Pro Series: Oral-B’s affordable, mainstream brushes. These bring in the 3D action, with micro vibrations, oscillation and rotation for a better clean, along with pressure alerts and a lithium-ion battery (on most models).

The handle is water resistant, so a rinse under the tap is perfectly fine. All the important electronics, including the battery, are sealed inside. Smart Series: The Smart series builds on the Pro series with Bluetooth connectivity and basic smart features. Some models are quite old now, but still effective.

The best Oral-B electric toothbrushes to buy in 2023

Our in-house dentists believe 3 features should be present in a good electric toothbrush. The Pro 2 2000 has them all. The timer and pacer help you to brush for the right amount of time With the 2000 it is the rubber grip in blue or pink that contrasts against the white plastic body of the brush. Although there is a white gripped variant too. With the Pro 3, there are a series of dimples running from the top to the bottom of the handle. These dimples are far more subtle in appearance. They do provide texture onto which the fingertips can grip, but they are not quite as effective as the raised ridges on the 2000. Brushing for the full 2 minutes is very important, but just as important, if not more so, is using the right technique. Make sure you learn how to brush your teeth properly — you don’t use an electric brush in the same way you do a manual. The visible pressure sensor will alert you when you are brushing too hard

It should be noted, that the brush heads supplied with either the Pro 2 2000 or 3 – 3000 can differ. Most common is the CrossAction or 3D White brush head. But there are a few different options. Design aside, they do the same job. When the sensor is activated they both light up red to alert you that you are brushing too hard. Reduce the pressure and the lights go out. The Genius 8000 launched as a cut-down, value version of the original Genius 9000 brush, and it still feels like a high-end toothbrush despite its price. It also gives an excellent clean, with a choice of six brush modes and three brush heads – CrossAction, 3D White and Sensitive – to cover a wide range of dental needs. Its Lithium-Ion battery still needs charging overnight but will last for over an hour of brushing from there on in, which should cover you for a couple of weeks. Whilst it may provide some benefit, particularly if used with a 3D White brush head, the differences are going to be extremely subtle, if not impossible to notice. The slight downside is that the textured rubber surface makes it easier for toothpaste residue to build up. Without regular cleaning, I have found a white coating appears.

Confused by Oral-B’s sprawling range of toothbrushes? Well we’ve picked out the best of the brand’s brushes for every need and budget

Because of my bad experience with the Oral-B battery I initially wanted to buy a Philips Sonicare DiamondClean but the ones with all bells and whistles (Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Smart HX9924/03) was more than twice as expensive as the Genius 9000. So at the end a bought a couple of Oral-B PRO 2 2000N ’s and one Oral-B Genius 9000N to see how the very best and best value differ in daily use. Both offer the standard daily clean mode and a more gentle sensitive mode. But, the Pro 3 offers a third brushing mode, known as whitening. I like the slim and grippy handle. The 2 week battery life is satisfactory and, most importantly, it does a good job of cleaning your teeth. Kids/Junior series: Variations of the Vitality, Pro and Smart Series brushes aimed at kids and teens. Often slightly smaller and featuring favourite characters or more colourful designs. The grip on the rear of the Pro 3 3900 handle comes in the form of lots of dimples compared to the ridges on the 2900.

Up to a point. Oral-B’s CrossAction, FlossAction, Precision Clean, Sensi and 3D White brush heads work across brushes in the Vitality, Pro, Smart and Genius lines, but iO Series brushes have their own specific Ultimate Clean and Gentle Care heads. What features are worth paying extra for? We previously had a Oral-B Professional Care 3000 but after two years the Ni-MH batteries where very bad so I got new ones under warranty. Now two years later I am happy to see that Oral-B use Li-Ion batteries which have such a better life. Protruding from the body, the power button is easy for the fingertip to detect. You do need to give it a fairly firm push, so those with dexterity issues might find it a bit more challenging. The Pro 3 3000 has 3 cleaning modes (Daily Clean, Sensitive & Whitening) compared to the 2 modes (Daily Clean & Sensitive) of the Pro 2 2000. For more discussion on this and whether to opt for electric or manual, see our article is there such a thing as an eco-friendly electric toothbrush. Conclusion: good cleaning results but consider the alternativesExperience Oral-B Pro 2 from the #1 brand recommended by dentist worldwide. The sleek handle of the Pro 2 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. 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 proprietary pressure control technology that reduces brushing speed and alerts you to be gentler if you brush too hard. Oral-B Pro 2 toothbrush is the must have brush for everyone who wants to switch to an electric toothbrush and improve their oral health. No wonder Oral-B is the #1 recommended brand by dentists worldwide. Benefit After 2 minutes the alert changes slightly to tell you that you have brushed for long enough. Unlike some brushes, the Pro 2 doesn’t power off automatically. This may be a disappointment to some, but it’s not a big issue. DEEP CLEANING AND HEALTHIER GUMS with 3D TECHNOLOGY and VISIBLE GUM PRESSURE CONTROL that alerts you if you brush too hard The Pro 2 2900 handles have a larger rubber grip on the front of the handle that the Pro 3900 does not have. Whilst we don’t have specific figures for this model, we estimate that the Pro 2 2000 is about average in terms of its impact. This is because it doesn’t have additional, unnecessary extras like Bluetooth or an in handle display.