A healthy set of gnashers is 100% more popular than black teeth and root canal surgery. However, it’s difficult to choose the best electric toothbrush when the adverts bombard you with pseudo-science and marketing-speak. Rest assured, we’ve done our homework to help you pick the toothbrush that’s right for you.
All the models here will get your teeth squeaky clean but they vary widely in terms of brushing style, 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 a simple model that gets the job done? We’ve got them all covered, so read on to find your ideal model.
The best electric toothbrushes to buy
1. Oral-B Genius 9000: The best electric toothbrush bar none
Price when reviewed:£139
If you’re willing to spend £140 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 there’s too much pressure. Unlike other Oral-B toothbrushes, this one uses a Li-ion battery, so you can charge it at your convenience. It lasted for 31 brushes on a single charge.
It connects via Bluetooth to your phone, giving real-time feedback of brushing, an activity diary and gentle chastisement when you miss a brush or finish too early. It can even use the phone’s camera to make sure you’re brushing each area sufficiently. It’s quite entertaining and educational but we suspect the novelty will wear off.
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; the integrated USB socket is for charging other devices, but you can’t charge the toothbrush via USB. That’s our only complaint in an otherwise outstanding electric toothbrush.
| Key specs: 6 cleaning modes; Li-ion battery; comes with 4 brush heads, brush head holder, charger, travel case with integrated charger |
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2. Oral-B SmartSeries Black 6500: The most feature-packed toothbrush
Price when reviewed:£95
This was Oral-B’s flagship electric toothbrush until the Genius 9000 came along, and it still has plenty to offer. The cleaning experience is top-notch, with a choice of rotating brush-head designs that make teeth feel really smooth and clean, and a warning indicator when there’s too much pressure. We got 31 brushes from a single charge, but the Ni-MH battery may not perform as well as the Genius 9000’s lithium-ion battery in the long run.
There’s lots of kit in the box, including four brush heads, a plain-looking travel case, a brush-head holder and a wireless SmartGuide module. This little waterproof unit sits on the bathroom shelf to provide a timer that advises you to brush each corner of the mouth for 30 seconds. At the end it rewards you with a smiley face. Connect to a smartphone via Bluetooth and you get all this and more, including brushing tips, usage history and a news feed – but not the face-tracking mode found in the Genius 9000. Then again, the Wireless SmartGuide is probably more practical than bringing your phone into the bathroom twice a day.
It’s not quite as luxurious as the Oral-B Genius 9000, but it’s not as crazy expensive either, especially as a two-handle pack for £115.
| Key specs: 6 cleaning modes; Ni-MH battery; comes with 4 brush heads, brush head holder, wireless SmartGuide, travel case, charger |
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3. Philips Sonicare DiamondClean HX9331/04: The best design, at a price
Price when reviewed:£115
Philips’ top-of-the-range electric toothbrush has a suggested price of £270, but even at £115 from Amazon it’s an expensive product. Replacement heads are relatively pricey, too, at £4 each. It looks like a premium product, with a snazzy travel case that can be charged via USB, and a glass tumbler that replaces the usual induction charger stand. Battery life is excellent, at 60 brushes in our tests.
Vibrating at 250Hz — that’s 500 brushes per second — some people may find the Sonicare system too tickly, but it makes teeth feel really clean without having to apply much pressure. The various extra brushing modes — white, polish, gum care, sensitive — are less convincing. The White mode is reminiscent of a hammer drill function, albeit thankfully less abrasive. I just stuck with Clean mode.
Essentially, then, you’re paying a lot for the elegant design and convenient charging options, but if that’s what you want, the DiamondClean won’t disappoint.
| Key specs: 5 cleaning modes; Li-ion battery; comes with 1 brush head, head cap, glass charger, travel case with integrated charger |
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4. Philips Sonicare EasyClean HX6511/50: The best-value toothbrush
Price when reviewed:£40
This is the entry-level model in Philips’ Sonicare range, but you still get the same high-speed 500 brushes per second as per pricier models. It’s a strange sensation, but clearly effective, and teeth feel clean and smooth after brushing. The battery lasted for an astonishing 114 brushes between charges, although this was tested over a short period of time — 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. Because it has a lithium-ion battery, you can charge at any time rather than having to wait until it’s fully depleted before charging.
There’s only one brush head included, and sadly no travel case. You could pick up a case separately for around £15, but it won’t necessarily be a snug fit. That may be enough reason to reject this toothbrush. If you’re not put off by this, the Philips Sonicare EasyClean is a superb electric toothbrush at a great price.
| Key specs: 1 cleaning mode; Li-ion battery; comes with 1 brush head, head cap, charger |
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5. Oral B Pro 2500: Great value, but not the best
Price when reviewed:£33
This keenly priced electric toothbrush is compatible with Oral-B’s CrossAction brush heads, so you can choose from the standard, 3D White, Sensitive, Precision and FlossAction heads. It includes a pressure sensor, and a red light warns when you’re pressing too hard. Rotating at 78Hz, it’s not as fast as the Philips Sonicare’s 250Hz motor, but the round brush heads do a great job of encircling teeth and getting into the gaps.
It feels sturdy and well made, but the small opening halfway up Oral-B’s brush heads is liable to getting clogged up with gunk. A simple travel case is included in the box.
The Pro 2500’s biggest drawback is its battery, which lasted for 20 brushes and didn’t give any prior warning before running out of charge. Charging took 18 hours. The battery is Ni-MH rather than lithium-ion, so needs to be fully depleted before charging to avoid losing capacity.
| Key specs: 2 cleaning modes; Ni-MH battery; comes with 1 brush head, travel case, charger |
Oral-B Pro 2500 Electric Rechargeable Toothbrush Powered by Braun - Black (Packaging May Vary)
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Buyer's guide: Everything you need to know
The point of having a toothbrush is to keep your teeth clean. If you’re choosing one to keep you entertained or to impress your friends, I’m afraid we can’t help you. A smart design is welcome, but it’s more important to some people more than others — we’ll leave you to be the judge.
The most important issue is how well they brush. Oral-B and Philips are the market leaders, and we found that there’s no significant difference in the overall quality of the brushing experience. They’re quite different, though, with Philips using tiny, extremely fast vibrations that feel like they’re rattling food, stains and plaque off your teeth. Oral-B uses a slightly slower, larger movement, and the toothbrush head rotates rather than vibrates. Both systems do an excellent job and they’re more effective than manual brushing, especially for hard-to-reach areas where there’s not much room for manoeuvre.
More upmarket toothbrushes include various extra modes such as whitening, gum care and sensitive, but most of these only vary the motor speed a little. We don’t see these as must-have features. On balance, we prefer Oral-B’s approach, particularly with its array of brush-head types, but it’s a subjective rather than scientific analysis.
It also matters whether your toothbrush is ready to use when you need it. It’s no use if the battery runs out regularly and without warning. lithium-ion batteries are generally better than Ni-MH as they can be charged at any time without reducing the charge capacity. A travel case is handy, especially if the toothbrush can be charged in the case using a USB cable — it’s one fewer charger to carry.
Electric toothbrushes encourage you to have good brushing habits, letting you know when you’ve completed two minutes of brushing. The Oral-B models also warn you when you’re pressing too hard and risking damage to your gums. The Bluetooth-enabled models go much further, with companion apps that time your brushes, keep a diary of your activity, provide oral hygiene tips and snippets of news, and make you feel guilty for missing brushes, not flossing enough and so on. We enjoyed using this app, but the novelty wore off pretty quickly. Still, if it gets you into better habits, it may be worthwhile.