different sections of the mouth, but they can gain rewards including food, accessories and new skills for him by cleaning as they should and for the required two minutes.
Even if you don't use the app, it's a hit with kids thanks to the replaceable stickers and the built-in timer and jingle. It is durable, lasts well and has a good battery life. A great way to transform your children's teeth-cleaning.
10. Oral-B Teen White: The best electric toothbrush for teens and older kids
Price: £38 | Buy now from Amazon | Buy brush heads now from Amazon
Oral-B's teen-focused toothbrush packs a lot of technology into a £38 brush, including Bluetooth connectivity and support for Oral-B's smartphone app, making this one of the cheapest Bluetooth brushes in town. It also has a pressure control indicator on the handle to help avoid overzealous brushing, a two-minute timer and a battery light that lets you know when the lithium-ion cell is nearly out of charge. With a two-week lifespan, this shouldn't be much of an issue.
Oral-B's idea of must-have teen features covers little more than a pattern on the handle and a special brush designed to work around braces. However, it is a little slimmer than some of Oral-B's mid-range brushes. In terms of cleaning power, it's a close match, leaving the teeth silky smooth and feeling clean. The only slight disappointment is the lack of anything bar a spare head and charger in the box. It's a good, affordable brush for its target audience, then, and a tempting proposition even if you're not a teen.
- Oral-B Pro 2 2500
- Oral-B Genius X
- Sonicare DiamondClean Smart
- Oral-B Pro 600
If you're looking for the best electric toothbrush check out our list below, which recommends brushes by category, and gives a 'best overall' choice, the Pro 2 2500.
We're one of the only sites out there dedicated to buying in the latest electric toothbrushes, thoroughly testing and reviewing them, and then making recommendations based on this ongoing experience. You can find out more about us in this video.
Every month we reconsider and update our recommendations based on any new brushes we've tested, and any new research completed. We last updated the post in January 2020.
The most recent brushes we have looked at are the Oral-B Genius X, which is now the top Oral-B brush, and the Colgate ProClinincal 250R.
The article is broken up into four main components:
- A quick list of our best picks
- A video overview
- Our best picks explained
- Our buyer's guide
| Best Overall Oral-B Pro 2 2500
|view on amazon →
| Best Sonicare Sonicare DiamondClean Smart
|view on amazon →
| Best Oral-B Oral-B Genius X
|view on amazon →
| Best Budget Oral-B Pro 600
|view on amazon →
Our Best Electric Toothbrush 2020 Choices
In the sections below you can read a little more about each brush and the reason we have chosen it as the best in its category.
1. Oral-B Pro 2 2500
Best overall
The perfect brush, it ticks all the boxes for us.
The slim handle is comfortable in hand and easy to grip onto.
2 cleaning modes offer different power settings, suiting the needs of different users. Both clean the teeth well thanks to the small round, oscillating-rotating brush head provided.
The built-in timer and pacer, help you clean all your teeth evenly, and for the recommended 2 minutes.
There is a 2 week battery life between charges and it comes complete with a travel case for a very reasonable price.
|Oral-B Pro 2 2500
|8,846 Reviews
|£79.99 £36.87
|View on Amazon
Read our Oral-B Pro 2 2500 Review
2. Sonicare DiamondClean Smart
Best if money isn't an issue
Best Sonicare
If money is no object then this is the toothbrush to go for. It's the best Sonicare electric toothbrush and the best in terms of performance, in our opinion.
Innovation is packed into this brush, to offer really useful features. The toothbrush reminds you when the brush head needs to be replaced. The handle even sets the most appropriate cleaning mode for the type of brush head fitted.
Location sensors and Bluetooth connectivity feedback real-time data to the smartphone application, so that you can see on screen which teeth to brush and which require more attention.
A premium travel case is provided, complete with a USB cable for in-case charging.
The DiamondClean Smart is a refined toothbrush offering a premium brushing experience.
|Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Smart
|107 Reviews
|£229.59 £225.99
|View on Amazon
Read our Sonicare DiamondClean Smart Review
3. Oral-B Genius X
Best Oral-B Electric Toothbrush
This is the Oral-B equivalent to the DiamondClean Smart.
For us, the companion app for the DiamondClean Smart is a bit better, but it comes with a much higher price tag. In a comparison between the two, the Genius X is our overall recommendation.
The Genius X has multiple cleaning modes, a built-in timer to help you brush for the right amount of time, and a pressure sensor that should stop you from doing damage to the teeth and gums.
