Best electric toothbrushes 2022: Achieve cleaner teeth and a brighter smile

Wondering how to achieve a brighter smile on a budget? With Black Friday sales underway, now may be the best time to swap your manual toothbrush for one of the best electric toothbrushes. These clever gadgets are an easy way to step up your dental hygiene, removing around 20% (opens in new tab) more plaque than a manual toothbrush and reduce your risk of developing gingivitis by 11% (opens in new tab). 

What's more, many of the best electric toothbrushes offer personalized features and live analytics to help improve your brushing routine in real time. But with so many different products on the market, it may be difficult to pick one that suits all your needs and preferences. That is why the Live Science team has personally tried and tested countless electric toothbrushes to give you all the information you may need before heading to the checkout.    

There are many fantastic models to choose from. The Oral B Genius X offer a premium clean from a company that has been making electric toothbrushes for decades. Or, if you're looking for a slightly more budget friendly option, older models like the Oral B Pro 1000 carry a lower price point but still offer an excellent clean. 

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Whether this is your first electric toothbrush, or you're looking for a new model to try, our guide on how to use an electric toothbrush can help you to ensure you're making the most of your brushing experience. 

We’ve rounded up some of the latest models in our guide to the best electric toothbrushes below, including both oscillating-rotating brushes and sonic brushes too. Looking for a child-friendly option? Check out the best electric toothbrushes for kids too.

Best electric toothbrushes we've tested

The Oral-B Genius X is the ideal next-level toothbrush for anyone wanting to improve and maintain good dental hygiene. An interactive app tracks and monitors your brushing habits and patterns using A.I. technology, while extra features help users set oral hygiene goals with coaching tips and tricks. 

And if you’re not interested in using the app, there’s plenty to like about the Oral-B Genius X itself. Featuring six cleaning modes, including tongue cleaning, sensitive, whitening, gum care and pro cleaning alongside standard daily clean, this toothbrush delivers on oral hygiene with a powerful oscillating-rotating brush head. A sturdy travel case is included, with a charging travel case offered on some models.

Users who prefer a quieter brushing session may find the Oral-B Genius X a little noisy, given that it isn’t a sonic toothbrush. Operating at around 70 decibels, it’s similar to a dishwasher or washing machine. But for anyone who’s been advised by their hygienist to improve their brushing technique - it could be a game-changer. 

In our testing, we found daily cleaning mode and pro clean mode to be very similar, but pro clean had the edge when it came to that clean-mouth feeling after brushing. Gum care mode had a gently massaging, rhythmic oscillation that moved up and down in intensity, while 3D white mode echoed that sensation of having a polish at the dental hygienist. 

• Read our full Oral B Genius X review (opens in new tab)

One of Oral-B’s most popular electric toothbrushes, the Oral-B Pro 1000 is a budget-friendly electric toothbrush that does away with all the bells and whistles of its hi-tech neighbors and simply cleans well. 

One cleaning mode is all you get with the Oral-B Pro 1000, so it’s just as well the price point is low. But if you’re after simplicity, it could be the right toothbrush for you. Simply turn on and brush, without worrying about which cleaning mode to try, or how to connect your handset to your phone.

Despite its simplicity, this toothbrush also includes some helpful features, such as a built-in pressure sensor that alerts you to when you’re brushing too hard, and a timer that helps you remember when to move to the next quadrant of your mouth. It also alerts you when you complete the recommended two minutes of brushing time. Just like the handset itself, replacement brush heads are also very affordable.

Given that most people tend to use just one or two cleaning modes on even the most sophisticated brushes, the Oral-B Pro 1000 clears away the confusion and focuses on delivering a powerful clean with its round cross-action brush head. However, if you have sensitive teeth or gums, you may find it just a little too powerful. And if you want a toothbrush that promises to whiten teeth, or massage gums, you’d be better looking elsewhere.

• Read our full Oral B Pro 1000 review

Sleek and stylish, the Philips Sonicare DiamondClean 9000 features no less than 4 brushing modes - clean, white+, gum health and deep clean+. Each of these modes can be further tweaked to an intensity setting that suits you, giving you a wide range of brushing experiences to choose from. 

We felt a definite difference between clean/deep clean+, the latter leaving our teeth feeling cleaner. However, over a few cleans, we didn’t notice an enormous amount of difference between the other modes, except that Gum Health was a bit softer on the gums.

The DiamondClean 9000, like the Oral-B Genius, also comes with a free app to help you keep track of your oral hygiene and help you keep track of when you need replacement brush heads. You can even set up automatic re-ordering to keep your bathroom cabinet stocked up. 

