By: Mitch | Last updated May 3, 2021 
Electric toothbrushes are the go-to for many who are busy during mornings and are always in a rush. With these, users can ensure good cleaning results because of its innovative approach that gives variety of methods for brushing such as oscillating, rotating, 3D cleaning, and more. Aside from this, it also comes with features which can help users take care of their gum health and have improved stain cleaning. Among famous brands, Oral B and Sonicare are among the best because of the quality of their electric toothbrushes that make them a favorite among users.
Oral B is well known for their electric toothbrushes that have the round brush heads. These are designed to be able to do various cleaning methods for the teeth by oscillating, rotating, and more. With these, users can also optimize the brush to be more careful when cleaning the edges of the teeth, allowing better gum health. Oral B has released a lot of electric toothbrush lines, all of which have specific price ranges and features. This includes Oral B Pro, Genius, and more. These units can each use different brush heads depending on your specific needs. They have collaborated with German company Braun for these electric brushes.
Sonicare is the name of the company Philip’s electric brushes. Their brushes, in contrast with Oral B, use a more standard design similar to manual toothbrushes with its oval shape. The bristles are designed to be able to clean as much of the teeth as possible. This is called sonic technology. With this, users can clean their teeth by side-to-side motion of the brush and by sonic technology which can clean plaque effectively. The product lines for Sonicare include DiamondClean, DailyClean, and more.
The main difference between the two is the type of brushes that they use. As mentioned, Oral B has a circular brush while Sonicare has an oval-shaped one. Given that both are recommended by hygienists and dentists, the better one depends upon the user. This is because with the circular design, users can have more parts of their teeth covered by the brush whenever used. With the oval design, users can easily fit the brush in smaller parts of the mouth. This, along with its sonic technology also makes it easier to reach the different parts of the teeth.
Personally I find that the Oral B brush feels better against my teeth. Although the Sonicares oval shape does allow it to get a bit further behind my back teeth, I find that for the rest of my mouth the Oral B is superior. So this one goes to Oral B.
Between the two, the better accessories goest to Oral B are more recommended. With their mid to high level models, users are given a travel case where they can store their brush head and actual unit easily and safely. It is designed to be easily carried anywhere. Along with this, users can also use multiple brushes for a single unit based on their specific need. For example, they have a brush for sensitive teeth, 3D cleaning, and more.
With Sonicare, a good accessory is the UV cleaner which ensures that the bacteria and your teeth will be thoroughly cleaned, a USB charger for their units, and multiple brush heads. Aside from this, they lack in terms of other accessories and again Oral B is the winner.
Battery life is an important aspect which dictates if the unit can be carried during holidays and trips where an electric outlet is not always ensured. With Sonicare, users are ensured of at least 2 weeks of battery charge, with some even capable of lasting up to 3 weeks with full charge. This is with daily normal usage.
Oral B falls short on this aspect, with their longest lasting toothbrushes lasting only two weeks at most which makes it less reliable to carry around. This is mainly because of the battery type of its units.
So this one goes to Sonicare.
For this, we prefer Sonicare especially because of its unique BrushSync technology. Their brushes have an RFID chip which allows this. This syncs the brush and the handle to determine the best intensity level and mode for the user. Aside from this, users will also be advised in case they need to change their brush head as it usually lasts only for 3 months. Most users tend to forget this which is why this is important.
Oral B also has technology that allows users to know if they should change their brush heads. They also have a more visible pressure sensor that immediately lights up in case users are pressing on their teeth too hardly.
Both have a Bluetooth feature for some of their brushes that can be paired with your phone. Both have an application which guides them through the brushing process to ensure that all quadrants of the teeth will be evenly cleaned.
The reality is that these "technology" aspects aren't really needed. But if you are someone that needs all the bells and whistels Sonicare wins this battle.
In terms of toothbrush design and comfort, both brands are recommendable. With Sonicare, the brush has a specific attention to detail that makes it feel sturdy and steady to hold. It also has good color options that make it attractive for most. Oral B designs their brushes with ridges and sturdy design that also feels comfortable to hold while brushing the teeth.
As this comes down to personal preference I again choose Oral B, but this is really up to the individual and which one they feel better with in their hands.
In terms of warranty, both products offer 2 years upon purchase. Both offer free repair or replacement in case the damage is due to the manufacturer’s fault. With Oral B, however, users can add another year to this warranty if they register the product online. This extension is free as long as it is done within the original warranty period.
This additional year is a huge win for Oral B warranty as it comes free of charge, and if you are investing in an electric toothbrush why would you ever turn down a free extra year of warranty?
In terms of pricing, Oral B has more affordable brushes that make it friendlier for most. They have a wide range of products that each has specific features, some of which are applicable for even the cheapest ones. Although Sonicare offers good technology for their brushes, the average prices and the starting price with them is much more expensive.
I personally use the mid tier Oral B everyday and have no complaints, and it leaves me wanting for nothing. I find that for its price I couldn't find a comparable product in the Sonicare line. So again, Oral B wins. If you want more info on the brush that I use I suggest taking a read of our Oral B 3000 3d review. Although it is not the top of our list, this is my personal favorite.
Both brush brands are leaders in their industry, and are recommended but specific needs by users, in the end, can become the deciding factor. Oral B is a better fit for those looking for an affordable brush that offers very good cleaning that aims to do this within only 2 minutes.
Sonicare is recommended for those looking for more innovative technology such as UV cleaning of the heads and BrushSync that sets them apart from competition but with higher prices.
So really what I have found is you can choose to get a better brush with Oral B, or you can get nifty gadgets like a uv sterilizer. But when it really comes down to it the primary purchase reason is for clean teeth right? Your toothbrush head should never be so dirty that you need to sterilize it, and if it does for some reason there is always peroxide or mouthwash.
So our final winner for the best toothbrush, for us, is the Oral B brand.
