The Best Electric Toothbrushes Determined By Meticulous Testing

While you can maintain good oral hygiene with a regular toothbrush, the best electric toothbrushes offer features like timers, pressure sensors and app compatibility to help you achieve optimal brushing habits and techniques—and motivate you to brush in the first place. After testing eight toothbrushes, I found that the best electric toothbrush overall is the Oral-B Pro 1000 Rechargeable Electric Toothbrush thanks to its blend of features and affordability. If you want a high-tech brush with more options for customized brushing, the Oral-B iO Series 7G Electric Toothbrush is the best smart electric toothbrush I tested.

After three weeks testing eight electric toothbrushes, here are the best for maintaining a stellar … [+] dental routine.

Illustration: Forbes / Images: Retailer

To find the best electric toothbrushes, I spoke with Dr. Ada Cooper, a National Spokesperson for the American Dental Association, and Dr. Sonya Krasilnikov of Dental House in New York. I read copious articles on retail and review sites, as well as in journals such as the Journal of Dental Research and International Journal of Dental Hygiene. Over a three-week period, I tested eight toothbrushes on my own teeth, in addition to subjecting them to various cleaning and usability tests.

Though many brushes are similar, there were a few others besides the winners that stood out. I found that the best electric toothbrush for sensitive gums is the Pro-Sys VarioSonic Rechargeable Electric Toothbrush. The Philips Sonicare 4100 Rechargeable Electric Toothbrush is the best electric toothbrush with an automatic timer shut-off if you struggle to brush for the full dentist-recommended two minutes.

The following is a list of all the winners from the testing process:

My Expertise

In my 12-year journalism career, I’ve researched and reported on makeup, personal fragrance and fashion, as well as on food, drinks and cooking for publications including The Cut, Elle, Marie-Claire, Food52, and Food & Wine.

For this piece, I spoke with Dr. Ada Cooper, a National Spokesperson for the American Dental Association, and Dr. Sonya Krasilnikov of Dental House in New York to learn what makes a great electric toothbrush and why someone might want one. I spent over three weeks with these eight toothbrushes, conducting daily tests and making notes on their effectiveness and usability.

How I Tested The Best Electric Toothbrushes

After extensive research, I narrowed the testing pool to only include rechargeable electric toothbrushes approved by the American Dental Association. From speaking with Dr. Cooper, I learned that the American Dental Association maintains a list of accepted toothbrushes. Scientists test these brushes to ensure they meet the rigorous standards set by the ADA’s Council on Scientific Affairs. (Note: I did test the hum by Colgate electric toothbrush even though it isn’t on this list because it was a new and noteworthy product that I wanted to compare to ADA-approved brushes).

The best electric toothbrushes will motivate consistent brushing, so I tested each brush in real life to see how well I could incorporate it into my daily oral hygiene routine. I used each of the eight brushes for two days in a row, morning and evening. After brushing, I made notes on ease of use, extra features, volume, timers and whether the pressure sensor helped with gum sensitivity.

I also performed some objective tests to compare how well each brush cleaned, including how well each toothbrush combatted plaque build-up. While I was concerned that these effects would only appear over a long time, Dr. Sonya Krasilnikov of Dental House in New York emphasized that a positive change in brushing habits can quickly make a difference. To test, I coated dentures in a mixture of flour, salt, and water to replicate plaque and sprayed them with Occlude Aerosol Articulation Marking Spray, a tool used by orthodontists, to make the “plaque” show up clearly. I then used each brush twice on the dentures and recorded how much it lightened the visible build-up on the dentures. In addition, I used Fresh Knight Plaque Disclosing Tablets on my teeth to track how well a brush removed plaque. (These tablets are a chewable dental tool that turns plaque purple to help kids learn about brushing techniques).

To observe how easy it was to use each toothbrush, I noted whether the controls and displays were intuitive, and how easy it was to change brush heads. While brushing, I assessed the ergonomics of each brush: how easy it was to hold, how heavy it was and how easy it was to maneuver. I also considered whether the bristles were comfortable to use.

I tested eight toothbrushes over three weeks, evaluating ease of use, features and value.

