And while we feared the worst from the NiMH battery, it actually lasted a reasonable 43 minutes in our tests. We would like to see a pressure sensor and a charging indicator, but if you only have around £22 to spend on a toothbrush, this is as good as it gets. Any Sonicare head can be used with any Sonicare brush, but Oral B’s standard heads can only be used with its Pro-series brushes, oral b genius toothbrush while its iO heads only work with iO series brushes. Otherwise, it’s worth looking out for pressure sensors that can warn you when you’re pressing too hard while brushing – or not hard enough. Plus, a brushing timer that sends a pulse through the brush when it’s time to stop brushing (usually two minutes), or time to move to another quadrant of your mouth (roughly every 30 seconds).
It comes with ‘SenseIQ technology’ which promises to sense pressure, motion, coverage, duration and frequency up to 100 times per second and adapts to your brushing in real time. You’ll also find that most brands have options at varying price points, from entry-level electric toothbrushes to top-of-the-range models complete with app support and guided brushing tech for a more fulfilling and thorough clean. After seeing it splashed around on social media—and even on Time’s 2020 best invention list—we also tested the Willo.
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 oral b genius toothbrush routine, I recommend the ProSys VarioSonic to eliminate that barrier to daily use. 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.
It comes with a FlossAction brush head, which can be swapped out for other Oral-B heads. Unlike the Pro 1000, it does not have a blinking light to indicate if the toothbrush is charging. The Oral-B Pro 500 comes with a Precision Clean toothbrush head while the Pro 1000 comes with a CrossAction toothbrush head, but you can swap out one for another depending on your preference.
We’ve included links to compatible brush heads in the reviews below, so you can stock up when you run out. It’s now unusual to get an old-school NiMH battery that runs out in less than two weeks and takes most of a day to charge, but they still exist. More modern lithium-ion batteries will give you two to four weeks of brushing – or more – without a recharge, and will take anywhere between three and 12 hours to reach full capacity. “The Biometric Health Tracker concept oral b toothbrush heads is our idea of a 360-degree health platform, designed to improve oral and overall health,” Stephen Squire, global brand director for Oral-B, says of the AI toothbrush. “It is not a finished product. It is a vision that shall further enable pioneering work between dental professionals, external researchers and Oral-B scientists alike.” The AI powering the GENIUS X has been trained with thousands of brushing behaviors, and so can identify your own unique brushing style.
One retired dentist even raved about its efficacy saying it does an “excellent job” of cleaning teeth and gums. The Oral-B iO’s magnetic charging dock provides a full charge that lasts up to two weeks in just three hours. While it won’t replace your dentist, this is as close to a professional clean at home as you’re going to get.