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Best electric toothbrushes 2020 — and one you should totally avoid

Published

4 years ago

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We scrutinized every customer review we could find to see what real people had to say about their favorite electric toothbrushes, and will also let you know which model you shouldn’t buy.

Best Subscription Service

quip

quip’s manual-meets-electric design and great, optional subscription service model make it one of the best affordable electric toothbrushes on the market.

Editors independently select all products and services featured here. If you buy something through our links, we may receive a commission.
By Dylan Haas

If I’m being honest here, I think that brushing my teeth at night has to be the most annoying chore within my routine. My bed is just so comfortable and I’m usually quite tired. (Before you start judging my oral hygiene, I do brush my teeth every night. I’m just venting.)

Brushing your teeth is a vital chore, no matter how tired you are, though. Just think about how awful it feels to wake up in the morning with a stale, musty mouth because you didn’t take two minutes to polish those pearly whites the night before. Doesn’t sound worth it now, does it?

Of course, don’t neglect a brushing session after you wake up, either. Your coworkers certainly won’t appreciate that. 

A regular cleaning schedule is only part of a healthy mouth, though — you’re also going to need a good toothbrush to make sure you can eradicate all the plaque, tartar, and food bits that accumulate throughout the day. 

We recommend getting an electric toothbrush opposed to a manual one, and a lot of dentists tend to agree. But, why? The answer is pretty simple, actually: An electric toothbrush uses a motor that can achieve somewhere around 30,000 brush strokes per minute. Try moving your normal, human arm that fast next time you brush your teeth. Try it. You can’t.

Not only does an electric toothbrush clean your teeth faster, but it also cleans them more effectively. With the speedier, more frequent strokes, an electric brush can better remove plaque and debris from around your teeth and gums. Sorry to your old, manual brush, but it’s just not cutting it anymore, buddy. 

We’ve all seen those electric toothbrush commercials that claim to be the best at getting in between your gums, preventing cavities, warding off gingivitis, making your pearly whites sparkle like George Clooney’s, et cetera — but how do you know which ones are really worth the counter space?

How to select the best electric toothbrush

When buying an electric toothbrush, there are a few things you’re going to want to consider.

First off, the power source. Some electric toothbrushes are powered by batteries, which tend to last longer on one charge, but you’ll have to regularly replace them. Others are rechargeable with an included base, which keeps you from having to purchase new batteries all the time, but comes with the cost of less life on one charge — so if you forget to plug it in, you’re going to end up with a dead brush.

Another thing you’ll want to consider are the unique perks that come with each brush. Does it have a two-minute cleaning timer? How many options are there for interchangeable brush heads? Are there multiple speed settings on the brush? We’ll get into the nitty-gritty on those within each of our recommendations. 

Why opt out of a toothbrush subscription service?

You’ll notice that many toothbrush brands (including a few on this list) offer subscription services for their products in conjunction with a one-time purchase option. Most of these services work in a similar fashion: For a small price, they’ll send you a refill of whatever is included in your membership every three months, whether it’s a fresh brush head, new batteries, toothpaste, floss, or what have you.

While it is important to replace your brush heads every few months, all those extras (while usually inexpensive) do tend to run the bill up if you’re in it for the long haul. For some, it’s more cost-effective to just purchase a toothbrush outright and buy new heads in bulk that can be switched out on their own schedule. 

So, what’s the best electric toothbrush?

In the end, we generally like to think that the best way to tell if you’ll be satisfied with what you’re buying is by asking people who’ve already purchased said item. You know, word of mouth. So we scrutinized every customer review we could find to see what real people had to say about their favorite electric toothbrushes. 

Below, eight of the best electric toothbrushes (and one you should probably stay away from):


Great price point • Subscription service sends you new heads, toothpaste, and floss • Perfect combination of manual and electric functions • Responsive customer service • Lifetime warranty

Toothpaste is… meh. • Motor can be finicky

quip is the best choice for anyone who wants the control of a manual toothbrush paired with electric functionality. It also has a steller subscription service option.

1. quip

quip’s manual-meets-electric design and great, optional subscription service model make it one of the best affordable electric toothbrushes on the market.

