Electric toothbrushes: a straightforward guide
We agree — there are way too many options and trying to decide can be a headache. We’ve done some of the work for you and listed the best electric toothbrushes from two of the most popular electric toothbrush makers (Sonicare and Oral-B), listing the two most important decision-making factors: price and features.
Before you review the list, you should have an idea of what you’re looking for. Having a strict budget will make your decision easier. Knowing whether you want Sonicare or Oral-B — they are quite different in style and mechanism — will narrow it down even more.
See below to help decide which of the two major brands you prefer:
Brush head style — circular (Oral-B) or oblong and more similar to a regular toothbrush (Sonicare)
Brush mechanism —
Sonicare’s sonic vibration: micro-brushes/vibrations that causes bristles to move side-to-side (click for video)
Oral-B’s oscillating action: oscillation/rotation that cause bristles to spin back and forth (click for video)
Oral-B’s iO action: oscillation/rotation PLUS micro-vibrations (click for video)
Sonicare (left) and Oral-B (right) brush heads
Once you decide on these features, you will know whether to look at Sonicare or Oral-B. Then you can consider the features below to narrow down your selection:
Timer — important if you need help brushing for a full two minutes
Pressure sensor — important if you have gum recession or your dentist has told you that you might be brushing too hard
Multiple modes or intensities — if gentle, whitening, or tongue-brushing modes (among others) sound like something you might want, make sure you choose a brush with multiple modes
Bluetooth capability — if you want to be able to visually review your brushing habits, get personalized feedback, or even coaching, then you should look for this option
Now, the list. For the purpose of keeping text to a minimum, keep in mind that each higher-level (more expensive) brush listed under each brand has the same features as the brush listed before it. Any features additional to those will be listed. There are many more options on the market than what is listed — what we’re including here are what we have determined as the top 2 to 3 options within every price range.
$10 - 50
Philips 1100 series ($20) — timer, 3x plaque removal
Philips Sonicare 4100 series ($40) — 7x plaque removal, 2 intensity settings
Oral-B Vitality FlossAction ($25) — rechargeable, timer, compatible with different brush heads
Oral-B Vitality Pro 1000 ($50) — 300% more plaque removal, pressure sensor
$50 - 150
Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 5100 ($90) — 3 modes (clean, white, gum care), travel case
Philips ExpertClean 7300 ($140) — 10x plaque removal, bluetooth connectivity provides personalized progress report via Sonicare app, BrushSynch automatically matches brushing mode to the type of brush head you connect
Oral-B iO Series 3 ($80) — iO action, 3 modes, 3 brush heads
Oral-B iO Series 5 ($100) — iO action, 5 modes, LED mode visualization, bluetooth/app
$150+
Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Smart ($180-210) — advanced Sonicare app (shows missed spots, guides to reduce scrubbing, etc.).
Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Smart 9500 ($250) — 5 modes, 3 intensities, tongue-brush head
Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Prestige 9900 ($330) — SensIQ (adapts pressure as you brush), all-in-one brush head
Oral-B iO Series 6 ($150) — iO action interactive display, hard travel case
Oral-B iO Series 7G ($200) — iO action, bluetooth/app (AI and 3D teeth-tracking), magnetic charger, soft travel case
Oral-B iO Series 8 ($250) — iO action, 6 modes, interactive color display, premium travel case
Oral-B iO Series 9 ($300) — iO action, 7 modes, Power2Go travel charging case
Congratulations! You’re one step closer to choosing your new electric toothbrush and improving your daily brushing efficiency (studies have proven that electric toothbrushes work better than manual brushes…more on this later).
Remember, though, that your electric toothbrush will only help you if you let it. Brush 2x every day for at least 2 minutes, floss nightly, and use a mouth rinse.
