Throughout a lifetime, the average person spends 39 full days brushing their teeth, which is how much time it takes to walk from France to Spain, or to film an entire season of Love Is Blind. Obviously, spending a few minutes each day caring for your pearly whites is critical, but when those “few minutes” add up to months of your life, you kind of want to make the minutes count. One way to make those daily brushing sessions feel like less of a chore? Invest in an electric toothbrush (and as dentists will remind you: some floss).

While your good, old-fashioned manual brush works just fine to keep your teeth plaque-free (as long as you’re using it properly), today’s electric toothbrushes are a whole lot better in pretty much every way. Not only do dentists sing their praises for their deep cleaning, but many of them are also equipped with features that will help make you better at brushing (think timed beeping, Bluetooth connectivity with your phone, various cleaning modes, and the list goes on. Plus, they look cool and are fun to use, so if nothing else have a leg-up on your manual on those fronts—the more excited you are to use your toothbrush, the more you’ll actually use it.

With a seemingly endless number of top picks and ADA-approved options out there to choose from, I personally tested a dozen electric toothbrushes on the market to suss out the six best. Each and every one of them will leave your teeth so clean, that you’ll be genuinely excited for the compliments from your hygienist at your next dentistry appointment—and all those minutes spent brushing won’t feel like such a waste of time, after all.

The Best Electric Toothbrushes, at a Glance

We did all the testing for you and found all the best electric toothbrushes for every situation. Our list is complete with toothbrush reviews of each one, and you can snag many of them straight from Amazon so they’ll be on your doorstep by tomorrow.

Best Oscillating: Oral-B Genius X Limited Rechargeable Electric Powered Toothbrush, $200Best Sonic: Mode Electric Toothbrush, $130Best Oscillating/Sonic Combo: Lucent Prism, $99Best Smart Toothbrush: Philips Sonicare - 9900Best Whitening: Snow LED Whitening Electric Toothbrush, $79Best Rubber Bristles: Quip Smart Rechargable, $6Best Oscillating: Oral-B Genius X Limited Rechargeable Electric Powered Toothbrush, $200

Oral-B

Genius X Limited Rechargeable Electric Powered Toothbrush$200 $100

Amazon

Pros & ConsAccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevronProsUses connected, AI technology to guide your brushing experience so that you never miss a spotEquipped with a 2-minute timer6 brushing modesEasy user interfaceTravel caseCons14-day battery life is long enough that it likely won’t be a problem for anyone, but not nearly as long as other optionsExpensiveKind of loud when usingMost modes may be too intense for sensitive teeth

There are toothbrushes that get your teeth clean, and then there are toothbrushes that you could basically trust to clean your house and watch your kids. More powerful than the brand’s famous Pro-1000, the Oral B Genius falls into the latter category, using AI technology to help you get the best brush of your life. It connects to an app on your phone that tracks the location of the brush as you move it around your mouth, and coaches you so that you don’t miss a spot and you’re getting a deep clean all around. The round brush head easily maneuvers between teeth so that you have primo oral hygiene, and its six modes—Daily Clean, Pro Clean, Sensitive, 3D White, Gum Care, and Tongue Clean—ensure that you can customize it to what you need. When it’s time to replace the tip, the brush pairs with multiple different types of Oral-B replacement brush heads that target different problems so that you, again, get what you need out of the brush. Though it’s super-smart, it’s also super easy to use, which isn’t the case with some of the other buttonless options out there. I will say that it’s got some pretty major power behind it and many of the modes were a bit too harsh for my delicate mouth, but the sensitive option worked just fine.

Best Sonic: Mode Electric Toothbrush, $130



ChevronChevron

Mode

Electric Toothbrush$130

Mode

Pros & ConsAccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevronPros38,000 brush strokes per minuteLong battery life (30 days from a single charge)Completely wirelessSoft bristlesLifetime warrantyConsOnly one modeMay be too intense for someNo connected features

This high-end, battery-powered toothbrush is intense, in the best possible way. Its sonic vibrations (similar to a Sonicare toothbrush) leave my teeth feeling like they’ve been deep cleaned, but the bristles are gentle enough that they don’t irritate my extremely sensitive gum line. In fact, I’ve found that I can brush around my gumline with less pressure and irritation, which has helped my keep better oral hygiene over time. As someone with a small New York City bathroom, I really appreciate that the charger doesn’t come at the expense of tons of counter space; instead, it just hangs out on the wall and is right there when I need to grab it. Arguably the coolest thing, though, is that the charging dock also functions as a night light—when it senses the room around it getting darker, it flicks on, which is great for midnight bathroom breaks.

One more thing worth noting: The battery life on this baby is long. A full charge will last you up to 30 days, which means you can travel for weeks on end without having to schlep around an extra piece.