However, where the Oral-B Genius app helps users actively improve their technique by identifying areas they’ve missed during brushing, the DiamondClean 9000 app simply charts your brushing activity, and how much pressure you apply during sessions. So unless you need to be reminded to brush your teeth every day, or to ease up on pressure while brushing, you might not get as much from the app as you’d like. 

A huge plus point for the DiamondClean is that it comes with its own USB-charging case, perfect for travel, or if you like to brush your teeth after lunch, at the office. Its high price point may be a deal-breaker for many users, but the DiamondClean 9000 has enough features to impress, with or without the app.

• Read our full Philips Sonicare DiamonClean 9000 review (opens in new tab)

The Waterpik Complete Care 9.0 delivers two oral hygiene must-haves in one fell swoop, by combining a separate sonic toothbrush and water flosser in one compact device, making it cost-effective and space-saving. 

Offered with a host of extras, such as 5 water flosser tips, 2 brush heads, a storage case and travel case, the Waterpik Complete Care 9.0 also features 3 cleaning modes and a bevelled tongue-cleaning feature. 

We tested each of the cleaning modes in turn several times. General clean mode operates at a slightly lower frequency compared to whitening mode, which adds extra polishing to a brushing session during the recommended two minutes. Massage mode was the most impressive mode to use, providing a gentle massaging pulse to stimulate the gum area, while giving that ‘deep clean’ feeling. 

Designed to be plugged into a bathroom socket near a basin, it may not be right for everyone, and a lack of extra features may disappoint some users. But when it comes to value for money, you could do worse than investing in the Waterpik Complete Care 9.0, rather than shelling out separately for an electric toothbrush and a water flosser.

• Read our full Waterpik Complete Care 9.0 review (opens in new tab)

Marketed as the ultimate clean electric toothbrush, the Oral-B iO Series 9 offers a truly personalized brushing experience. 

The Oral-B iO9 also features an in-built pressure sensor which flashes red when too much pressure is applied, white when brushing is too soft, and green when it’s just right, giving brushers the full Goldilocks experience when it comes to brushing. No less than 7 brushing modes include daily clean, sensitive, gum care, intense+, super sensitive, tongue clean and whiten. 

Apart from a change in intensity between the daily, intense+ and sensitive/super sensitive modes, we didn’t notice a huge amount of difference between the modes. As this reviewer has sensitive gums, the only suitable mode was super sensitive mode. Even gum care was very harsh on our gums, and left us with an uncomfortable tingly feeling. If you’re looking for a toothbrush with a good amount of pressure, this is the choice for you, but if you’re a bit sensitive, there might be better options out there. 

A smart, connected app completes the brushing experience, offering a 3D A.I. view during brushing to ensure no areas are missed out on. Users can also track brushing data and gum health over weeks, months, and years. 

Available in 3 colorways, rose quartz, white alabaster and black onyx, the handset also features a magnetic charger for easy docking. The handle powers up quickly too, with a full charge in just 3 hours. The Oral-B iO9 also comes with a handy travel case that doubles up as a charger, and a travel refill holder, although just one brush head is provided with the starter kit.

If you’re after a super smart, connected clean, with a brush that looks sleek and stylish on the bathroom shelf, the Oral-B iO Series 9 could be the perfect electric toothbrush for you. 

• Read our full Oral B-io Series 9 review

Sleek and stylish, the Foreo ISSA 3 has innovated the design of electric toothbrushes. With a curved ergonomic handle and a 365-day battery life, this 4-in-1 toothbrush is designed to clean the teeth, gums, cheeks and tongue. Made from bacteria-resistant silicone and using silicone bristles as well as thermoplastic bristles, this sonic electric toothbrush goes easy on gums while delivering a whole mouth ‘deep clean’ feel.

16 intensity settings allow users to set the level of cleaning, while an angled brush head and extended bristles let you access those hard-to-reach areas of the mouth. A ridged panel at the back of the toothbrush head allows for cheek and tongue cleaning. 

Although we worked our way through the 16 levels of intensity, we tended to find that the highest level setting gave the best results, or results closest to that of a regular sonic toothbrush, while the lower levels were largely redundant. However, users with sensitive teeth or painful gums may prefer operating this toothbrush at a lower setting. 

While it might not have the extra features found in Philips and Oral B models, such as a pressure sensor or a sturdy travel case, the Foreo ISSA 3’s futuristic style will certainly give your bathroom shelfie the wow factor. And the 365-day battery life cuts down on energy, time and money. 

