You only get one set of teeth, so it’s time to give them what they deserve: an electric toothbrush. Electric toothbrushes can be a pricey investment, even when they’re on offer. But, trust us, your smile can thank us later.
Our panel tested the best on the shelves, to help you choose wisely. Scroll on for our pick of the best electric toothbrushes to shop now...
Do dentists really recommend electric toothbrushes?
Electric toothbrushes are expensive for a reason; they do a better, more thorough job, keeping you in your dentist’s good books. Electric toothbrushes vibrate to dislodge grime and help eradicate any plaque build-up, which is exactly what your manual brush can’t do, no matter how hard you scrub.
In fact, you can often do more damage with a manual toothbrush, according to dentist and Waterpik Water Flosser Ambassador, Dr Rhona Eskander:
"With some manual toothbrushes, you might place too much pressure on teeth, causing abrasion or recession. This means removing the enamel or causing the gums to recede. Or, you might be too gentle and not remove enough plaque. Many electric toothbrushes have timers to ensure you’re getting the full two minutes of cleaning."
Modern tech is also helping to improve electric options, with features that enable you to customise your brushing experience, making for an even better clean. We’re talking apps that sync with your brush to give you tips and advice, as well as pressure sensors and timers.
How long should you be brushing your teeth for?
This is an age-old question that sparks some debate, so over to Dr Eskander to settle it.
"Twice a day for two minutes with a fluoride-based toothpaste or toothpaste tablet,” she says. “When you brush twice a day, plaque can be removed before it hardens into position. When plaque is still soft, it can easily be brushed and flossed away.
If you leave it to harden, it remains in place until it is scraped away at your next dentist appointment." If you’re more prone to over-brushing than under-brushing, heed Dr Eskander's advice:
"Brushing your teeth three times a day or after every meal likely won’t damage your teeth. However, brushing too hard or too soon after eating acidic foods can. While it might feel like you’re deep-cleaning your teeth by brushing forcefully, it can actually wear down your tooth enamel and irritate your gums."
What to look out for when buying an electric toothbrush
The more sophisticated the electric toothbrush, the higher the price. So, what features should you look out for?
Pressure sensor: This will alert you if you’re being a bit too vigorous with your brushing, protecting your gums and teeth from damage.
Timer: Two minutes can sometimes feel like a lifetime. A timer comes in handy to buzz when you’re done brushing. There are also quad pacers that alert you to when you need to change sections.
Cleaning modes: Though not a necessity, certain models come with specially designed modes to help tackle specific issues, whether your teeth need a deeper clean, or are on the sensitive side.
Apps: Again, not a must-have but some brands have their very own app that will update you on how you can better improve your brushing skills, as well as letting you know if you’ve missed a spot or are being too rough on your smile.
How we test electric toothbrushes
We asked 317 testers to try a selection of electric toothbrushes for a two-week period. They were asked to assess each model on its ease of use, design, features, battery life and overall performance. They also used a disclosing tablet before and after brushing their teeth to determine how effective their toothbrush was at removing plaque.
Here the 10 best electric toothbrushes to buy now...
1
Best electric toothbrush
Spotlight Oral Care Sonic Toothbrush
Voted best on test by our panel, this brush impressed our testers by providing a hygienist-like clean. It wasn’t too rough for an electric brush either, with many finding it as gentle on sensitive gums as a manual brush.
It managed to remove plaque, reduce stains and leave testers’ teeth feeling squeaky-clean. The overall design was a hit too – apart from the buttons, which were a bit sensitive at times – leaving all our testers wanting to continue to use it.
Key specifications
Brush action: Sonic
Number of cleaning modes: 3
Features: Charge light, two-minute timer
Included accessories: Three brush heads, travel case
2
Best electric toothbrush for reducing plaque
Oral-B Genius 9000 Electric Toothbrush
2
Best electric toothbrush for reducing plaque
Oral-B Genius 9000 Electric Toothbrush
Tough on plaque but gentle on teeth, our testers said this one was ace at cleaning their pearly whites, thanks to its six different modes and useful pressure sensor.
Another one that gives you real-time brushing advice through an app, this one also comes with a pacer timer, to remind you to move around to reach every tooth. The travel case was a bit bulky for some, but that's a minor niggle.
Key specifications
Brush action: Oscillating
Number of cleaning modes: 6
Features: Charge light, two-minute timer with quad pacer, pressure sensor
Included accessories: Four brush heads, chargeable travel case, phone holder
3
Best electric toothbrush for long-lasting battery life
Foreo ISSA 3
By no means your standard-looking toothbrush, this one is made from medical-grade silicone, which is a doddle to clean and is bacteria-resistant.
The highlight, however, is the super-long battery life, lasting for an incredible 365 days on a single charge. It proved to be straightforward and comfortable to use too, but the chunky oval head let it down slightly, as some struggled to reach every corner. Still, it left 73% with cleaner teeth, while also being gentle on gums.
Key specifications
Brush action: Sonic
Number of cleaning modes: 16
Features: Charge light
Included accessories: Travel pouch, USB charging cable
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4
Best subscription electric toothbrush
Ordo Sonic+ Toothbrush
4
Best subscription electric toothbrush
Ordo Sonic+ Toothbrush
If you’re guilty of always forgetting to change your brush head, this subscription service should be top of your list. Set up a delivery either every one, two or three months to receive everything you need straight to your door, without any fuss.
If you’re not up for the commitment, the brush can be purchased separately too. It was a hit with our testers for its gentle yet effective clean, and was easy to control, while the battery can last up to three weeks between charges.
