Best Electric Toothbrush

Whether you are buying an electric toothbrush for the first time or looking for an upgrade, we have you covered. A good toothbrush can be the difference between a quick and easy dentist visit or a more complicated session. We have researched and tested to find the best electric toothbrushes on the market to help simplify your choice.

Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 4100 Rechargeable Electric Toothbrush (Black)

This Sonicare electric toothbrush is quite possibly the perfect brush for most people. It combines powerful cleaning with 31,000 movement per minute, an ergonomic design, and excellent battery life.

Pros

• Best-in-test cleaning performance
• Pleasure to use
• Excellent battery life
• Stylish design
• Many different brush heads are available

Cons

• Replacement brush heads can be expensive
• Mode switching can be confusing

The Review
Our pick for the best overall electric toothbrush is the Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 4100. It combines powerful cleaning with a comfortable, ergonomic design that is relatively affordable. It has all the features you need in an electric toothbrush.

The Sonicare ProtectiveClean toothbrush’s sonic technology gives it the power to clean your teeth very well. Its high-speed vibrations provide up to 31,000 brush strokes per minute, for exceptional cleaning. In our tests, it removed more plaque than any other brush.
It is also suitable for use with braces, fillings, crowns, and veneers, helping to prevent cavities and improve gum health.

The Sonicare ProtectiveClean toothbrush comes with other great features that make it a great electric toothbrush. It comes with an Optimal Plaque Control brush head that has high-quality bristles, providing gentle brushing while removing lots of plaque. The brush head replacement reminder is another useful feature that tracks how long the brush head has been used and alerts the user when it is time to replace it.

This toothbrush comes with an Easy Start feature, which gradually increases the power of the brush to help you get used to the Sonicare experience. The Smartimer feature ensures that users brush for the recommended two minutes, and the QuadPacer feature breaks down each session into 4 30-second increments so you know to move from one part of your mouth to the next. It also has a pressure sensor that lets you know if you are brushing too hard.

It has excellent battery life with a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, and the battery charge indicator light lets users know when it is time to recharge.

One downside to owning a Sonicare is that the official brush heads can be expensive to replace, and you should replace yours every 3 months. If you buy in bulk and find sales, you can get lower-cost replacements.

Overall, we think that the Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean toothbrush is a great option for anyone who wants an electric toothbrush to take better care of their teeth and gums.

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Oral-B Pro 1000 Electric Toothbrush, Black, Rechargeable Power Toothbrush with 1 Brush Head

For simple, powerful cleaning, take a look at the Oral-B Pro 1000. This brush is durable, combining vibrations with oscillations to clean between and around teeth for that after-the-dentist feeling.

Pros

• Powerful cleaning action
• Good value
• Lots of brush head options
• Solid build quality

Cons

• A bit loud
• The battery may not last as long as other brushes

The Review
Another standout in our tests with great cleaning performance at a good price is the Oral-B Pro 1000. It features 3D cleaning that both oscillates and pulsates giving you that after-the-dentist clean feeling.

You can count on The Oral-B Pro 1000 for its effectiveness in cleaning teeth and reducing plaque. Your teeth will definitely feel much cleaner than with a manual toothbrush. The pressure sensor can help to prevent gum damage, and it comes with a 2-minute timer and quad pacer to help you brush for the recommended time.

The Pro 1000 features a pressure sensor that stops the pulsation movement if you brush too hard, helping to protect your gums. The in-handle timer ensures that you brush for the recommended two minutes, pulsing every 30 seconds to let you know when to switch areas of the mouth.

The included CrossAction brush head is designed to rotate to break up and sweep away plaque, and the toothbrush has just one mode, Daily Clean, so it is very simple to operate. When it comes to replacements, it is compatible with the Oral-B lineup, including CrossAction, 3D White, Sensitive Clean, Precision Clean, FlossAction, Deep Sweep, Ortho, and Dual Clean.

One downside to this Oral-B is that it is relatively loud and may take time to get used to using. The battery life may not be as good as other brushes, but it should still last at least 2 weeks between charges.

We believe that the Oral-B Pro 1000 Electric Toothbrush is a reliable and solid choice for anyone who wants a good electric toothbrush. It is easy to use and cleans effectively.