Helena Fitzgerald

Some brushes have extra features, and I tested all of these to gauge their effectiveness and usability. The majority of brushes offer two features– a timer and a pressure sensor. I looked for timers that made it effortless to keep brushing for the dentist-recommended two minutes each time. I looked out for alerts, including automatic shutoff and whether the brush nudged me to change quadrants. For pressure sensors, which alert you if you’re brushing too hard, I noted how effective alerts were and whether they were distinct from the timers.

For brushes that offered more advanced features, such as multiple brushing modes, different brush heads, app compatibility and the ability to pre-set timer and brushing mode preferences, I tested out each feature that each brush offered.

Finally, I looked at cleaning, battery life and portability, as well as considering warranty for each toothbrush.

Best Electric Toothbrush Overall

Just Enough Features At The Right Price

Amazon

Oral-B Pro 1000 Power Rechargeable Electric Toothbrush

Brush Head: Round rotating | Special Features: Timer, pressure sensor | Automatic Timer Shut-Off: No | Extras: USB charger cord, extra brush head | Battery Life: Two weeks from fully charged

Best for:

• Establishing a daily brushing routine
• The best combination of value and performance
• An ergonomic handle

Skip if:

• You’re looking for a brush with high-tech features

After extensively testing eight other electric toothbrushes over three weeks, I found that the Oral-B Pro 1000 Rechargeable Electric Toothbrush offers the best brushing experience for the price. This basic option doesn’t have as many gimmicks as a high-tech brush, but it struck the best balance between value and function. In fact, it performed just as well as other brushes twice or three times its price. It has a basic quadrant timer to make sure you’re cleaning all areas of your mouth, and a helpful pressure sensor to let you know if you’re brushing too hard. If you’re looking for an electric toothbrush to amp up your oral hygiene routine, the Oral-B Pro 1000 was one of the easiest to use—there are no brushing barriers here.

I reached for the Pro 1000 the most during testing. This brush offers only a few features, but the ones it offers are very effective and provide just enough guidance without being overwhelming. The Pro 1000 has a timer that alerts you to change quadrants of the mouth every thirty seconds while brushing and also lets you know when two minutes have elapsed. It also has a pressure sensor that stops the normal pulsations of the toothbrush when you brush too hard, though it’s more subtle than others I tested. Once I was used to how the Pro-1000 felt while brushing, it was an effective tool, and helped me to stop pressing too hard.

The Pro 1000’s singular brushing mode felt comfortable for sensitive gums yet rigorous enough for a deep clean. In both plaque tests, the Pro 1000 performed on a par or better than other pricier models. On my own teeth with the plaque tablet, it performed among the best, removing about 50% of the simulated plaque. Although this is an entirely subjective observation, my teeth felt cleaner after using this brush over several weeks compared to others.

This brush was also one of the easiest to use. It has a small, round rotating head with bristles of varied lengths that can get into the small spaces between teeth. And it’s ergonomic, too. It’s light enough to be portable, with a ridged back that keeps it from slipping in your hand during brushing. The Oral-B 1000 is also less noisy than comparable models, which makes it more enjoyable to use. Plus, cleaning and changing the brush heads is a breeze (it comes with one extra brush head).

The Oral-B Pro 1000 has a small, round rotating head to get into hard-to-reach places. It comes with … [+] a replacement head.

Helena Fitzgerald

This brush is also aesthetically appealing, which is an important consideration for something you’ll reach for twice a day. The glossy black finish and subtly textured back looks clean and minimal in a way that’s not only pleasing, but also nice to hold.The Oral-B Pro 1000 comes in black, white, pastel pink and light green. It doesn’t come with a travel case, but fits easily in an average-sized toiletry kit or bag for transport.

This brush is compatible with a wide-range of Oral-B brush heads, including those designed for the higher-end Genius line.That means that it’s possible to upgrade or customize this brush by ordering more specialized brush heads such as those for gum sensitivity. It comes with a brush head refill and a two-year warranty. Overall, this brush feels like it’s really working for your teeth, and it comes close to making daily brushing effortless (and pleasant).