Best Oscillating/Sonic Combo: Lucent Prism, $99



ChevronChevronPrism Sonic Electronic Toothbrush$99

Lucent

Pros & ConsAccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevronProsCleans with sonic and oscillating technologyLong battery life (60 days from a single charge)Soft bristles designed in a prism shape for targeting nooks and crannies between teeth2-minute timer with vibrations every 30 secondsPressure sensorComes with a chic charging case that’s great for travel and keeping the brush head cleanConsWonky charging situationNo connected features

This brush combines fast, sonic vibrations with horizontal oscillations to loosen plaque and physically scrub it away for optimal oral care (just add a flosser and you’re golden). The bristles are soft enough for my sensitive gums, but what I really like is that it has a built-in pressure sensor that clues me in with a blinking light when I’m brushing too hard. It has three brushing modes with different vibrational patterns and intensities, which you can change by holding down the power button, and a two-minute timer that vibrates every 30 seconds to signal you to move from one quadrant of your mouth to the next to hit each section for the time recommended by the American Dental Association. The Lucent Prism comes in a chic green ombré shade and sits atop a translucent charging dock, but though the combo looks great on a vanity, it isn’t exactly the most functional. My brush kept falling onto the bathroom floor, which is never good news.

Best Smart Toothbrush: Philips Sonicare - 9900



ChevronChevron

Philips

Philips Sonicare - 9900$400 $380

Best Buy

Pros & ConsAccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevronProsEquipped with SensIQ technology that senses pressure and automatically adjusts brush intensityOffers real-time feedback on brushing habitsReminds you when it’s time to replace your brush headConnects via an app on your phoneConsExpensiveYou have to control it via an app instead of on the brush itself

While the Philips Sonicare Diamondclean and the Philips Sonicare 4100 are widely popular options from the line, its this brush that’s referred to as the “Rolls Royce” of electric toothbrushes, so I had high hopes for what it had to offer (especially for $329 a pop). And boy, did it deliver. What makes the Phillips Sonicare 9900 so special is its SensIQ technology, which not only acts as a pressure sensor (something a number of other brushes on this list come with), but actually adjusts its intensity if it senses you’re brushing too hard. It’s basically impossible not to get a perfect clean with this brush, because it does all of the guesswork for you. It’s kind of annoying that you have to adjust the modes via an app instead of directly on the brush itself, but because of the automatic adjustment feature, I found that I didn’t have to switch things up manually all that often. I also really love the travel case that it comes in, which is made of leather, endlessly chic, and great for travel. The rechargeable battery juices up in the case, which also helps keep the brush head clean when you’re not using it (I could tell you some traumatizing facts about toothbrushes and “toilet plume” bacteria). All in all, this was my favorite toothbrush I tried, which wasn’t exactly surprising given the price point. Is it amazing? Yes, absolutely. Is it so much more amazing than the other toothbrushes on the list that it’s worth paying triple for? Depends how much you care about your teeth.

Best Whitening: Snow LED Whitening Electric Toothbrush

LED Whitening Electric Toothbrush$79

Snow

Pros & ConsAccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevronPros39,000 brush strokes per minuteEquipped with blue LED light for whitening benefits4 brush modes2-minute timer (with pulses every 30 seconds)Long battery life (30 days from a single charge)Subscription option for brush head replacementsConsSome reviewers note that bristles are too soft to make them feel like they’re getting a deep clean

Brushing your teeth is, obviously, the most important thing you can do to keep them white—but this particular brush-ups the ante. It’s equipped with a blue LED light, which purportedly activates whitening chemicals and improves their penetration. This means that if you pair the Snow LED toothbrush with a whitening toothpaste, you might get even better results than you would with the toothpaste and a regular old rechargeable electric toothbrush on their own. It uses sonic vibrations, and has four modes— clean, white, polish, and sensitive—with different pulse patterns and intensities (the LED light only kicks on in white mode). It’s easy to use, and as an added bonus, the rechargeable base can be paired with the brand’s Tongue Scraper and Face Brush attachments (in addition to the regular toothbrush head) for a nice little piece of three-in-one tech.

Best Rubber Bristles: Quip Smart Rechargable, $60



ChevronChevron

Quip

Smart Rechargable Toothbrush$60

Quip

Pros & ConsAccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevronProsRubber and nylon bristlesCleans teeth using sonic vibrationsLong battery life (90 days from a single charge)Connects to an app on your phone that allows you to track brushing habits and earn rewardsSubscription option for brush head replacementsMinimal footprint when chargingGreat for travelGood for the priceConsOnly delivers 15,000 brush strokes per minute (which is much lower than other options on this list)Large brush head may be uncomfortable/hard to navigate for some

Rubber bristles are beloved for their ability to offer a deep, gentle clean on even the most sensitive teeth and gums, and dentists love the QUIP—which surrounds its nylon bristles with rubber ones—for this reason and more. “In my opinion, the brand makes one of the best electric toothbrushes,” says Lawrence Fung, DDS, a cosmetic dentist at Silicon Beach Dental in California. “It has the right ergonomics; the size of the brush head is large enough to effectively remove plaque while not being too large to get in some of the hard to reach corners.”

