Oral-B is one of the biggest names in home dental care and is considered to be one of the best electric toothbrush brands available, alongside its rival Philips Sonicare.
The majority of Oral-B electric toothbrushes clean by what the brand calls “3D action’, using both oscillation and pulsations. Its newer iO line has an updated cleaning system. Again, it uses both oscillation and what the brand now terms “micro vibrations” – a sonic cleaning process.
Its electric toothbrushes are widely available with a model for every price point. If you’ve ever tried to buy one without researching first, you’ll know that with so many lines, models and versions of each model, it’s hard to know what you’re getting, and which brush would be best for you.
Different brushes have different features – and flaws. To get what you need, you might not have to spend as much as you think, as long as you know what you want and where you’re prepared to compromise.
There are a few features we think every electric toothbrush should have: a pressure sensor, a brushing timer and good cleaning action. But there are also some nice-to-haves as well, like smart features, a screen to display battery life and a choice of brushing modes.
There’s also the matter of choosing between Oral-B’s classic brush design and its new iO range.
We’ve reviewed some of the best Oral-B brushes, so you can find the one that’s perfect for you. Check out the pros and cons of each one below. And if you want to find out more about the features on offer, have a look at our buying advice after the chart.
If you’d like more options, have a look at our round-up of all the best electric toothbrushes we’ve tested, regardless of brand.
1. Oral-B iO Series 6
Pros
- Best value iO brush
- Powerful cleaning
- Good screen & app
Cons
- Expensive replacement heads
- Relatively short battery life
If it’s within budget, this is the Oral-B brush we’d recommend. Yes, it’s still expensive but it’s in the sweet spot where the best features meet the most reasonable price.
If you’re in the US, prices are relatively stead. In the UK, we’d advise buying at its regularly discounted price of around £110.
The iO range has Oral-B’s best-ever cleaning performance, and the iO6 has five cleaning modes, a brushing timer and a light-up pressure sensor ring. It’s also app-compatible for real-time brushing feedback.
The main compromises, when compared to more expensive iO models, are the monochrome screen (the iO8 and above have a full colour display) and a more basic charging dock that doesn’t offer fast charging. There are fewer brushing modes as well.
We’re not as keen on the fact that a brush at this price point doesn’t have a USB charging option, and the battery life could be much better. You’ll only get 10 days of use – or less if you brush for longer than two minutes at a time.
2. Oral-B Pro 3 3000
Pros
- Two week battery life
- Pressure sensor
- Brushing timer
- Good cleaning performance
Cons
- Noisy
- Slippery handle
- Button hard to press
If an iO is just too pricey, the Pro 3 3000 has all the features you need to take care of your teeth, as well as a very good brushing performance.
This electric toothbrush has a brushing timer that alerts you every thirty seconds to move onto a new section of your mouth and lets you know when your dentist-approved two-minute brushing session has finished.
It also has a bright red pressure warning light that lets you know if you’re pressing too hard.
Although we think it’s great value, we don’t love everything about it: charging takes a long 12 hours; its battery warning light doesn’t give you much brushing time; and it doesn’t stop after two minutes, so you’ll need to give its inset button a hard press to switch it off. It’s not as quiet in use as an iO either.
3. Oral-B iO Series 8
Pros
- Brilliant brushing performance
- Full colour screen with timer
- Three-hour fast charge
Cons
- No USB charging
- Less than two-week battery life
If you’re feeling spendy, this is the luxury Oral-B brush we’d recommend. Yes, there are two iO models that are pricier (the iO9 and the iO10) but it doesn’t really get much better than this.
The differences between the iO8 and the iO9 are minor: the iO9 has seven cleaning modes instead of six – but how many do you really need? It also has 3D teeth tracking while you brush, which the iO8 doesn’t, but its real-time brushing feedback is almost as good.
The iO8 has fast charging, a full colour OLED screen, app compatibility, three brushing timer options and a pressure sensor.
