The 10 Best Electric Toothbrushes for a Better Smile

As someone who's always hated brushing their teeth, I can't believe I'm going to say that I thoroughly enjoy my dental hygiene now thanks to this brush. 

I go full blast on the intensity level, but there are three intensities to choose from if your teeth are more delicate. The smart toothbrush heads will cause the handle to sync to the corresponding setting, but you can manually override this by selecting your desired setting instead. Most of the time I use my toothbrush on Clean (boring, I know), but if I have extra time at night and just want to make sure my teeth are getting the care they deserve, I'll go into Deep Clean, which basically just adds time to the timer. Each mode has its own directions to follow to optimize the results, and they're laid out in the user manual, but remembering exactly how Sonicare wants you to brush your teeth dependent on the mode is tedious. I like how the DiamondClean gives alerts every 20 seconds so that my mouth is divided into six sections, and a pressure sensor helps me to recognize when I'm pushing too hard on my teeth. The app works like most toothbrush apps, and you won't be disappointed with the wealth of knowledge you'll get from constant usage. And it's cool that the accompanying tumbler is also the toothbrush's charger.

Brush Heads: $27/two-pack 

Got a spare $20 on hand? Buy this toothbrush. Gleem has zero extra features, no companion app and one intensity level. The battery-powered toothbrush truly offers the bare minimum, but for a toothbrush, that's more than enough. Gleem clocks a two-minute brush session with 30-second intervals, and honestly, that's all there is to it.

Brush Heads: $10/two-pack

The $50 Oral-B 1000 CrossAction may seem like an entry-level model, and that's because it is. The toothbrush only has one mode, but don't discount its ability to take on any of your oral hygiene concerns. The handle is compatible with a plethora of Oral-B brush heads. Concerned about gum health? Get the Pro Gumcare heads. Sensitive teeth? Get the Sensitive Gum Care heads. The rounded brush head is a staple among Oral-B toothbrushes, and some are fans of the way it feels like it's buffing out your teeth the same way they do at the dentist's office. Unlike most toothbrushes in this price range, the CrossAction has a pressure sensor so you don't press down too hard while you brush.

Brush Heads: $5+/one

The brand that makes our favorite upgrade electric toothbrush also makes a pretty good affordable option at $25. The colors are bright and cheerful, almost in a way to lure you into brushing your teeth. But really it's what's on the inside that counts. The Philips One's motor is nowhere near as strong as the DiamondClean, or other more expensive Sonicare models, but it still feels like I'm getting a thorough clean. For the uninitiated into the electric toothbrush world, this may get you to take your oral hygiene more seriously.

Brush Heads: $10/two-pack

Warby Parker is the, well, Warby Parker of eyewear. Along the same lines, Quip quite possibly made toothbrushes cool through an affordable price point, timeless design and track record of working. The Quip Smart Electric Toothbrush is most comparable to the Hum by Colgate, albeit slightly cheaper. (The plastic version is $45 and the metal one is $60.) That cheaper price point may come at the cost of a more robust app, however, which offers a fairly top-level view of your brushing. It does offer rewards for brushing, and those can be redeemed for gifts from Quip and third-party vendors. Quip's soft-bristle brush head is delicate on teeth, but the toothbrush's motor ensures a thorough brushing.

Brush Heads: $10/two-pack

Goby's toothbrush handle is a bit thicker than most on this list, but some may like that it fills out the hand better. It is made of plastic, but doesn't feel like it was cheaply made. Our tester is a fan of the circular brush head because it "seems to be better at concentrating on a specific spot and scraping the gums." There are no brush modes besides general cleaning, but there are two intensity levels: normal and sensitive. Goby calls its bristles soft, but our tester found them to be on the firmer side, which was actually better than expected. Brush's subscription service will send you a new brush head either every month, two months or three months, and opting in for a subscription saves you $15 on the initial purchase.

Brush Heads: $6/one

Brüush wins points for having six cleaning functions without requiring a crash course in dental school to figure out how to maximize each of their potential. Our tester found the sonic toothbrush to be just a tad too powerful on his teeth, but chalked it up to his history of using manual toothbrushes. The $55 price tag is fairly impressive since the initial purchase includes three brush heads, when most come with one or two.

Brush Heads: $18/three-pack

Out of the box, Burst feels solid without being heavy or bulky. The ergonomic handle features a textured, geometric design that makes it easy to grip and hold for a solid two minutes. There are three brush settings: whitening, sensitive and massage, all of which provide ample teeth cleaning. Our tester found the size and shape of the brush head to be part of the toothbrush's pros because it "forces you to brush a little differently and more intentionally than you’re used to." There's no app, which makes the price feel a little high, but Burst does tout charcoal-infused bristles. While the brand claims the charcoal will help remove surface stains on teeth, our tester had not noticed a significant difference in teeth whiteness. After one month of testing, our reviewer notes that he has yet to charge his toothbrush — a notable plus since most other toothbrushes can require charges two or three times a month.

Brush Heads: $8/one or $7/one every 12 weeks with a subscription

It's basically the Quip for adults but made for tinier hands and more delicate teeth. Because Quip Kids is lightweight and slim, kids should have a better time holding it and using it. Electric toothbrushes, or toothbrushes in general, for kids have tacky designs or corny sound effects to make brushing seem like fun. Unless your child really needs a toothbrush adorned with their favorite cartoon, Quip Kids is sure to be great toothbrush for them — if only you can get them to take their oral hygiene as seriously as you do.

Brush Heads: $5/one