Oral-B is one of the biggest names in home dental care. It’s generally considered to be one of the best electric toothbrush brands available, alongside its rival Philips Sonicare.
The majority of Oral-B electric toothbrushes clean by what the brand calls “3D action”, using both oscillation and pulsations. Its newer iO line has an updated cleaning system powered by a brushless motor, which also makes the toothbrushes quieter in use. Again, iO models use both oscillation and what the brand now terms “micro vibrations” – a sonic cleaning process.
Oral-B electric toothbrushes are widely available with a model for every price point. If you’ve ever tried to buy one without researching first, you’ll know that with so many lines, models and versions of each model, it’s hard to know what you’re getting, how much you need to spend, and which toothbrush would be best for you.
Different brushes have different features – and flaws. To get what you need, you might not have to spend as much as you think, as long as you know the key features you’re after and where you’re prepared to compromise.
There are a few features we think every electric toothbrush should ideally have: a pressure sensor, a brushing timer and good cleaning action. But there are also some nice-to-haves as well, like smart features, a screen to display battery life and a choice of brushing modes.
There’s also the matter of choosing between Oral-B’s classic brush design and its new iO range. We’ve reviewed almost all of the iO series and the best of the commonly available classic Oral-B toothbrushes, so you can find the perfect model for your needs.
Check out the pros and cons of each one below. And if you want to find out more about the Oral-B brushes in general, have a look at our FAQs after the chart.
If you’d like more options, have a look at our round-up of all the best electric toothbrushes we’ve tested, regardless of brand.
1. Oral-B iO Series 7 – Best value iO brush
Yes, it’s expensive, but if you can afford it, the iO7 is the brush to buy. It’s in the sweet spot where feature set meets price point to get you the most functionality for the least amount of cash spent.
What you’ll miss out on is the full colour screen that the iO8, iO9 and iO10 have, as well as more in-depth brushing feedback and even more brushing modes. Instead it has a black and white screen – but it displays all the same information. Crucially, it is the cheapest brush in the iO series to offer magnetic fast charging. This means your brush will charge in around 3 hours, as opposed to the 12-16 hours that the less expensive models take.
You’ll get up to two weeks of use from the battery but in practice, we found that 10 days is usual. This is about par for the course with iO brushes but not as good as other rival brushes, so if long battery life is very important to you, you may need to look elsewhere. And, like all iO brushes, there’s no USB charging option. Instead, you’ll get a shaver plug if you buy in the UK and a standard two-pin plug in the US.
However, in every other respect, this brush is pretty much flawless.
The iO7 has five brushing modes: Daily Clean, Sensitive, Intense, Whiten & Gum Care. It has an excellent pressure sensor, two-minute brushing timer with quadrant alerts, and a brushing countdown that displays on the screen. There are also excellent smart features, including interactive real-time brushing feedback – although, bear in mind you’ll need to use the app for this.
It’s not ideal for sharing, unless you don’t mind some of the smart features being inaccurate, but some retailers offer a two-pack deal that makes a pair of iO7s more affordable. And if you’re in the UK, don’t buy it at full RRP. Wait until one of its regular sales times and snap it up then.
Read our full
Oral-B iO Series 7 review
2. Oral-B iO3 – Best budget iO
Pros
- 3 brushing modes
- Pressure sensor
- Brushing timer
Cons
- 12 hour+ charging time
- 2-week battery life
- No USB charging
This is the most budget-friendly of the iO brushes and it’s the only one that doesn’t offer smart features. If you know you’re going to ditch the app anyway, buying the iO3 makes sense. You’ll miss out on the customisation that the app offers, but if you just want a really good electric toothbrush, that won’t be a problem.
It has three brushing modes, for daily cleaning, whitening and gentle care, a pressure sensor, brushing timer (that alerts you via a stutter in the brush’s vibrations) and the fun light ring that’ll cycle through its colours when you complete a two-minute brushing session.
The battery life is less impressive. Oral-B says you should get over three weeks of brushing time but that’s only if you stop at exactly two minutes each time and never brush for more than twice a day. When we tested it, two weeks was more likely – and that was only with one person using it.
