Oral-B Electric Toothbrush Comparison (Chart Included) (2024)

The Oral-B range explained

Within the Oral-B range are a number of sub-categories or series into which particular models fit.

Vitality Series ($)

• The essential features you require and no more.
• Satisfactory, but better options exist.
• 2D cleaning action - oscillates and rotates.
• 1 cleaning mode.
• Built-in 2 minute timer.
• Up to 1 week of battery life.
• No battery status LED.
• The cheapest models.

Pro Series ($$)

• The essential features, plus a little more.
• The ideal brushes for the vast majority.
• 3D cleaning action - oscillates, rotates and pulsates. (Excludes Pro 500)
• Up to 2 cleaning modes.
• No cleaning mode labels/icons on the handle.
• Built-in 2 minute timer and 30 second pacer.
• Up to 2 weeks of battery life.
• Battery status LED on the handle.
• Mid-range prices.

Smart Series ($$$)

• Premium handles with more features and accessories
• 3D cleaning action - oscillates, rotates and pulsates.
• Up to 5 cleaning modes.
• No cleaning mode labels/icons on the handle.
• Built-in 2 minute timer and 30 second pacer.
• Visible pressure sensor.
• Smart toothbrushes with Bluetooth connectivity. (Oral-B Smart 1500 being an exception)
• A battery life of around 2 weeks.
• Battery status LED on the handle.
• Higher mid-range prices.

Genius Series ($$$$)

• Premium handles with more features and better box contents.
• 3D cleaning action - oscillates, rotates and pulsates.
• Up to 6 personalized cleaning modes.
• Cleaning mode labels/icons on the handle (with exception of Daily Clean mode).
• Built-in 2 minute timer and 30 second pacer.
• Visible pressure sensor.
• Smart toothbrushes with Bluetooth connectivity.
• Position detection technology to track the toothbrush in the mouth.
• Artificial Intelligence (AI) for enhanced feedback on your brushing.
• A battery life of around 2 weeks.
• Battery status LED on the handle.
• The most expensive of toothbrushes.

iO Series ($$$$$)

• Top of the line handle with the most advanced toothbrush technology.
• 3D cleaning action - oscillates, rotates and micro-vibrates.
• Up to 7 personalized cleaning modes.
• Cleaning mode labels/icons shown on the display.
• Built-in 2 minute timer and 30 second pacer.
• Visible pressure sensor highlights correct and incorrect pressure.
• Smart toothbrushes with Bluetooth connectivity.
• Position detection technology to track the toothbrush in the mouth.
• 3D teeth tracking with AI for enhanced feedback on your brushing.
• Interactive display built-into the handle.
• A battery life of 2+ weeks.
• Battery life status is shown on the display.
• Magnetic charger for more convenient and quicker charging.
• The most expensive of toothbrushes.

Detailed brush vs brush comparisons

The comparison chart above allows you to see the key differences between each model at a glance.

However, for those who require more detail, we do have a number of comprehensive written comparisons.

We test them side by side and then give our verdict on which one is best. Many of them also include a comparison video:

• Oral-B Pro 1000 vs Smart Clean 360
• Oral-B Pro 1000 vs iO3
• Oral-B Pro 1000 vs Pro 2 2000
• Oral-B Pro 1000 vs Smart 3000
• Oral-B Pro 500 vs Vitality
• Oral-B Vitality vs Pro 1000
• Oral-B Genius X vs Genius Pro 8000
• Oral-B iO vs Genius X
• Oral-B iO vs Genius Pro 8000
• Oral-B iO Series 4 vs 5 vs 6 vs 7 vs 8 vs 9 vs 10 comparison
• Oral-B Pro 1000 vs Smart 1500
• Oral-B Smart 1500 vs Smart 3000
• Oral-B Pro 500 vs 1000
• Oral-B Pro 7000 vs Genius Pro 8000
• Oral-B Pro 5000 vs 7000
• Oral-B Pro 6000 vs Pro 7000

Oral-B Smart 1500

The Smart 1500 has a 2 minute timer, pacer and visible pressure sensor that our dentists recommend bepresent in an electric toothbrush.

The small round brush head is clinically proven to clean the teeth well and the size makes it easy to move into the tighter spaces within the mouth.

As you brush, the visible pressure sensor will light up red to alert you if too much force is being applied.

More on why we like it....

You have the choice of the default daily clean mode or a slower and more gentle sensitive mode. The power button is used to change modes. There are no icons on the handle to make it clear which mode is selected, though.

It isn’t quite as grippy in hand as some other brushes, but the benefit is that the handle can be very easily wiped clean.

The Smart 1500 has been independently approved by the American Dental Association, which means it is safe to use, and that it has the benefits advertized.

It’s worth noting that despite the name, this is not a 'smart' toothbrush. It has no Bluetooth connectivity.

Read our Oral-B Smart 1500 Review.

What we like	What we dislike
Timer and pacer encourage brushing for the recommended time	No icons on the handle to show which cleaning mode is selected
Visible pressure sensor – alerts you when brushing too hard	Confusing name — it is not a ‘smart’ (Bluetooth connected) toothbrush
2 weeks use on a single charge
Multiple cleaning modes
American Dental Association (ADA) approved

Oral-B Pro 500

The Pro 500 brings many of the benefits of an electric toothbrush at an affordable price.

