Oral-B vs Sonicare: Pros & Cons and Final Verdict

When you think of Electric toothbrushes, Oral-B and Sonicare are the two first names that come to mind. These two companies have ruled the industry for over thirty years.

The competition between the two has been nothing if not fierce. Oral-B and Sonicare are constantly fighting for a larger market share, leading to more and more innovations and improvements in both company’s products. This constant progression means that buyers have a ton of options.

Sonicare and Oral-B have it all, from high-end electric toothbrushes full of the newest features and the most recent technology to simple budget brushes and everything in between. However, the best toothbrush for most people would be the Sonicare 9300.

Sonicare toothbrushes tend to feature more brush modes, better technology, and greater design. However, Oral-b is more affordable when compared to Sonicare. Additionally, Oral-B uses circular brush-heads that spin left and right witch people like better than the oval-shaped Sonicare brushes that move side-to-side.

We’ve compared the best options from each company at every price range, here is an in-depth comparison between Oral-B and Sonicare.

1. How We Started

To get thorough results, we tested two toothbrushes, one from each company, in each of three different price ranges,

• High-End: $200 and above,
• Mid-Range: $100-$150, and
• Low-End: $50 and below.

We’re not scientists, so we can’t give specific test results like plaque reduction or the ability to prevent gum disease. What we can attest to, however, is how comfortable each of the toothbrushes is to use, how easy they are to maneuver around in your mouth, the usefulness of the features, how long the batteries lasted, and other very important factors.

After all, it’s clear that electric toothbrushes are far better for your teeth than manual brushes. Finding one that’s easy and comfortable to use is a big step towards improving your dental health.

2. Similarities and Differences

Brush Heads

The biggest difference between the brushes made by the two companies is how they clean your teeth. Oral-B brushes use rotary motion. This means that the circular brush-head spins left and right, while also incorporating a pulse motion.

Oral-B brush heads are usually quite small. This allows you to move the brush comfortably throughout your mouth, cleaning hard-to-reach places like your back molars. The small, circular heads allow you to clean one tooth at a time, which gives you a more thorough clean.

Philips Sonicare brushes take another approach entirely. Instead of oscillating, Sonicare brushes move side-to-side in what is called sonic motion. While this is effective enough, the sonic motion necessitates a larger oval-shaped brush head which can be less comfortable to move around inside your mouth.

Price

The next biggest difference is price. Although we tried to compare models of similar price, the Sonicare brushes were generally a bit more expensive. This wasn’t always the case, especially with some low-end models, but generally, Oral-B tends to make their toothbrushes more affordable.

3. Battery Life

There’s nothing more annoying than having to constantly charge something. Whether you’re dealing with a phone, a laptop, or a toothbrush, a strong battery is a great feature to have.

Oral-b Battery Life

Although this varies greatly from each unit, for the most part, Oral-B batteries are quite bad. These lower-quality batteries are probably responsible for the greater affordability of Oral-B’s toothbrushes.

Depending on the model, the battery lasts 7 to 12 days before needing a recharge.

Battery Verdict

Sonicare gets the nod here.

Sonicare has a clear advantage over Oral-B here. This advantage is offset by the price difference between the products. Sonicare brushes typically cost a bit more but come with a longer-lasting, higher-quality battery.

4. Brush Heads

As mentioned above, the brush head designs used by the two companies are quite different. Oral-B, as opposed to the more traditional oval-shaped brush-head, uses a circular head, and all Sonicare brushes feature oval-shaped heads that use sonic motion, in which the bristles move back and forth

ORAL-B BRUSH HEADS

Oral-B uses a circular head. As opposed to the more traditional oval-shaped brush-head, this shape allows the bristles to rotate to the left and right.

This oscillation helps to eliminate plaque build-up and leaves your teeth feeling fresh and clean.

Oral-B brushes also use a pulsating motion which causes an effect called non-contact cleaning. This helps to clear away plaque from places the bristles can’t reach.

The smaller brush heads featured by Oral-B are a joy to use. The neck is quite thin, and with the small circular head, you could reach deeper within your mouth.

During our testing, I was extremely impressed with the Oral-B products. Even the low-end models were comfortable to use and left my mouth feeling great every time.

