Best Electric Toothbrushes

Oral-B and Sonicare duke it out

When it comes to choosing the best electric toothbrushes, Oral-B and Sonicare are the two brands discussed most frequently in reviews, and frankly, it's a bit of a toss up trying to decide which is best overall; the choice comes down to some subtle differences.

Oral-B ProfessionalCare toothbrushes employ three kinds of brushing motion: pulsation (in and out), rotation and oscillation (side to side). They also feature a built-in pressure sensor that stops the bristle movement when it detects that you're brushing too hard, something not found in many competitors' models, as well as a two-minute timer with a 30-second interval signal that indicates when to clean another area.

There are four electric toothbrush models in the Oral-B ProfessionalCare line: the ProfessionalCare 1000 (*Est. $65), the ProfessionalCare 3000 (*Est. $80) the ProfessionalCare SmartSeries 4000 (*Est. $100) and the ProfessionalCare SmartSeries 5000 with SmartGuide (*Est. $130). Mechanically, they are similar; all are rechargeable and all accept the same replacement brush heads. They differ only in features, such as the number of cleaning modes. The pricier Oral-B ProfessionalCare SmartSeries electric toothbrushes also include a traveling case with room to hold extra brush heads.

Among reviews, the standout model is the ProfessionalCare SmartSeries 4000, which has four brushing modes, each of which differ in power and duration. At ElectricToothbrush.com, Pennsylvania dentist Lynne Heckert says she and her staff use brushes from the ProfessionalCare SmartSeries line. She recommends the brush because it has a small round head, lasts for years without breaking and "it works." This toothbrush has a microprocessor that monitors the battery charge; it also notifies users when their brush heads need replacement and rewards the user with a smiley face when the recommended two-minute brush time is completed. The SmartSeries electric toothbrushes also do well in professional testing, where they excel at plaque removal. About 150 users at Amazon.com give the electric toothbrush an average rating of 4.5 out 5 stars, saying that it does an excellent job of cleaning teeth and has a long battery life, lasting up to two weeks between charges.

The step-up model, the Oral-B ProfessionalCare SmartSeries 5000, has the same oscillating-rotating functionality but also features a massage mode and a separate, wireless LCD display that monitors brushing time, signals when you're brushing too hard, indicates when it is time to change brush heads and doubles as a clock. Though a study at the Journal of Contemporary Dental Practice suggests that the wireless display improves the overall brushing technique by alerting users when they're brushing too hard as well as when to switch quadrants, some experts question whether the external display is worth the extra cost. If these features help motivate you to brush longer, they might be worth it, reviewers say. Because the ProfessionalCare SmartSeries 4000 is functionally the same and costs less, we've chosen to name it as a Best Reviewed pick among electric toothbrushes.

Generally speaking, all four of the Oral-B ProfessionalCare toothbrushes earn positive marks from users at Amazon.com. Problems are rare, but a few owners complain about the cost -- both of the base unit and the replacement brush heads -- batteries that don't hold a charge and a design that some consider bulky and heavy.

Oral-B also makes a sonic toothbrush, which vibrates side to side at nearly 30,000 strokes per minute, rather than spinning, oscillating and pulsating. The Oral-B Pulsonic (*Est. $60) is notable for its slim design. In a 2009 clinical assessment reported in the Journal of Clinical Dentistry, the Oral-B Pulsonic was shown to produce a "highly significant reduction" of extrinsic staining on the teeth. The Pulsonic also earns praise in two casual blog reviews. At Stylelist.com, fashion blogger Cat Lincoln likes the "incredibly cool-looking design" of the Pulsonic electric toothbrush and suggests that the sensitive speed makes it "an excellent gateway brush for those new to the whole toothbrush-shaking-in-your-mouth thing." For a reviewer on GeekyHousewife.com, "This toothbrush gets pretty close to delivering that overwhelming feeling of clean" you get at the dentist's office.