Joshua Perlman DMD, a general and cosmetic dentist and the founder of NYC Smile Spa calls this brush the “iPhone of toothbrushes” thanks to its super-smart connected features. It links up with an app that tracks your brushing habits and rewards you for good behavior (you can exchange your points for new brush heads and gift cards), which almost makes brushing your teeth kind of… fun? Plus, it comes in a slew of colors, and has a magnetic charging cable that takes up minimal space in the bathroom.

FAQsWhy use an electric toothbrush?

Spending $100+ on an electric toothbrush may feel silly when you know a $3 drugstore brush can clean your teeth just fine, but dentists say there are genuine benefits to investing in a higher-tech option.

“An electric toothbrush is significantly better at removing plaque than a manual one,” says Dr. Fung, pointing to a study that found a 21% reduction in plaque from an electric toothbrush versus a manual one.

Dr. Perlman, echoes this sentiment, noting that electric brushes can remove more stubborn plaque and tarter than manual brushes—especially when they’re paired with technologies that help you track your brushing habits and ensure you’re hitting every spot in your mouth. What’s more, “Patients with manual dexterity issues like arthritis or carpal tunnel syndrome greatly benefit from electric toothbrushes,” says Dr. Perlman.

Additionally, “using a manual toothbrush can enable some users to overbrush and over abrade,” says Dr. Fung, which can cause gum recession and potentially damage the dentin in your teeth, leading to increased sensitivity and dental decay from overbrushing. Because electric brushes have a more controlled brushing mechanism (meaning they essentially do the brushing for you), you’re less likely to scrub as hard as you would with a manual option.

And, finally: The cooler your toothbrush is, the more likely you are to actually use it as often as you should. “My patients are often excited to use a new piece of technology like an electric toothbrush, which makes them focus more on cleaning their teeth because they enjoy the feeling,” says Dr. Perlman.

What to look for in an electric toothbrushSonic versus oscillating

There are two types of electric toothbrushes on the market, and the right one for you comes down to personal preference—in terms of which one is “better,” they’re pretty much neck in neck. “Depending on which research article you read, you can find evidence that one is better than the other but there is no clear winner,” says Dr. Fung. “The only thing that is very clear is that an electric toothbrush is much more effective at removing plaque than a manual toothbrush.”

Oscillating: Oscillating toothbrushes have small, round heads that rotate back and forth in a circular motion to physically scrub away plaque and debris.

Sonic: Sonic toothbrushes use high-powered vibrations to move brush bristles in two directions (side to side, or up and down) to loosen up plaque and whisk away bacteria. “For some, the intensity of the sonic vibrations may be too off-putting,” says Dr. Fung.

Cost

These days, you can find an electric toothbrush in any price range—whether you want to spend $10 or $350, there’s an option out there for you. That said, Dr. Fung recommends thinking of buying an electric toothbrush as making an investment in your oral health, so it may be worth stretching your budget just a bit to get the best that money can buy. “A good electric toothbrush will help save you a lot of money [in the long run], as it decreases your risk for gum disease and dental decay,” says Dr. Fung. “I always recommend that patients not choose the cheapest option, as some of the cheaper options will have less-effective oscillating or sonic outputs and won’t last as long as a better-built toothbrush.”

Technology

When an electric toothbrush costs a pretty hefty chunk of change, it’s likely because of the technology it’s equipped with. Some brushes link up to an app on your phone to track your brushing habits, others are equipped with LED lights for a little extra whitening boost, and others have timers and pressure sensors to ensure you aren’t brushing too hard (and sacrificing your enamel in the process).

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To determine what type of technology you need, Dr. Perlman recommends asking yourself a few questions: Will this specific product help my oral health condition?  Is there clinical research that backs up these claims? And, does my trusted oral health care professional recommend this product for me?

Battery life/rechargeability

Nearly all of the electric toothbrushes on the market are powered by batteries, and it’s up to you to decide whether you want to invest in a rechargeable option or one that runs on a few good old-fashioned AA—though Dr. Fung has a personal preference on this front. “From a sustainability standpoint, decreasing battery use would be helpful to decrease our disposal rate, and it’s generally more convenient to have a rechargeable versus a disposable battery,” he says.

Overall user experience

Ultimately, there’s no one-size-fits-all for what makes a “good” electric toothbrush—the most important thing is finding one that works for you, and that you’ll commit to using every day.

“I would define a good electric toothbrush as, simply, one that you enjoy using,” says Dr. Fung. “Does it fit in your hand right, does the battery last long enough so you can continue to use it effectively, does it leave your teeth feeling as shiny and smooth as they do after a dentist's appointment? At a certain level of price, most electric toothbrushes will be good.”

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Zoë Weiner is a freelance beauty and wellness journalist who's work focused on the intersection of beauty, health, and mental health. She was a longtime beauty editor at Well+Good, where she hosted the "Routine Rundown" podcast and "Zoe Tries It All." Her work has appeared in Bustle, Byrdie, Cosmopolitan, PS,... Read moreInstagramRelated Stories for GQGQ RecommendsLife AdviceHealth