SONICARE BRUSH HEADS

While not as comfortable as Oral-B, the brush heads featured by Sonicare did their job quite well, leaving my teeth feeling nice and clean.

All Sonicare brushes feature oval-shaped heads that use sonic motion, in which the bristles move back and forth.

As well as this back and forth motion, these brushes also feature a pulse motion which allows for non-contact cleaning, reducing plaque build-up in places manual toothbrushes miss.

The main advantage of the larger, oval-shaped head is that it’s able to clean multiple teeth at once, making it perfect for people who tend to lack the diligence to move back and forth from each tooth.

The downside to this shape is that it’s much harder to move within your mouth. While the Sonicare brushes were still easy to use, they lacked the effortless maneuverability of the Oral-B brushes.

Brush Head Verdict

Oral-B has the edge here.

Both company's brush heads hold the useful pulse function, allowing you to take advantage of non-contact cleaning. Both brush-heads, while quite different from one another, are extremely effective at keeping your mouth healthy.

Whether you prefer the smaller Oral-B heads, or the larger Sonicare head will depend largely on the size of your mouth and your brushing habits. However, the effortless usability of the Oral-B heads had me looking forward to brushing my teeth every time.

Some studies have also shown that the oscillating method can be more effective in preventing plaque buildup.

5. High-End Products

Philips Sonicare DiamondClean

The Philips Sonicare DiamondClean is the best of the best. If money isn’t an issue for you, you can do no better than this brush. The DiamondClean features a sleek motor base, attractive in its simplicity. If you care about the aesthetics of your brush, the DiamondClean is for you.

It also comes equipped with countless features including a smart-timer, a fancy travel case, 5 different brush modes, and a pressure sensor to let you know when you’re brushing your teeth too hard.

The only downside whatsoever to DiamondClean is the price tag. This is one of the most expensive brushes on the market. You do, however, get what you pay for.

The brush feels fantastic to use, and, even though I prefer Oral-B’s brush heads, the easy controls and powerful cleaning power offered by the DiamondClean made me happy to brush my teeth every time.

The battery on this unit is fantastic. The lithium-ion battery has a life of 14 days, meaning you only need to charge your toothbrush twice a month.

The Philips Sonicare DiamondClean gives you everything you could ever hope for in a toothbrush, and then some.

Oral-B Genius Pro-8000

The Oral-B Genius is the second most advanced toothbrush that we’ve tested (the most advanced was the IO-series). In addition to Bluetooth connectivity, the Genius Pro-8000 uses the front-facing camera on your smartphone to track the position of the brush head in your mouth.

You’ll need to download the Oral-B app and use the provided mount to attach your phone to your mirror. You then brush your teeth in front of your phone’s screen, and the app automatically records and stores information.

You can then keep up with your stats in the Oral-B app. It tells you which parts of your mouth you may be over-brushing or under-brushing and much more.

Although this feature is quite cool, and no doubt useful for some, once the novelty wore off, I found it to be more of a bother than it was worth.

For the position detection to work properly, you need to brush your teeth directly in front of your phone's screen, which can be a little uncomfortable at times. The phone mount is also unattractive when left on the mirror.

While cool, the feature feels mostly unnecessary, especially when you consider the price increase it brings to the model.

ORAL-B GENIUS PRO 8000
1. Lithium-Ion Battery Lasts for 10 Days
2. Bluetooth Compatibility
3. Position Detection Technology Monitors Your Brushing Habits and Gives Useful Feedback
4. Standard Clean Mode
5. Whitening Mode to Remove Stains and Brighten Teeth
6. Gentle Mode for Sensitive Mouths
7. Gum Care Mode Massages and Cleans Gums
8. Pro-Clean Mode Thoroughly Cleans Hard-to-Reach Places
9. Tongue Cleaning Mode Cleans Stubborn Bacteria from the Tongue
10. Pressure Sensor Protects Your Mouth by Alerting You when Too Much Force is Being Applied
11. Luxury Travel Case

While cheaper than the Sonicare DiamondClean, this is still an expensive toothbrush, and if you don’t plan to use any of the fancy features, you can get a similar cleaning performance from a more affordable model.