It comes with a premium travel case, that allows the brush to be charged inside. A great option for those always on the move.
In terms of technical performance, this is the best Oral-B brush out there, but such features don't come cheap. The Pro 2 2500 is our overall choice because it is better value, if you forgo some of the extras.
|Oral-B Genius X
|223 Reviews
|£339.99 £169.99
|View on Amazon
Read our Oral-B Genius X review.
4. Oral-B Pro 600
Best budget electric toothbrush
The Oral-B Pro 600 is a simple, no-nonsense easy to use electric toothbrush.
With a small round brush head, it is easy to move around the mouth and cleans the teeth really well.
You do get a 2 minute timer and pacer built-in. These help you brush for the right amount of time.
The built-in rechargeable battery does only last 7 days, which is a bit disappointing. However, for a very reasonable price you get a quality product from a trusted brand.
|Oral-B Pro 600
|4,176 Reviews
|£49.99 £23.95
|View on Amazon
Read our Oral-B Pro 600 Review
Electric Toothbrush Buyer's Guide
Having given our answers above, what follows below is a condensed version of our electric toothbrush buyer's guide.
We've tried to provide the information we think you'll find most useful, without getting too bogged down in detail.
If you would like even more detail, you can view our full length buyer's guide here.
Explaining our choice for 'best overall'
At the top of this page, we've given our recommendations for the best electric toothbrush.
Part of the difficulty in answering the question is figuring out exactly what people mean by 'best'; do they mean the best once all factors have been considered, or the best in terms of technology and performance?
Generally we think people would like to know which electric toothbrush is the best without having to spend a lot. We aim to get a balance between the features on the toothbrush and the cost. We've therefore chosen the Pro 2 2500 as the best, because:
- It's not that expensive
- It comes with a pressure sensor
- It comes with a quad-pacer
- It comes with a travel case
- It has great battery life
The pressure sensor, timer and quad-pacer are features we consider worth paying for and they aren't always included with slightly cheaper brushes. We give our thoughts on other features and how important they are in the next section.
For those that want truly the best in terms of performance (and if money isn't an issue), we'd recommend the Genius X or the DiamondClean Smart, which also happen to be the best Oral-B electric toothbrush and best Sonicare electric toothbrush respectively.
They do offer extra cleaning modes and smart technology, but that comes with a price and for some people it will be overkill.
The Pro 2 2500 helps ensure you achieve a thorough clean, removing as much plaque as possible. The built-in timer and pacer encourage you to brush for the right amount of time, evenly across the mouth. The pressure sensor alerts you if you are brushing too hard, which is a cause of gum recession.
How important are other features and factors?
In the following section, we include our own insight on the other questions you may have when shopping for an electric toothbrush. This is compiled having extensively tested the range of brushes available in the UK.
To make things nice and clear we have labelled each with what we consider to be of high, medium and low importance.
How important is a timer?
High Importance
We cannot stress the importance of a timer enough.
Dentists, hygienists, governing and medical bodies around the world are on the whole in unison that brushing your teeth twice a day for 2 minutes is incredibly important.
When brushing your teeth, it is all too easy to get distracted, misjudge time and think you have been brushing for longer than you really have.
Therefore, a brush with a built-in timer encourages you to brush for the right amount of time. It lets you know when the 2 minutes are up. Then and only then, should you stop brushing.
Our number 1 recommended brush, the Pro 2 2500, includes a timer.
How important is a quad pacer?
High Importance
A quadpacer is a very useful addition and can seriously impact how well you clean all the teeth in your mouth.
During a standard 2 minute clean, a quadpacer will alert you when 30 seconds has passed.
You have 4 periods of 30 seconds within the average 2 minute cleaning cycle.
Imagine breaking your mouth up into 4 sections.
In section 1 you have your upper right teeth, section 2 your upper left, section 3 your lower right and section 4 your lower left.
The idea is that you spend 30 seconds cleaning each section.
As you get the alert, you move to the next section.
By the end of the 2 minute clean, you should have cleaned all 4 sections and given an even clean to all of the teeth in your mouth.
Our number 1 recommended brush, the Pro 2 2500, includes a quadpacer.
How important is a pressure sensor?
Medium Importance
Certainly a nice to have, we believe it is an underrated feature and particularly useful to first time user.
A common cause of gum recession is as a result of brushing too hard. Bristles of the brush need only skim the surface of the teeth and gums.
Where you have gum recession, brushing too hard will also wear away the outermost surface of the tooth, causing what dentists call abrasion. Abrasion itself can cause sensitivity to hot and cold.
