We hope most people are using one of the best electric toothbrushes in 2026, as there's a wealth of clinical studies out there pointing to the efficacy and performance of electric toothbrushes over manual brushing.
For example, the SGT Dental College and Research Institute found using an electric toothbrush "demonstrated clinical and statistical improvement in overall plaque scores," findings backed by this 2014 Cochrane study, and this one from the University of Washington, to name but a few.
So, we know electric toothbrushes are better for you, but which one should you buy? We test toothbrushes for at least a week, examining build quality, battery life and testing every mode. It's good to know that decent electric toothbrushes can start from as little as $50 / £40 / AU$70 and even at this low price point, offer huge improvements over a manual brush.
Naturally, Oral B and Philips are big players in the space and in our testing, have come top of the heap. However, there are also more niche alternatives, all worth your consideration. We've also tested lesser-known brands like Ordo, Supermouth, Suri, Curaprox and Laifen.
Matt is TechRadar's Fitness and Wearables Editor, which means he's an expert on all things wellness tech. Matt's spent years covering the health technology beat, and the toothbrushes below have either been tested by him or other experienced health writers.
The best electric toothbrush overall
The Philips Sonicare 7100 is an impressive electric toothbrush: it's designed very well, with metal in its handle, offering a satisfying weight and premium build quality, and long-lasting battery. It's missing AI brushing guidance, but do you really need it when your brush is this good?
It makes up for this by offering 12 intensities (four brushing "modes", each at three levels of power) easily controlled using the button. A built-in timer and pressure sensor offers gentle guidance, thrumming every 30 seconds and offering a light in the handle's base. It's essentially the 9900 Prestige without its smart features, but more attractively priced for all that, especially as it's now frequently found on sale. This makes the 7100 the best overall toothbrush you can get in terms of value for money, quality of build and brushing options.
It's a seriously stylish electric toothbrush, too, with a sleek, minimalist design and chic carry case to keep it charged on the go. Provided you don't want a companion app, it's a superb brush.
Read our full Philips Sonicare 7100 review
The best value electric toothbrush
The Ordo Sonic Lite is the cheapest brush on our guide, and a great way to pick up an electric toothbrush for not very much money. It's replacing the Colgate Hum in this list, as Ordo is a great manufacturer of no-fuss, no-frills brushes of high quality.
It's not a true smart brush like the above Oral-B, as it has no sensor to detect mouth position, but it will flash if you put too much pressure on your gums and has both regular and sensitive modes. For thirty dollars, or the equivalent? It's excellent.
The brush comes with two modes, regular and soft, and a built-in timer, but no dock or travel case. Instead, it charges via USB-C, but lasts for ages: our test unit hung on for around five weeks, even being used twice a day. It's sonic, not oscillating, which may put some people off, but the Ordo Sonic Lite is well-worth a buy if you're just after a cheap electric toothbrush.
Read our full Ordo Sonic Lite review
The best premium electric toothbrush
The Oral-B iO Series 10 takes our award for the best premium electric toothbrush, thanks to its valuable smart tech and real-time feedback that encourages you to improve your brushing technique. This is done with a neat chipset that calculates the position of the brush in your mouth, allowing it to read your technique and nudge you to thoroughly clean each "zone" of your mouth.
We found the brush to be very quiet (much more so than a typical oscillating brush) and felt smooth as you work your way around your mouth. The in-built pressure sensor not only warns you if you're pressing too hard but also if you're not applying enough pressure to get a good clean, helping you achieve an optimum result. The dock itself will connect to WiFi to display the time and date.
Once done, the Series 10's bright color display will rate your brushing, and show the battery life remaining on the brush. It's a quick way to get feedback on your technique, and surprisingly motivating, but for more in-depth guidance you can turn to the Oral-B app, which has heat maps of your mouth to show how thorough your clean was. This is updated in real time.
The downside of the Oral-B iO Series is that it's one of the most expensive electric toothbrushes around, though like the 7100, its price has dropped significantly in the months since its release and you can now pick it up more cheaply. Additional brush heads are also pricey.
