Best electric toothbrush: The best models to keep teeth clean
What’s the best electric toothbrush?
Manually brushing your teeth just doesn’t cut it: if you want to keep your teeth in the best condition possible, then you need to buy the best electric toothbrush for you. In this guide, we’ll help you do just that, with our run-down of the best brushes that are currently available, all of them properly tested for performance, sound and ease of use.
There are a lot of toothbrushes to choose from, and every electric toothbrush will be better than a manual one. However, spend a bit more and move up the scale, and you start to get better performance and more features, such as improved and varied brushing modes. You’ll also typically get more accessories, such as travel cases.
1. Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 6100
The best toothbrush overall
Pros:
- Excellent cleaning
- Smart brush heads set toothbrush settings automatically
- Very quiet
Cons:
- Cheap accessories
Why we liked the Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 6100
The Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 6100 is the top sonic electric toothbrush we’ve reviewed. It uses Philips’ smart brush-head technology, which detect the type of brush head you’ve attached, adjusting the brush body to the optimal settings. You can override these options, if you prefer, choosing between three intensity settings and three brush modes: clean, white and gum care.
Performance is excellent, with the Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 6100 operating at a maximum of 62,000 brush movements per minute. Using the bundled W2 Optimal White brush heads, the toothbrush removed all debris from our test teeth. Using it ourselves, we ended up with very clean-feeling teeth and a refreshed mouth. A timer with 30-second intervals and a pressure sensor makes it easy to get good coverage.
Inside the box you get a wireless charging dock, with a charge designed to last for up to two weeks. There’s a travel case, too, but it’s rather cheap and doesn’t have a built-in charger – which is a shame, given the Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 6100’s price. Nevertheless, this remains the best sonic toothbrush we’ve tested.
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2. Colgate Omron ProClinical 250+
An excellent budget sonic toothbrush
Pros:
- Great price
- Quiet operation
- Cleans well
Cons:
- Brush head a little soft
Why we liked the Colgate Omron ProClinical 250+
The Colgate Omron ProClinical 250+ proves that sonic electric toothbrushes don’t have to be expensive. Despite costing less than £50, it offers a wide range of features, plus it cleans well, too.
The clever design stands out immediately, with the Colgate Omron ProClinical 250+ having a clip-on travel cover that also prevents the power button from being depressed by accident. Colgate has also done a good job with the brush head, which has both a standard cleaning side and a silicone tongue cleaner on the reverse.
With 30,000 brush heads per minute, the Colgate Omron ProClinical 250+ isn’t the most powerful toothbrush around, plus we found its bristles a little soft. However, it coped well with our test teeth, cleaning out all food residue bar a couple of very tiny stains. Colgate has fitted a two-minute timer into the brush body, complete with 30-second interval timers. Charging is via the provided stand, with a single charge set to last up to two weeks.
Operating at just 61.6dB, this is one of the quietest toothbrushes we’ve tested. Given the price and cleaning ability, the Colgate Omron ProClinical 250+ is a great choice for those on a tight budget.
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3. Oral-B Genius 9000
The most powerful and flexible oscillating toothbrush
Pros:
- Excellent cleaning
- Lots of modes
- Wide choice of brush heads
Cons:
- Loud
- App tracking not very effective
Why we liked the Oral-B Genius 9000
The Oral-B Genius 9000 is the top-of-the-line oscillating toothbrush from the well-known electric toothbrush manufacturer. As well as offering standard brushing features, this model can hook up to your phone via Bluetooth using an app to help you brush better.
We found the app and the toothbrush’s location-tracking a little fiddly to use – but, fortunately, the quality of the overall set more than makes up for this. Oral-B provides several brush heads in the box, including a whitening head and one for sensitive teeth. Added to this are a huge number of cleaning modes, designed to take care of everything from a daily clean to more in-depth intensive modes.
Cleaning performance is excellent, with 10,500 rotations and 48,000 pulsations proving to be incredibly powerful. On our test teeth, all food debris was removed easily. Testing on ourselves, we found the Oral-B Genius 9000 to be very powerful. The downside is that the brush is quite loud at 82.4dB.
As well as a charging dock, you get a charging travel case so you can charge on the move. Battery life comes in at around two weeks. Overall, the Oral-B Genius 9000 is great value and the best oscillating toothbrush we’ve tested.
