After Months Of Testing, Here Are The 4 Best Electric Toothbrushes (2024)

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 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 is the best smart electric toothbrush I tested.

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

• Best Electric Toothbrush Overall: Oral-B Pro 1000
• Best Smart Electric Toothbrush: Oral-B iO Series 7G
• Best Value Electric Toothbrush: Philips Sonicare 4100
• Best Electric Toothbrush for Sensitive Gums: Pro-Sys VarioSonic

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 aforementioned Oral-B models that stood out. I found that the best electric toothbrush for sensitive gums is the Pro-Sys VarioSonic as it offers five different brush heads and five brushing modes. The Philips Sonicare 4100 is the best value electric toothbrush at under $50 and comes with an automatic timer shut-off—ideal if you struggle to brush for the full dentist-recommended two minutes but don’t want to spend a fortune.

Read on for a breakdown of the four best electric toothbrushes that I rigorously tested. Looking for a kids’ toothbrush recommendation? Forbes Vetted rounded up the best electric toothbrushes for kids to help start healthy hygiene habits early.

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 two or three times its price thanks to features like a timer and pressure sensor. 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.

The Oral-B Pro 1000 has a small, round rotating head with bristles of varied lengths that can get into the small spaces between teeth. While this brush offers only a few features, they are very effective and provide just enough guidance without being overwhelming. The Pro 1000 has a timer that alerts you to change brushing area (separated in quadrants) every thirty seconds 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 push 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 only offers one brushing mode but it 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.

Overall, this brush was also one of the easiest to use, 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). Want to learn more? Read my Oral-B Pro 1000 review for more nitty-gritty details on this toothbrush.

Testing Over Time Notes

After six months, this toothbrush still does a great job and has had no major issues. I used this brush regularly in rotation for two months, and then gifted it (with a new brush head!) to my partner, who reports great results. Previously someone who found consistent, two-full-minutes brushing to be a chore, he reports that the Oral-B brush made establishing a dental hygiene routine easy for the first time in his life.

One downside: this brush doesn’t come with a case. After several trips out of town, I found that the lack of a travel case is definitely a drawback. The brush, when broken down into component pieces, does fit into a standard toiletry bag, but this made it significantly more annoying to pack and transport.

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 made brushing feel like a luxury instead of a chore. 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, lets you know what areas you tend to skip over, and where you tend to brush too hard. I found this feedback to be fun, helpful an applicable; 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 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. During six months of testing, I had the opportunity to take the brush with me on several overnight trips, and the travel pouch couldn’t have been better; it’s secure, compact, and makes traveling with this brush a total breeze. This brush also comes with a two-year warranty.

It’s worth pointing out that the iO Series 7G costs about five times as much as the 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. To learn more about this model, read my Oral-B iO Series 7G review.

Testing Over Time Notes

I’ve now tested this brush consistently for six months, and can report that I only recommend it more highly than ever. This was the brush I reached for most frequently throughout the whole six months of testing and has become my primary go-to. The ease of use, attractive design and display screen, low noise and gentle bristles that are still able to reach into small spaces, make it an extremely appealing option. I’ve established a more consistent and rigorous dental hygiene routine than ever before, and a lot of that is based on how easy this brush is to use, and how its luxurious elements make using it feel like a treat instead of a chore, even six months into testing.

The app is both useful and encouraging, but I’ll admit that after a couple months, I found that I stopped using it consistently. While the feedback was great, and I think would be a motivation for some, for me it felt like one more thing I had to do before I could just brush my teeth, an activity that happens at times of day when I’m often half-asleep. When I didn’t want to turn on my brain, I also didn’t want to turn on the app.

If you want a brush with an automatic shut-off timer and a quadrant timer, go with the Philips Sonicare 4100. As someone who struggles to brush for the recommended full two minutes, knowing this brush would keep track of the time for me 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 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.

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. It was also one of the loudest models I tested and was audible through a closed bathroom door, 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. Also worth noting: It comes with a two-year warranty.

Testing Over Time Notes

Over six months of testing, I found myself reaching for this brush in particular at times when I was so tired that I didn’t want to think about anything at all; it’s definitely the option that requires the least thought on the part of the user, which, depending on your routine and needs, might be a huge plus. The lack of a travel case, and of an easy storage solution, meant that over time I found this brush didn’t fit into my daily routine as seamlessly as some of the others did. The small, sonic brush head needed to be replaced after about two months. However, the overall experience of using this brush remained pleasant and effective over time, and my mouth always felt refreshingly clean when I used it.

