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While the debate over an electric toothbrush vs manual really just comes down to personal preference, a few unbiased studies suggest the electric kind might help clean your teeth better. Namely, electric toothbrushes may be better at reducing plaque and preventing gingivitis, and possibly at reducing gum bleeding and inflammation.
Electric toothbrushes have the added benefit of a built-in timer that encourages you to brush for a full two minutes. They also make it easier for people with limited dexterity to brush.
"I would say that nearly 100% of people not already using one would benefit from an electric brush," Courtney Hain, DDS, dentist, and owner of Smile San Francisco told Insider.
Keep in mind there are some people an electric toothbrush may not be right for (like if you have gum recession issues) and there are a lot of factors to consider when dropping money on the expensive gadget. But if you're ready to switch over, here are the best electric toothbrushes, backed by the board-certified dentists we spoke with.
Learn more about how Insider Reviews tests and researches health products.
Best overall: Hum by Colgate, $49.99 on Amazon The Hum by Colgate cleans thoroughly and offers advanced features and modern design for a reasonable price, making it the best value.
Best budget: Quip, $40 at Quip The Quip is a sleek-looking toothbrush with a gentler brush, great for beginners and those with sensitive teeth or someone looking to try out an electric toothbrush for under $50.
Best luxury: Philips Sonicare 9900 Prestige, $299.95 at Amazon Dentists love Philips Sonicare and its new 9900 Prestige has every bell and whistle, including the ability to adjust its vibrations based on how hard you're brushing.
Best smart brush: Oral-B iO Series 9, $249.99 at Amazon The Oral-B iO Series 9 is great for experienced electric toothbrush users who like tracking their dental health with data.
Best for kids: Quip Kids, $30 at Quip The Quip kids brush is an affordable and dentist-approved electric toothbrush for kids.
The Hum by Colgate cleans thoroughly and offers advanced features and modern design for a reasonable price, making it the best value.
Pros: Affordable, easy to use, great design, can subscribe to brush heads, smart app connectivity
Cons: Not as many fancy settings as high-end ones
The Hum by Colgate proves that not all worthwhile electric toothbrushes need to be expensive. Although it's not as customizable and in-depth as other top-tier options on the market, the Hum electric toothbrush features more than enough pulse settings — normal, sensitive, and deep clean — and pairs with an app that helps monitor your progress and overall oral health.
The Hum by Colgate toothbrush comes with a charging stand and a travel case for under $65, and it's sometimes on sale for even less. You can also opt for the battery-powered model for slightly cheaper, which comes with just two pulse settings, normal and sensitive. For most people, that's more than enough, our dentists confirm.
For the low price of either, you get an accompanying app that gives you a visual of which areas you've sufficiently covered and which still need attention. You can track your progress while you brush, but your results are also recorded if you don't have your phone nearby. The app is aesthetically pleasing and, if you like game-ifying everyday tasks, you'll enjoy using it to collect points and rewards.
If you're curious about smart features, but not prepared to plunk down a few hundred bucks, Hum is an affordable choice. — Amir Ismael and Ariana DiValentino
The Quip is a sleek-looking toothbrush with a gentler brush, great for beginners and those with sensitive teeth or someone looking to try out an electric toothbrush for under $50.
Pros: Low price, great for travel, sleek design, replaceable head and battery, comfortable to use, ADA-accepted
Cons: Not the most powerful, no adjustable settings
If you want an electric toothbrush but you're not prepared to drop significant cash, the Quip is a stylish and affordable option. Its basic, plastic model goes for just $25, with metal and smartphone-integrated versions starting at a reasonable $45.
The plastic version has a nicely contoured handle that's easy to hold and slim enough to fit inside a travel Dopp kit. It takes a single AAA battery and there's only one mode, so it's also a no-brainer to use. There are no rotating heads, but the sonic vibrations are more effective than brushing manually.
Plus, the 2-minute timer (four 30-second pulses) ensures you know to brush for the recommended time. The toothbrush is also accepted by the American Dental Association.
Brushing with the Quip is a gentler experience compared to most of the other options on this list, but that actually makes it great for beginners and those with sensitive gums: It's simple to use and easier to prevent brushing too hard.
Conversely, people looking to upgrade their current electric toothbrushes might find the intensity a little lacking, and might miss having multiple settings to switch among.
Read more: Quip vs. Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 4100. Here's how two popular electric toothbrushes compare.
Another great feature: Quip offers subscriptions for brush head replacements, so every three months a fresh one will arrive at your doorstep (along with a AAA battery) for just $5 each.