You may be used to scrubbing with a manual toothbrush, but doing so with an electric toothbrush will do more harm than good.
Scrubbing harder is not an effective way to remove plaque and debris from the teeth. You and many others may not have known this, because you have never been told or shown how to brush correctly.
The pressure sensor alerts you via a change in brushing sensation, sound or light that you are brushing too hard.
It is a gentle reminder to use a little less force and help you maintain a healthy smile.
Our number 1 recommended brush, the Pro 2 2500, includes a pressure sensor. We also list other brushes in our post Which Electric Toothbrushes Have A Pressure Sensor?
How important is price?
Medium Importance
Price is not all that important. Our primary recommendation, the Pro 2 2500, is not that expensive compared to other brushes.
Just because a brush is more expensive, it does not mean it is necessarily any better at cleaning your teeth.
More important is regular brushing, with the correct technique for the right amount of time. Get these things right and even a £3 manual toothbrush will do a good job, but there are of course many more benefits to using an electric one.
How important is battery life?
Medium Importance
Battery life need not be a big part of your buying decision.
Over recent years performance and usage time of batteries have gotten better. Most brushes are on par with each other, with an average of around 2 weeks use between charges.
Typically the cheaper the brush the less battery life it offers but this isn't always the case.
If you do need a particularly long battery life, Philips Sonicare tend to be the best for this. The chart below shows the brushes with the best battery life (click to enlarge).
How important is the cost of replacement brush heads?
Medium Importance
The cost of replacement heads can affect the long term ownership cost, so this may be something you wish to factor into your decision. Typically Oral-B brush heads are cheaper than Sonicare.
It's recommended that you replace your brush head every 3 months, so if you follow that advice you'll need 4 brush heads a year.
Official brush heads typically cost anywhere from about £3.50-£8 per brush head. This can be a lot of money when they will only be thrown away 3 months later, but you can save money by buying when there's a deal on or by buying in bulk.
In most instances you have the choice of opting for a third party brush head. There may not be the same range of choice and the quality may be slightly inferior, but there are some great options at very good prices for both Sonicare and Oral-B.
Do be aware of fakes/counterfeit brush heads which pose as genuine but are often not the real deal. If the price is too good to be true, it probably is.
Is it useful to get a brush with a travel case included?
Medium Importance
Even if you are not a regular traveller, having a case makes it much easier to transport the toothbrush and the brush heads in.
When in the case, the likelihood of damage — particularly to the bristles on the brush head — is reduced. There is also less chance of the brush accidentally being switched on. Any excess moisture and toothpaste in the heads remains in the case and not on anything else that might be in your bag; nobody likes toothpaste stains on their clothes!
There are even certain models that come with travel cases that enable the brush to be charged from within the case — no need to mount on a charging stand. Ideal for regular travellers.
We've recommended the Pro 2 2500 as our number one choice, which does include a case.
If you're not bothered about a case, you could go for the Pro 2 2000 which is just the same as the Pro 2 2500 but isn't supplied with a travel case.
How important is a gum cleaning mode?
Medium Importance
This is not a mode that everyone needs, but if you are in the early stages of gum disease or experience sensitivity in the gums when brushing, you may find this mode helpful to ensure the gums become more tolerant to brushing and generally healthier.
Gum cleaning mode is lower powered than the standard cleaning mode and moves the brush head less aggressively, but in a way that cleans and encourages blood flow in the gums.
Having the mode available can act as a good reminder to brush the gums occasionally.
How important is sensitive cleaning mode?
Medium Importance
Like gum cleaning mode, this is not a mode that everyone needs.
The motor tends to move more slowly for a gentle but still effective bristle movement over the teeth and gums.
It can be helpful if you have tender teeth and gums, and is particularly useful for those with gum disease or going through dental surgery.
How important is a whitening mode?
Low Importance
Certainly not a mode that is needed, whitening mode is normally just added time as part of the cleaning cycle, which allows for extra attention to be paid to those most noticeable front teeth.
If you are particularly conscious about that perfect white smile, the changes in the bristle movement help buff the tooth surface to give it a shine.
That being said, you should achieve similar results just from brushing your teeth properly twice a day with a regular cleaning mode.
How important is a tongue cleaning mode?
Low Importance
Remembering to clean your tongue in an important part of oral hygiene, but a dedicated mode for it is of low-importance in the scheme of brush features — it's not worth spending extra money on.
The tongue is home to lots of bacteria and is often one of the major causes behind bad breath.