Key specifications
Brush action: Sonic
Number of cleaning modes: 4
Features: Charge light, two-minute timer with quad pacer
Included accessories: Travel cap, USB charger
5
Best smart electric toothbrush for beginners
Oral B Genius X
Skeptical about abandoning your manual toothbrush? This is a great electric option to upgrade to, thanks to its mild vibrations and effective pressure sensor to flag if you’re brushing too hard.
It left everyone with sparkling teeth, effectively removing plaque without causing any sensitivity. Again, it wasn’t the quietest, but it’s a champagne problem considering all the other positives.
Key specifications
Brush action: Oscillating
Number of cleaning modes: 6
Features: Bristle usage indicator, charge light, pressure sensor
Included accessories: Charger stand, travel case (some models only)
6
Most stylish electric toothbrush
Philips Sonicare 9900 Prestige
6
Most stylish electric toothbrush
Philips Sonicare 9900 Prestige
Now 59% Off
There’s no denying this is the chicest-looking model in our test but it did a great job cleaning-wise too. Everyone agreed their teeth felt polished, with 86% spotting less plaque.
If you’re looking for advice on how to make your smile whiter, you can download the handy app and connect to your brush to get real-time feedback on your brushing, so you never miss a spot.
It worked too, with one tester saying their teeth were visibly brighter after use. It was flagged as ‘loud’ in our lab test, but 93% said they’d still stick with this brush in the future.
Key specifications
Brush action: Sonic
Number of cleaning modes: 5
Features: Bristle usage indicator, pressure sensor, charge light
Included accessories: Travel charging case, charging stand, charging cable
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7
Best budget electric toothbrush
Superdrug Pro Care Advanced Rechargeable Toothbrush
7
Best budget electric toothbrush
Superdrug Pro Care Advanced Rechargeable Toothbrush
Now 50% Off
This simple design costs less than £15 but still successfully removed testers’ pesky plaque and didn’t skimp on features despite its purse-friendly price.
There’s a pressure sensor, timer and slow or fast cleaning modes. While some did notice the bristles were a little stiff, it’s something that can easily be overlooked considering the affordable price.
Key specifications
Brushing action: Oscillating
Number of cleaning modes: 2
Features: Pressure sensor, quad pacer
Included accessories: None
8
Best teeth whitening electric toothbrush
STYLSMILE Blue Light Accelerated Teeth Whitening Toothbrush Kit
8
Best teeth whitening electric toothbrush
STYLSMILE Blue Light Accelerated Teeth Whitening Toothbrush Kit
Providing you with an all-round whitening experience, this kit features not only a toothbrush, but a whitening mouth tray too, to keep all stains at bay.
Our panel felt the brush head on this one could have been a little smaller – some struggled to get into the gaps between their teeth – however, it did successfully whiten without the need for any harsh, sensitising chemicals.
Key specifications
Brush action: Sonic
Number of cleaning modes: 2
Features: Charge light, two-minute timer
Included accessories: Travel cap, replacement brush head, USB charging lead, toothpaste, LED accelerator tray with batteries, silicone mouth tray, three 3ml whitening gel syringes
9
Best electric toothbrush for sensitive teeth
Curaprox Hydrosonic Pro Sonic Toothbrush -
9
Best electric toothbrush for sensitive teeth
Curaprox Hydrosonic Pro Sonic Toothbrush -
Suitable for everything from braces to implants to bridges, this comes with three different-shaped brush heads to tackle anything you throw at it. There are also seven different cleaning modes, so you can get a fully customisable cleaning experience.
Although some would have loved a pressure sensor, it did leave all our panel with polished gnashers and was easy to control.
Key specifications
Brush action: Sonic
Number of cleaning modes: 7
Features: Charge light, two-minute timer
Included accessories: Three different brush heads, charger, travel case
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10
Best value for money electric toothbrush
Sainsbury's OraCare+ Rechargeable Toothbrush
Giving you a fuss-free brushing experience, if you don’t want all the overly complicated bells and whistles, add this one to your shopping basket.
All testers appreciated how easy it was to control and found the brush head made it seamless to reach the back of teeth. It left smiles cleaner, with 92% reporting no sensitivity at all. The power of the vibrations could have been more effective, but overall our panel was pleased with its performance.
Key specifications
Brush action: Oscillating
Number of cleaning modes: 1
Features: Charge light, two-minute timer
Included accessories: One brush head, charger
11
Best electric toothbrush and water flosser combo
Waterpik Complete Care 5.5
11
Best electric toothbrush and water flosser combo
Waterpik Complete Care 5.5
This combination of electric toothbrush and water flosser claims to give you a dentist-style clean every time.
The flosser element gave our panel a more advanced, powerful clean and they appreciated the three different cleaning options. Some testers said it rivalled a trip to their hygienist and our lab team gave it the thumbs up for removing plaque.
Key specifications
Brush action: Oscillating
Number of cleaning modes: 3
Features: Charge light, two-minute timer
Included accessories: Two brush heads, five water flossing tips, travel case
12
Best for travel
Philips One by Sonicare Battery Toothbrush
12
Best for travel
Philips One by Sonicare Battery Toothbrush
This might not be the fanciest electric toothbrush on our list, but its slim case and battery-operated design make it ideal for stashing into your handbag or suitcase.
It reached all our testers’ teeth to give them an excellent spring clean, with no one noticing any sensitivity. You won't have to remember to pack a charger (phew!), but note that the battery has a 90-day limit. Given how affordable this option is, it won't matter if Heathrow loses your luggage (well, within reason).
Key specifications
Brush action: Sonic
Number of cleaning modes: 1
Features: 2-minute timer
Included accessories: Clip-close carry case
