EmailBest Reviewed
Electric Toothbrushes
- Best electric toothbrush Oral-B ProfessionalCare SmartSeries 4000 *Est. $125
- Electric toothbrush for smaller mouths Sonicare FlexCare *Est. $140
- No-frills electric toothbrush Oral-B Vitality *Est. $18
- Battery-powered toothbrush Arm & Hammer Spinbrush Pro *Est. $9
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- Has two speeds
- Includes timer
- Two head sizes
- Unique feature that helps new users adapt
- Expensive
- Slightly behind Oral-B in plaque removal
- Battery life
Note: The Sonicare Elite e9500 has been discontinued by the manufacturer. The current, comparable model is the Sonicare FlexCare.
Reviews find that the oscillating-rotating movement of Braun electric toothbrushes, like the now-discontinued Oral-B Triumph ProfessionalCare 9400, has a slight edge in plaque removal, but the Sonicare Elite e9500 has a couple of unique features. It includes a larger and smaller brush, the latter being especially useful for people with small mouths. There's also an easy-start feature that slowly increases the power over the first 14 uses as you adjust to using an electric brush. Like Oral-B's higher-end electric brushes, the Sonicare Elite e9500 has a timer. Most user reviews are positive, but some warn that the rubber cover on the on-off button tends to break, allowing grunge to form and fester inside.
In a test by the British product-review publication Which? magazine, the Sonicare Elite e9500 receives perfect scores for overall performance (though battery life holds it back). ConsumerReports.org rates only four electric brushes, but the Sonicare Elite is one of them. Clinical studies in the Journal of Orofacial Orthopedics and Journal of Dentistry give the nod to either the Sonicare Elite e9500 or the Oral-B 7000 series. The majority of user reviews on Amazon.com are positive.
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Our Sources
1. Which? magazineDetails/Subscribe
Out of 12 electric toothbrushes, the Sonicare Elite e9500 is one of the three recommended models. It receives a perfect score for overall cleaning, but short battery life holds it back. Testing is balanced and scientific, and each tested toothbrush gets a detailed write-up with pros and cons.
Review: Electric Toothbrushes, Editors of Which? magazine
2. ConsumerReports.orgDetails/Subscribe
This report rates four electric toothbrushes, including the Sonicare Elite 7500, an earlier version of the Sonicare Elite e9500. The report finds none of them perform better than an average manual toothbrush, except reviewers tend to brush longer with the electrics, making them more effective.
Review: Buzz, WiggleÉ and Rinse, Editors of ConsumerReports.org, Dec. 2003
3. Journal of Orofacial Orthopedics
This abstract of a German study finds that seven electric toothbrushes didn't perform well, but that the Sonicare and Oral-B ProfessionalCare 7000 were the best of the group.
Review: Dental Care during Orthodontic Treatment with Electric Toothbrushes, F.M. Sander et al., Sept. 2006
This clinical study with 90 subjects compares the Oral-B ProfessionalCare 7000 and Sonicare Elite. Both brushes reduce plaque levels, but the Oral-B is significantly more effective. Note that this study was commissioned by Procter & Gamble, maker of Oral-B products.
Review: Efficacy of a Novel Brush Head in the Comparison of Two Power Toothbrushes on Removal of Plaque and Naturally Occurring Extrinsi, C.R. Goyal et al., June 2005
5. Amazon.com
Nearly 200 owner reviews give the Philips Sonicare Elite e9500 a high average score, with less than 10 percent rating it fewer than four out of five stars. Most of the complaints concern breakage of the rubber cover on the on/off button, allowing crud to grow inside.
Review: Philips Sonicare Elite e9500 Custom Care Power Toothbrush, Contributors to Amazon.com
6. Dimensions of Dental Hygiene
This journal for dental hygienists doesn't rate individual brushes, but it does provide an excellent comparison chart of 15 electric and 44 manual toothbrushes, including the Sonicare Elite.
Review: Focus on Toothbrushes, Editors of Dimensions of Dental Hygiene, May 2006
7. iVillage.com
Four dentists are interviewed, and the Sonicare Elite is top-rated in an informal ranking. We prefer reviews with head-to-head testing.
Review: Tooth Picks: How to Buy the Right Brush, Anna Roufos
8. Epinions.com
A handful of owner reviews give the Sonicare Elite e9500 almost perfect scores, but some note that you need to dry the brush head after use or you will get a buildup of gunk.
Review: Sonicare Elite E9500 Electronic Toothbrush, Contributors to Epinions.com
Electric Toothbrushes Runners Up:
3 picks including: Amazon.com, iVillage.com…
3 picks by top review sites.
3 picks by top review sites.
2 picks by top review sites.
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