It also takes a long time to charge – too long to charge fully between a morning and an evening brush. You’ll need to keep it in the charging stand and be prepared to take that with you if everyone is sharing it on a family holiday.
Read our full
Oral-B iO Series 3 review
3. Oral-B Pro 3/Pro 1000 – Best Oral-B brush under $50/£50
Pros
- Two week battery life
- Pressure sensor
- Brushing timer
- Good cleaning performance
Cons
- Noisy
- Slippery handle
- Button hard to press
If an iO is just too pricey, the Pro 1000 (in the US) or the Pro 3 (in the UK) has all the features you need to take care of your teeth, as well as a very good brushing performance.
This electric toothbrush has a brushing timer that alerts you every thirty seconds to move onto a new section of your mouth and lets you know when your dentist-approved two-minute brushing session has finished.
It also has a bright red pressure warning light that lets you know if you’re pressing too hard.
Although we think it’s great value, we don’t love everything about it: charging takes a long 12 hours; its battery warning light alerts you only a little way before the brush dies; and it doesn’t stop after two minutes, so you’ll need to give its inset button a hard press to switch it off. It’s not as quiet in use as an iO either. It has a pretty rattly buzz in operation.
Read our full
Oral-B Pro 3 review
4. Oral-B Vitality Pro – Best cheap Oral-B electric toothbrush
Pros
- Well priced
- Three brushing modes
- Fairly quiet in operation
- Good brushing performance
Cons
- Long charging time
- No battery warning or charging light
- No pressure sensor
You might be able to find a cheaper electric toothbrush on Amazon but is it worth it? For our money, we reckon this is the cheap brush to go for: it’s Oral-B’s most budget-friendly model. It has three cleaning modes that range from extremely gentle to brisk, and a two minute brushing timer with alerts every thirty seconds. Its brushing performance is good but it only oscillates – it doesn’t vibrate as well, which would improve plaque removal. It’s also lacking a pressure sensor, so it won’t help you if you tend to press too hard when you brush.
Still, we think the brushing performance is good enough to be worth it. It’s certainly a step up from a manual brush. The timer alone will improve your dental care.
But the real compromise comes with the battery. Battery life is short (8 days max), charging time is long (22 hours) and there’s no battery indicator light to tell you when it’s running low on charge, or that it’s charging, or fully charged. If you’re happy to keep it on the stand, these things will be less of an issue but if you don’t have a suitable plug point in your bathroom, the low price may not be worth the hassle.
Read our full
Oral-B Vitality Pro review
5. Oral-B iO Series 5 – Great mid-range smart features
Pros
- Real-time guided brushing
- Five brushing modes
- In-app customisation options
Cons
- No screen
- Long charging time
What the iO5 has that the 3 and 4 don’t is a rubber panel on the handle that displays its brushing modes. This means you can see at a glance which of the five brushing modes you’re using, rather than having to use the vibrations to differentiate or checking in app.
Still, you’ll want to use the app to customise the brush and take advantage of the guided brushing feedback, which will let you know when you’ve brushed long enough in one part of your mouth and can move on.
Like all iO models, it has a red/ green pressure sensor and the celebratory light show post-brushing. It doesn’t feature fast charging (you’ll only get that on the iO7 and above) and its battery life will last for around two weeks.
If you’re in the UK, the iO5 is commonly priced above its feature set – you might think, from casually browsing, that it is worth more than the iO6. This is not the case and you shouldn’t pay more for it.
Read our full
Oral-B iO Series 5 review
6. Oral-B iO8 – Best luxury iO
Pros
- Real-time brushing feedback in app
- Full colour screen with timer
- Three-hour fast charge
Cons
- No USB charging
- Less than two-week battery life
If you’re feeling spendy, this is the luxury Oral-B brush we’d recommend. Yes, there are two iO models that are pricier (the iO9 and the iO10) but it doesn’t really get much better than this.
The differences between the iO8 and the iO9 are minor: the iO9 has seven cleaning modes instead of six – but how many do you really need? It also has 3D teeth tracking while you brush, which the iO8 doesn’t, but its real-time brushing feedback is almost as good.