  • Power source:
    One AAA battery
  • Battery life:
    Three months
  • Adjustable settings:
    No
If you’ve been on social media like, at all over the past few years, you’ve probably already heard and seen quite a bit about quip. I’m here to tell you: It’s great. 
If you’re used to using a manual toothbrush and you’re wary of giving up that control, quip is the perfect marriage between manual and electric functionality. Instead of a rotary brush head, quip opts to employ sonic vibrations that help knock loose any nasty bits that are caught up in your teeth and gums. Once you start it up, a two-minute timer sends  feedback every 30 seconds to signal when you switch to a new quadrant of your mouth. You end up getting great coverage, and it holds you to brushing your teeth for the amount of time you should be brushing. I also recommend the metal handle option over the plastic one, if you can manage the slightly extra price — it’s made better, and the plastic one feels a bit cheap.  
While you can get a quip brush as a one-time purchase, the real value is in its high-quality subscription service (which also happens to be pretty affordable). When you sign up, you’ll be sent your quip brush in whatever color you chose, a bottle of mint toothpaste (although I personally like using Crest whitening toothpaste instead), and an optional, refillable floss add-on. After that, you’ll get a new shipment of your add-ons every three months for just $5 apiece. Of course, you can cancel or switch up your orders on-the-fly at any time, and they have a responsive customer service line. 

Multiple brushing modes • Unique brush head options • Audible pressure sensor • Travel case included

Brush head may be too small for some users

If customization is what you’re looking for, Shyn’s multiple brushing modes and unique, swappable head options will be a great match for you.

2. Shyn

If you want your brushing routine to be uniquely yours, Shyn gives you a multitude of customization options to get you to your perfect toothbrush experience.

  • Power source:
    Rechargeable battery
  • Battery life:
    Up to one month
  • Adjustable settings:
    Yes
One thing that always helps an electric toothbrush stand out from the pack: Customization. If you want to make your brushing experience uniquely your own, Shyn might be a good place to start. 
Among Shyn’s best features are the four possible brushing modes (as well as five different intensity levels) and three swappable brush heads. The device itself has separate modes for regular cleaning, whitening, sensitivity, and massaging — all of them easy to switch to within seconds. Although you can only choose one of the multiple brush heads at a time, they all serve a unique purpose. One head is meant to help whiten your teeth with its slim, angled neck and superior plaque removal. Another is perfect for those with fragile gums — it has extra soft bristles, and a gentle clean tip to improve overall gum health. Finally, the plaque removal head is designed with high-density bristles to knock any and all dental debris off the surface of your teeth. 
Shyn also has an audible pressure sensor that alerts you if you’re brushing too hard, a charging base and travel case, plus a two-minute timer to ensure you brush your teeth the recommended amount of time. 
According to my colleague Miller Kern, who has used the toothbrush, Shyn’s super skinny brush head might be a little too small for some, but that’ll be up to your personal preference. Shyn also offers a subscription service, if you choose, in which you’ll receive a replacement brush head every three months for just $5. (You should totally check out Miller’s story on the best electric toothbrush subscription services, too.) 

You’ll never forget to floss again • Multiple water pressure settings • Charging base • Replacement heads and travel case included

Not a super long battery life, but not a problem as long as you remember to place it back on its charging base • Takes up a lot of sink space

The Waterpik makes it hard to forget to floss due to its dual nature, plus it’s easy on your gums.

3. Waterpik Electric Toothbrush and Water Flosser Combo

The Waterpik’s dual nature will ensure that you never forget to floss again, finally rounding out your daily dental hygiene.

  • Power source:
    Rechargeable battery
  • Battery life:
    8-10 hours
  • Adjustable settings:
    Yes for water pressure, no for sonic vibrations
I’m going to out myself here — I forget to floss all the time. Like, I don’t floss more than I do floss. I know, it’s not a good look, and I sincerely hope my dentist isn’t reading this right now. 
The Waterpik flosser and electric toothbrush combo doesn’t let you forget to floss, though, because it’s all in one place. Equipped with two separate buttons — one to start the brush head’s sonic vibrations and the other for water flossing — the Waterpik allows you to brush and floss in one go. (A third function employs both modes in tandem.) Water flossing is reportedly gentler on your gums, meaning no bloody mess  for those who’ve been abstaining from a truly complete mouth-care process. (Raises hand.)
The Waterpik brush also has a 30-second timer for each quadrant of your mouth, ten different pressure settings, a water reservoir that doubles as a charging base, replacement heads, and a premium travel case. 
If you regularly forget to floss, this is what you need. 
One Amazon reviewer said:

“Works fantastically! There is a learning curve to keep your mouth shut around the brush head when you’re spraying otherwise you’ll get sprayed in the face and/or all over the bathroom. It was hysterically funny hearing about my friend’s first few attempts at using the toothbrush. But he did say after drying himself off, his teeth felt like they were just cleaned by the dentist.”


Pressure sensor and timer • Lots of features for the low price • Compatible with many other Oral-B brand brush heads

Not great for sensitive gums • Motor is loud

If you prefer a rotary-type electric toothbrush, this is the best one you’re going to find — plus, you get a ton of great perks for just $50, which is rare.

