Dental health is an essential part of our everyday lives that can help keep us healthy. By buying the right toothbrush, we can excel in dental care. An electric toothbrush is a more comprehensive way to give your teeth the cleaning they need. Electric brushes are now even made to come with a variety of unique features.
Best Electric Toothbrush
Best Electric Toothbrush Comparison Table
- Oral-B Pro 1000
- 1 Mode
- Smart sensors: Pressure
- 1 Brush Head Included
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Our Rating
- Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Smart 9500
- 5 Modes
- Smart sensors: Pressure, location, scrubbing
- 4 Brush Heads Included
Price Scale
Our Rating
- Quip Toothbrush
- 1 Mode
- Smart sensors: No
- 1 Brush Head Included + 3 month plan (optional)
Price Scale
Our Rating
- Waterpik Complete Care 9.0
- 3 Modes + Water Flosser
- Smart sensors: Pressure
- 2 Brush Heads Included
Price Scale
Our Rating
Best Electric toothbrush reviews
The Oral B Pro 1000 only has one setting, but it’s made to be all you need for deep cleaning. The brush features a rotating head that can reach hard to clean spaces. It also has a timer and pulse to help you know when to switch brushing areas. The brush comes with a battery indicator built-in and an easy to press on button. The heads pop out easily with cheap replacement available. The brush can also whiten your teeth in just seven days time. It comes with a small charger and will need to be discharged every six months.
The brush will only cost you around $50 and comes with a one-year warranty. It can be used manually and one type of head to choose from. The brush is made from hard plastic to keep it from breaking. You will need to clean the head out after every use and use proper storage. Read full review.
The Philips Sonicareline is one of the best long-lasting brushes for cleaning. The line can help whiten your teeth in just three days, and the new Diamoncare is great at cleaning up your mouth. This brush has the ability to slowly increase the intensity when you start using it. This helps your mouth get used to the motors power. It is able to reach 31,000 strokes per minute and has three regularly speed settings.In addition, it comes with a glass glass for charging that can double as a rinsing glass. It also has a travel case that can charge your brush while it’s stored.
All Sonicare brushes come with a two-year warranty and a battery life indicator. You can even replace the three unique brush heads rather cheap and use an app to keep track of your patterns.. The brush heads that come with it are a tongue brush, a sensitive gum brush, and a plaque brush. Read full review.
If your looking for a dental cleaning close to what you get at the dentist’s then this is your set. The product comes with both an electric brush and a water pick system. The pick can be adjusted for strength and the tank has 90-seconds of water capacity. The brush has two different power settings, a timer, and a built-in pacer. It also has a battery indicator to let you know when you need to charge the brush. In addition, you will get a travel case so that you can take the system with you. The system also comes with five pick tips and two different brush heads. The heads are replaceable and can be purchased from the company.
This set is a bit pricier than others on the list, but is still cheaper than buying the pick and brush separately. The set will cost you around $99 and comes with a one-year warranty. Just be warned as the battery isn’t replaceable and only lasts for a year. Read full review.
The Quip toothbrush is not as flashy as some other models, but is dentist-approved. The brush comes in multiple colors and has an auto-ship feature for it’s brush heads. For those who opt into the auto-ship they will also receive a free lifetime warranty for the product. The brush has one mode for the adult model and a manual mode for the kids model. It comes in several different colors and you can choose from a metal or plastic brush.
The powerful motor has a set timer that will turn off after every two minutes. Every thirty seconds the brush will also pulse to tell you when to switch areas. This toothbrush only uses soft bristles and comes with a floss add-on. This brush has a replaceable AAA battery and can reach 12,000 strokes a minute. The price varies between $25 to $50 depending on which brush and refill option you choose. Read full review.
How to choose an electric toothbrush
Choosing an electric toothbrush isn’t as simple as it sounds. There are many different features that can make one toothbrush better for your dental needs than others.