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4. Oral-B iO Series 9
The smartest and most powerful toothbrush
Pros:
- Quiet
- Powerful brushing action
- Neat LCD screen
Cons:
- Expensive
- Mouth tracking doesn’t work very well
Why we liked the Oral-B iO Series 9
With the Oral-B iO Series 9, the well-known toothbrush manufacturer has delivered new technology to improve the brushing experience. This model uses a frictionless magnetic drive to power the brush head, which delivers more power, more efficiently to the brush head.
It works, too. You can feel the power of the head against your teeth, although this model is still calmer and easier to get used to than Oral-B’s oscillating models. And, there’s one more advantage: the Series 9 is super quiet at just 62.8dB.
Oral-B has put loads of other features in, too, including an innovative LCD screen that shows the brushing mode you’re on (there are seven to choose from). You also get an app, with the Series 9 connecting via Bluetooth. This can help you set up the colour of the LED ring, tells you when the brush head has reached the end of its life, and it’s also designed to help you brush better.
Thanks to sensors in the brush, the Oral-B iO Series 9 is designed to tell which part of your mouth that you’re cleaning, so that the app can tell you if you’re missing areas. Sadly, the tracking isn’t that reliable in our experience.
The main downside of this model is the high asking price, with a recommended price of £499.99. It is the best brush you can buy, but this price may put many off; if you can get it cheaper, then go for it.
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5. Foreo ISSA 2
A smart toothbrush with the longest battery life
Pros:
- Long battery life
- Excellent design
- Long-lasting brush heads
- Quiet
Cons:
- Large brush heads can be hard to move around
- Brush heads fairly expensive
Why we liked the Foreo ISSA 2
Most electric toothbrushes look similar, but the Foreo ISSA 2 looks like it comes from the future. With its sleek silicone body and brush heads, this model is completely different to anything else we’ve tested.
As well as looking futuristic, the Foreo ISSA 2 offers pretty out of this world battery life, too: it’s claimed that you get up to one year’s use from a single charge. Certainly, we never had to charge the brush while using it. There are 16 intensity settings, but no visual clue as to which one’s selected, so you have to go by feel.
The brush we reviewed ships with a silicone sensitive brush head – which we found a little ineffective – and the standard cleaning head. The latter did well on our test teeth, pulling out all traces of food. Using it on ourselves, we found the brush a little large, and manoeuvering the Foreo ISSA 2 wasn’t that easy. As a sonic toothbrush, the Foreo ISSA 2 is very quiet: we measured it at just 62dB.
The big brush head won’t be for everyone, but if you want a cool-looking brush with plenty of battery life, the Foreo ISSA 2 is the model for you.
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5. Brush-Baby KidzSonic Electric Toothbrush 3-6 years
A great way to get kids excited about brushing their teeth
Pros:
- Fun disco lights
- Very quiet
- Great cleaning performance
Cons:
- Needs a double-press to turn on
Why we liked the Brush-Baby KidzSonic Electric Toothbrush 3-6 years
Getting kids interested in brushing their teeth is a battle, and one that the Brush-Baby KidzSonic Electric Toothbrush 3-6 years wins. Its colourful exterior and disco lights should make it a winner with most children – ours were certainly captivated by it.
Thoughtfully designed for younger children, the Brush-Baby KidzSonic Electric Toothbrush 3-6 years has a small brush head with soft bristles, making it easy for kids to use and hold. Operated by a single AAA battery, this sonic toothbrush should last six months before you have to replace the cell.
Testing on our adult test teeth, the Brush-Baby KidzSonic Electric Toothbrush 3-6 years did a great job. Operating at 18,000 strokes per minute, the toothbrush managed to pull out the majority of food, only leaving a tiny strand of spinach behind.
Our child tester found the brush easy to use, while the low operating volume of 52.5dB makes the toothbrush almost silent. A two-minute timer with 30-second intervals helps children clean evenly.
With the low price and great cleaning performance, the Brush-Baby KidzSonic Electric Toothbrush 3-6 years is a great brush for nippers.
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7. Oral-B Junior Electric Toothbrush For Children Aged 6+
A more grown-up model for slightly older kids
Pros:
- Powerful cleaning
- Battery warning light
- Easy to use
Cons:
- Quite loud
- Only one brush head provided
Why we liked the Oral-B Junior Electric Toothbrush For Children Aged 6+
As kids grow up and move away from their entry-level electric toothbrushes, they’ll need something a little more powerful and grown up; the Oral-B Junior Electric Toothbrush For Children Aged 6+ fits the bill perfectly. Available in purple and green, this model eschews fancy cartoon animals for something a little more grown-up.