The Pro-Sys VarioSonic 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, this is a good option. 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 different brush heads and brushing modes to be even more helpful than a pressure sensor. In fact, I used this brush when I had a dental procedure that caused my teeth and gums to be sore, and it was gentle enough that I was still able to complete my brushing routine without it being painful.

Testing Over Time Notes

Over six months, I liked the ProSys rose more and more, even if I didn’t end up reaching for it as consistently as some of the other winners. The fact that it comes with so many different brush heads meant that I haven’t yet had to order a replacement, since I’ve cycled through all of them and therefore not worn any one out yet.

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. Cyber Monday deal: Save 15% when you buy two or more kits at Goby (now $133 for two kits, was $160)

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. Cyber Monday deal: Save 13% at Amazon (now $70, was $80)

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. Cyber Monday deal: Save 35% at Amazon (now $180, was $275)

More Products To Watch

Since we first published this article, Oral-B has unveiled a new electric toothbrush from the iO Series collection, the iO Series 10. Senior updates editor Karen Tietjen tested out this toothbrush for a month and thinks its worth considering alongside the picks listed above. (Forbes Vetted plans to test additional electric toothbrushes for a later update.)

The iO Series 10—a newer version of the aforementioned Oral-B iO Series 7G—is an upgraded toothbrush for people who want app-integrated features and to see how they are improving their brushing habits over time. At time of writing, it’s more than twice the price of the 7G. It includes a few extra features and a streamlined interface, but it may be more toothbrush than some people need.

The Series 10 looks sleek and has a magnetized charging stand and a digital clock that turns into a timer when you brush. The interface has several helpful design features that let you monitor your brushing progress. Around the base are six lights, one for each of six sections of your mouth (as opposed to four on the 7G), and these gradually change from dark blue to white as you brush. This visual aid helps you gauge the thoroughness of your brushing. The Series 10 also has a pressure sensor that goes from blue (too light) to green (just right) to red (too hard). And an end-of-session smiley or frowny face rates your brushing performance. All of these indicators mean you don’t have to use the app while you brush, though the app does let you track real-time and historical brushing data. Like the 7G, this brush gamifies oral hygiene, which may motivate those who struggle to brush.

The iO Series 10 also comes with three additional brush heads and a travel case so you can continue your routine wherever you go. In sum, this toothbrush is ideal for people who want to use a smart toothbrush to build the ultimate dental routine; however, the brush is pricey for those who don’t plan to use all of its features. Karen Tietjen says, “Its rotating head really does give you a ‘fresh from the dentist’ clean (as cliché as that sounds). The timer, coverage tracker and pressure sensor have all helped to optimize my routine, and I’m especially pleased with the latter, since I have a tendency to press too hard while brushing.”

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.

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.

How To Pick The Best Electric Toothbrush

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. Here are some thing 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 users may be motivated by a timer or an app to track brushing, while others may feel overwhelmed by the extra technology.

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:

• Sonic brush heads: These brush heads have a flat, oblong shape. The side-to-side sweep and faster vibrations of sonic brush heads focus more on providing an overall cleaning by covering more tooth space with greater ease.
• Rotating brush heads: These round rotating brush heads are smaller and geared toward getting into small spaces that are easy to miss for a thorough, detailed clean.

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. Some to consider:

• Automatic timer/shutoff
• Pressure sensor
• Multiple brush settings/modes
• App compatibility
• Travel and/or cases for extra heads
• Toothbrush stand (some double as chargers)

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.

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.

Do Dentists Really Recommend Electric Toothbrushes?

While we can’t speak for all, the experts we enlisted for this article, Dr. Ada Cooper, a National Spokesperson for the American Dental Association, and Dr. Sonya Krasilnikov of Dental House in New York, certainly do. The experts I spoke with emphasized that electric toothbrushes are effective because they can help people stick with a dental hygiene routine. They require less effort than manually brushing teeth, can help users avoid over scrubbing (especially those with high-tech features like pressure sensors) and most come equipped with timers to encourage a thorough brushing session.

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.

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.

It’s also important to consider physical accessories, and how those match your lifestyle needs. Some brushes come with extra brush heads, storage cases, and travel solutions, while others offer only one of these accessories, or none. When buying a toothbrush, consider the physical space it will occupy in your home, how you want it to look, how often you travel and what your travel routine is like, as well as how you feel about ordering replacement brush heads, which are a minor expense, but adds up over time and can be a hassle.

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