4. Oral-B 1000 CrossAction

It’s not the most high-end rotary toothbrush you’re going to find, yet it’s still one of the best thanks to its many included features.

  • Power source:
    Rechargeable battery
  • Battery life:
    Two weeks
  • Adjustable settings:
    No
This toothbrush from Oral-B is super highly rated.
The rotary brush — meaning its bristles move in a circular shape rather than using sonic vibrations — is highly effective when it comes to clearing out plaque and debris from your teeth. Though it hasn’t been proven that a rotary brush is much better than a vibrating brush, which means it’ll come down to personal preference for you. Some say that rotating brush heads get around the curvature of your teeth better, but I personally prefer sonic vibration brushes nonetheless. 
The Oral-B 1000 CrossAction packs in a lot of features that are normally reserved for pricier models, like a pressure sensor that alerts you when you’re brushing overzealously, a charging base, and a two-minute timer that tells you to move onto a new mouth quadrant every 30 seconds. 
Even though this is a good toothbrush overall, it’s probably not the best for someone with sensitive gums — rotary brushes take a lot of the control away from you as opposed to vibrating ones, and can end up tearing at your gums a little too much. This might not be a problem for some people, though. 
As far as rotary-type electric toothbrushes go, this is the best one you’ll find at a good price. 

Sensitive on your gums and helps fight gingivitis • Charcoal bristles • Multiple brushing modes • Chrissy Teigen likes it

Brush head is kind of small • Subscription option is too expensive

Burst is a good all-around toothbrush, but those with sensitive gums will love it for its gentle bristles that keep your gums safe and gingivitis-free.

5. Burst

If you find that your gums are hurting every time you brush your teeth, Burst may be for you — its gentle bristles will help fight pain from gingivitis and keep sensitive gums safe from harm.

  • Power source:
    Rechargeable battery
  • Battery life:
    Up to one month
  • Adjustable settings:
    Yes
You’ve almost certainly seen Burst pop up on your Instagram feed (most likely accompanied by Chrissy Teigen’s face) at some point. But thankfully, it’s not one of those Insta-brands that doesn’t deliver on what it claims to do. Burst is actually pretty darn good. 
The ergonomic electric brush brings multiple brushing settings to the table (like Shyn), including ones for whitening, sensitivity, and massaging. It’s also the only brush of its kind (that we’ve found) with charcoal bristles, which supposedly whiten your teeth and remove surface stains a little bit better than non-charcoal-infused brushes. It  has that two-minute timer that can be seen in a lot of electric toothbrushes, and its long-lasting battery will get you up to a month of usage before it needs a charge. 
What Burst does really well, however, is protecting your gums against damage and gingivitis pain. Have you ever brushed your teeth and ended up with bleeding gums? Yeah, it sucks — but that won’t happen here. Burst’s bristles are extra gentle, and as long as you’re not brushing too hard, you shouldn’t have any pain at all. And hey, it doesn’t hurt that the toothbrush looks super cool, either. 
Burst also has a subscription option if that’s what you’re looking for, which automatically sends you a replacement head every 90 days for $6 — though it’s completely optional.

Inexpensive and replaceable • Good substitute for your fancy toothbrush when traveling • Can act as a starter electric toothbrush for those used to manual brushes • Color-wear bristles remind you to change heads every three months

Power switch can be annoying to use • Doesn’t last forever… but that’s to be expected

Out of all the electric drugstore brushes you can buy, this one is probably the smartest choice — it’s inexpensive, making it a perfect secondary toothbrush to take on your travels.

6. Arm & Hammer Spinbrush Pro+

This low-investment brush is affordable and can either act as a great secondary travel toothbrush, or a beginner’s venture into electric territory.

  • Power source:
    Two AA batteries
  • Battery life:
    Three months
  • Adjustable settings:
    No
Taking your fancy toothbrush on a long trip is always a risk, so having a burner brush on-hand for travel isn’t a bad idea.
This super cheap toothbrush from Arm & Hammer is ADA-approved, and you can also find it in most drugstores. While it strips away all the features that are included with the other recommendations on this list, it’s still an electric toothbrush, which gives it a slight edge over manual drugstore options. One nice extra perk is its color-wear bristles that remind you to replace the head every three months. 
Its inexpensive nature makes it a nice, low-risk item to take with you on your travel excursions. Could you imagine losing your Philips DiamondClean after a transatlantic flight? Not a great way to start your vacation, that’s for sure. It can also serve as a great, low-investment first venture into electric toothbrush territory if you’re used to manual brushes and want to test the waters. If you find out that it’s not for you, it’s not a huge waste of money.  
Of course, with the low price, you should also be aware that this brush isn’t going to last forever. 
One Amazon reviewer said:

“I’ve been using the Arm & Hamer Spinbrush for many years and even though I have tried many others I find myself going back to this one because it seems to do a better job of cleaning my teeth with its dual movement brush head., and I like that it has a base so it can stand up on a countertop… About my only complaint would be the slide-type power switch. It is sometimes difficult to turn it on or off when my hands are wet and think a push-button power switch would be a huge improvement. The battery lasts a long time, and you can purchase replacement brush heads.”