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Oral-B Genius 8000 Electric Toothbrush, Black, Rechargeable Power Toothbrush with 3 Brush Heads and Travel Case

If you want a great smart electric toothbrush, then the Oral-B Genius 8000 delivers. This brush features an app with Position Detection that can help you learn to clean your teeth better.

Pros

• Includes an app with Position Detection technology
• Comes in stylish colour options
• Powerful 3D cleaning action
• Customizable smart ring with pressure detection
• 6 cleaning modes
• Comes with 3 different brush heads

Cons

• Somewhat expensive
• The battery could last longer

The Review
If you are looking for a brush that cleans well and has smart features that can take your cleaning to the next level, then take a look at the Oral-B Genius 8000. This high-tech brush can actually teach you better oral health habits.

One of the key features of the Oral-B Genius 8000 is a free app for your smartphone that includes advanced Position Detection technology. This feature allows you to see where you’re brushing and adjust your technique to make sure you never miss a zone. This technology is seamlessly connected to the Oral-B smartphone app via Bluetooth, which provides you with real-time feedback about your brushing habits.

The app also provides time coaching, ensuring that you brush for the recommended 2 minutes, and includes a pressure alert to protect your gums from over-brushing. It includes 6 different cleaning modes to let you choose the one that is most comfortable.

The 360 SmartRing with LED lights allows you to personalize your brushing experience with 12 colours while delivering visual feedback on your brushing pressure, brushing time, and selected mode. The SmartRing illuminates, pulsations slow, and then stop if you brush too hard. The brush handle can also be set to the Sensitive mode for extra protection.

The Oral-B Genius 8000 electric toothbrush features a round head that surrounds and cups each tooth with dynamic oscillating, rotating, and pulsating movements to remove much more plaque than a regular manual toothbrush. The round head is specially designed for a tooth-by-tooth clean, and its criss-cross bristles are set at a 16-degree angle to reach deep between teeth to lift and power away more plaque.

The Oral-B Genius 8000 toothbrush also features a Lithium Ion battery and a smart travel case that’s designed to charge both your toothbrush and smartphone using only one outlet. It delivers long-lasting, consistently powerful cleaning action for up to 12 days between charges.

The Oral-B Genius 8000 Rechargeable Electric Toothbrush is an exceptional piece of technology that offers superior cleaning and advanced features.

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Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Smart 9350 Rechargeable Electric Toothbrush (White)

For a premium brushing experience, you will love the Philips Sonicare DiamondClean. This brush comes with an elegant charging cup and travel case while providing powerful cleaning.

Pros

• Excellent cleaning performance
• Personalized brushing experience
• Comes with a stylish charging cup
• Charging travel case included
• Luxurious design
• Long battery life

Cons

• Expensive
• Brush heads are a bit pricey

The Review
If you’re looking for the best premium toothbrush for complete oral care, look no further than the Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Smart. With its advanced technology and premium features, this toothbrush is designed to provide you with exceptional dental hygiene.

The most notable technical feature of the DiamondClean Smart is its Smart Sensor technology. This innovative feature provides personalized feedback and coaching via a smartphone app to help you achieve optimal oral hygiene. With this toothbrush, you can track your brushing habits, monitor your progress, and receive reminders when it’s time to replace your brush head. The app also includes a TouchUp feature that alerts you if you missed a spot while brushing, ensuring a thorough clean every time.

Another impressive feature of the DiamondClean Smart is its 4 modes and 3 intensity settings. With these options, you can customize your brushing experience to meet your individual needs. Whether you want an invigorating deep clean, gentle gum care or just a reminder to brush for the recommended two minutes, this toothbrush has you covered. The DiamondClean Smart also comes with two premium brush heads: the C3 Premium Plaque Control brush head and the G3 Premium Gum Care brush head.

Not only does it have excellent features, but it comes with a few nice accessories. You get a USB charging travel case that is excellent if you are on the go. It also includes a unique charging class which adds a touch of class.

While some users have noted that the DiamondClean Smart is on the pricier side, its advanced features and exceptional performance make it well worth the investment.

If you’re serious about achieving optimal oral hygiene, the Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Smart Toothbrush is the best choice for you.

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Philips One by Sonicare Rechargeable Toothbrush, Green, HY1200/08

If you travel, you will love the Philips One compact electric toothbrush. It is stylish with a matching travel case while still proving great cleaning with 13,000 movements per minute.