Cleaning the tongue after brushing, simply by dragging the brush head across it several times can really help freshen the mouth up and for some be a cure to bad breath.
A tongue cleaning mode is just a shorter and lower-powered mode that is more convenient than others available on the brush.
How important is brush head shape and size?
Low Importance
If used correctly, all electric toothbrushes will deliver a more effective clean than a manual brush.
It has been shown that small round brush heads such as those found on Oral-B toothbrushes can have a positive improvement on your oral health. However, the differences are not so significant that a smaller brush head is essential.
You need to consider your mouth, for some a smaller brush head is important to reach certain parts of the mouth.
More important than brush head size is adopting the right brushing technique.
How useful are the smart features in the likes of the Genius X and DiamondClean Smart?
Low Importance
Smart features on offer today can be very useful, but they are far from essential and come at a premium price tag.
If used properly, smart features such as real-time tracking in the Genius X and DiamondClean Smart can train you to become better at cleaning your teeth and improve your oral healthcare routine.
They can also add a certain convenience to the way in which we use and interact with the brush.
Sonicare's BrushSync brush head replacement reminder system is a great example of how technology can be used very effectively — it reminds you exactly when you need to replace the brush head. This is a luxury, though, and only worth paying for if you're shopping without a budget.
Is it worth having Bluetooth?
Low Importance
It is not essential and we would not encourage you to spend a lot more to get a brush with Bluetooth technology.
You need to invest a little time to get the most from Bluetooth and that may include changing habits of a lifetime.
In-built Bluetooth technology can send data about your brushing back to your smartphone. This data can then be used to help improve your brushing habits.
However this does involve you making use of it and fitting it into your routine, so consider whether this is likely to happen before you spend extra cash on it.
Pre-purchase considerations
Further to the above FAQ, as part of our extensive hands-on testing of brushes we've tried to answer any of the questions you may have before and after buying.
Browse the sections below for more information, and feel free to ask a question in the comments if there's anything we've missed.
What are the benefits of an electric toothbrush?
The following are the key benefits to owning an electric toothbrush:
- Consistent power delivery for a dentist-like clean
- Can remove up to 100% more plaque than a manual brush
- Reduces tooth decay and improves gum health
- Can help to eliminate bad breath
- Timers and pacers to encourage a 2 minute clean
- Various cleaning modes
- Differing styles of brush head to achieve different results
- Fading bristles remind you when to change your brush head
- Relatively low lifetime cost
- Can improve your oral hygiene routine
Read more: Benefits Of An Electric Toothbrush
Is an electric toothbrush worth the investment?
The increased efficiency with which they clean, the convenience they offer and the way in which they encourage you to brush for the right amount of time can certainly pay off.
Whilst there is an initial purchase price, this is offset over time as you could have fewer or cheaper dental bills, not to mention healthier teeth and gums.
Purchasing at a reasonable price helps to ensure the investment pays off. Our primary recommendation, the Pro 2 2500 is a great example of this — it includes the 'core' features we recommend having, but doesn't pile on unnecessary extras.
Read more: Benefits Of An Electric Toothbrush
The short answer is yes, electric is better than manual toothbrush when it comes to effectively cleaning your teeth.
We will be the first to say a manual brush is adequate for daily teeth cleaning, but the clinical studies and trials show how an electric brush is better.
The most important thing is that you brush your teeth with the right technique, for two minutes twice a day.
Read more: Electric Toothbrush Vs Manual
Do electric toothbrushes damage teeth?
When used correctly, an electric toothbrush does not damage the teeth or gums.
Read more: Do Electric Toothbrushes Damage Teeth?
Do electric toothbrushes cause gum recession?
No, the toothbrush itself does not cause gum recession.
It can exaggerate or accelerate recession, but this is as a result of user (human) error rather than the action of the brush.
Read more: Do Electric Toothbrush Cause Gum Recession
Do electric toothbrushes whiten teeth?
Yes, they can help whiten teeth.
However, no brush can whiten teeth beyond their natural whiteness.
The regularity with which you clean, your diet, lifestyle and toothpaste can all have a bearing.
Read more: Do Electric Toothbrushes Whiten Teeth?
How long do electric toothbrushes last?
The average life span is 3-5 years.
Manufacturers normally offer a 2 year warranty should the brush fail sooner.
Many brushes will last a lot longer and we know of many people still using toothbrushes that are 10 years old.
Although almost one in ten (9.7 percent) said they had shared a toothbrush (Oral Health Foundation, 2014) it is not advised.