Brush Parts
The first thing you will need to look into is the materials that make up an electric toothbrush. Weak materials like cheap plastic can have a toothbrush break down faster. To start, think about what you want the body of the brush to be made out of. Most all-electric toothbrushes are made out of plastic or metal, usually aluminum. There are also some models that are made out of tough stainless steel. If you’re looking for extra comfort, though, then the toothbrush will need to have a grip. The grips will be placed in the area where your finger hold on to the brush. Good grips are usually made out of rubber. These materials need to be durable enough to not break from heavy use. Some cheaper plastics will chip away over time.
Another common factor is brush parts is the color. While kid’s brushes are smaller, they usually come in more colors without an additional cost. Adult brushes are likely to be more expensive if you want a black metal brush, however. You should also be wary of metal brushes that are made from an unlisted material. Metal is susceptible to rust, especially when handling water several times a day. Cheaper brushes may look like a good deal but are made with materials that can rust easily. Be on the lookout for cheap electric brushes that claim to have tons of features and be made out of metal.
Motor
Regardless of the material used, though, you will also have to worry about the internal workings of the brush. A motor is an important part of the electric brush. Depending on the motor, your selected brush may have upwards of 32,000 strokes per minute. The more strokes per minute, the more through the cleaning. You may also get to spend less time brushing your teeth with a faster brush. It’s important to look for a brush with enough power to clean your teeth quickly, but that won’t damage your teeth or gums.
Instead of Horsepower like most motors are measured in, brushes are measured in strokes. Essentially the brush with more strokes available has the more powerful motor.
Brush heads
Another essential feature of your brushing routine is going to be the head of the brush. This is the actual part of the toothbrush that has contact with your teeth. As simple as a brush may sound, though, there are several key differences you need to watch out for. To begin with, what type of bristles does the brush have? Softer bristles are safe for all types of mouths and great for those with sensitive gums. Medium bristles are great for mouths with extra build-up and healthy gums.
Hard bristles are made for mouths that need extra dental care. Some brushes will use a combination of these bristles, while others are restricted to only soft. To know what bristles your mouth needs, though, you should consult your dentist. Most people with a normal amount of plaque build-up will want to stick with soft and medium. You should also check the bristle count of your head. A brush head with under 2,500 bristles won’t be able to clean your mouth effectively.
Vibrating Vs. Spinning
Rotating brushes are the most likely to use different types and heights of bristles. These brushes rotate on your teeth to give you a pre-made stroking routine. Vibrating brushes, on the other hand, are more likely to use only one or two types of bristles. Vibrating brushes gyrate in order to give you an automatic brushing motion. Rotating brushes tend to take a bit more work out of your brushing routine, but vibrating are a very close second.
Features
The next thing you should consider when brush shopping is what features you are looking for. An electric toothbrush can be as simple or complicated as you need. Like many other products, there are extra features that most people won’t need, but make life just a bit easier. One of the most common brush features are speed settings. This allows you to adjust the amount of rotating or vibrating your brush is doing in a set time frame. This is a way to ensure that your brushing each segment of your mouth for the proper amount of time.
Speed features are great for those with sensitive mouths or kids just getting started with electric brushes. This isn’t always needed, though, as some brushes are made with precision routines that are already set for effective cleaning. Some brushes will only have two-speed settings while others will have up to ten. Having more choices can be great for those with sensitive mouths, but may not matter much for the everyday button. Be sure to have the brush in the first sector before hitting the on button to ensure you are getting the proper amount of cleaning.
Manual Mode and Automatic Mode
In addition, some brushes will offer manual modes. This mode is nothing more than being able to do all the work of brushing your teeth. This is great for those getting used to an electric brush or kids. Most cheaper brushes will let you choose only between manual and automatic. Keep in mind that this isn’t really a feature as almost any brush with an on switch has a manual mode by default.
Pulse and Timer
Next, you will want to check out what notification features your brush has. Some brushes will come with built-in pulses. When you feel the pulse, it will let you know to change areas in your mouth.