Best Smart Electric Toothbrush

The Luxury Sports Car of Toothbrushes

Amazon

Oral-B iO Series 7G Electric Toothbrush

Brush Head: Round rotating | Special Features: Timer, pressure sensor, five different brushing modes, LCD display screen, app compatibility | | Automatic Timer Shut-Off: No | Extras: USB Charger cord and magnetic charging stand, two extra brush heads, magnetic travel pouch | Battery Life: Two weeks from fully charged

Best for:

• Customizing your brushing experience
• App compatability and special features

Skip if:

• You’re looking for a budget toothbrush
• You aren’t interested in high-tech special features

The Oral-B iO Series 7G Electric Toothbrush is the best smart toothbrush I tried and worth the price if you want a state of the art, high-tech toothbrush. It was the easiest smart toothbrush to use out of the ones I tested, and allows you to easily track your brushing for optimal cleaning.

Using the iO Series 7G toothbrush was a delight, and makes brushing feel like a luxury instead of a chore. I could imagine that this brush might have motivated me to keep up with dental hygiene in the past when I felt too busy to give time and attention to brushing well. The many customization options are intuitive, including the five brushing modes. Graphics on a small light-up screen on the front of the brush itself indicate each mode clearly. The timer is also easy to understand: it shows a frowny face that gradually turns into a smiley face as you approach, and then hit, the two minute mark. In addition to motivating me to brush, it was (along with the Oral-B Pro 1000) one of the brushes that made the most discernible difference in both the plaque detection tablet and denture tests.

Oral-B’s Bluetooth app is the best of any I tried. The brushing feedback is a genuinely useful tool. The app analyzes your brushing in real time, and lets you know what areas you tend to skip over, and where you tend to brush too hard. I found this feedback to be both fun and helpful, and I was able to put it to use. Brushing turned into a skill or sport in which I could improve. If you respond to this kind of gamification, you might find this feature will make the difference between good, regular brushing habits and not bothering to brush at all.

The Oral-B iO Series 7G electric toothbrush comes with two replacement brush heads, a separate case … [+] to hold them and a travel case.

Helena Fitzgerald

The app also allows you to pre-set brushing modes, and to turn the brush on and off remotely through the app. It also had pre-set functions for the timer. Overall, I found these presets less intuitive and superfluous compared to the brushing feedback features.

Aesthetics factored into my tests, since toothbrushes often sit out on a bathroom sink or counter. This brush scored by far the highest on aesthetics thanks to a sleek circular base and elegant, easy-to-clean matte black finish (it also comes in white). It looks and feels like a luxury sports car for your teeth.

The iO Series 7G comes with two replacement brush heads, and a separate case to hold them. There’s also a magnetized travel pouch, which is sleek and attractive. This brush was my favorite for easy packing and carrying thanks to its soft, lightweight material that helped it fit more easily into a bag. This brush comes with two replacement heads and a two-year warranty.

It’s worth pointing out that the iO Series 7G costs about five times as much as our best electric toothbrush overall, the Oral-B Pro 1000. However, if the app compatibility, extra features and aesthetics of this brush are what will motivate you to brush thoroughly every day, this is a great option.

Best Electric Toothbrush With Automatic Shut-Off

Two Full Minutes Of Brushing Guaranteed

Philips

Philips Sonicare 4100 Rechargeable Electric Toothbrush

Brush Head: Sonic, flat/oblong | Special Features: Timer, pressure sensor | Automatic Timer Shut-Off: No | Extras Included: Charging base and cord, hygienic travel cap | Battery Life: Two weeks from fully charged

Best for:

• Making sure to brush for the full two minutes
• Portability

Skip if:

• You want multiple brushing modes
• You have sensitive gums
• You want the quietest possible brush

If you want a brush with an automatic shut-off timer and a quadrant timer, go with the Philips Sonicare 4100 Rechargeable Electric Toothbrush. As someone who has historically struggled to brush for the full recommended two minutes, knowing that I didn’t have to keep track of that time myself with this brush made a surprisingly large difference in my routine. About half of the brushes I tested (the Oral-B Genius 8000 and 9600, the ProSys VarioSonic and the Goby) had an automatic shut-off set as a default, but the ProtectiveClean 4100 performed the best overall out of those that offered this feature.