Bristles of the brush head can harbour bacteria and germs that can have a negative consequence on your health when shared.
The interchangeable brush heads of an electric toothbrush make sharing a brush handle easier and possible.
In fact we are advocates of sharing the handle (not the brush head) as it is a great way to keep ownership costs down and get extra value from your toothbrush.
Read more: A guide to sharing an electric toothbrush
Can electric toothbrushes get wet?
With few exceptions electric toothbrushes are designed in such a way that they can be rinsed under a tap for cleaning, wiped with a cloth and exposed to water.
The vulnerable electronics are sealed inside the brush handle with measures in place to stop water from getting in.
Different manufacturers have different advice and guidance on using in the shower, for example. At no point should the brush be submerged in water.
Read more: Can Electric Toothbrush Get Wet
Other pre-purchase topics
- Oral-B 30 Day Money Back Guarantee
- Colgate 30 Day Money Back Guarantee
- Oral-B Bluetooth Connectivity Explained
- Oral-B Wireless SmartGuide Explained
- Oral-B Go Pro Toothbrushes Explained
- Oral-B Sound Connectivity Explained
- Electric Toothbrushes With Timers
- Which Electric Toothbrushes Have a Pressure Sensor?
- Do Electric Toothbrushes Remove More Plaque?
- Which Electric Toothbrushes Have Bluetooth?
- How Do Silicone & Rubber Toothbrushes Compare To A Normal Toothbrush?
Useful post-purchase information
As well as helping you before you buy a toothbrush, we'd also like to help you with any questions you may have once you do own one.
Below are some of the topics we get asked about the most, as well as issues we've run into ourselves:
- Oral-B Warranty: How It Works & What It Covers
- Philips Sonicare Warranty / Guarantee: How It Works & What It Covers
- Colgate Warranty / Guarantee: How It Works & What It Covers
- Oral-B Cleaning Modes Explained
- Sonicare Brushing Modes Explained
- Oral-B Coloured Rings: What Are They For?
- 2 Pin Plugs & Adapters for Toothbrushes Explained
- Charging An Electric Toothbrush
- Using An Electric Toothbrush Abroad
- Recycling An Electric Toothbrush
- Oral-B Electric Toothbrush Parts & Spares
- Philips Sonicare Electric Toothbrush Parts & Spares
- Toothbrush Holders & Storage Compartments
- Toothbrush Travel Cases
Fun & Interesting Toothbrush Topics
To really get to know electric toothbrushes inside-out, we've also written about some other topics that aren't necessarily part of the buying decision, but have still captivated us nonetheless.
- The History Of The Electric Toothbrush
- How Does An Electric Toothbrush Work?
- History Of Oral-B
- Electric Toothbrush Myths & Misconceptions
- Mouthpiece Toothbrushes Explained
- How A Toothbrush Is Made
Electric Toothbrush Reviews
We've reviewed nearly all of the electric toothbrushes available in the UK.
We've listed some of our most popular reviews below, or you can use the search box if there's a particular review you are looking for.
You can also view a list of all of our electric toothbrush reviews here.
Electric Toothbrush Comparisons
As well as reviewing brushes, we also compare similar brushes side by side.
Below you can find some of our most popular comparisons, or you can view our complete list of electric toothbrush comparisons here.
- Oral-B Genius 8000 vs 9000 vs 8900
- Oral-B Pro 2 2000 vs Pro 2 2500
- Oral-B Genius X vs DiamondClean Smart
- Oral-B Genius 9000 vs DiamondClean Smart
- Oral-B Pro 6500 vs Genius 9000
- Sonicare DiamondClean vs DiamondClean Smart
Are you still using a manual toothbrush? You really should reconsider. The best electric toothbrushes are way more effective when it comes to reducing plaque, freshening breath and they're better for whitening by a considerable margin.
Electric toothbrushes are an essential not a luxury, in my opinion. Like moving from doing the washing up to owning a dishwasher, once you switch, you never want to go back.
I'm not amazingly judicious about cleaning my teeth, I hardly ever go to the dentist, nor is my diet exemplary, yet I've had no cavities or other dental issues since starting to use electric brushes 10 years ago. That must prove something, right?
The best electric toothbrushes to consider are coming right up but those seeking some background may want to leap to our 'what you need to know' e-brush guide.
- Complete your bathroom tech selection
- Get the best toothpaste
- Best electric shaver for smoothies
- Best beard trimmer for beardies
What is the best electric toothbrush?