The Oral-B Genius was very comfortable and easy to use. The pressure sensor worked great, lighting up red anytime I started to brush too hard. It also comes with an extremely stylish travel case, as well as the longest-lasting battery offered by Oral-B.

Overall, this is a masterfully designed brush with lots of ambitious features, great for users looking for advanced feedback on brushing habits.

Best High-End Electric Toothbrush

Philips Sonicare DiamondClean and Oral-B Genius Pro 8000 are the two best all-around toothbrushes that money can buy. If you buy either of these brushes, you won’t regret it. While both are a little expensive, the Oral-B's model is cheaper and offers many nice features.

The Philips Sonicare DiamondClean has fewer features but instead focuses on being the most well-made brush on the market. With a long-lasting battery and a sleek, stylish design.

Philips Sonicare wins the battle for the best high-end electric toothbrush.

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6. Mid-Range

Oral-B Pro 7000

The younger brother of the Genius Pro 8000, Oral-B’s 7000 model, is the same great toothbrush with just a few differences. The main is the battery. The battery for the 7000 models is even worse than the Genius.

While the latter’s battery wasn’t as good as the high-end Sonicare model, it was still a high-quality battery.

The older Oral-B Pro 7000 model, has an outdated NiMH battery instead of lithium-ion. With a battery life of only 8 days or less, you’ll have to charge quite often.

However, if you can get past this downside, the 7000 model is the same toothbrush as its much more expensive counterpart, minus a few superfluous features.

It’s even Bluetooth compatible, something that cannot be said for most mid-range models. As long as you don’t mind charging often, the Oral-B Pro 7000 is a joy to use and might have the best value of any toothbrush at any price range.

Oral-B Pro 7000
1. NiMH Battery Lasts for 8 Days
2. Standard Clean Mode
3. Whitening Mode to Remove Stains and Brighten Teeth
4. Gentle Mode for Sensitive Mouths
5. Gum Care Mode Massages and Cleans Gums
6. Pro-Clean Mode offers Thorough Cleaning of Hard to Reach Places
7. Tongue Cleaning Mode Cleans Stubborn Bacteria from the Tongue
8. Pressure Sensor Protects Your Mouth by Alerting You when Too Much Force is Being Applied
9. Bluetooth Compatibility
10. Luxury Travel Case

The Sonicare Flexcare Platinum

In stark contrast to the Oral-B Pro 7000, the Sonicare Flexcare Platinum is quite expensive, just barely fitting into mid-range consideration. You get what you pay for, however.

As per usual with Philips Sonicare products, this model features an outstanding battery. The battery life is listed at two weeks, and our testing found that to be a conservative estimate.

The brush features most of the same great features that you expect from a mid/high end electric toothbrush, including a timer, pressure sensor, multiple cleaning modes, extra brush heads, Bluetooth compatibility and a luxurious travel case.

Sonicare Flexcare Platinum Features
1. Lithium-Ion Battery Lasts for 14 + Days
2. Standard Clean Mode
3. Whitening Mode to Remove Stains and Brighten Teeth
4. Deep-Clean Mode offers Thorough Cleaning of Hard to Reach Places
5. 3 Power Settings to Choose from
6. Pressure Sensor Protects Your Mouth by Alerting You when Too Much Force is Being Applied
7. Travel Case

The Oral-B Pro 7000 and Sonicare Flexcare Platinum possess similar values. Both brushes cover the basics very well, offering pressure control and plenty of cleaning modes.

The Oral-B model lacks a quality battery, while the Sonicare model is expensive and lacks some of the extra features you expect when dealing with such a pricey mid-range toothbrush. The weight of these pros and cons depends largely upon your preferences.

Best Mid-Range Electric Toothbrush

While these models are close in quality, the Oral-B Pro 7000’s combination of excellent quality and affordability makes it our choice for the best mid-range electric toothbrush.

Oral-B Pro 7000 wins the battle for the best Mid-Range electric toothbrush

7. Low-End

Oral-B Pro 1000 Toothbrush

The Oral-B Pro 1000 electric toothbrush is extremely inexpensive, yet still comes with the essential features, making it a great option for budget users, or for users wanting to test electric brushes before shelling out money for a fancier model.