The ProtectiveClean 4100’s brush head feels comfortable and effective. It’s a sonic brush head, meaning it’s oblong and flat instead of round. It has a variety of bristle lengths and shapes, which makes it surprisingly good at getting into hard to reach small spaces between teeth. It struck the best balance between being gentle and still rigorous enough to make my teeth feel refreshingly clean after brushing. This brush is also smaller and lighter than others I tried, which may make it better for travel. It comes with a two-year warranty.

This brush may not be the best for those with sensitive gums as the pressure sensor feature was difficult to ascertain. I struggled to tell the difference between the pressure sensor and timer alerts, since the two indications are very similar. This brush was also one of the loudest ones I tested. It was definitely audible through a closed bathroom door, and was comparable to the noise level of a small vacuum cleaner. That made it a little jarring to use first thing in the morning or late at night. Overall, however, it’s a great, easy option if your main goal (or biggest struggle) is to establish a consistent two-minute, twice-a-day brushing routine.

Best Electric Toothbrush For Sensitive Gums

Maximum Options For Maximum Softness

Amazon

Pro-Sys VarioSonic Electric Toothbrush

Brush Head: Sonic, flat/oblong | Special Features: Timer, five different brushing modes | Automatic Timer Shut-Off: No | Extras Included: Charging base and cord, travel case, five different brush heads | Battery Life: One month from fully charged

Best for:

• If you want a soft brush

Skip if:

• You prefer a smaller round brush head

The Pro-Sys VarioSonic Electric Toothbrush brush comes with five different brush heads, all of them various versions of “soft,” and has five different brushing modes. Sonic brush heads are flat and oblong instead of round and small. Sonic toothbrushes vibrate more quickly than rotating brushes, sweeping from side to side while vibrating instead of spinning in a circle. While neither sonic nor rotating brush heads are considered more effective by the dentists I spoke with, if you prefer the feel of a side-to-side vibration instead of a spinning brush head, you might prefer this brush. The multiple brushing modes and heads make it easy to adjust for the gentlest possible brushing experience, while still being effective at teeth cleaning.

All five brush heads included with the ProSys VarioSonic had the softest bristles of any brush heads I tested (the very softest option felt maybe too soft). As someone with sensitive gums, I found these multiple different brush heads and brushing modes to be even more helpful than a pressure sensor.

Other Electric Toothbrushes I Tested

I tested eight total toothbrushes in total, four of which didn’t make the cut.

Goby Electric Toothbrush: This toothbrush is very pretty and easy to use, but didn’t do as well as others in my plaque tests. It provides few special features or customization options compared to others. It’s more than twice as expensive as other basic models that performed much better, such as the Oral-B Pro 1000.

hum by Colgate Electric Toothbrush: The Hum is an interesting new product at a great price point that offers a Bluetooth-connected app, but it wasn’t easy to use. It has a too-small handle that was difficult to grip, uncomfortable brush head bristles and few customization options. It was the loudest brush I tested, and didn’t perform well on the plaque tests. It’s also the only brush I tested that isn’t ADA approved.

Oral-B Genius 9600: This high-end smart electric toothbrush is among the top tier of brushes that Oral-B offers. It comes with a lot of extras and cool features, but it’s also the most expensive brush I tested. The advanced technological aspects sometimes felt like they created a higher barrier to basic daily use; it wasn’t as easy to use as the iO Series 7G brush.

Oral-B Genius 8000: This brush also offers a lot of technological bells and whistles. Here, again, the numerous high-tech features created a less accessible experience than that of the comparable iO Series 7G. It performed well, but not better than much less expensive options.

How To Pick The Best Electric Toothbrush

A great electric toothbrush should let you get to all surfaces of each tooth without pressing too hard while brushing. The many options for electric toothbrushes can quickly become overwhelming to wade through. But as Dr. Ada Cooper told me, the best electric toothbrush is the one that will get you to brush consistently for two minutes twice a day.

While many of the other features available are worth considering, the choice ultimately comes down to which option will motivate you to establish a regular brushing routine. To help you make that decision, here are some of the most important criteria to consider.

Ease Of Use

Look for the brush that’s easiest for you to use. The best brush will be the one that you find most intuitive. Some may be motivated by a timer or an app to track brushing, while others may feel overwhelmed by the extra technology.

Comfortable Grip

Some brushes are more ergonomic than others, and you can consider their size, shape, weight and grip. Some brushes have rubberized or ridged areas on the back of the handle to make them easier to hold.