Assuming you want a really good clean and are willing to pay a little more for it, what brush should you choose?
Philips long-standing Sonicare electric toothbrush range-topper, Sonicare DiamondClean is outrageously good. The RRP was originally buttock-clenchingly expensive, but it's generally now to be found around £130.
If you prefer a rotary action, Oral B's Genius 9000 is fantastic, although again I really didn't think much of the app-enabled 'smart' brushing that gives it its 'Genius' monicker. 'Genius' shoppers might want to consider the 8000, a brush that is all but identical to the 9000 (there's one less brushing mode) but usually a handy bit cheaper.
A cheaper, more recent Sonicare brush that's well worth considering is Philips Sonicare 6100 ProtectiveClean. Arguably it's the best electric toothbrush at the moment on a scientific scale of cost-to-effectiveness, but I prefer the older DiamondClean's longer battery life and better build quality.
The best electric toothbrushes to buy, in order
1. Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Sonic
Best electric toothbrush
Reasons to buy
+Excellent cleaning+Quite sexy for a toothbrush
Reasons to avoid
-Cumbersome glass charger
This slightly older, still excellent Sonicare sheds any of those largely pointless 'smart' elements found in newer brushes and cleans (literally) brilliantly. Having now been using the same one for nearly three years, I can also vouch for its longevity.
This was always an excellent electric toothbrush, which justified its premium price thanks to the quality of its cleaning and the elegance of its design. Nowadays it's nearly always to be found for around £100-£150 – still not cheap as such but far more affordable than when at launch.
This particular model sometimes comes with a wireless charger in the shape of a drinking glass, for your bathroom. I personally prefer the more traditional stand chargers, but the glass is quite attractive. There's also the option of a USB travel case for on-the-move storage and charging.
With five cleaning modes and the power of sonic waves, it feels great and gives really superb results. The DiamondClean also has a better battery life than any other brush I've tried and seems to continue to hold charge well after years of use.
This DiamondClean is perhaps not quite as good overall as the more recent, more expensive DiamondClean Smart, but it doesn't muddy the waters with a pointless app, and its lower price makes it a better bet for all but the truly minted.
Read the full review: Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Sonic
2. Oral-B Genius 9000
Best Oral-B rotary electric toothbrush
+Excellent cleaning+Comes with four brush heads -The 'smart' app is all but useless
Due to the eccentric way toothbrushes are discounted, this can now frequently be had for the same price or lower than Oral B's last flagship brush the 7000 Series (down at #5). No, we don't understand it either.
This offers cleaning performance comparable to the Sonicare ProtectiveClean and DiamondClean brushes, but with a rotary motion rather than the Philips' sonic buzzing. We prefer the mouth feel of the Philips, and find the Oral B is more prone to getting clagged up with a delightful mixture of saliva and toothpaste than its rival, but the choice is yours.
The USP of this at launch was that it uses an advanced smartphone app that actually watches you brush via the phone's camera, and tells you when you've cleaned each quarter of your mouth, and where you're going wrong – pressing too hard and such.
This is a complete waste of time in my opinion – you have to stick your phone to the bathroom mirror, then stand still in exactly the right spot… and still it frequently thinks you're brushing the top row of teeth when you're actually on the bottom, which ultimately makes you severely question its 'smartness'.
However, with a generous four brush heads included, all for different types of cleaning and whitening, multiple cleaning modes including a tongue cleaner and generally excellent performance, you can safely ignore the 'smart' stuff and still have a superb, if you will, 'oral experience'.
Battery life is noticeably poorer than the premium Philips brushes though, so keep that charger to hand…
• Also worth considering. The Oral-B Genius 8000 has almost all the cool functions of the 9000 for, in theory at least, less money. Because of the way brushes are endlessly being discounted, it may actually be more expensive, so pick your moment carefully.
- Best bathroom scales: body monitors to summon your summer beach body… or just to check your weight
3. Philips Sonicare 6100 ProtectiveClean
Best cheaper electric toothbrush you can get, pound for pound
+Excellent cleaning+Quite sexy for a toothbrush -Expensive 'smart' heads are recommended
By all accounts, Oral-B's rotary brushes outsell Philips' vibrating, 'sonic' ones quite comfortably, but I prefer the Sonicare range as the brushes tend to feel better in the hand, and look better. There's also something about the design that means they need less cleaning – Oral-B brushes always seem to rapidly form a layer of dried toothpaste around the base of the brush head that is decidedly uncool.
Cleaning performance is excellent on both systems, however. I have no quibble with Oral-B on that front.