• Read our full Foreo ISSA 3 sonic toothbrush review (opens in new tab)

This sonic toothbrush is Colgate’s answer to providing an accessible smart brush at a low price point. Users can choose from a rechargeable or battery-operated model and a range of colors, including blue, green, purple and black. The design differs slightly from the rechargeable to the battery models.

Featuring three brush modes, normal, sensitive and deep clean, the brush also has an in-built timer and an ergonomic handle, designed for comfort and accuracy while brushing. 

The toothbrush also connects to the smart Hum app by Colgate, which allows users to track their brushing progress, and target brushing to neglected areas, helping you to brush your best. You can even earn points towards rewards, which you can redeem in the app’s shop towards replacement brush heads.

A starter kit comes with a toothbrush handle and head, a charger, a convenient travel case and an extra brush head for up to six months of brushing. 

It took our tester just five hours to fully charge the battery, which is impressive given other brands can take over 20. However, the rechargeable toothbrush does hold less charge than some other electric toothbrushes, lasting only 10 days when others might last weeks or months between charges. If you were going on a long holiday, you would definitely need to pack the charger.

Based on its low price point and connected, smart features, we think you could spend a lot more cash on a toothbrush and still get the same experience. The Hum by Colgate is great value for money and fun to use.  

• Read our full Hum by Colgate review

The Spotlight Oral Care Sonic Toothbrush is an affordable option for those switching from manual to electric for the first time. Designed by dentists, it uses sonic technology to mimic the gentle feel of a manual toothbrush with a deep-clean effect.

Although fairly basic, there is plenty to like about the Spotlight Oral Care Sonic Toothbrush. It's has an elegant, minimalistic design, available in three stylish colors - white, graphite grey and rose gold (and a limited edition Pride print) and three cleaning modes (sensitive, clean and white). A sturdy travel case is also included, as well as a charging dock. One drawback is that whilst this toothbrush is widely available in the US, the charging plug is designed for the UK, so you will need an adaptor in order to use it. However, the brush does come with an impressive three toothbrush heads, with replacements costing only $30 for a pack of three.

We worked our way through all three cleaning modes in our at-home testing. Whilst sensitive and clean gave good results, we tended to find that the highest setting - white - gave the best results. However, users with sensitive teeth or painful gums may prefer operating this toothbrush on the sensitive mode. We found the brush to be highly effective in removing plaque and discoloration, providing a clean finish that felt not too dissimilar to a deep clean you might receive at a hygienist - and all for an affordable price tag. 

• Read our full Spotlight Oral Care Sonic Toothbrush review

The Oclean X Pro Elite electric toothbrush is a budget-friendly option for those who want to try out a sonic toothbrush. The sleek gray design will compliment any bathroom, and the built-in touch-screen gives users insight into their brushing time. The app offers a more in-depth analysis of brushing and also offers the option to monitor children’s brushing through ‘family mode’.

With 32 intensity levels and four brushing modes, you can find a setting that works for you whether you have sensitive teeth, or want a deep clean. The standard brushing time is set for two minutes, but you can change this if you want, with the touchscreen giving the option to customize the mode, duration and intensity from the brush itself. The Oclean app has a quiz to help you find the right brushing settings for your needs. We had ours on white mode, intensity four and set for three minutes of brushing time.

The charger is USB compatible, which makes it convenient for travel, and the battery life lasts over a month, taking just 3.5 hours to reach a full charge from empty – one of the fastest brushes we’ve tested.

• Read our full Oclean X Pro Elite review

The Oral-B iO Series 10 offers more features and smarts than any brush the brand has created before. As such, it comes with a premium price tag that makes it one of the most expensive brushes we've tested. Spending that extra does get you new features like fast wireless charging, quieter operating, and smart tracking features. But does this model justify that extra expense over the competition? 

If you're a committed user who takes advantage of the tracking features, this can give you the best possible teeth and gum care. The new base with live feedback removed the need to rely on a connected phone for live feedback as you brush, which makes it less fiddly.

The round, rotating head on this brush also vibrates at a micro level, giving it the ability to provide the best clean yet. Combined with the iO specific heads, along with seven cleaning modes, this brush should be able to keep even the most challenging of mouths up to the highest dental standards.

The case has a lovely slim design which is ideal for compact travel but it only holds one extra head. This may be a negative for some who want different types of heads on the go. There is that extra case for carrying these though, so we see this as well addressed by Oral-B. Also, the case charges using the proprietary charger, not using your phone charger cable, to get this juiced up on the go, which we thought was a useful feature.

• Read our full Oral-B iO Series 10 review