The pressure sensor implementation in the iO Series handle is one of the best enhancements to electric toothbrushes I have experienced in recent times. Experience Oral-B Pro 3 from the #1 brand used by dentists worldwide. The sleek handle of the Pro 3 electric toothbrush helps you brush like your dentist recommends: It helps you brush for 2 minutes with the professional timer and it notifies you every 30 seconds to change the area your are brushing. While you are just moving the brush around your mouth, Oral-B's unique round head does all the rest. This is a result of the brushless magnetic drive system used exclusively in the iO Series. It directs the cleaning energy to the bristle tips along with what is known as micro vibrations. An intentional design choice, it does make for a more enjoyable experience.

Yes, some may have a display built-in; the iO3 doesn’t. But it does mean the Series 3 looks much more premium and desirable than some of the more affordable models from Oral-B. Like many brushes today, I anticipate that in 5 or more years, this could still easily be your daily toothbrush, there isn’t a need for regular replacement. When low, the battery notification LED will flash red and you may notice the motor slow. A full recharge takes up to 12 hours. The battery LED will flash green whilst charging, before turning off once complete. A softer, dimpled texture to the plastic body also replaces the raised lines that have adorned the rear of brush handles such as the Smart 4.If you know you have a habit of brushing with too much force, the Pro 3 will help you rectify this. Oral-B's round head surrounds each tooth for cleaner teeth and healthier gums, removing up to 100% more plaque vs. a manual toothbrush The pacer momentarily pauses the brushing action every 30 seconds to tell you to move on to the next part of the mouth. After 2 minutes the alert changes slightly to tell you that you have brushed for long enough. Striking the balance isn’t necessarily that easy, but here you get timely and helpful notifications so that you can take corrective action and ultimately improve your oral care. As soon as you power on the iO3, the 2 minute timer and pacer are activated. The pacer momentarily pauses the brushing action every 30 seconds to tell you to move on to the next part of the mouth. After 2 minutes the alert changes slightly to tell you that you have brushed for long enough.

Oral-B toothbrushes are designed with dentists and are the number one toothbrush brand most used by dentists worldwide. You need to press the power button 3 times, each and every time you use it, if you want whitening mode. On average, they operate at 10 decibels (dB) less. The iO3 registers a maximum of 64dB. But, on the sensitive mode, it was a couple of dB quieter still. Although the minimum brushing time might have been reached, the iO3 encourages longer brushing, by not powering off automatically. A simple press of the power button will turn it off. It teaches you how much pressure to applyScrubbing and using lots of force as you brush will damage the teeth and gums over the long term. Oral-B has for many years built pressure sensors into their toothbrushes and the Pro 3 is no exception. Unlike the Smart 5 5000 and older models from Oral-B, the Pro 3 doesn’t have any large rubber panels on the handle to aid with grip. There’s a small section around the power button, but the result is a much cleaner look to the handle. It feels solid and is well balanced. It stands upright on a countertop and doesn’t roll when laid on a flat surface.

Whilst power is far from the most important factor in achieving good cleaning results, I am often asked how many oscillations and pulsations models offer. It will stand upright on a countertop and strategically placed raised dots on the rear of the handle prevent the brush from rolling along a flat countertop. Sensitive is also a great choice for first time electric toothbrush users. It makes for a more pleasing introduction to the increased power such brushes offer. If you have a perfectly functional toothbrush already. It’s not enough of a difference to justify the switch alone. The PRO 3, on top of the Daily clean and Sensitive modes, comes with a specialized whitening clean mode.We don’t have an extensive list of must-have features, but there are a few that our in-house dentists feel are really worthwhile: a 2 minute timer, a pacer and a pressure sensor. These are included in all but the cheapest of brushes these days. The 2 minute timer and pacer help you clean your teeth evenly While Oral-B has partnered with schemes such as TerraCycle in some countries, it does not yet have its own recycling scheme for used brush heads or faulty products. When the handle detects you are brushing with excess force the motor will slow the brush head and the light ring at the top of the handle will illuminate red. When it does, you need to relieve the pressure until the light goes out.

But, at 2+ weeks it falls short of the industry average which is really at 3-4 weeks. By no means is this a deal breaker when considering the Pro 3. Oral-B brushes are far more noisy than most electric toothbrushes, but the iO Series handles are quieter. There are no gloss plastics here. Instead, there is a matt finish to the plastic body that somehow feels quite grippy to the touch despite the reduced number of textured surfaces and gripping points compared to models like the Vitality Pro. READ NEXT: The best toothpastes to keep your mouth clean Oral B Pro 3 3000 review: How long does the battery last?

Great cleaning, useful features and superb battery life – this is the best affordable electric toothbrush

It removes up to 100% more plaque than a standard manual toothbrush for healthier gums and it starts making your smile whiter as of the first day of brushing by removing surface stains. Not only this, but the toothbrush helps you protect your delicate gums with the 360 ̊gum pressure control technology that reduces brushing speed and alerts you to be gentler if you brush too hard.