The Oral-B Pulsonic electric toothbrush also gets good ratings at Amazon.com. Several users complain, however, that the brush head can be twisted off the body while the brush is in use. Others don't like that the directions call for the brush to be moved in a circular motion on the teeth. For a few, the brush head is too large.

Sonicare electric toothbrushes

Sonicare is the other major player when it comes to electric toothbrushes. Sonicare has five electric toothbrush lines, two of which stand out in reviews: the FlexCare and the Essence. Among these models, the popular Sonicare FlexCare with Sanitizer (*Est. $130) has recently been replaced with the Flexcare+ (*Est. $130), which has the same functions with a sleeker look and two extra cleaning modes (refresh and gum care). Both models -- still widely available -- are noteworthy for the ultraviolet (UV) cleaning function built into the charging stand.

In a video review of seven electric toothbrushes by Good Housekeeping, the Sonicare FlexCare with Sanitizer receives top marks from testers and a dentist, Denis Vu, who praises the UV cleaning feature and says "the head is particularly impressive because of its small size." Some users at Amazon.com, however, say the sanitizer is too much of a bother to use and aren't sure if it's worth the extra cost. If you're concerned about germs, it may be worth the investment, reviewers say, but we didn't find any clinical testing to back up this assertion. For this reason we chose to include the Sonicare FlexCare (*Est. $115), which is exactly the same -- minus the sanitizer -- as a Best Reviewed electric-toothbrush pick.

Tests by a leading consumer magazine found that the Sonicare FlexCare's ability to remove plaque is neck-and-neck with Oral-B ProfessionalCare toothbrushes. The FlexCare electric toothbrush has an easy-start feature that gently increases the power of the brush over 14 uses, which can help new users adjust to a powered brush (this feature can be deactivated). However, editors at the aforementioned magazine say that, because of its heavy vibration, the FlexCare can be a bit uncomfortable for beginners to use.

Other features on the FlexCare toothbrush include a two-minute timer, in addition to a one-minute quick mode and a three-minute MaxCare mode that includes a massage feature. The Sonicare FlexCare also prompts you after each 30 seconds of use, so that each quadrant of your mouth gets equal time for maximum benefit. A smaller brush head is also available, and users comment that it's especially helpful for those with small mouths or those who simply prefer a smaller brush head.

As with the Oral-B ProfessionalCare toothbrushes, Sonicare FlexCare electric toothbrushes generally receive very positive marks from users at Amazon.com. Some users complain that the brushing mode button is poorly placed and easy to switch while brushing. Others say that it isn't very durable but add that Sonicare has excellent customer service and promptly replaces defective brushes.

Another Sonicare line, the Essence series, also earns good reviews. Users say the Sonicare Essence HX5351 (*Est. $40) does an excellent job of cleaning teeth and it's especially durable; a few reviewers say they've owned their toothbrush for more than four years. The Essence HX5351 electric toothbrush uses a rechargeable nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cd) battery that takes 24 hours to charge, but it holds a charge for up to two weeks. It also has a two-minute timer, but some users complain that it doesn't have a 30-second quadrant timer like other Sonicare models.

Sonicare's latest addition, the pricey Sonicare DiamondClean (*Est. $220) has brush heads with angled necks that make easy work of accessing hard-to-reach areas of the mouth. The heads have an unusual diamond shape (alas, no actual diamonds), which the manufacturer says provides more intense cleaning. It also comes with a charging glass (instead of a bulky charger) that doubles as a rinsing cup. The DiamondClean electric toothbrush also comes with a travel case that plugs into a computer for charging. It has five cleaning modes: clean, white, polish, gum care and sensitive. Aside from its snazzy features, the DiamondClean is similar to other Sonicare brushes: It has the same speed, holds its charge for the same amount of time and relies on the same sonic technology to clean teeth. Initial reviews at Amazon.com are positive, but it hasn't been professionally reviewed.