The brush only features 1 cleaning mode, but unless you have sensitive gums, that shouldn’t be a big factor. It features a timer and a pressure sensor, the two most important features a brush can have, all for an amazing price.

The battery only lasts for about a week, but this low quality is more forgivable given the amazing price of the unit.  

Philips Sonicare 4100

The 4100 is Philips Sonicare’s cheapest product. Despite this, they didn’t cut too many corners. I was impressed by the cleaning performance of the Essence. Despite its budget label, it offered the same powerful clean as Sonicare’s more expensive models.

However, the Sonicare 4100 is the only brush that we reviewed that doesn’t feature a pressure sensor. Considering that most people accidentally brush their teeth much harder than they intend to, the lack of this useful feature is disappointing.

Electric toothbrushes are also more likely to damage your gums if you use too much pressure. Making an Electric brush without a pressure sensor is a bad idea for users with a particularly heavy hand.

Philips Sonicare Essence Features
1. Lithium Ion Battery Lasts for 12 Days
2. Great Cleaning Power
3. Standard Clean Mode
4. Timer
5. Great Affordability

Best Low-End Electric Toothbrush

With either of these brushes, you get the bare bones:

• no travel cases,
• no fancy cleaning modes,
• no Bluetooth compatibility.

However, what you do get is a solid electric toothbrush capable of cleaning your mouth better than is possible with a manual toothbrush.

The Sonicare model comes with a more powerful battery, while the Oral-B model comes with a pressure sensor. For me, the latter is the more important feature, and so the Oral-B Deep Sweep is our pick for the best budget toothbrush.

Oral-B Deep Sweep wins the battle for the best Mid-Range electric toothbrush

8. Alternatives

WAGNER SuperSonic Toothbrush

Although Oral-B and Philips Sonicare dominate the electric toothbrush industry, new companies continue to emerge and offer interesting alternatives. WAGNER from Switzerland is a company that’s recently began making a splash.

Their electric toothbrushes come absolutely slammed with features, including multiple cleaning modes, timers, and travel cases. The WAGNER SuperSonic model even boasts an incredible 40-day battery life. This is a toothbrush to check out.

9. For Kids.

For many children, it may not be easy to build healthy brushing habits with a manual toothbrush. But for kids who are having a hard time with this or any other aspects of dental care, an electric toothbrush for kids can make the process easier and more enjoyable than ever before.

Philips Sonicare for Kids :

Philips Sonicare for Kids enhances the brushing fun with an interactive app that not only allows the kids to set goals and track their performance but also provides essential information and tips about brushing teeth. The toothbrush is embedded with a powerful battery that can last up to 14 days on a single charge.

The handle of the rechargeable electric toothbrush is meticulously designed to allow kids as young as two years to handle it independently and the two minute timer with an easy start program ensures that the kids perform the brushing activity for a full recommended period.

The mobile app records the brushing activity to develop good habits, and the kids get rewarded for completing the goals. The toothbrush head is a little big and maybe not suitable for younger kids, but the users can replace them with smaller replacement heads found on amazon.

One of the best features that attract kids the most is the customizable appearance via bright stickers; however, the model is released in two colors, aqua, and pink.

In short, it is a great toothbrush, to begin with, and is quite affordable too, which makes it a great investment to encourage your kids to have good brushing habits.

 Philips Sonicare for Kids Features:

1. Colors: Aqua & Pink
2. Weight: 12 ounces.
3. Bluetooth enabled.
4. Interactive application To Track Results.
5. Rechargeable Battery 1 Lithium Metal battery.
6. Up to 62000 brush movements/min.
7. Musical Kid Pacer Alarms
8. Safe & Gentle Settings.
9. Corded Charger included.
10. Battery Indicator Light.
11. 2- Year Warranty.

The Oral-B Kids Electric Toothbrush:

The Oral-B Kids Electric Toothbrush is the perfect companion for your child's teeth. This electric toothbrush has a round, sensitive brush head with bristles that are gentle on their gums and easily reach every part of the mouth.

The grip is designed to fit smaller hands so they can brush with ease! The rechargeable power ensures hours of cleaning enjoyment by eliminating those annoying battery changes, while gentle mode ensures plaque removal without hurting their new pearly whites. 