Pros

• Lightweight and compact for travel
• Carrying case is easy to store
• Long-lasting battery
• Good value
• Stylish colours available

Cons

• Only works with Philips One brush heads
• Not as powerful as other Sonicare toothbrushes

The Review
The Philips One by Sonicare Rechargeable Toothbrush is a great choice for anyone looking for an electric toothbrush that is compact, easy to use, and great for travel.

One of the most notable technical features of this toothbrush is its micro-vibrations and tapered bristles. Up to 13,000 micro-vibrations per minute help to polish teeth for a brighter, whiter smile. The toothbrush also comes with a 2-minute timer with 30-second notifications, making it easy to keep track of how long you have been brushing.

This compact toothbrush also comes with a sleek travel case, making it easy to take with you wherever you go. The case is durable, compact and lightweight, making it a perfect travel companion. The brush heads also match the colourful handle for a super sleek look. The toothbrush is also made with recyclable materials, making it an eco-friendly choice.

In addition, the Philips One comes with a USB charger, which makes it easy to charge your toothbrush while you’re on the go. You can charge it from your laptop, phone charger or any other USB outlet.

This compact toothbrush is not as powerful as the other Sonicare brushes on our list, but it should still clean much better than a manual toothbrush. Another small issue is that you have to purchase Philips One brush heads, so it isn’t compatible with the wider range of Sonicare brush heads.

If you are looking for a great electric toothbrush to travel with, we recommend the Philips One for its compact size and great battery life.

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Electric toothbrush buying guide

Whether you are new to the world of electric toothbrushes, or you are just looking to upgrade your old one, our buying guide will give you all the information you need to make the right choice.

Electric toothbrushes vs. regular

First of all, if you are upgrading from a regular toothbrush to an electric toothbrush, there are some things to be aware of.

A regular toothbrush uses bristles and toothpaste to push away debris and clean your teeth. You are manually moving the brush around your mouth and should do this for 2 minutes at least twice a day. But no matter how well you brush with your manual brush, you will never match the efficiency of a good electric toothbrush.

An electric toothbrush uses a motor to vibrate or oscillate a brush head, usually more than 30,000 times per minute. When you brush with an electric brush, you let it do the work as you guide it from tooth to tooth. After you finish, your teeth should feel like you just left the dentist’s office.

The difference between manual and electric brushes has been scientifically proven, and most reputable companies will say that a good electric brush will clean 7-10x better than any manual brush. In our own experience, we have seen a huge difference in plaque tests between using a regular brush versus a high-quality Oral-B or Sonicare brush.

Electric toothbrushes are also a great solution for anyone with arthritis or disabilities who may find it difficult to operate a manual brush effectively. Honestly, after you use an electric brush, it is hard to go back to manual brushing.

Types of electric toothbrushes

Before you choose a toothbrush, you should know the different kinds of electric toothbrushes there are to choose from and the advantages and disadvantages of each.

Rotating

Many people think that Oral-B brushes rotate, but they do not. They oscillate quickly back and forth. True rotating toothbrush heads are found in dentist offices but rarely in homes. Rotating bristles can wear away the enamel and gums if not used properly, and we wouldn’t recommend one for your home.

Oscillating

The more common type of brush is one with an oscillating head. Most Oral-B brand brushes have round heads that move quickly (about 10,000 times per minute) 45 degrees back and forth. This oscillating scrubs your teeth clean safely and evenly. Most Oral-B brushes combine these oscillations with faster vibrations or pulsations for deeper cleaning.

Sonic

The most common electric toothbrushes are referred to as sonic brushes. This is because they vibrate at over 20,000 movements per minute. Some people think that the sound of the brush vibrating actually cleans the teeth, but this is not true. It is the vibrating bristles themselves that do the work to release debris from your teeth. A quality sonic brush will clean your teeth very well.

Dual head/triple head/Y-brush/U-brush

Some companies have what look like gimmick brushes to save you time. One of these is a dual head brush which promises to brush your teeth twice as fast. They also have triple-head brushes and even Y or U-shaped brushes that you put into your mouth, promising clean teeth in 30 seconds. In our research, we have found that none of these do a very good job of actually cleaning, so it is better to stick with the more traditional types.

Ultrasonic

A small niche of electric toothbrushes includes ultrasonic brushes that vibrate at least 2 million times per minute and may move even faster. The movements are so small that you don’t even know the brush is doing anything, but the theory is that the ultrasonic pulses actually remove plaque and debris without even touching your teeth. The results based on research are mixed, and these brushes are usually very expensive.

