Budget Powered Toothbrushes

Electric toothbrushes under $40

On the very low end of the price spectrum are nonrechargeable, battery-powered toothbrushes like the Arm & Hammer Spinbrush Pro Clean (*Est. $9) and the Oral-B CrossAction Power (*Est. $7). A 2002 clinical study, reported in the Journal of Clinical Dentistry, gives a slight edge to the Spinbrush Pro Clean (then sold under the Crest brand; Arm & Hammer now markets the Spinbrush) over other battery-powered brushes, including the Colgate Motion. But, all brushes that were tested adequately removed plaque. Another study, published in the American Journal of Dentistry, shows the Spinbrush Pro Clean to be more effective at reducing plaque than manual toothbrushes.

These budget-friendly electric toothbrushes are similar; both feature replaceable brush heads and all take AA disposable or nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) rechargeable batteries. The Oral-B CrossAction Power toothbrush requires only one battery, while the Arm & Hammer toothbrush requires two. Owners report that you should expect to change the batteries every two months or so, or possibly monthly, depending on how often and how long you brush. By the time you factor in the cost of batteries over a year's time, you might be better off with an initially more expensive, rechargeable electric toothbrush featuring an internal battery.

An electric toothbrush such as the Oral-B Vitality (*Est. $25) is essentially the same as a battery-powered toothbrush, only with a rechargeable battery and stand. Unlike the pricier Oral-B and Sonicare electric toothbrushes, the Oral-B Vitality's brush heads spin, but they don't pulsate or oscillate. In a Good Housekeeping review, dentist Denis Vu praises the Oral-B Vitality for being "very effective for a very modest cost." It's important to note that the Vitality provides 41 minutes of brushing per charge, and charging takes 16 hours. But, if you just keep the brush in its included charging stand, it will always be charged up.

If you're tired of replacing batteries in a battery-operated toothbrush, the Oral-B Vitality series appears to be a good choice. Although it doesn't win any head-to-head clinical trials against more expensive electric toothbrushes, owners say it's better than manual brushing, and it doesn't cost much. In the U.S., there are two Vitality models: the Floss Action and Dual Clean. Both are well-regarded by Amazon.com users, but the Floss Action model earns a slightly higher average user rating from more reviewers. The Dual Clean version has two brushes on its head; the Floss Action has one spinning brush. The brush heads are interchangeable, though, and both models are compatible with the same brush heads.