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Oral-B Genius 9000 Review

Medically Reviewed By: Dr. Gemma Wheeler

(GDC Number: 259369)

Oral-B Genius 9000 Review

Our Verdict

Oral-B Genius 9000 Review 1

The Genius 9000 represents a blend of features and innovation for the price. There is no denying that it is a very capable electric toothbrush.

It offers more than the average user needs and unless you will use all the tech, better value can be achieved from alternative models.

If you want smart technology it has it, but the newer Genius AI is a little more user friendly.

Pros

  • Cleaning performance
  • Built-in timer and pacer
  • Multiple cleaning modes
  • Pressure sensor – be alerted when brushing too hard
  • Smart travel case – stylish & functional protection
  • Bluetooth connectivity for pairing with a smartphone via an app
  • Position detection – clever concept for real-time tracking
  • Choice of brush handle colours

Cons

  • 5 cleaning mode icons, but 6 cleaning modes
  • Position detection – requires habit change to use
  • Smartphone holder – clunky option most won’t want in the bathroom
  • Better value options (see other choices)
Preview Product Rating Price
Oral-B Genius 9000 Oral-B Genius 9000 199 Reviews $ 228.00

The 3 BIG questions about the Oral-B Genius 9000

If you are short of time, the answers to the following 3 questions should let you know all you need to about the Oral-B Genius 9000.

For those of you that prefer more detail, you can read my full Oral-B Genius 9000 review further down the page.

1. Is there anything drastically wrong with this toothbrush?

No, most certainly not.

The Genius 9000 is one of the most premium brushes available from the brand offering all of the best features and functions. Although it has technically been superseded with the Genius AI.

For us the biggest downside to this brush is that the innovative Position Detection, whilst clever, is a bit of a hassle to use on a regular basis and can be a bit buggy. The newer Genius AI addresses this concern to some extent.

I have given a rating of 5/5 to the Genius 9000 for pushing the boundaries in what may be considered a bit of a boring and practical industry. It has its imperfections but worthy of the score given the way it promotes great oral health.

2. Which other brushes should I consider?

This ultimately depends on your viewpoint and what you need from an electric toothbrush.

The 9000 was rated as the ‘best Oral-B electric toothbrush‘ until the Genius AI was launched, but this is from a technical perspective.

A cheaper, but still very capable option is the Oral-B Smart 5 5000 or for those who don’t need Bluetooth connectivity, lots of extra cleaning modes and box contents, then the Pro 2 2000 represents seriously good value for money.

Should you be a little undecided, we have put together a series of lists which look at budgets and user needs which could help you in making a decision. Take a look at these lists in our best electric toothbrush roundup.

Our Choice
Oral-B Pro 2000 Black Electric Toothbrush + Travel Case
Oral-B Genius 9000 White Electric Toothbrush
Oral-B Smart 5 5000 White Electric Toothbrush
Brush Name
Oral-B Pro 2 2000
Oral-B Genius 9000
Oral-B Smart 5 5000
Customer Rating
Electric Teeth Rating
5/5
5/5
5/5
Price
$ 89.00
$ 228.00
$ 119.00
Prime
Amazon Prime
-
Amazon Prime
Shaver Shop
Oral-B Genius 9000 Review 2
Oral-B Genius 9000 Review 2
Oral-B Genius 9000 Review 2
Our Choice
Oral-B Pro 2000 Black Electric Toothbrush + Travel Case
Brush Name
Oral-B Pro 2 2000
Customer Rating
Electric Teeth Rating
5/5
Price
$ 89.00
Prime
Amazon Prime
Shaver Shop
Oral-B Genius 9000 Review 2
Oral-B Genius 9000 White Electric Toothbrush
Brush Name
Oral-B Genius 9000
Customer Rating
Electric Teeth Rating
5/5
Price
$ 228.00
Prime
-
Shaver Shop
Oral-B Genius 9000 Review 2
Oral-B Smart 5 5000 White Electric Toothbrush
Brush Name
Oral-B Smart 5 5000
Customer Rating
Electric Teeth Rating
5/5
Price
$ 119.00
Prime
Amazon Prime
Shaver Shop
Oral-B Genius 9000 Review 2

3. Where is the best place to buy the Genius 9000?

Whilst electric toothbrushes can be purchased from a variety of major high street and online retailers, the premium models like the Genius 9000 tends not to be found on the shelves of grocery stores and supermarkets so frequently.

Some of the best places to buy the Genius 9000 are the likes of Amazon, Harvey Norman, Myer and Bing Lee.

Why should you listen to us?

Electric Teeth is an independent website with a mission to simplify dental health.

Our team is a mixture of consumers and dental professionals.

We strive to create honest, informative content, telling you the facts, good or bad.

We are not sponsored by big brands or healthcare companies. Our site is funded by affiliate revenue and ads, but we only recommend products that we have tested and truly believe to be worth your money.

Why not watch this short video to find out all about us?

And now for a bit more detail…

In 2014 the Oral-B Pro 6000 was launched bringing premium, feature rich toothbrushes with Bluetooth built-in.

The same technology we use for connecting speakers and other components to our smartphones and tablets.