This electric-powered toothbrush will remove plaque from children's mouths, unlike any other manual brush – which means fewer cavities later in life!. The product has a brilliant rechargeable lithium-ion battery that lasts up to 2 weeks on a full charge.

The only thing that is lacking in this model compared with the Sonicare one mentioned above is the absence of any interactive fun, which is definitely an advantage when it comes to kids. 

The clever pressure sensor lights up when too much force is applied, so kids learn how hard they should be brushing while getting healthy smiles in no time. With an easy two-minute timer that assists those with keeping track of time per session and a gentle mode made just for little ones' delicate mouths & gums, this brush can take on any kind of oral care need.

The toothbrush makes sounds when the two minutes are over, so your little one can be notified when they have brushed enough. It's compatible with many different types of brush head attachments. 

The box contents include two round brush heads, a charger, and a handle with an attractive doodle design on it.

The Oral-B Kids Electric Toothbrush Features:

1. Extra Brush head in the box.
2. Pressure Sensors.
3. Slim Handle Design with excellent grip.
4. 2-Weeks Battery Life.
5. Two Cleaning modes.
6. Round brush head with soft bristles.
7. Compatible will all oral b brush heads.

Who Should Get This?

Philips Sonicare

After testing multiple models, it’s clear to us that Philips Sonicare makes extraordinary electric toothbrushes. No matter the model, you can be confident that Sonicare took the time to develop a quality product.

The most impressive aspect of Sonicare brushes is their batteries. If you’re easily annoyed by the need to charge your devices, Sonicare is the company for you.

Their brushes do, however, tend to be a lot more expensive than their competitors. If you’re looking to save money, you might be forced to look elsewhere.

Another thing to consider is the shape of the brush heads. Sonicare uses traditional oval-shaped heads which cover a larger area in your mouth. Although this makes it harder to maneuver and may be uncomfortable for users with small mouths, this larger area helps users not miss any teeth.

Their top-end model, the Sonicare DiamondClean was by far the nicest looking and best-performing brush we tested. The company’s excellent batteries are perfect for users who are easily annoyed with the constant need to charge. Overall, Sonicare brushes are wonderful for anybody not concerned with budget.

Oral-B

Oral-B’s greatness doesn’t come from the quality of their toothbrushes alone, but quality mixed with affordability. Their bad batteries are definitely the weakest point of the products; users easily annoyed by frequent charging beware. Aside from this one complaint, the brushes offered by Oral-B perform wonderfully and are packed full of convenient features regardless of the model.

The circular brush heads and oscillating cleaning motion allows you to clean each tooth individually. The brushes are super comfortable to navigate within your mouth and are sure to leave your teeth feeling incredibly clean.

Oral-B is the perfect choice for anybody looking for an exceptional electric toothbrush while being conscious of budget.

Some Common Questions

Which Brand is More Attractive Oral-b or Sonicare?

Sonicare is undoubtedly the most popular electric toothbrush on shelves. It's design and overall appearance are unparalleled. A toothbrush's appearance is the first thing that consumers notice and can influence their purchase decision. Sonicare is a popular choice because of its sleek design and soft colors with matte white.

Sometimes, the manufacturer will experiment with different colors. Sonicare toothbrushes can be purchased in black and dark blue shades to appeal to people with darker skin tones or who prefer brighter colors. The Diamond Clean series of Sonicare toothbrushes are also available in pink, rose gold, and black.

The Oral-B toothbrushes are made of plastic and have thicker handles. The choice of colors available is greater than that offered by Sonicare. The body is mostly white and the grips are made from rubber. Sonicare brushes are more formal and more casual than Oral-B brushes.

Sonicare is a minimalistic, sleek design. It is lightweight and easy to use. Sonicare's sleek design and color coordination make it an excellent choice for many people. However, Oral-B is a great option if you prefer brightly colored electric toothbrushes.

Which toothbrush makes less noise?

A toothbrush that is so harsh it hurts the gums or causes damage to the teeth is not something anyone wants. Unstable toothbrushes make brushing difficult and take away joy and comfort.

Oral-B electric toothbrushes sound louder than those of their rivals it might be too loud to allow people who wish to brush their teeth while they sleep or live with another person.