Dentists love Philips Sonicare and its new 9900 Prestige has every bell and whistle, including the ability to adjust its vibrations based on how hard you're brushing.
Pros: Protective pressure and motion sensors, personalized guidance, dentist-recommended, auto-syncs with Sonicare app
The Sonicare 9900 Prestige was a close second for our top overall pick since it has everything and does it all exceptionally. But its higher price prevents it from being a great pick for everyone. However, if you're the type of person who likes to spare no cost for a top-of-the-line product to score the best possible daily cleaning, the Sonicare 9900 Prestige is the best money can buy.
All three dentists we spoke to are fans of the Sonicare line, citing the brand's clinical research behind how effective it is at removing plaque and preventing gingivitis.
The newest of Sonicare's advanced electric toothbrushes, the 9900 offers a careful blend of power, gentleness, style, and tech. During my testing, I found that the sonic vibrations to feel like a little gum massage and the brush head's soft, long bristles are useful for getting into tight crevices without feeling stabby.
The brush has three power settings that are easy to cycle through. Sold in sleek dark blue, champagne, and pink, it also looks nice sitting on your bathroom counter.
The Prestige also has excellent AI features, including sensors when you're pressing too hard or moving too much, and an auto reduction of the brush's intensity to counteract the pressure you're applying. I personally found it easy (and even pleasant!) to use, and I'm fairly new to using electric toothbrushes.
Like others, it runs for two minutes with pulses at each 30-second interval to help you keep time. The app is straightforward and helpful, tracking your coverage, pressure, and motion and giving you suggestions to improve your technique.
The package comes with only one new A3 brush head (which I really liked, due to its long, angled bristles that easily cleaned around my molars), and replacements are relatively steep at $30 for two. That said, the brush body is compatible with any of Philips Sonicare's click-on brush heads, which do include some cheaper options.
Side note: If all of this talk of replacement brush heads has you concerned about plastic waste, you're not alone. To combat waste, a third-part company PLUS ULTRA has designed biodegradable brush heads made of cornstarch that are currently only compatible with Philips Sonicare (an Oral-B compatible format is coming soon).
The Oral-B iO Series 9 is great for experienced electric toothbrush users who like tracking their dental health with data.
Pros: App gives thorough feedback, small round brush head to give teeth individual attention, sensors let you know when you're pressing too hard
Cons: Expensive, noisy, may be intense for some users
Dentists love Oral-B electric toothbrushes — and the iO series in particular — for its strong clinical backing on effectiveness in removing plaque and preventing gingivitis. The brand also bears the ADA seal of acceptance.
The Oral-B iO Series 9 is another top-of-the-line product, but we found that its greatest strengths are in its smart features.
The app gives detailed information on coverage, with visual guides on where you haven't brushed adequately. It alerts when you're applying too much pressure and keeps track to help you learn and improve.
The app also lets you input goals, like whitening, and then coaches on how to best attain that. It also makes the whole process fun by incentivizing you with collectible achievements and scored brushing sessions.
The brush itself has seven different settings, including ones for cleaning your tongue and gums. I personally found the experience to be a little intense (and loud), even on the sensitive setting, but more practiced users might enjoy the power and variety.
The brush head is small and round so you can polish each individual tooth and navigate around the back teeth easily. It definitely takes some getting used to — even with the small brush head, I gagged myself a few times — but this thing is no joke, and that's probably why it has such a devoted fanbase of dentists and customers alike.
The replacement brush head pricing is also comparable to the Prestige, at $30 for a pack of two.
The Quip kids brush is an affordable and dentist-approved electric toothbrush for kids.
Pros: Low price, great for travel, replaceable head and battery, ADA-accepted
Cons: Only one setting, no fun gimmicks
Teaching kids proper oral health is important, and for some, the electric toothbrush's apps will get them excited to brush. Also, since children haven't fully developed their fine motor skills, electric brushes can help their lack of dexterity.
The Quip kids brush is a nice upgrade from a standard manual toothbrush without excessive bells and whistles or an intimidating price tag. Like the adult model, the basic Quip kids plastic brush is only $25. If you want app integration so you can track your child's brushing habits, the smart version is only $20 more. Some parents will find this useful for teaching kids healthy habits, like making sure they brush for a full two minutes.
The Quip brush keeps it simple and isn't too "little kid" for your Big Kid. But it also has additions like music, bright designs, and game-like app integration, which are useful for very young children.
The brush handle is made of a soft, grippable rubber, so it's easier for little hands to hold and maneuver than the hard plastic body of other brushes. And the gentle vibrations mean less toothpaste splatter.