There are also significant size and weight differences between different models. While I found larger, heavier brushes to be easier to hold while brushing, you may find you prefer a smaller, lighter brush for easy transport.

Brush Head Shape

In general, electric toothbrushes come in two categories: those with round rotating brush heads, or those with flat, oblong sonic brush heads. The side-to-side sweep and faster vibrations of sonic brush head focuses more on an overall cleaning, while the smaller, spinning rotating head is geared toward getting into small spaces that are easy to miss. The round brush might get at the details more easily; the sonic head might cover more space with greater ease. The choice between the two comes down mostly to personal preference and which type of brush head and motion you think you would find more comfortable and helpful. As Dr. Krasilnikov told me, “neither one is scientifically better for brushing than the other.”

Special Features And Extras

When it comes to features, look for ones that will make you more likely to reach for the brush each morning and evening. Maybe that means you spend more for high-tech extras because they make you look forward to brushing, or maybe an automatic timer shut-off is your first priority because you know you’re unlikely to go the whole two minutes without an external control. Most brushes will include a timer and possibly a pressure sensor; most of the higher-end and more expensive models will include multiple brushing settings and app compatibility.

Value

The best value brush will be the one that motivates you to establish and keep up with a consistent brushing routine. If that means the luxurious extras offered by a $200 brush do that job for you, then that brush has the best value. But in general, if you just want to get started with better dental hygiene, a great electric toothbrush doesn’t have to cost more than $40 or $50. Consider which features are most important to you, and weigh those when you consider which brush will offer you the best value.

Which Electric Toothbrush Is Best?

The best electric toothbrush is the one that will motivate you to keep up with a consistent twice-daily routine, which means your best option will be determined by your lifestyle and preferences. To recap, the Oral-B Pro 1000 is the best electric toothbrush overall because of its value and ease of use. However, if you’re motivated more by luxury and high-tech features, the Oral-B iO Series 7G is the best option for you. If, above all else, you struggle to brush for a full two minutes each time, the Philips Sonicare 4100 is a great option for you. Finally, if gum soreness gets in the way of your oral hygiene routine, I recommend the ProSys VarioSonic to eliminate that barrier to daily use.

How Do I Clean And Store My Toothbrush?

Cleaning an electric toothbrush should be very easy, and our recommended brushes all scored highly in my cleaning tests. Dr. Krasilnikov stressed that cleaning an electric toothbrush should be “the same process as cleaning a manual toothbrush: Just rinse the brush after use and dry it.” She related that detaching the brush head to clean it after each use isn’t necessary, although she also made sure to mention that it’s important to change brush heads every three to six months.

In my tests, I followed the directions provided in each of the user manuals, many of which recommended detaching and cleaning the brush head separately. I detached the head from the handle, ran the head under cold water and made sure to rinse between the bristles. I then wiped down the handle with a washcloth or similar, and dried both thoroughly before re-attaching them.

This whole cleaning routine may not be necessary—you can just rinse your brush under water as you would with a manual toothbrush—but it took very little time, and was simple even with the steps I added. The toothbrush should stay clean, and continue to appear clean, with this simple post-brushing rinse cleaning.

Which Electric Toothbrush Features Are Most Important?

While this will largely depend on your habits and preferences, based on my experience testing electric toothbrushes, I found that the timer function was by far the most important. This was followed by customization options, whether that means extra brush heads or different brushing modes. Many toothbrushes include pressure sensors, too. In my testing, customizable options made more of a difference in careful brushing than the pressure sensor. In sum, look for a brush that gives you options, has the type of brush head you prefer and has a good timer function.

What Are The Differences Between Round Oscillating And Sonic Electric Toothbrushes?

Rotating toothbrushes have a small, round head, while sonic toothbrushes have a larger, flat, oval-shaped head. Rotating brush heads spin in a circle, while sonic heads move side-to-side while vibrating. There is no conclusive evidence that one does a better job cleaning or is more comfortable to use than the other, as Dr. Krasilnikov of Dental House in New York confirmed. Choosing between a sonic and a rotating brush head comes down to individual preference (The American Dental Association has both types of brushes on their Accepted Products list, and makes no recommendation of one over the other).