The iO8 has fast charging, a full colour OLED screen, app compatibility, three brushing timer options and a pressure sensor.
As for the negatives, these are common to Oral-B brushes: there’s no USB charging option and the battery won’t last for two weeks. However, the three-hour fast charge goes some way to mitigating these flaws.
Read our full
Oral-B iO Series 8 review
7. Oral-B iO6 – Everything but fast charging
Pros
- Brushing guidance
- Powerful cleaning
- Good screen & app
Cons
- No fast charging
- Expensive replacement heads
- Relatively short battery life
If you can spot a good deal on it, the iO6 is a great brush. But bear in mind that if you opt for this one over the iO7 or above, you won’t get fast charging.
The iO range has Oral-B’s best-ever cleaning performance, and the iO6 has five cleaning modes, a brushing timer and a light-up pressure sensor ring.
In terms of smart features, you’ll get all sorts of customisation options, as well as a real-time guided brushing mode, which will help you to get a better, deeper clean and ensure you’re not neglecting any spots.
The main compromises, when compared to more expensive iO models, are the monochrome screen (the iO8 and above have a full colour display) and a more basic charging dock that doesn’t offer fast charging. It’ll take you 12 hours+ to fully charge it. There are fewer brushing modes as well and you won’t get as detailed brushing feedback.
We’re not as keen on the fact that a brush at this price point doesn’t have a USB charging option, and the battery life could be much better. You’ll only get 10 days of use – or less if you brush for longer than two minutes at a time.
The price is pretty steady if you’re in the US. UK users should wait and buy it on sale.
Read our full
Oral-B iO Series 6 review
8. Oral-B iO9 – Best brushing guidance
Pros
- Full colour OLED screen
- Brushing feedback
- On-brush timer
Cons
- Short battery life
- Underwhelming accessories
This brush is the second most pricey iO model. It’s slick, feature-packed and slightly over-the-top, with a full-colour OLED screen that greets you in the morning and flashes you a smile if you brush well.
And when it times your brushing session, it provides a countdown timer on the brush handle screen so you can see exactly how long you have left.
But it also has Oral-B’s excellent brush tracking technology, seven brushing settings and a light-up pressure sensor that not only tells you when you’re pressing too hard but when you get it just right.
The key thing you’ll get from the app is real-time brushing feedback, which we found to be pretty accurate when we tested it. Apart from this, however, most of the rest of the app functions feel like filler.
The key difference between this brush and the iO8 is in the accuracy of the brushing feedback. The iO9 can identify 16 zones on the surface of your teeth, whereas the iO8 can only identify 6. Honestly, we found it difficult to tell the difference.
The iO9 also comes with a charging travel case, whereas to charge the iO8, you’ll need to take the charging puck along with you.
On the negative side, the iO9’s battery life is not as good as some competing brushes at this price point and you’ll be lucky to get more than 12 days of use before it needs to be charged. Still, that only takes three hours, thanks to its magnetic fast charging system.
Read our full
Oral-B iO Series 9 review
9. Oral-B iO10 – On-charger brushing guidance
Pros
- Real-time brushing feedback on charger
- Charging travel case
- Seven brushing modes
Cons
- Inconsistent tracking
- No USB charging
- Awkward case
The iO10 is the current iO flagship model. Apart from its speckled, “cosmic” design, available in both black and white, it only has one major difference from the iO8 and iO9. And if that’s the feature you want, then you may be happy to pay more for it.
The iO10’s big innovation is its iO Sense smart charger: a charging dock which also functions as a digital clock and six-segment brushing timer. It means you can get detailed, real-time brushing feedback without bringing your phone into the bathroom with you. We found this feature useful when we tested the brush but found that there was a little lag, meaning that feedback wasn’t perfectly accurate.
The iO10 also has all the same features as the iO8 and iO9: the colour screen, pressure sensor and all the app features, like real-time brushing feedback in app. Like the iO9, it also features 3D teeth tracking for the most accurate brushing feedback. It has seven brushing modes and it can charge in its travel case – although there is no USB charging option.