As for the negatives, these are common to all Oral-B brushes: there’s no USB charging option and the battery won’t last for two weeks. However, the three-hour fast charge goes some way to mitigating these flaws.
4. Oral-B Genius X
Pros
- Best app feedback outside of the iO brush range
Cons
- App feedback makes it hard to share brush handle
If you want brushing feedback from an app but don’t want to go for an iO (the Genius range has much more affordable replacement brush heads), the Genius X could be for you.
It claims to be AI-driven, but we think this is pushing it a bit. However, it does feature intelligent position detection technology, so it can tell where in your mouth you’re brushing. If you tend to neglect harder-to-reach areas of your mouth, this brush could put you back on track.
It cleans brilliantly, has six brushing modes and a pressure sensor.
The only issue is that if the handle is shared, and more than one person wants to use the app to keep track of brushing stats, you’ll have to be diligent about taking your phone along to your brushing sessions, as otherwise info can be synced to the wrong account.
5. Oral-B iO Series 4
Pros
- Great brushing performance
- Pressure sensor
- Brushing timer
Cons
- Not a good choice for sharing
- 12 hour charging time
- 2 week battery life
The iO4 is one of the most budget-friendly iO models. If you’re in the US, you also have the option of the iO3, which you may be able to get for less but considering discounts here and there, there’s not a lot in it.
Like all iO brushes, the iO4 comes with a travel case and, like the more budget-friendly iO models, it uses the same charger as classic Oral-B brushes and takes 12 hours to fully charge.
The iO4 has a great brushing performance, a vibration timer, pressure sensor and four brushing modes. Like all iOs that don’t have a screen, it’ll cycle through all the light ring colours in a congratulatory rainbow-hued light show when you brush for two minutes.
There’s no screen and no brushing mode icons on the handle. This, as far as we’re concerned, is the only real snag with buying this model. You’ll have to open the app to check which brushing mode you’re using, unless you can tell by vibration alone.
If this is a sticking point, the iO5 has a panel on the handle that displays symbols for all the brushing modes, so it’s easy to see which one you’re using. At the moment, it’s a better buy in the US than in the UK, where its price is much higher than the iO4.
6. Oral-B iO Series 9
Pros
- Full colour OLED screen
- Brushing feedback
- Excellent cleaning performance
Cons
- Short battery life
- Underwhelming accessories
This brush is one of the priciest iOs, with an eye-watering price tag to match.
It’s slick, feature-packed and slightly over-the-top, with a full-colour OLED screen that greets you in the morning and flashes you a smile if you brush well.
But it also has Oral-B’s best brush tracking technology, seven brushing settings and a light-up pressure sensor that not only tells you when you’re pressing too hard but when you get it just right.
And when it times your brushing session, it provides a countdown timer on the brush handle screen so you can see exactly how long you have left.
Apart from brushing feedback, most of the rest of the app functions feel like filler. But that’s okay because the OLED screen allows you to ditch the app and still enjoy most of its features.
On the negative side, the iO9’s battery life is not as good as some competing brushes at this price point and you’ll be lucky to get more than 12 days of use before it needs to be charged.
7. Pro 2 2000
Pros
- Two week battery life
- Pressure sensor
- Brushing timer
- Good cleaning performance
Cons
- Only 2 brushing modes
- Battery light comes on just as it's failing
If you want a great value Oral-B brush but feel that the handle of the Pro 3 3000 looks a bit slippery and shiny, this is the brush we’d recommend.
It’s around the same price point, perhaps even a little cheaper. It only has two brushing modes (daily clean and sensitive) instead of three, but you’ll get the same pressure sensor and brushing timer.
It has the same flaws as well. It takes around 12 hours to charge and you’ll only be notified by the battery light right when it’s giving up the ghost.
8. Oral-B iO 10
Pros
- Innovative charging base
- Excellent cleaning performance
- Seven brushing modes
Cons
- Inconsistent tracking
- No USB charging
- Awkward case
The iO10 is not available in all countries yet and where it is, it’s still only available at its very high launch price. What’s more, apart from its speckled, “cosmic” design, available in both black and white, it only has one major difference from the iO8 and iO9. And if that’s the feature you want, then you may be happy to pay more for it.
