This short report will explain how to compare electric toothbrushes, review the best electric toothbrush models, and examine elements of top rated electric toothbrushes that you should consider carefully before making your choice.
Let’s compare electric toothbrushes. Today’s models come in a range of sizes, colors and features. They spin and pulsate, vibrate and oscillate, clean your teeth effectively, and keep your smile bright.
But it’s getting harder to compare electric toothbrushes because there are multiple features, and dozens of brands or models to choose from. The best electric toothbrush for you will depend upon your unique needs, preferences and budget.
After our team compared electric toothbrushes from various manufacturers and carefully reviewed their performance, we compiled a list of the 5 best electric toothbrushes of this year.
And the 5 top rated electric toothbrushes this year are:
- Oral-B Black 7000 with SmartGuide
- Philips Sonicare DiamondClean
- Oral-B ProfessionalCare SmartSeries 5000 with SmartGuide
- Philips Sonicare Flexcare Platinum
- Philips Sonicare Essence
(click on the link for a full review of each model)
How To Compare Electric Toothbrushes
Modern electric toothbrushes come in different shapes, sizes and forms. There are inexpensive throwaway models, as well as others that will set you back $100 or more.
Broadly, there are 2 types:
- electric
- sonic
Electric toothbrushes may vibrate, rotate or oscillate. If the brush head has bristles that create a brushing and polishing motion, all you need to do is move the head around your mouth until all your teeth are cleaned.
So what other factors should you compare electric toothbrushes on before making your decision on the brand or model to choose? There are quite a few.
What To Look For While Buying An Electric Toothbrush
1. Compare Electric Toothbrushes for Effectiveness
Manual toothbrushes are usually not effective at cleaning your teeth because of a lack of discipline. Research has shown no advantage in plaque removal and dental hygiene from using an electric toothbrush – if you consistently brush for two full minutes using a manual toothbrush.
However, for many people this is a problem… which is why electric toothbrushes are a superior solution, as they take care of the “discipline” issue. Almost all good electric toothbrush models have inbuilt timers to check if you have brushed your teeth for long enough. Some models even have QuadPacers that help you spend an equal amount of time cleaning all quadrants, rather than focusing on only some parts of your mouth.
Oral-B Black 7000 with SmartGuide
2. Compare Electric Toothbrushes for Cleaning Capacity
Sonic brushes can clean areas of the oral cavity that other electric toothbrushes cannot reach. Sonic brushes vibrate at high speeds of 24,000 or more movements per minute. The vibrations send toothpaste and water sluicing in the narrow gap between teeth. That’s why when you compare vibrating electric toothbrushes with sonic models, you’ll notice the latter has superior cleaning capacity.
3. Compare Electric Toothbrushes on Price
If there’s a significant drawback to electric toothbrushes, it’s that they are more expensive than manual brushes. Even a cheaper electric toothbrush will incur maintenance costs like battery and brush head replacements. The high-end models often need an investment of $100 or more.
Oral-B ProfessionalCare SmartSeries 5000
4. Compare Electric Toothbrushes on Appearance
Aesthetics aren’t why you select a toothbrush, but it’s still a factor that guides your choice. Some models need many accessories and will take up a lot of space in your bathroom. A few toothbrushes have garish displays, or may be too brightly colored for your taste.
5. Compare Electric Toothbrushes on Accessories
Some models have only one brush head in the package, while others supply 10 or more extras for replacement. The cost of a replacement brush head varies, and it can be quite expensive with certain brands. A travel case for taking your electric toothbrush along while you go on trips can be helpful if you’re a frequent traveler.
A few favorite models like the Philips Sonicare electric toothbrush come with extra modes designed specially for polishing, whitening and gum care. Some also offer a flossing water jet, or a UV sanitizer.
6. Compare Electric Toothbrushes on Extra Features
Some electric toothbrushes will let you know when it’s time to change your brush head, based on hardening of the bristles or wear and tear. A few even have ways to cleanse the brush head, or can be stored inside a case that keeps it clean. A few models have an alarm to indicate, while brushing, that you should move on to the next quadrant.
Bluetooth enabled electric toothbrushes are useful to keep track of a child’s brushing habits even from a distance. Connectivity to mobile apps stores a record of your teeth cleaning habits which allows easier monitoring of progress.
While these extra features are nice, they aren’t necessary. So if you can’t stay within budget, these should be the ones to forego rather than the more essential core features.
7. Compare Electric Toothbrushes on Warranties
For a purchase of over $100, it is nice to look for a warranty that safeguards your purchase. Most toothbrush manufacturers offer a 1 to 2 year warranty. Accidental damage and manufacturing faults are covered, but problems related to incorrect usage are not.
That’s the reason why instruction manuals, FAQs and online help for electric toothbrush users are important, and the extent of these information resources varies between brands. You should check to see how easy it is to contact customer service reps for assistance, if necessary.
So What Features Would Make Up An Ideal Electric Toothbrush?
Your ideal electric toothbrush should have:
1. 2-minute timer – to ensure you brush your teeth for long enough to keep them clean. A Quadpacer is a nice extra!
2. Comfortable handgrip – to make the brushing experience more pleasant and easy
3. Battery life – it shouldn’t require recharging too often to be a nuisance
4. Smaller head – not only is it easier to get to hard-to-reach nooks behind and between teeth, a smaller head is also more comfortable and painless
5. Compatibility – it should permit the use of a range of bristles and toothbrush heads to fit your requirements
6. Warranty – in case of accidents or damage
A few other sophisticated features add extra value, although they are not absolutely essential.
- Pressure sensors prevent brushing too hard
- Carrying cases make traveling with your toothbrush easier
- Charge indicators let you know when its time for a battery recharge
- Multi-mode brushing helps adjust your brush speed to suit your unique needs
- UV Sanitizers keep your brush head bacteria-free
And for kids, compare electric toothbrushes on
- smaller brush head sizes
- smaller handles
- alarms and indicators to ensure adequate brushing duration
- engaging mechanisms to make brushing more fun, and
- remote monitoring through bluetooth connectivity
Ultimately, the best electric toothbrush choice is one that compares favorably on counts of being user-friendly, long-lasting, convenient to carry on trips, and keeps your teeth clean while providing a pleasant brushing experience. The right electric toothbrush depends not just on your budget. You should compare electric toothbrushes on your unique needs and usage patterns.
If you will not settle for anything but the very best, the top rated electric toothbrushes today are the Oral-B Black 7000
But don’t buy it just because you compare electric toothbrushes and find them superior.
Buy it because it is the right choice… FOR YOU!