Read our full Oral-B iO Series 10 review
The best eco-friendly electric toothbrush
The name makes it clear what the Suri 2.0 Sustainable Electric Toothbrush is all about and its eco-friendly credentials are considerable. Just like the previous iteration, the toothbrush heads and bristles are made from plant-based materials and it lasts a long time between charges, which matches its relatively sustainable claims. The frame is made of aluminum and designed to be fixed if it breaks, rather than discarded, reducing e-waste. The case is now a charger to further extend battery life, with a UV-C light to kill bacteria.
This powerful yet relatively affordable brush oscillates rather than vibrates. We were initially dubious it hadn't boosted the 33,000 movements-per-minute stat of its predecessor, but during testing, we found "it felt more deliberate in its delivery of that power, while remaining as sensitive and gentle as the experience [our reviewer] had with the first brush".
We also love the sticky back magnet to attach to your bathroom mirror or wall, so the metal toothbrush can sit up and out of the way, keeping your sides clear and clean.
Read our full Suri 2.0 Sustainable Sonic Toothbrush review
The best self-cleaning electric toothbrush
The Ultim8 smart brushing system by Supermouth is slick in looks, with some interesting innovations. UV cleaning isn't new, but incorporating it into a cool-looking smart hub that also charges the brush certainly is.
Like the Curaprox, the Ultim8 brush has some unique-looking figure-eight brush heads offering functionality beyond the standard sonic affair. Mimicking the shape of a molar, the SuperBristles design is supposed to offer a better clean, while the pressure sensor helps prevent over-brushing. The actual brush itself is a simple sonic affair, but there's a lot to like here and the units certainly look cool.
The biggest downside is the add-ons and proprietary nature of it all: if you get a Supermouth brush, you need Supermouth heads for the rest of the brush's life, and the Smart Hub and Smart Case both cost extra. However, it's all very high quality and worth the investment.
Read our full Ultim8 by Supermouth review
The best electric toothbrush for gum cleaning
The Curaprox Hydrosonic Pro is the best toothbrush on our list for hitting those hard-to-reach spots, thanks to innovative brush heads: some of them curve inwards, promoting better cleaning behind the teeth, and a unique extra fine, single-tuft brush head for 'targeted cleaning of gums, niches, braces and implants' according to Curaprox.
Those brush heads certainly allow you to really get into the weeds of things, and during our testing we found the single brush head pretty revolutionary when it came to attacking the gumline. The other brushes were great for reaching the back of the molars, where cavities often form.
It's a simple sonic brush, it takes ages to charge and it's not cheap, but the unique brush heads and overall quality make this a good buy if you're after quality. Designed in conjunction with Swiss oral health specialists, the Curaprox Hydrosonic Pro is an excellent choice if you're concerned about gum disease and plaque build-up.
Read our full Curaprox Hydrosonic Pro review
The best electric toothbrush for kids
Getting younger children to brush their teeth for two minutes can be a challenge, and the Ordo Sonic Kids Battery Toothbrush leans into that with licensed designs including Squishmallows and Wicked that make it feel like their toothbrush rather than a scaled-down adult one. In our testing, it was an instant hit with our reviewer's six-year-old, who was pretty disappointed when she had to switch back to her regular toothbrush.
It's not all style over substance, either. The gentle sonic cleaning is well suited to younger children, and unlike many battery-powered kids' toothbrushes, the brush heads are replaceable rather than the whole unit being thrown away every few months. Ordo will also recycle used heads free of charge, making it a more sustainable option.
There are a few omissions that stop it from scoring higher. The plastic handle transmits quite a lot of vibration, it runs on a disposable AA battery instead of being rechargeable, and there's no built-in two-minute timer or pacing alerts to encourage good brushing habits. It's not the most feature-packed kids' toothbrush around, but it gets the fundamentals right and is likely to make the twice-daily brushing routine a little less of a battle.
Read our full Ordo Squishmallows Sonic Kids Battery Toothbrush
Electric toothbrush FAQs
Dr Lydia Sharples graduated from Leeds Dental School with distinction and is a senior cosmetic dentist at Bespoke Smile. She previously served as Director of the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry and has completed extensive postgraduate training in cosmetic and restorative dentistry.
How to choose the best electric toothbrush for you
There are many aspects to consider when buying one of the best electric toothbrushes. If you have sensitive gums, you might want to consider a choice with more settings to ensure you can brush without causing too much discomfort or irritation.