Read our full
Oral-B iO 10 review
10. Oral-B Genius X – Best non-iO smart features
Pros
- Best app feedback outside of the iO brush range
Cons
- App feedback makes it hard to share brush handle
If you want brushing feedback from an app but don’t want to go for an iO (the Genius range has much more affordable replacement brush heads), the Genius X could be for you.
It claims to be AI-driven, but we think this is pushing it a bit. However, it does feature intelligent position detection technology, so it can tell where in your mouth you’re brushing. If you tend to neglect harder-to-reach areas of your mouth, this brush could put you back on track.
It cleans brilliantly, has six brushing modes and a pressure sensor.
The only issue is that if the handle is shared, and more than one person wants to use the app to keep track of brushing stats, you’ll have to be diligent about taking your phone along to your brushing sessions, as otherwise info can be synced to the wrong account.
Read our full
Oral-B Genius X review
Oral-B buying advice
If you’re buying an Oral-B toothbrush, these are the features to look out for. While iO brushes are the same from territory to territory, some of the older classic brushes have different names in different countries. That means features can vary. We’ll specify which brush we’re discussing and suggest the closest alternative where we can.
FAQ
Why should you trust Tech Advisor?
Tech Advisor has been testing technology for almost 30 years and we specialise in providing buying advice. We’ve reviewed dozens of electric toothbrushes over the years from many different brands. It puts us in a strong position to be able to compare models and recommend those that are the best value and best performing. We don’t rely on manufacturers’ specs or use a testing centre. Instead, we take the electric toothbrush home and use it in place of our usual brush for several weeks. We think that’s the best way to find out how well they perform in everyday life.
Should I buy an Oral-B iO or a traditional Oral-B brush?
Oral-B’s latest electric toothbrushes are part of its redesigned iO line, which starts with the iO3 and goes up to the flagship iO10. The iO brushes are typically more expensive than most of the classic brushes, starting at around $75/£75. What you’ll get for this is an upgraded cleaning experience which both oscillates and vibrates thanks to its frictionless magnetic drive system.
They all have a bight red/green pressure sensor, a vibration-based brushing timer and a choice of cleaning modes.
Models including the iO5 and above have an accompanying app, and pricier models have more in-depth smart features. The iO6 and above have a screen (which is in full colour on the 8, 9 and 10) to display brushing modes, settings and feedback.
The iO8, 9 and 10 have magnetic fast charging as well. They charge fully in three hours, while the other models will take more than 12.
Most iO models come with a travel case. The pricier ones are a bit fancier and the iO9 and iO10 can charge in their cases – although not via USB.
While the classic Oral-B brushes don’t offer as much in terms of innovative features, almost all will offer a timer and (more basic) pressure sensor, more brushing modes and some even offer smart features. You may also find that you’ll now be able to buy these brushes for less than their launch price, especially during sales periods. The Genius X is still an excellent brush and the Pro 3/ Pro 1000 (its US name) is great value.
Bear in mind that iO and classic brush heads can’t be used interchangeably and that iO brush heads are more expensive.
What is a brushing timer?
Dentists recommend you brush for two minutes twice a day, but it can be difficult to judge how long that is. It’s easy to zone out while brushing and not brush for long enough. Even 15 seconds can feel like a long time.
That’s why all newer Oral-B brushes have a brushing timer. These brushes will do the hard work for you by letting you know when you can (finally) stop.
They’ll also alert you to move on to a new section of your mouth every 30 seconds. Most people spend too long on certain parts of their mouth and neglect other areas, typically, the harder-to-reach back teeth. This can lead to gum disease and tooth decay in those areas.
A timer may be the most important feature on your electric toothbrush – except maybe for a pressure sensor.
What is a pressure sensor?
It’s easy to think you’re brushing better if you’re brushing harder and to try to scrub your teeth clean. But this bad habit can damage tooth enamel and gums. A pressure sensor will light up or make a sound if you push too hard against your teeth.
Most Oral-B brushes feature a pressure sensor, except for the most budget-friendly models. iO models even feature a sensor that not only glows red when you brush too hard but lights up in green when you get it just right.
How many cleaning modes do you really need?
Our guess is that most people use an ordinary cleaning mode most of the time. But there are occasions when you’ll appreciate a gentler setting and it’s also nice to have a whitening mode for giving teeth an extra polish.