The iO10’s big innovation is its iOsense smart charger: a charging dock which also functions as a digital clock and six-segment brushing timer. It means you can get detailed, real-time brushing feedback without bringing your phone into the bathroom with you. We found this feature useful when we tested the brush but it wasn’t perfectly accurate.
The iO10 also has all the same features as the iO8 and iO9: the colour screen, pressure sensor and all the app features. It has seven brushing modes, real-time brushing feedback in app and it can also charge in its travel case.
9. Oral-B Genius 8000/9000
Pros
- Good cleaning performance
- App feedback
Cons
- Feedback is less advanced than Genius X or iO
These are powerful electric toothbrushes that deliver great cleaning performance, with plenty of brushing modes, a pressure sensor and app support.
The difference between the 8000 and 9000 Series brushes are minor: colour options and additional cleaning modes (the 9000 has a deeper cleaning mode and a tongue care mode).
`As these are slightly older brushes, prices can vary a lot. We’d suggest shopping around and looking for deals before you buy.
Use the brush with the app and you’ll get feedback on how long you brushed for and if you pressed too hard on your teeth. It also has position detection software, but it’s not as accurate or detailed as Genius X or iO brushes.
10. Oral-B Vitality
Pros
- Brushing timer
- Grippy handle
- Good price
Cons
- Oscillates only
- No battery light
- No pressure alert
As you might expect from its price point, this brush is light on features. However, what makes it harder to recommend is its cleaning performance.
It’s one of the few Oral-B brushes that only oscillates – this is Oral-B’s “2D cleaning system”. Unlike the other brushes in this round-up, it doesn’t use sonic vibrations at all, which seriously impacts its cleaning performance.
It has a brushing timer, but it lacks a pressure sensor. And there’s no battery light, which makes it hard to tell if it’s charging properly when you set it in its stand.
However, if your budget is tight, this will serve you much better than a manual brush. It’ll ensure you brush for long enough and its oscillation-based cleaning will give your teeth a bit of an extra polish.
Oral-B buying advice
If you’re buying an Oral-B toothbrush, these are the features to look out for. While iO brushes are the same from territory to territory, some of the older classic brushes have different names in different countries. That means features can vary. We’ll specify which brush we’re discussing and suggest the closest alternative where we can.
iO or classic?
Oral-B’s latest electric toothbrushes are all in its redesigned iO line. The iO brushes are typically more expensive than most of the classic brushes. In the US, they start from around $70, in the UK from around £85. What you’ll get for this is an upgraded cleaning experience which both oscillates and vibrates thanks to its frictionless magnetic drive system.
There’s also a pressure sensor and brushing timer, a choice of cleaning modes, an accompanying app (although the features vary depending on which model you buy). Get one of the pricier iO brushes and you’ll get brushing feedback in real-time, an OLED screen that displays battery life and more, three-hour fast charging and a wider choice of brushing modes.
All iOs come with a travel case. The pricier ones are a bit fancier and the iO9 and iO10 can charge in their cases – although not via USB.
While the classic Oral-B brushes don’t offer as much in terms of innovative features, almost all will offer a timer and (more basic) pressure sensor, more brushing modes and some even offer smart features. You may also find that you’ll now be able to buy these brushes for considerably less than their launch price.
Timer
Dentists recommend you brush for two minutes twice a day, but it can be difficult to judge how long that is. It’s easy to zone out while brushing and not brush for long enough. Even 15 seconds can feel like a long time.
That’s why all newer Oral-B brushes have a brushing timer. These brushes will do the hard work for you by letting you know when you can (finally) stop.
They’ll also alert you to move on to a new section of your mouth every 30 seconds. Most people spend too long on certain parts of their mouth and neglect other areas, typically, the harder-to-reach back teeth. This can lead to gum disease and tooth decay in those areas.