Lastly, if you also opt for an adult Quip yourself, the company's replacement brush head subscription option is a time-saver for busy families.
Any good electric toothbrush should hold a charge for at least a few days and have changeable pressure so you can ramp up the power of your brushing as you get more used to the sensation. The four, 30-second timers are one of the strongest benefits of an electric toothbrush, our dentists say, but nearly every model has that feature now.
Always opt for brush heads with softer bristles — too-hard ones aren't any more effective and can ultimately cause more harm than good. If you have limited dexterity or there are areas of your mouth that you have trouble reaching, a small and/or flexible brush head is best for you.
The vast majority of what to look for in an electric toothbrush comes down to personal preference. Do you want a brush that's rechargeable or uses a replaceable battery? What's the price point you're comfortable with (be sure you're also taking into consideration how much replacement heads are)?
Lastly, do you want smart features that give you feedback on how much pressure you're applying and which spots you tend to miss? In reality, most of our dental experts said the smart features don't do much to improve the quality of clean, but if you'd benefit from seeing a digital map of your mouth and confirmation you didn't miss any areas, smart features may be a good choice for you.
The best way to ensure an electric toothbrush is safe and effective is to look for the American Dental Association (ADA) seal. The organization evaluates dental care products and those they deem to have enough evidence to support its claims and benefits earn the seal of acceptance.
But the seal isn't a must: The review process is optional and somewhat costly, so it doesn't need to be your end-all, be-all when shopping. Dr. Paul Springs told Insider that the ADA seal is less important for electric toothbrushes than, say, toothpaste, because it's much less likely to cause harm. A brush that doesn't have the ADA seal may very well still be a great product.
To determine the best electric toothbrushes, we leaned on the advice of our three experts, personally tried out several leading options, and poured over customer and professional reviews. In particular, we noted:
Ease of use: Overall, we noted how easy was it to start a brushing cycle and hold and maneuver the toothbrush while it was cleaning. If the device had smart features, we also considered how easy they and the accompanying app were to use.
Comfort: How comfortable each electric toothbrush is to use was informed mostly by the thickness and curve of the handle and how big and/or flexible the brush head felt in mouth.
Speed and intensity: A key factor overall was if the intensity of the brushing cycle hit the sweet spot of powerful enough to clean well but not too much as to hurt. We also considered whether you can decrease or increase the intensity of a cycle, since it's nice to start less intense if you're new to the sensation of electric toothbrushes.
Noise: As with all things electronic, the quieter the device, the more preferable it is.
Smart features: Because these features usually cost more, we analyzed whether things like pressure feedback worked in-the-moment, and how easy the accompanying apps were to use to check things like which spots we missed.
Value for cost: How each toothbrush measured on the above factors, cumulatively, was compared against its price to judge whether the latter justified the overall performance and benefit.
Virtually everyone would benefit from upgrading to an electric toothbrush, according to our dentists, especially people with limited dexterity or mobility issues. But the benefit is also psychological: Their higher price point can alone be motivating for some people to use the brush to its full effect, Dr. Paul Springs said. Also, they normally have a 2-minute timer which encourages most people to brush for a lot longer (and, therefore, more thoroughly) than a manual toothbrush.
If you tend to brush too hard, electric brushes may worsen the problem, causing damage to gums and teeth. But many electric brushes now have sensors to alert you if you're pressing too hard. Ultimately, if you have concerns about gum recession or tooth structure, talk it over with your regular dentist. They can give you personalized advice.
It depends. Some research says electric toothbrushes are more effective at removing plaque from molars and premolars, but the dentists we consulted with said a manual toothbrush can definitely do an equal job, assuming you have the dexterity.
An electric toothbrush just makes the job a little easier, plus they generally have a timer to let you know when you've brushed for the recommended full two minutes. Also, electric toothbrushes are slightly more sustainable, since you're only tossing out the small plastic head rather than the entire plastic manual toothbrush.
Nope, sorry. In fact, what dentists often like most about electric toothbrushes is that they include a timer to guide you towards brushing for two minutes, which is the ideal time to use any toothbrush, manual or electric. But it might be an easier two minutes, especially if you're someone with limited dexterity.
Electric toothbrushes can easily be a splurge item — but retailers run some great deals on the top brands year-round. You can snag the expensive gadgets for $15 to $50 off, sometimes even more.
Here are the best deals on our favorite electric toothbrushes:
Read more about how the Insider Reviews team evaluates deals and why you should trust us.
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