Smartphone companion app tracks your brushing habits • Cool charging cup • Multiple brush heads and brush settings • Pressure sensor • Great carrying case

Not within reach for those on a budget

It’s the best electric toothbrush you’re going to get — the smart tracking, unique charging device, and seemingly endless amount of customization options make it worth the high price of admission.

7. Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Smart 9300

You’re not going to find a better electric toothbrush than this one — its smart features, options for customization, and other quality-of-life perks make it a clear winner.

  • Power source:
    Rechargeable battery
  • Battery life:
    Two weeks
  • Adjustable settings:
    Yes
Honestly, it doesn’t really get much better than the Philips Sonicare DiamondClean — if you’re going to spend a lot on a toothbrush, make it this one. We aren’t the only ones who think that — the customer reviews are stellar across the board, and other big-name sites like GQ and The Strategist have included it in their best-of lists for electric toothbrushes. 
And it’s no wonder why — the DiamondClean, at least at first, has an almost overwhelming amount of features. They may seem like things you don’t initially need (and maybe that’s true) but once you have them, you won’t want to live without them. So, let’s talk about said features, shall we?
Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Smart 9300 (quite the mouthful) includes three different types of brush heads (plus one exclusively for your tongue), five separate cleaning modes, a charging cup (not a base, a cup), a premium carrying case, a pressure sensor, and Bluetooth connectivity. 
You may be wondering what “Bluetooth connectivity” entails — basically, the DiamondClean has a smartphone companion app that uses the location sensor within the brush track your brushing habits. You’ll then be able to view diagrams on your phone showing where you’ve brushed, and more importantly, where you’ve missed. You can even get personalized in-app coaching to help you become a more effective tooth-brusher. 
Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Smart 9300 is a serious investment, but we can’t say it’s not worth the money if you can spare it. 

And one you should avoid:


Silicone is gentle on your gums, and comes with an even more sensitive replacement head

Multiple customers reported that the brush broke within a few short months, making the year-long charge claim a moot point • Many said that it didn’t noticeably freshen or clean their mouths • For almost $200, the issues with this brush are egregious

It’s unfortunate that the Foreo Issa 2 doesn’t deliver on its claims — the brush should be amazing at this price point, but everyone who uses it seems to dislike it.

8. Foreo Issa 2

The Foreo Issa 2 sounds good on paper, but because it doesn’t deliver on many of its promises (and costs almost $200), we cannot recommend buying one at this time.

  • Power source:
    Rechargeable battery
  • Battery life:
    One year
  • Adjustable settings:
    Yes
And now, a word of warning. 
Similar to quip, the Foreo Issa 2 brush uses sonic vibrations instead of a rotating head, but that’s kind of where the similarities end. You may have noticed that the Issa 2 is almost $200 — a price that, apparently, doesn’t correlate at all with the quality of the brush.
First off, Issa 2 is constructed from bacteria-resistant silicone that claims to be exponentially more hygienic than your run-of-the-mill bristles, and gentler on your gums. (For people with sensitive gums, Foreo also offers a switchable 100% silicone head, as opposed to the stock silicone-and-regular-bristle combo.) The pulsation that comes from the brush during usage is said to be two times for powerful than a more inexpensive brush. The Issa 2 also has a built-in tongue and cheek cleaner, as well as an angled design in an effort to give you a complete, whole-mouth clean. Like a lot of newer electric toothbrushes, this one also has a timer on it, but Foreo’s version gives you positive and constructive feedback after each use (signaled by a light-up happy or sad face). Perhaps the most seemingly impressive aspect of the Foreo Issa 2 is that one charge supposedly lasts you an entire year. 
This all sounds good and dandy — until you do some research, that is.
On almost every site I visited, I came across overwhelmingly negative reviews of the Issa 2 brush. The vast majority of purchasers that posted a review said that the brush ceased to work after just a few months of use, and Foreo’s customer service wasn’t particularly helpful in providing a replacement. Other complaints included an unfair return fee policy, and multiple users saying that the brush didn’t make their mouths feel much fresher than it had when they first woke up. Right now, the Issa 2 stands at a 2.5-out-of-5-star rating on Amazon.
For a toothbrush that is this expensive, these should not be problems that buyers are experiencing. Until Foreo can revamp the Issa toothbrush line, it’s a no-go from us.

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