A timer may be the most important feature on your electric toothbrush – except maybe for a pressure sensor.
Pressure sensor
It’s easy to think you’re brushing better if you’re brushing harder and to try to scrub your teeth clean. But this bad habit can damage tooth enamel and gums. A pressure sensor will light up or make a sound if you push too hard against your teeth.
Most Oral-B brushes feature a pressure sensor, except for the most budget-friendly models. iO models even feature a sensor that not only glows red when you brush too hard but lights up in green when you get it just right.
Cleaning modes
The pricier models will also have different brushing modes. Typically, there will be a button on the handle that’ll let you toggle between deep cleaning, whitening, tongue care, polishing, a sensitive setting and gum care.
Sharing
iO brushes are not designed for sharing, but if you’re willing to forgo some of the data-collecting smart features, you can still share them with a partner or even with the entire family. As this will run down the battery much more quickly, we’d advise you to charge your iO daily.
While classic Oral-B brushes have a coloured, plastic ring around the neck that you can use to distinguish between them, iO brushes don’t. Instead, they have different symbols in the same spot.
Emma Rowley / Foundry
Brush head replacement
You probably know that you should change your toothbrush head every three months. But do you remember to do it? Some Oral-B smart brushes will alert you when you need to switch to a new brush head. However, this feature won’t work accurately if you share your brush handle with a partner or other family members.
Still, you’ll be able to tell when your brush head needs to be replaced as the bristles will change colour from blue to white.
Battery life
In the UK, Oral-B brushes charge via a shaving socket plug, while in the US, it’s via a standard two-pin plug. We’d love to see one with a USB charger, as this makes it easier when travelling.
This is especially the case because Oral-B brushes don’t tend to excel when it comes to battery life, with most offering a maximum of two weeks. The iO brush battery life is even shorter.
Oral-B’s limited charging options and less impressive battery life are the one area in which we think Sonicare definitely has the edge over Oral-B. To see one of the best electric toothbrushes from this rival, have a look at our review of the Sonicare DiamondClean 9000.
Brushing heads
Oral-B has different options when it comes to brushing heads for its classic brushes. Its standard brush heads are the Precision Clean and the CrossAction, which has angled bristles. But the brand also makes brush heads for sensitive teeth and brightening brush heads, which feature a rubber cup in the centre, to polish teeth.
These brush heads will fit any of the key types of Oral-B brush – Genius, Smart, Pro and Vitality models – except for the iO range.
The iO is completely different to the rest of the Oral-B brushes and it features a redesigned brush head. There are two widely available options: the Ultimate Clean (available in black or white) and the Gentle Care.
iO brush heads are significantly more expensive than the standard brush heads. Plus, there are plenty of generic compatible heads for the classic brushes, which are even cheaper, although they may vary in quality.
Oral-B brush movements
There are several levels of cleaning technique among different types of Oral-B brush.
The budget-friendly Vitality delivers what the brand calls “2D cleaning”, which means that the brush has an oscillating-rotating motion. Higher tier brushes provide “3D cleaning”, which means that the rotating motion is joined by a high frequency sonic pulse, which helps to break down plaque and delivers a better cleaning performance.
The iO brushes have been completely redesigned, and their cleaning performance has been overhauled, but like the better standard brushes, they clean using both oscillations and micro-vibrations.
Let’s be clear: we think the that Oral-B’s 3D cleaning system is more than good enough: if you have a good brushing technique, it’ll serve you well. But having tried both, we think that the iO’s cleaning performance is even better.
App-compatible smart brushes
There are several types of app-connected smart Oral-B brushes. Their main function is to provide feedback on your brushing technique, to help you to get good coverage of your teeth. iO brushes will provide more detailed feedback – and in real-time as well.
Author: Emma Rowley, Home Tech Editor
Emma is Home Tech Editor at Tech Advisor. She covers everything from kitchen appliances to smart home devices, from floor care to personal care to air care technology. She’s particularly interested in environmentally conscious brands and products that save people time and money.