It is a really good option for a first electric toothbrush.

Unfortunately, it does lack a pressure sensor. This means that there are no alerts when you brush too hard.

This is somewhat made up for by how incredibly grippy the handle is. It is suitable for children, adults and seniors.

More on why we chose it...

The single cleaning mode is more than satisfactory and when used correctly provides a good clean of the teeth.

Oral-B's small round brush head performs well and is easily moved between the tooth surfaces.

Using a 2D cleaning action, it isn't as intense a clean as premium models that offer a 3D action, but is more than good enough.

Built-in is a rechargeable battery which offers 8+ days of use on a full charge. Unfortunately, you get no feedback from it when the power is low. There is no LED notification light.

What we like	What we dislike
Easy to use single cleaning mode	No pressure sensor
The grip on the handle helps to securely hold the brush	No battery status feedback
Timer and pacer encourage brushing for the recommended time	Battery life
	2D cleaning action

Oral-B iO (Series 9)

The Oral-B iO Series 9 is one of Oral-B's top of the line brushes. There is a model that sits above it in the range, the iO Series 10, but we advise opting for the iO9 instead.

The main difference between the iO9 and the iO10 is the charging stand, but the 10 tends to be priced so much higher than the 9 that it's not worth the extra money.

It cleans the teeth really well and includes various high tech features to assist you in brushing your teeth better.

More on why we picked it....

The essential features — 2 minute timer, 30 second pacer and visible pressure sensor — are included. In fact, the iO's pressure sensor lights up green to show when the correct pressure is being applied, in addition to red, when the brushing force is too great.

The iO has a new magnetically driven motor. This makes the brushing experience thorough but slightly more gentle, and quieter, than other Oral-B models.

The 7 different cleaning modes can be changed via the power and function buttons on the handle.

The selected mode is shown on the color LED display built into the handle. One of the only brushes to offer this, it also gives visual feedback via emoji style faces on how well you have brushed.

Like many other smart brushes, it has real-time tracking, but the iO9 has the most comprehensive monitoring of the iO series. It tracks 16 zones with clear visual feedback via the smartphone app. You can take corrective action immediately to achieve maximum coverage with each brushing session.

It is supplied with a magnetic charging stand and the lithium battery can be replenished in just 3 hours. 2 weeks use is possible from a full charge.

Also included is a hard protective travel case that doubles up as a charger.

Read our Oral-B iO9 Review.

What we like	What we dislike
Premium looking handle with built-in display	Expensive – better value options exist, likeour best overall choice
The small round brush head cleans the teeth really well	iO specific heads required which are more expensive
Visible pressure sensor – alerts you when you are brushing with the correct & incorrect force	Travel case comes with a separate power adapter rather than a built-in USB cable & accepts only 1 brush head
Rapid recharging with the magnetic charging stand	Bluetooth connectivity isn’t essential and adds to cost
Bluetooth & AI technology works well
Quieter than other Oral-B brushes

A comparison of our 3 recommendations

The table below compares the features and cost of our 3 recommendations.

Retail price
Typical selling price
Brush head cost
Approximate 3 year cost
Pressure Sensor
Timer
Pacer
Number of cleaning modes
Bluetooth connectivity
Find out more

Oral-B Pro 500	Oral-B Smart 1500	Oral-B iO Series 9 (iO9)
$40	$80	$300
$30	$65	$240
Approx $5 each (Oral-B)	Approx $5 each (Oral-B)	Approx $12 each (Oral-B iO Series)
$85	$120	$335
-
30 second quadpacer	30 second quadpacer	30 second quadpacer
3	3	7
-	-
Review	Review	Review

How Oral-B's smart toothbrushes differ

The features of a Bluetooth enabled Oral-B toothbrush differ between ranges and models.

Whilst it is a little bit more nuanced than this, fundamentally you have 2 choices:

• Oral-B smart toothbrush without real-time position tracking
• Oral-B smart toothbrush with real-time position tracking

The key difference here is that the brush either does or does not track and record the areas of the mouth you have and have not brushed during the cleaning cycle.

Those without real-time tracking will record a brushing session, including when and for how long you used the toothbrush.

During a brushing session, it will show a timer on the screen along with other data like what brushing mode you are using and it will alert you if you brush too hard.

Those with real-time tracking are doing the same, but with the additional data, which includes detailed visuals for review at a later time.

The way this works has evolved over the years. It first relied on your smartphone camera. The latest models rely on sensors in the brush handle.

During a brushing session, the app is highlighting which areas to brush and changing the visuals to denote those teeth you have brushed, in addition to the brushing time and pressure applied.

It is a more subtle difference, but those with real-time tracking can differ further. The vast majority track 6 zones of the mouth, whereas the most premium track 16.

Whilst we like many of the features and functionality that smart toothbrushes offer, we don't believe they are essential. And, for most people, smart toothbrushes are best avoided. Doing so saves you money and reduces the environmental impact of your dental health.

If you wish to learn more about how each smart toothbrush works with the Oral-B app, it is best to refer to hands-on reviews we have available of each.

The following table summarizes the key differences between smart models: