The best electric toothbrushes for a healthy smile in 2026

Brushing our teeth is such a basic part of a morning routine that we barely think about it. Yet, the impact of not brushing our teeth correctly or properly is huge, from plaque buildup to increasing the risk of tooth decay. One of the best electric toothbrushes can help remedy this with real-time feedback, sensitive pressure sensors, and built-in timers.

Here at woman&home, we understand the value of proper cleaning – which is why we’ve updated our guide for 2026. Digital Health Editor Grace Walsh teamed up with expert tester Caramel Quin to put a wide range of electric brushes through their paces. We’ve tested everything from the best Oral-B toothbrushes to cutting-edge sustainable designs, evaluating function, design, battery life, affordability, and most importantly, which brushes give a thorough, hygienist-approved clean.

This updated guide reflects the latest releases, smarter tech, and current recommendations so you can choose the best toothbrush for your needs – and make brushing a genuinely satisfying part of your daily routine.

The top 6 list

The best electric toothbrushes, as tested by us

Best electric toothbrush overall

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To get the title of best electric toothbrush, the device had to tick some key boxes: leave our tester with a real clean feeling, be easy to use, have a decent battery life, and not cost the earth. Out of all the electric toothbrushes we tested, the Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Smart was one of the few that ticked them all - and it had the best review.

I absolutely loved this toothbrush and have continued to use it past my testing phase. The results were superb from my first clean, and the four brushing modes were easy to navigate through with a timer and pressure sensor to guide me along the way. While the charging platform is unusual (the brush sits in a glass case that then sits on the charger), it offers the brush a good two weeks of battery before you have to charge it again, which is a good amount in my mind.

I also loved the Philips app functionality that came with the Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Smart as well. "It's similar to the Oral-B iO10, but the brush is half the price at £160. The technology sets it apart from other devices and actually had me engaged and on track with my brushing routine, which is a tall order. Rather than four lots of 30 seconds, you focus on a sixth of your mouth every time, looking at your screen to pick up on untouched areas of the mouth."

Read our full Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Smart electric toothbrush review

Best electric toothbrush with app

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The Oral-B iO10 electric toothbrush makes it to the top spot for elevating the basics - such as the design, wireless charging platform, timer (it's available on the handle and charging platform of this toothbrush), and pressure sensor (a red and green light-up collar around the head so you can actually see it when you're brushing).

But this brush also brings something new to the table in an AI-led tracking app. It won't be for everyone but Grace says it's made a huge difference to her brushing technique. "I'm not someone who ever thought they'd have their phone in the bathroom when they were brushing their teeth, but after downloading the Oral-B app, I'm rarely without it. The app technology memorises how you clean to ensure you hit every part of your mouth," she says.

"It's so detailed, I can see clearly where I'm brushing at any point during my two minutes, thanks to the 16 segments on the screen, and the points around the tooth that I'm targeting, so I know if I'm leaving any out, which is easier to do than you might think."

While £300+ is a lot to spend on an electric toothbrush, if you're looking for a brush with an in-built app that genuinely improves your brushing routine and you can find a deal, this the Oral-B iO10 is the electric toothrbrush to go for.

See our full Oral-B iO10 review here.

Best budget electric toothbrush

It's fair to say that many of the best electric toothbrushes come with a premium price tag and though you often get what you pay for, there's no need to spend beyond your budget for a great clean. The Bitvae R2 Rotating Electric Toothbrush is my pick of the bunch when it comes to finding the balance between budget-friendly buys and quality.

Digital Health Editor Grace Walsh says: "My favourite thing about the Bitvae R2 Rotating Electric Toothbrush is that it really ticks the boxes where the essentials are concerned. It features a timer, with 30-second haptic feedback, to keep you on track with brushing, along with a sensitive pressure sensor, and five complete cleaning modes."

So whether you're looking to just get a daily clean in with one of the best toothpaste or you need a specialist clean, it's got you covered. In this way, it's not too dissimilar to our best pick - the Oral-B iO9 Ultimate Clean Electric Toothbrush. Although, of course, it lacks some of the more advanced features.

But it's not only the excellent features and host of 5-star reviews that make this budget buy the winner, this electric toothbrush comes with eight replacement heads and a travel case, meaning you save in the long-run as well by not having to buy the replacement heads as often or purchase an additional toothbrush to travel with. Although, the SURI electric toothbrush wins as a travel companion.

Best premium electric toothbrush

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For a premium brushing experience, it's got to be the Philips Sonicare 9900 Prestige toothbrush. Not only is the design a stand-out among similar brushes, with its sleek metallic exterior and leather-effect travel case that actually charges the device as well, it's purpose is to make the brushing experience as personalised as possible.

You will need the app to take advantage of this but once downloaded, you can totally revamp your brushing experience to work for you by adjusting the various modes (choose from from Clean, White+, Gum Health, Deep Clean, and Sensitive options) and the intensity completely separately. So, you can still brush for whiter teeth, while keeping sensitive teeth pain-free. It's a unique feature we didn't see anywhere else while testing the brushes.

As much as being a premium app for those who want and can afford to pay for the very best, it's also a brush for those who like to dig deep into their oral hygiene. If you're after an easy ride, this isn't the brush for you, and I'd suggest opting for the Oral-B iO9 instead as you don't need to use the app at all to make the best of the brush.

In the app on the Philips device, for example, you can see a map of your mouth that shows the areas you brush more than others and receive a complete guided session to cover every element of your mouth. Having tested both this device and the Oral-B iO9, I can say they are similar in this feature but the Philips model does more to encourage a complete clean.

Much like other brushes on the list, there's an effective timer on the brush and it's visible on the app too, with a pressure sensor to stop you from brushing too aggressively by accident.

See our full Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Prestige 9900 review here

Best electric toothbrush for travel

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The Suri 2.0 is the latest release from this viral, eco-friendly brand that took the electric toothbrush world by storm a couple of years ago with the original Suri (which is still on sale).

E-commerce Editor Heidi Scrimgeour took the Suri 2.0 for a spin and was "seriously impressed" with the new features, beautiful design, and super-long battery life. "It runs for months on a single charge, and I do mean months," she says.

This, along with the travel case that not only stores the brush but also filters UV light over the brush head, cleaning it between uses and when you pop it back in the case between trips. "There's just something I can't explain about how satisfying I find that. Call it the mental load, but I can't think of a single other element of my life where something gets cleaned to my satisfaction without me having to ask, never mind lift a finger," says Heidi.

Read our full Suri 2.0 electric toothbrush review here

Best electric toothbrush with long life

The SonicYou has three brushing modes - sensitive, clean and whitening – the brushing strokes increase with each. You simply press the power button to correspond with the level you want, which is indicated by the noise level increasing with each increment. When compared to other toothbrushes on this list though, it's much quieter.

"No exaggeration, the first time I used it, I had the same wonderfully cleaned feeling I get after visiting the dentist, and I’ve been hooked ever since," says Kerrie Hughes, w&h's digital editor and one of the testers of this toothbrush.

"The brush head feels soft but not without enough weight to give my teeth a really good clean, and I love how the bristles fade in colour as a reminder to replace the head. Speaking of replacements, it's a lesser-known brand, but new toothbrush heads are roughly the same as other leading electric toothbrush brands," she says.

"But the best thing about this toothbrush, aside from the amazing clean it gives, obviously, is the unbelievable battery life. The company claims you can use it 600 times before needing to charge, and while I haven’t kept an exact count, I have used this toothbrush twice a day, for at least two minutes, for well over six months now, and it shows no signs of slowing down," she says.

Best for sensitive teeth

Out of all the best electric toothbrushes we tested, the Oral-B Pro 3 brush came out on top for being particularly good for those with sensitive teeth thanks to the specialist mode and built-in pressure sensor.

When brushing sensitive teeth, it's important not to accidentally press too hard and the Oral-B Pro 3 prevents you from doing just that. Not only is there a light-up sensor below the brush head that flashes red, the actual speed of the brush slows down, forcing you to lighten up.

The specialist Sensitive mode is useful for this too, as the device vibrates at a lower intensity consistently for two minutes. But in testing this device myself (as I've dealt with sensitive teeth for years), I also found the Daily Clean function feels a little lighter than some others. So, no matter what mode I chose, I felt like my teeth were getting a thorough brush - but nothing too intense. For those who have sensitive gums, it's a winner for the same reason.

Best simple electric toothbrush

While apps have their place, you might be looking for a simple electric toothbrush to revamp your brushing routine in 2025. The Lucent Prism Sonic Electronic toothbrush is just the thing. While it comes in two exciting colourways - green or pink - and has a unique crystallised design, this toothbrush actually just covers the basics very well.

It has three brushing modes, a timer function, and a pressure sensor, and it automatically starts when you press the bristles to your teeth, taking away the need for a button on the front of the device. But, there's one there should you want it.

"This toothbrush has something of a party trick in the automatic start. While it's not essential, it's nice to have," says tester Caramel Quin, who used the brush for two weeks, finding it to be a favourite of the numerous she tested.

"I like the alternative colours too, in the sea of black and white, this makes for a nice change. But the colours aren't too bold to be distracting on your bathroom sink. This toothbrush would work well against a white or cream tile, for example," she adds.

This brush also has 60 days of battery life between charges, which isn't quite as much as the AENO DB2S Smart Sonic electric toothbrush, but it's still a lot more than the two-week average even our top pick offers.

See our full review of the Lucent Prism Sonic Electronic toothbrush

Testing the best electric toothbrushes

How we tested the best electric toothbrushes 

When testing the best electric toothbrushes, we gathered a range from across brands - including big names like Oral-B, Philips, and Braun, alongside smaller brands with a primary focus on sustainability and function. We considered our own guide on all you need to know before buying an electric toothbrush, and tested all the toothbrushes in this guide for two weeks, both in the morning and in the evening.

As well as assessing how well they cleaned our teeth, how easy they were to set up and use, and whether they were worth the price tag, we also spoke to dentist Dr Richard Marques to gain further insight into the benefit of using an electric toothbrush and features to consider.

Taking of all this into account, we came up with six key features:

• Speed: Many electric toothbrushes come with different speed modes, which is especially handy if you’re sharing a brush with someone else (each with your own brush head, of course). Modes typically range from sensitive to whitening, deep clean, and more, letting you customise your brushing experience depending on your needs.
• Brush head: Electric toothbrushes generally feature either oscillating (rotating) or sonic (vibrating) heads. According to Dr Marques: “Look for a rotating and oscillating brush, meaning the head moves side to side and pulses up and down, covering more surface area and brushing over spots multiple times to ensure nothing is missed.” This type of brush provides the most thorough clean, especially for hard-to-reach areas.
• Timer control: Not sure if you’re brushing long enough? A built-in timer is a simple but essential feature. This makes sure you’re cleaning for the correct amount of time, helping your teeth stay as clean as possible,” Dr Marques says. Most models signal every 30 seconds to remind you to move to a different section of your mouth, ensuring even coverage.
• Replaceable brush heads: No matter which electric toothbrush you choose, the brush head will eventually wear down and need replacing. Replacement heads can be pricey, so it’s worth checking costs before committing to a particular model or brand.
• Pressure sensor: A pressure sensor helps prevent brushing too hard, which can damage teeth and gums. “This will make sure you’re not pressing too hard on your teeth during cleaning,” Dr Marques explains. Not all toothbrushes have this feature – especially budget-friendly options – but it’s a useful addition if you’re keen on protecting enamel.
• Battery life: There’s no point investing in a high-tech toothbrush if the battery dies constantly. Good battery life is especially important for travellers. Some models can go two to three weeks on a single charge, while others may need recharging after just a week. Choosing a brush with longer battery life can save a lot of hassle and make daily brushing effortless.

Dr Richard Marques

Dr Richard Marques, often dubbed the “King of Smiles”, is one of the UK’s leading celebrity dentists. He specialises in general dentistry, restorative work, cosmetic dentistry and tooth whitening, professional cleaning, and gum health.

Dr Marques (BDS) graduated with distinction from Guy’s, King’s, and St Thomas’ Institute of Dentistry and has since treated countless complex dental cases. His expertise includes advanced implantology, having completed the prestigious Bicon Implant course in South Africa in 2006, among other specialised training. Trusted by both high-profile clients and everyday patients alike, Dr Marques combines technical excellence with a friendly, approachable style.

Are electric toothbrushes better than manual?

In an ideal world, brushing your teeth would be foolproof – whether you use a manual or electric toothbrush. The reality, however, is that most of us don’t always get the technique right. Dr Elham Kordrostami, dentist and co-founder of PAIST, explains: “It’s tricky to replicate the rotating and oscillating motion of an electric toothbrush by hand. Most dentists recommend an electric brush to help prevent dental issues.”

And it’s not just about convenience. Dr Richard Marques points out that people who use electric brushes often enjoy healthier gums and less tooth decay. “Rotating brush heads are especially good at removing plaque, leaving teeth feeling clean and fresh,” he says.

Of course, knowing how to brush your teeth twice a day is still the gold standard. But electric toothbrushes have a little secret advantage: “The motion helps you reach those awkward corners where plaque loves to hide. And with built-in timers, you’re more likely to brush long enough to get a truly thorough clean,” says Dr Marques.

In short, an electric toothbrush isn’t just a gadget – it’s a little helper that makes daily brushing simpler, more effective, and surprisingly satisfying.

How long do electric toothbrushes last?

Your electric toothbrush should last for three to five years on average, Dr Marques says. "And you should change your brush head every 2-3 months. Doing so will prevent a build-up of plague in the bristles and keep the brush from damaging and becoming less effective."

How long your brush will last naturally depends on other factors too, like how well you care for your toothbrush by storing it, cleaning it correctly and making sure to use a good-quality toothpaste where possible.

"Most brushes should come with a two-year warranty and so any issues you have during this time should be covered," he adds.

How often should you change toothbrush heads?

It's a good idea to change your toothbrush head every three to four months to keep your mouth and teeth fresh, says Dr Kordrostami. "If the bristles start looking frayed or worn, it's a clear sign it's time for a replacement. Some have coloured bristles that fade over time, letting you know when it's time to change. It ensures that you're getting the most effective cleaning, as worn-out bristles are less efficient."

"It also helps to prevent the build-up of bacteria on the brush," she notes. "So, whether it's a manual or electric toothbrush, keeping the head fresh is a simple yet important step in maintaining good oral health."

Do electric toothbrushes help whiten your teeth?

No, an electric toothbrush can only do so much and its impact on the colour of our teeth is minimal. Electric toothbrushes and on-shelf whitening products (like the best whitening toothpastes) can't whiten your teeth as well as a professional whitening treatment but they can help to remove some of the extrinsic staining (e.g. brown teeth or yellowing to the teeth) that comes with eating and other lifestyle habits.

Electric toothbrushes can't remove intrinsic staining, which comes with certain genetics and age. This can only be removed with a professional treatment.