Ionic

Another new wave of toothbrushing is ionic brushes. These have an ionic charge that promises to pull plaque from your teeth like a magnet attracting iron. Again, reviews and studies of these brushes are mixed, so we wouldn’t spend our money on one until there is more data.

How to choose the best electric toothbrush?

So which brush is right for you? There are lots of features to choose from, and we will help guide you through them.

Cleaning performance

The most important feature of any toothbrush is how well it actually cleans your teeth. In our tests, we used plaque pills to see which brushes removed the most plaque in a single cleaning. While the results were mixed, time and time again we saw that higher-quality, name-brand brushes cleaned very well, while the knock-off cheaper brushes did not. With that said, the highest-end brushes from the biggest brands do not really clean any better than less expensive brushes that have the same oscillations or vibrations.

Brush heads

Once you buy an electric toothbrush, you will be spending money every 3 months or so to replace the old brush head. In our tests, we found this absolutely necessary—our 3-month-old brush head was removing hardly any plaque compared with a brand-new brush head. If you have sensitive teeth, most makers will offer a sensitive version of their brush head, and if you have braces, then you may need a special brush for cleaning. You may also see “whitening” brushes, but in our tests, we saw no major difference in cleaning between the different brush heads.

Battery life

A decent electric toothbrush with a lithium-ion battery should give you a minimum of 2 weeks between charges. You want to avoid NiCad brushes as these do not last as long. Look for a toothbrush with a decent battery indicator that tells you when it is about to run out. It is really frustrating to be brushing only to have the brush die in the middle of a session.

Noise levels

Another consideration is loudness. In general, Oral-B brushes are the loudest ones on the market, so if you are sensitive to noise, then a decent sonic brush might be a better option for you. We like a toothbrush that is below 65dB, so we don’t wake up our roommates at night.

Brushing timer

Any modern electric toothbrush will come with a 2-minute timer to let you know when you have brushed long enough. Most of these break up the session into 4 30-second chunks and this is called a “quad pacer.” The brush will usually vibrate or stop to let you know that it is time to move from one quadrant of your mouth to the next.

Smart toothbrushes may let you choose how long you want to brush and some allow you to add time to your sessions for a deeper clean.

Pressure sensor

Another nice feature you will see on better brushes is a pressure sensor. The idea here is that over-brushing has been shown to accelerate gum recession, so electric brush manufacturers like Philips and Oral-B have implemented pressure sensors that alert you with a light and a drop in power if you are brushing too hard. These are especially helpful for those moving from a manual brush to an electric brush.

Brushing modes

Most electric toothbrushes will advertise how many modes they have. A big difference between a cheaper brush and an expensive one will be 1 mode vs. 6 modes. However, in our experience, these modes do not necessarily clean your teeth better. We recommend 2 modes or intensities: a regular daily mode and a sensitive mode just in case you need a gentler cleaning. Other modes like whitening and gum care are not useful in our opinion.

Smart functionality

If you like technology, then there is no shortage of it in the electric toothbrush market. Several makers have high-end brushes that come equipped with Bluetooth and connect to a downloadable app via your phone.

We found most of these to be more of a gimmick than useful. One exception is for new users learning how to brush. The better apps will check your progress and show you where you aren’t brushing enough, and these coaching sessions can be helpful to improve your brushing routine.

Handle type

Because the handle is the main interface between you and your brush, you want it to be comfortable and secure. The best thing to do before buying is to actually go to a shop and check out a floor model to see which brush feels right to you. We prefer good grips with buttons that are well-positioned that have a nice click to them.

Accessories

Another feature that can be useful is a travel case. Check to see if the brush you are buying comes with a decent travel case or travel bag if you want to take your brush with you when you go on vacations or work trips.

Conclusion

The most important thing an electric toothbrush should do is to get your teeth as clean as possible between dentist visits so you can avoid cavities. A quality electric toothbrush will do a better job of this than a manual brush. We have given you the tools, so you can find the best brush for your oral health routine.

For us, it comes down to Sonicare vs. Oral-B and most of the other brushes are not worth buying. We like Sonicare because of the comfortable, quieter brushing sessions; but many people swear by the power of Oral-B’s oscillating brush heads. It is really about your personal preference.