The lithium-ion battery lasts for more than 14 days – in practice, after some use, I would say this is more like a week and a bit, but that’s still decent performance for such an affordable toothbrush. You can buy the Pro 3 in either black or pink with different Oral-B brush heads, but you can switch between them as you see fit. You can store them among your other shower and bath accessories if you like.
The features I consistently found most useful while testing was a timer, especially one with an automatic shut-off. I also valued the feel of the brush head, the option for multiple brushing modes and the brushing feedback offered by some smart toothbrushes. Of these, the timer was far and away the most important, oral b toothbrush heads and the only one that made a genuine difference to my brushing habits. By taking the thinking and guesswork out of brushing for two minutes, the timer changed my approach to dental hygiene. Brüush, too, has an optional subscription program for its replacement brush heads ($6 each, shipped in packs of three).
And all of the replacement mouthguards cost more than $10 apiece, making these types of toothbrushes far more expensive than any of our other picks. Cleaning modes generally don’t matter, according to experts we spoke with and research we’ve seen. A “sensitive” mode may help people who find a brush’s normal oscillations or vibrations too jarring. “People with sensitive teeth may find that their teeth are less sensitive when the brush head moves slower or less pressure is applied,” said Messina.
Oral-B models use rotation (“oscillation”) and pulsation, so the brushes don’t buzz as intensely when the back side of the brush’s head touches your other teeth. All Philips Sonicare models vibrate at the same (high) frequency and produce a more jarring sensation when the back of the brush collides with other teeth. Per American Dental Association recommendations, the only thing you need to brush your teeth effectively is a toothbrush—manual or electric—that you use properly and the fluoride-containing toothpaste of your choice. The Oral-B Genius 9000 comes out as the slight winner because of its neat trick that allows its premium travel case to charge the smartphone and electric toothbrush together.
Good news is, the popular Oral-B Smartseries 5000 Electric Toothbrush is 40 percent off for Prime Day to help improve your oral health without hurting your wallet. You don’t get the full suite of sensors of the iO9, but the iO6 still does a great job of tracking where and how you’re brushing and relaying it back to the Oral-B app. Plus, like the more expensive iO brushes, its pressure-sensing indicators and built-in OLED oral b genius toothbrush screen give you instant feedback on your brushing and whether you’ve done the full two minutes or slinked off early. Thanks to Oral-B’s magnetic motor technology, the clean is as quiet as it is impressive, with five different brush modes to cover gum care, whitening and sensitive teeth as well as intense and daily cleans. As long as you can live without fast charging, it’s arguably the best-value smart brush out there.
The Philips Sonicare 3 Series feels similar to and works much the same way as the 4100, with a glossy plastic handle and minimal gripping ridges. Now that our runner-up comes with a quadrant timer, this toothbrush has no features that we think are worth spending extra on. (It offers three total levels of intensity.) Overall, though, the brushing experience is roughly the same as with our runner-up pick.