Otherwise, it's important to think about what kind of features and extras you want from your toothbrush. Some more premium options will come with handy extras like a travel case or UV light cleaning. Some pack sensors and Bluetooth, as well as companion smartphone apps that can provide real-time, AI-powered feedback as you brush like the Oral-B iO Series 10.
Another big thing to consider is travel, if you need a toothbrush that can survive a holiday or frequent work trips, definitely consider a higher-end model that comes with a rechargeable battery built into its case, like the Philips model above.
If you want an environmentally friendly option consider our sustainable pick, or if you need to prioritize gum health, opt for the Curaprox with its unique heads.
Is a sonic or oscillating toothbrush better?
There are two main types of electric toothbrush: sonic and oscillating-rotating.
Sonic toothbrushes use high-frequency side-to-side vibrations and typically resemble a manual toothbrush, with an oval or diamond-shaped brush head. Depending on the model, they can produce up to around 40,000 brush movements per minute. Oscillating-rotating toothbrushes, meanwhile, use small round heads that rotate and pulse to clean each tooth individually, usually at up to around 8,000 oscillations per minute.
Some research has found small differences between the two. For example, this 12-week clinical study found that an oscillating-rotating toothbrush delivered "substantial, statistically superior reductions in plaque and gingivitis" compared with a sonic toothbrush.
However, Dr Sharples says the overall body of evidence doesn't point to a clear winner, and that brushing technique has a much greater impact on your oral health than whether you choose a sonic or oscillating toothbrush.
"I usually tell patients to choose the type they find most comfortable and are most likely to use consistently. The best toothbrush is ultimately the one that encourages good daily habits."
If you'd like to explore the differences in more detail, read our guide to sonic vs rotating toothbrushes .
Is an electric toothbrush really better than a manual toothbrush?
For most people, yes. Studies have consistently shown that electric toothbrushes remove more plaque and reduce gum inflammation more effectively than manual brushes, particularly because they help maintain a consistent brushing motion.
However, technique still matters. Dr Lydia Sharples, Senior Cosmetic Dentist at Bespoke Smile, says someone with excellent brushing technique can still achieve good oral health with a manual toothbrush.
"If someone is brushing twice a day for two minutes with good technique, either can work well," she explains. "An electric toothbrush simply makes it easier for most people to brush effectively and consistently."
How often should you replace your toothbrush head?
As a rule, every three months, or sooner if the bristles become worn or splayed.
Dr Sharples says, "Worn bristles are less effective at removing plaque and can make it harder to clean along the gumline properly."
She also recommends buying replacement heads from your toothbrush manufacturer where possible.
"Third-party brush head quality can vary... I would always recommend purchasing brush heads from the manufacturer of your toothbrush."
Is it worth paying more for a premium electric toothbrush?
Not necessarily. Once you've bought a quality toothbrush from a reputable manufacturer, paying more is usually about convenience rather than dramatically better cleaning performance.
Dr Sharples explains, "Once you've invested in a reputable electric toothbrush from a well-established brand, the improvements in oral health become increasingly marginal as you move up the price range."
Instead, she recommends focusing on the features that genuinely improve brushing.
"I would always recommend choosing a brush that has a two-minute timer and a pressure sensor."
What are the biggest mistakes people make with electric toothbrushes?
The biggest mistake is treating an electric toothbrush like a manual one.
Dr Sharples says many people still scrub their teeth instead of letting the brush do the work.
"The most common mistake is brushing too aggressively. Many people still scrub their teeth as though they're using a manual brush, which can contribute to gum recession and tooth wear over time."
She also says people frequently cut brushing sessions short.
"Two minutes can feel surprisingly long, and many people only clean for around a minute without realising it - this is why the pressure sensor is so helpful!"
How we test
We test each electric toothbrush by using it twice a day for at least one week, brushing for two minutes morning and night, then using a disclosing tablet at the end of weeks one and two. Disclosing tablets help to reveal how much plaque remains on our teeth after our final brushing session by coating your teeth with a harmless dye. If the toothbrush has a smartphone app, then we use that to guide our brushing.