All Oral-B iO models have at least these three settings. The pricier models have up to 7 cleaning modes, including gum care and tongue brushing. These aren’t essential but what these brushes will allow you to do is find a setting that lets you customise your brushing intensity exactly the way you like it.
Can you share an Oral-B brush with family members?
In most cases, the answer is yes, although you’ll obviously all want your own brush heads. But there are a couple of things to bear in mind.
The first is that if you choose a brush with smart features and want to collect data on your brushing performance over time, or customise the settings to be perfectly suited to you, that’s won’t work well with a shared brush. You can still all use the real-time brushing feedback – if you all download the app onto your smartphones.
The other issue is that more people using it means that the charge will run down more quickly. This isn’t a problem in day-to-day life if you keep your brush in its charging stand but you’ll need to bring that with you if you go away on holiday.
It’s also worth knowing that, while classic Oral-B brushes have a coloured, plastic ring around the neck that you can use to distinguish between them, iO brushes don’t. Instead, they have different symbols in the same spot to differentiate them.
How often should you replace your Oral-B brush head?
You probably know that you should change your toothbrush head every three months. But do you remember to do it? Some Oral-B smart brushes will alert you when you need to switch to a new brush head. However, this feature won’t work accurately if you share your brush handle with a partner or other family members.
Still, you’ll be able to tell when your brush head needs to be replaced as the bristles will lose colour to their halfway point, fading from blue to white.
How long does the charge last on an Oral-B brush?
Just about the only thing that’s not world-class on Oral-B brushes is their battery life, which does not live up to the best available. Most brushes will give you around two weeks of brushing time before you need to recharge. When we tested various iO models, we found that we got around 10 days of use from the high-end iO models including the 8 and 9 and around two weeks from the iO3, 4 and 5. Oral-B says that the battery will last for longer than this, but that’s only if you switch your brush off after two minutes exactly and don’t brush more than twice daily.
However, the iO7 and above have magnetic 3-hour fast charging, which makes up for their battery life. But iOs 3 to 6 take between 12 and 16 hours to charge, which is not always very convenient.
In the UK, Oral-B brushes charge via a shaving socket plug, while in the US, it’s via a standard two-pin plug. We’d love to see one with a USB charger, as this makes it easier when travelling.
Oral-B’s limited charging options and less impressive battery life are the one area in which we think Sonicare definitely has the edge over Oral-B. To see one of the best electric toothbrushes from this rival, have a look at our review of the Sonicare DiamondClean 9000.
How do Oral-B brushes clean?
There are several levels of cleaning technique among different types of Oral-B brush.
The budget-friendly Vitality delivers what the brand calls “2D cleaning”, which means that the brush has an oscillating-rotating motion. Higher tier brushes provide “3D cleaning”, which means that the rotating motion is joined by a high frequency sonic pulse, which helps to break down plaque and delivers a better cleaning performance.
The iO brushes have been completely redesigned, and their cleaning performance has been overhauled, but like the better standard brushes, they clean using both oscillations and micro-vibrations.
Let’s be clear: we think the that Oral-B’s 3D cleaning system is more than good enough: if you have a good brushing technique, it’ll serve you well. But having tried both, we think that the iO’s cleaning performance is even better.
Do you need smart features?
You don’t actually need smart features but they can help to improve your brushing technique. If you regularly get a telling off from the dentist, or have promised yourself you’ll take better care of your teeth, smart features can help.
How? First off, if you skip brushing sessions or forget to brush, the app will keep track of them for you, so you have a record of when you’ve brushed. This may help to keep you accountable.
Second, and more importantly, Oral-B’s real-time brushing guidance is the best around. Open the app when you brush and it’ll let you know when you’ve brushed each area enough and can move on. It’s not flawless but if you regularly neglect spots in your mouth, it’ll help to ensure you’re giving all of your teeth the right amount of attention.
Oral-B’s app will also give you customisation options, so you can optimise your brush for dealing with braces, sensitive teeth or gum problems.
All of the iO models except for the iO3 have smart features, as do the Genius 8000 and 9000 and the Genius X.