This Philips brush offers the current best blend of features and price in the Sonicare range. It doesn't pile on too many pointless cleaning modes – just the self explanatory 'clean' and 'white' plus a 'gum care' mode that might be useful if you have problems in that area (I never use it, admittedly).
There's also a choice of three intensity settings, a timer that buzzes after you have spent long enough on each quarter of your mouth.
Like all these brushes this one will reduce intensity if it senses you are pressing too hard – this can damage gums and even, supposedly, your teeth.
A new feature is BrushSync. This has one slightly dubious function: it modifies the intensity and mode used according to the type of 'smart' brush head attached (Philips makes a number of options). This supposedly optimises brushing.
Now, I'm sure this is very clever but it's hard to say whether it improves cleaning at all. You can use this brush with older, non-'smart' Sonicare brush heads, if you wish.
More handily, BrushSync also lets you know when to replace the head. Although given how pricey the heads can be, perhaps you'd rather not know.
For everything from cleaning performance to style to mouth-feel, this is a great electric toothbrush, and finally knowing when you should change your head – as opposed to just leaving it on until it's gone green and moulted – is the icing on the cake. Even if it does mean you end up spending more on heads, your mouth will thank you for it.
• Also worth considering: Philips' next model down, Sonicare 5100 ProtectiveClean lacks only the BrushSync 'optimisation', which I'm a bit dubious about anyway, and has only one intensity setting. It's otherwise identical to the 6100, so if you can live without those two features and the price is right…
3. Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Smart Sonic
Sonicare range topper offers premium brushing at a premium price
+Great cleaning+Sexy styling+Easy power control -Iffy 'smart' features
This is possibly the very best brush you can buy, but it does tend to be pricey as hell as a result. Part of the reason for that, I assume, is the inclusion, as with the Genius 9000 and 8000 above, of a smartphone app and 'smart' features that supposedly analyse your brushing. Again, I just don't feel like this is accurate enough to be worth bothering with – it often doesn't register you're doing any brushing at all, when you are, and can also fail to correctly detect which part of your mouth you're currently cleaning.
That doesn't necessarily matter, as you can just ignore the app entirely and use the old-fashioned approach of just brushing your teeth. As with all these, it buzzes if you're pressing too hard, and lets you know when to move on to the next 'quadrant' of your mouth. Actually, arguably the greatest innovation here is that the timer on this Sonicare divides your mouth into six 'zones' rather than four. That is a big improvement if your attention span is as short as mine.
The Smart Sonic has 3 power/speed levels and five cleaning settings and does a really fantastic job of plaque removal, day-to-day cleaning, and whitening. You can even get a model of this that comes with an ultra-violet chamber to sterilise your brush heads.
5. Oral-B Pro 7000 Black SmartSeries
Older Oral-B flagship, now going cheap (er)
+Great cleaning+Handy timer and visual guide -App could be more useful-Gets mucky too easily
Another very fine electric toothbrush that's worth its high price – although obviously, NEVER pay RRP for it when you can usually get it for less than half that. The Oral-B Pro 7000 Black SmartSeries is not a sexy bit of design, but your mouth will still thank you for buying it.
The little timer that comes with the 7000 is, ironically, more useful than the high-tech phone app that the 9000 (above) employs. Not only does it tell you when you've done each quadrant of your mouth, it also smiles and winks at you when you brush for the full two minutes that dentists recommend.
Bluetooth means you can use a more primitive version of the Oral B app as well, letting you track your brushing history. I have literally no idea why you'd want to look back and see how long you cleaned your teeth for on any given day, but hey, it's a free country.
Read the full review: Oral-B Pro 7000 Black SmartSeries
6. Oral B Pro 6500 SmartSeries
Very slightly downscaled version of Oral B Pro 7000
+Same excellent cleaning as the Pro 7000 -No pressure sensor, though
This shares most of the attributes of the excellent Pro 7000, above. As such it gives an excellent clean for several years, comes with 4 brush heads – which is very reasonable indeed given the cost of replacement ones – and has a number of modes which you may or may not find useful.
I just use the 'clean' and occasionally the handy 'tongue clean' mode, to be honest. I've not detected much whitening effect from the 'whitening' mode, though some users may find the 'sensitive' one handy.
As with the 7000, you get a little screen with a timer, a four-part schematic of your mouth and a cartoon face, which becomes increasingly smiley, the longer you brush. You can also see your 'brushing stats' via a smartphone app and Bluetooth, although I do feel like something's probably gone wrong with your life if you want to spend time doing that.