The internal battery is charged by the provided wireless charging dock, with each charge set to last up to 10 days. A battery indicator displays when it’s time to charge, so you shouldn’t have this model go flat.
The Oral-B Junior Electric Toothbrush For Children Aged 6+ has 8800 rotations and 20,000 pulsations per minute, making it a step up from basic children’s toothbrushes. With the provided sensitive head, the toothbrush cleaned every trace of food from our test teeth. Our test children found the brush easy to use, particularly with the two-minute timer with 30-second intervals helping them tackle each quadrant of the mouth. The only downside is that this oscillating brush is a little loud at 78.4dB.That was our choice of the best electric toothbrushes, for more on how to buy the right model keep reading.
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Best Electric Toothbrush Round Up
- Best overall electric toothbrush: Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 6100
- Best budget electric toothbrush: Colgate Omron ProClinical 250+
- Best oscillating electric toothbrush: Oral-B Genius 9000
- Best smart electric toothbrush: Oral-B iO Series 9
- Best long-lasting electric toothbrush: Foreo ISSA 2
- Best young children’s electric toothbrush: Brush-Baby KidzSonic Electric Toothbrush 3-6 years
- Best children’s electric toothbrush: Oral-B Junior Electric Toothbrush For Children Aged 6+
How we pick the best electric toothbrushes
To find the best electric toothbrush we put all models through the same range of tests.
- We use our model test teeth, placing spinach and beetroot between the gaps. Using the brush and toothpaste we clean for two minutes, attempting to remove all food residue and signs of staining. If a toothbrush has 30-second interval timers, we use this as a pointer to move onto the next quadrant. At the end, we compare and view the results to see how much food residue has been removed.
- To test ease of use and cleaning quality, we use the toothbrush for a period of one week. This allows us to get used to the toothbrush, and gives models that slowly increase power enough time to get up to full speed. We examine our teeth before and after cleaning, and note down any issues.
- To test noise we use a sound meter positioned at ear level, with the toothbrush turned on and the head pressed against a tooth. This lets us accurately compare each model.
- Finally, we list the battery life as quoted by the manufacturer, noting any discrepancies. Remember, battery life can differ depending on how often you brush your teeth and the pressure you use.
Best electric toothbrush – Buying guide
Should I buy a sonic or an oscillating model?
In terms of cleaning performance, there’s little between sonic and oscillating models – and it really comes down to preference. Sonic toothbrushes vibrate at super-high speeds, cleaning with this high-speed movement. This level of movement is also designed to create powerful vibrations in fluids, such as toothpaste, pushing them into the gaps in your teeth. Sonic toothbrushes tend to be quieter, but the high vibration speed can be a little annoying for some.
Oscillating toothbrushes physical rotate and move the brush head. The head moves slower than that of a sonic toothbrush, but the rotating action helps dislodge plaque effectively; these brushes can feel powerful in the mouth. The downside tends to be that these brushes are a little louder than their sonic equivalents.
Is a timer essential?
A timer helps you brush your teeth for the correct amount of time: two minutes is recommended. Most electric toothbrushes also have 30-second interval timers, prompting you to move on to the next quadrant of your mouth for an even clean.
What cleaning modes should I look out for?
Cheap toothbrushes will have a single cleaning mode, but more expensive ones add in extra modes. If you have sensitive teeth then look for one with a suitable setting, or a toothbrush where you can control the power. A whitening mode is designed to be used with a compatible brush head for polishing your teeth and making them brighter. A gum mode dials down the power, so you can clean right up to your gums regularly. Finally, an in-depth clean mode will leave the brush on for longer, so you can give you teeth a thorough clean-up.
What about toothbrush heads
All toothbrushes ship with at least one standard brush head, but other options are available. Depending on your needs, a whitening brush may be useful, and a sensitive brush may be ideal if you have delicate teeth and it hurts to use a regular brush.
What else should I look out for?
If you travel often then a case is a good extra to have. Ideally, get one with a built-in charger, so you can plug your electric toothbrush in on the move and keep it topped up. All rechargeable toothbrushes should come with a charging dock with a standard two-pin connector on it.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