Travel
Another important feature to keep in mind is how traveling with your selected model will go. If you go on business trips, then you don’t want to have to use an inferior brush. Some models will be harder to take on a trip with you, especially if they have an extravagant base. Others can be packed up in a small space. No matter what brush you have, it’s best if you buy equipment for travel. This can be something inexpensive, like a zip-up pouch. While the pouch doesn’t prove as must protection, it is better than a plastic bag. It’s also a good choice to look into bristle covers. These covers are often made to incase your bristles to keep them from being crushed. Most companies even make specific covers made to perfectly fit your brush model.
Some more expensive brushes will even have case add-ons. These cases can git the charging base and brush perfectly for optimum protection. When choosing a brush, you should also check to see if it can charge internationally. Some models will have there warranty voided if you try to use it outside of a limited list of countries. This is due to the wattage that the brushes charger is set for. By increasing or decreasing the wattage, the motor can be damaged. A brush with replaceable batteries may be best if you intend to travel overseas for work or pleasure.
Add-ons
When your shopping for a brush, you will probably notice that there are a ton of add-ons available. Many companies will offer specialty parts like floss compartments for your brush. These parts will usually only cost a few dollars more but will need special refills from the company you bought the brush from. Other companies will take it a stepfather by formulating a toothpaste for the brush. There are even some cleaning kits like the one mentioned above that come with picks for extra cleaning. Most of these add-ons can be swapped out for a normal container of floss or your favorite brand of toothpaste. Others like a water pick are products you can’t just go to the store and buy.
You will need to determine which accessories are worth having with your brush and which won’t do you any good. Some companies will also offer a lower price if you choose an add-on. This sounds like a good deal until you realize you have to pay more for the refills.
Battery
While a battery may not seem like a big deal, it can be the weak point of many brushes. Depending on your brush, you may have a rechargeable battery or use regular removable batteries. The majority of electric brushes will actually use rechargeable batteries. Many consumers see rechargeables as easier to keep up with. The brush will come with a base; all you need to do is place the brush on it after every use. Depending on whether the rechargeable battery is removable or not is where issues come in. Brushes with non-removable recharge;e batteries will need to be thrown out after a few years. This is because the battery will degrade the more it sits on the charger. If you can replace the rechargeable battery, it will only cost a small bit of money an make the brush last longer.
Sadly, most brushes are made to have non-removable batteries. This is to keep the battery sealed off from the water to prevent damage. This is why brushes with removable consumer batteries may work best. These brushes use AAA or AA batteries to run. When the battery goes dead, you can simply go to the store to get a replacement. These brushes are also better rated for travel as you won’t have to worry about wattage changes between countries. No matter what type of battery you have, your charge will vary. Some brushes will even recommend that you only put your brush back on the charging base after a certain number of uses.
Replacements
Another factor in choosing an electric brush is the ease of replacement. It’s a well-known fact in the cleaning community that a toothbrush is only good for around three months. After this point, the bristles will start to deteriorate in quality. This will cause the brush head to become less efficient at properly cleaning your teeth. There are no super bristles that can currently last any longer than this and are safe for your mouth. The softness of a bristle also doesn’t help to stop this process. Because of this, it is extremely important to only buy an electric brush with replaceable heads. This allows you to stop buying whole brushes and only spend money on replacing the head.
Switching brush heads is often as simple as pressing a button to disengage the brushes lock. You then just simply remove the old head and slide in the new one until it locks in place. Each brush will use a different type of head, however. You will need to make sure that the brush head you are buying is specifically compatible with your model electric brush.
Replacement Plans
Many brushes will come with replacement plans; these brands will allow you to use authorship to get your brush heads on time. This means that you won’t have to worry about keeping track of your brush head. These plans will often offer special discounts and may even extend the warranty on your brush. You can expect a brush head to cost you anywhere between $5 to $25 depending on the head you need. Manual heads will cost the least while spinning heads will cost the most.