All this seems to lack from the 7000 is the 'deep clean' mode – which is not a problem. And, despite what the promo photograph above suggests, no, you do not get two toothbrushes for your money here.
My only issue is that, like all rotary toothbrushes, this one does tend to get a bit mucky over time. A mixture of saliva and toothpaste runs down the side of the brush head and forms what I can only 'clag'.
7. Emmi Dental
Admittedly hideous German electric toothbrush cleans up a treat
+Good cleaning performance+Interesting interdental head -Requires 'special' toothpaste-Ugly and cheap looking
A curious product that looks cheap and awful, but makes some big claims about its tooth and gum cleaning prowess. We can't necessarily verify those claims, but it does seem to work well. Its looks and fact that it claims to require special toothpaste do count against it a tad, however.
Presumably, you can use any toothpaste with the Emmi Dental really, but they insist in their literature that you must use Emmi Dental own-brand paste, so that is worth bearing in mind.
Read the full review: Emmi Dental
8. Colgate ProClinical A1500
Now way cheaper than at launch, this electric toothbrush is over complicated but worth considering.
+Good quality at a discount+Decent cleaning -Mega noise and vibration-Variable speed seems pointless
The Colgate ProClinical A1500 is scarily noisy and, with its different speeds depending on which way up you hold it, arguably over-complicated. On the other hand, for around £60 it's not a bad electric toothbrush and its cleaning performance is good, once you get used to its quirks.
Read the full review: Colgate ProClinical A1500
Electric toothbrushes: what you need to know
Rule one of electric toothbrush buying club: never pay full price for an electric toothbrush. With discounting rampant in the powered oral hygiene market, our general advice is always to shop around, or wait for the brush you want to inevitably plunge to half its RRP or less.
The best advice here is look at our price widgets and see what's cheapest on any given day. Oral-B in particular has models called Smart Series 4000 to Smart Series 7000 that are all incredibly similar – they just come with different accessories, and the cheapest ones lack certain modes like 'Deep Clean' and 'Tongue Clean', but then, do you really need your tongue cleaned, or a mode that's blatantly aimed at people who only brush once every few days, ie: skanks? Maybe not.
I tested brushes from Philips and Oral-B – the two top brands by miles – then added a few token selections from other brands just for politeness. These are all top or near-top of the range model in most cases. As a result, most of them aren't cheap, but then I refer you back to RULE ONE at the top of this guide.
Testing was done via general use over a period of weeks and months. I ate food, drank coffee, even had the occasional social cigarette. I didn't deliberately subject my teeth to anything unusual, I just, you know, lived normally and brushed my teeth once or twice per day.
I also did some testing with disclosing tablets to try to get a slightly more scientific view of how well each brush cleaned.
In that particular test, I found Philips' brushes and Oral-B's Genius 9000 SmartSeries performed best, with the Emmi Dental giving very similar results and the Panasonic and Colgate ones (perhaps not coincidentally the cheapest brushes) being the worst. That's not to say either of them was bad, however. They're decent value for money.
With electric brushes, you don't scrub at your teeth and gums. In fact that can be bad news, dentally speaking. All you need to do is press the brush lightly to your gob, hold it in place and manipulate gently, then move on to your next tooth.
Most of these brushes signal after every 30 seconds of brushing; the idea being that you spend 30 seconds on each quarter of your mouth, giving a dentist-recommended two minutes in total.
Although replacement brush heads may seem overpriced, in fact, they do last a long time. A pack of four should last most people for nine months or so, and you could probably eke it out to a year, if you're a skank.
What's arguably more an issue is the availability of said brush heads and Philips and Oral-B win out here as well. We've only ever seen Panasonic and Emmi Dental heads online, and please note that the latter brand also requires you to buy a specific brand of premium-priced toothpaste for it to work properly. Which seems a bit cheeky, to be honest.
We found things to like about all of these eight electric toothbrushes and depending on your requirements. There can only be one winner though, and by a the breadth of dental floss, it's Philips' slightly older range topper.
The newer 'smart' brushes from Philips and Oral B claim to track your brushing, using sensors or the camera on your phone, but I found they didn't deliver on this promise. However, if you ignore the tracking and smart functions entirely they are still hugely effective at cleaning teeth.
The very kid-friendly Oral-B Pro 7000 is best if you have children (although not toddlers; keep them on a manual brush).
• Jump back to the electric toothbrush top 8
- Liked this? Check out our guide to the teeth whiteners
- Today's best electric toothbrush deals