Sonicare wins for quieter brushing. It produces a more pleasant sound than the Oral Braun brush which makes a mechanical sound.

We would like to mention this. Any toothbrush that is used at maximum power will be noisy. For a deep clean, even Sonicare Dimondclean.

You can check the manuals to make sure your toothbrush is as quiet as you expect. Sonicare toothbrushes will be 10dB quieter than Oral-B, making them a clear winner both on paper and in practice.

Which battery has the best performance; Oral-b or Sonicare?

The battery life is one of the best features of electric toothbrushes. Modern technology has allowed for greater power and efficiency. However, not all electric toothbrushes are the same in terms of battery performance. Although it is difficult to compare because different models were created with different battery life, it appears that there are some similarities. 

Overall Sonicare performs better than Oral B.

Although Oral-B toothbrushes are more affordable than other brands, they have a shorter battery life. Sonicare uses its high-quality batteries in order to attract more customers. Most people don't have the time to charge their toothbrushes regularly, so they are more inclined to choose Sonicare.

The battery life for the Oral-B electric toothbrush is approximately 12 days. This is the longest of all the top-performing toothbrushes. If you use your toothbrush twice daily, some cheaper ones can last for less than this. Sonicare brushes last approximately three weeks.

Sonicare has been using widely accepted Li-ion batteries for years. Oral-B joined the fray a little later and presented Philips Sonicare. Sonicare's long-lasting charge is due to the use of low-power, efficient motors and the automatic switch-off function which helps conserve battery.

Which brand comes with better accessories?

Sonicare's superior teeth cleaning technology is unmatched by Oral-B's in the accessories category. Oral B is a well-known brand offering a variety of accessories and products.

Sonicare is outmatched by Oral B with its extraordinary selection of accessories. Additional brushing heads are included with most oral-b brushes. These are more expensive than buying them separately and you will never know the quality.

This is why the original box has multiple brushes heads. Oral-B provides a stand, chargers, and other accessories to ensure that the brushes last a long time. The Oral-B Smart 5 5000 also includes a stand for smartphones and a travel pouch.

The Oral-B brush holder is convenient for multiple brushing modes. The brush head holders can be used to store each brush head in a different cleaning mode. You can make sure your brush heads last longer and keep the ones you don't use in the holder safe.

Philips Sonicare electric toothbrushes come with valuable accessories. Some of these include a UV sanitizer.

Sonicare Diamond Clean Range offers a 2-in-1 travel case. You can use the included USB port to charge your toothbrush and it also contains your toothbrush.

The accessories that Philips Sonicare offers are more innovative and technologically advanced. Oral-B, however, is the best electric toothbrush for those who want to add on special features without having to spend a lot of money.

Which brand has a better warranty?

Oral B vs Sonicare – How can we forget about the warranty on an electric toothbrush that gives customers peace of mind knowing that if something goes wrong, the product can be returned to be repaired or replaced without hassle.

Both brands are the top electric toothbrush manufacturers and offer outstanding customer support and warranties, regardless of product price. Sonicare and Oral-B offer a 2-year standard warranty on all of their products.

Oral-B is the leader in this area, offering the option to extend the 2-year warranty for an additional year if you register it online. It is completely free to register online by the company.

Sonicare has a disadvantage when it comes to warranty, but Oral-B is better than Sonicare. Braun oral b products come with a 2 or 3-year warranty. This depends on the situation. Sonicare adds a clause to their terms and conditions that will cover the toothbrush's battery for 12 months.

Warranty coverage is a complicated business. Sonicare will replace rather than repair something that is damaged, but Oral B has an impressive warranty process that will quickly get your toothbrush fixed to ensure you can clean your teeth with the best toothbrush.

Which brand is best for traveling?

Sonicare batteries are more durable than other brands, making them ideal for travel. You don't need to worry about charging the brush on your trip for up to three weeks. The brush can be carried along with the charger. The Sonicare DiamondClean line comes with a multifunctional pouch that includes a USB port and is great for travel.

The USB cable can be used to connect the brush and pouch together, and then it will charge. This reduces the chance of the brush being lost. Sonicare charger stands can be used with 110-240 volts. But, Oral-B toothbrushes cannot be connected to a supply of 220-240V. Limiting the support for traveling.