In addition, some brushes will also offer specialty products like toothpaste or floss. By adding these to your cart or in with your auto-ship, you can save on all of your supplies.
Price and Warranty
Finally, you will need to determine just how much you are willing to spend on a toothbrush. For many people with standard brushing needs, you will need a brush that is in the $40 to $60 price category. If you have great dental health and just want a simple brush you can expect to pay $30 or less. For more complicated systems, the price can go about the $60 price point. The number of features you want with your brush will also increase this cost. In addition, you should also look into the price of the brush heads. Since heads need to be replaced every three months you could end up paying more for certain models in the long run. It’s best to go with a brush that has a timer and pulse alert, other than that; speed settings are just for those who have preferences.
Along with picking out a brush at a good price point, you will need to consider a warranty. Most brushes will have a warranty the last around a year. Some other models will have lifetime warranties, as long as you sign up for their auto-ship program. You will also have to prove that the brush was charged and stored properly when going for a warranty. Signs of improper storage can cost you your warranty. To keep things valid, make sure to rinse off the brush after every use. Use a rag to wipe excess gunk off of the body. Let the brush dry off and then put it back on the charger or in a holder.
FAQs
How to dispose of an electric toothbrush
Depending on the toothbrush you have purchased, the disposal method may change. If you have a toothbrush with removable batteries, then throwing it away is easy. Simply remove the batteries and disassemble the brush. Place it in your garbage and take it out to be picked up by the trash company. If you have a brush with a lithium battery, things can be a bit different. IF possible, remove the lithium battery from the brush. Most counties will have a special disposal area for the batteries. If you can remove the battery, then disassemble the head and any extra parts from the battery housing.
Once you have separated the pieces dispose of the battery according to your living areas directive. The rest of the brush can be placed in your regular trash. It is important to properly dispose of lithium batteries as they can swell and even explode if the wrong conditions are met. This can be incredibly dangerous for those that have to process our garbage. For further safety, you can put the brush heads in a bio-bag, especially if you have gums that regularly bleed. This will guarantee that no one touches the bristles.
How long do electric toothbrushes last?
This is a bit of a tricky question because all brushes are built a bit differently. A brush can break because its battery runs out or because it’s motor has given out. It really just depends on the model. For the most part, you should expect your brush to last around two to three years with proper care. If the battery is replaceable, then this may add on a few more years to your brush. Check the warranty of the brush to get an idea of how long the company expects it to last. If the brush has a three-year warranty, there is a good chance that it will last longer.
Make sure to take proper care of the brush and never run the body underwater. Bad storage and water damage are some of the top causes of malfunction. It is also important to note that user error voids your warranty.
How to brush with an electric toothbrush?
Brushing with an electric toothbrush is a bit different than a manual toothbrush. For starters, you will need to remember that you are no longer the one doing the work. Instead of making brushing motions, you will need to strategically hold your brush over certain areas of your mouth. You will need to spend around thirty seconds in each section of your mouth, making sure to clean both the bottom and top row of teeth. After the thirty second mark, move to the next sector of your mouth and repeat. It’s best to divide the mouth into four different sections so that you spend exactly two minutes brushing your teeth during each use.
If your brush has a pulse option, be sure to change positions as soon as you feel the pulse. Keep in mind that timed brushes will automatically turn off after a set amount of seconds is passed. If you are using a brush with settings, be cautious, holding a high-setting head on one part of your mouth can eventually cause damage. If you feel pain or start to see bleeding, then stop brushing immediately and rinse out your mouth. After the bleeding has subsided, you can continue brushing the rest of your teeth.
How to clean electric toothbrush
Just like any other cleaning device, a toothbrush will need regular cleanings. It’s important to clean off your brush after every single usage. This keeps the bristles from prematurely being worn down by excess toothpaste. Be sure to rinse the brush out using warm water after every usage until the water is clear. You will also want to use a warm rag to clean off the body of the toothbrush. Make sure to never directly submerge the whole toothbrush under your faucet as this can damage the electronics.