Many questioned the need for such. Would people use it? Does it really help? To a point, we still do here at Electric Teeth.

A few years on years and around 1 million downloads of their app later, Oral-B decided to introduce the 9000, which innovates on this older model.

Variants of this toothbrush

There are 5 variants of this toothbrush.

Technically, in terms of cleaning performance, features and functions, they are all the same.

The difference is primarily the colour of the panel on the front of the brush handle.

4 of the choices are as follows:

  • White
  • Black
  • Rose Gold
  • Orchid Purple
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The main body of the handle is white in colour, it is then the front panel that adds the colour accent.

The exception is the black coloured handle, which has a black coloured body to the brush, rather than white.

All come with primarily white coloured accessories including the brush heads.

However, the black coloured Genius 9000 does come with 1 x black coloured CrossAction brush head and a black coloured travel case.

Although the rose gold and orchid purple variants have a white travel case, they do have a premium pattern design/print on the case, colour matched to the handle.

The 5th variant, is a limited edition Star Wars model.

The handle and brush head are black in colour as is the travel case.

The difference here is that the Star Wars edition has a stormtrooper graphic on the box and on the travel case.

Preview Product Rating Price
Genius 9000 Star Wars Edition Genius 9000 Star Wars Edition 57 Reviews
Star Wars Edition Genius 9000

What’s in the box?

  • 1 x Oral-B Genius 9000 rechargeable electric toothbrush
  • 1 x CrossAction brush head
  • 1 x 3D White brush head
  • 1 x Gum Care brush head
  • 1 x Charging stand
  • 1 x Toothbrush head storage compartment
  • 1 x Suction cup smartphone holder
  • 1 x Smart travel case
  • 1 x Smart travel case power adapter
  • Documentation

Key Features

  • Oral-B 3D movement cleaning system (Oscillating-Rotating-Pulsating)
  • Triple pressure sensor technology
  • Removes 100% more plaque than a manual brush
  • Rechargeable battery
  • 6 cleaning modes (Daily Clean, Gum Care, Sensitive, Whitening, Pro-Clean, Tongue Cleaning)
  • New Pro-Clean mode offering 3,000 more movements per minute
  • Visible pressure sensor
  • 360 degree SmartRing
  • Clean timer including quadpacer
  • Bluetooth connectivity
  • Smart travel case with USB charging
  • Brush head storage compartment

Pro & Cons

Here are what I consider to be the pros and cons of the Genius 9000.

The Positives

  • 6 cleaning modes – Suitable for those with the most advanced oral healthcare needs, there are 6 different modes that cover anything from the daily clean through to tongue cleaning. This brush can be used by just 1 user but delivers well if used within a family/group environment where each user has different needs.
  • Pressure sensor – If using a manual toothbrush or even an electric toothbrush without a pressure sensor, we can assume we are doing a good job of cleaning the teeth, but a pressure sensor confirms this. It is common for too much pressure to be applied and this can be damaging, the red illumination highlights when you need to ease off with the force and let the bristles skim along the tooth surfaces.
  • Battery life – Still not perfect or as good as Philips, but a little over 2 weeks is possible.
  • SmartRing – It lights up one of 12 colours, the choice is yours. It is a small but nice touch that just makes the brush feel more personal. It is this that illuminates as 30 second intervals too and changes red as part of the pressure sensor configuration.
  • Box contents – A great box contents. You have almost everything you could need or want here to get up and running and make the most of what that Genius brush can offer.
  • Smart travel case – This just makes sense. A premium travel case for a premium brush. Not a cheap plastic case, one that looks and feels great and can charge your brush and smartphone too.
  • Position detection technology – This is a very modern, clever and interactive way to clean your teeth and make sure you do so properly.

The Negatives

  • Price – This is not a cheap brush. You are paying more for the features.
  • Design – It would be preferred if there were 6 cleaning icons, rather than 5 to match the 6 cleaning modes. More black coloured brush heads would be welcomed too.
  • App and position detection technology concept – As innovative and encouraging it is, the process of using and getting setup is timely and can feel overkill for a 2-3 minute tooth clean. You need to be dedicated to using it.
  • Proprietary connector – The travel case uses a proprietary mains adapter rather than a more universal and readily available option like micro USB. Thus you need to take this with you when travelling.

Design, usability, clean & general use

Many of us have probably heard the phrase, “you have only one set of adult teeth, so you might as well look after them”.

Many of us may do just this; but life can be cruel and mean that our one set become victim to disease, accident or we may not fully understand the need for regular teeth cleaning and good oral health.

Whatever your circumstance, be that you still have all your own teeth with no fillings or you have dentures or crowns or even braces to get that perfect smile, the Genius 9000 is an electric toothbrush that can really help look after what you have.

Let me start by pointing out some key facts and features about the brush so that you understand what exactly the 9000 is offering and how it differs from many other brushes.

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The 9000 is amongst the best of what is available in consumer toothbrushes at the time of writing. You have a wide range of cleaning modes, 6 to be exact and it comes with a good box contents, pressure sensor, multiple brush heads a travel case and built-in timer.

Now many of these come with other brushes of a similar price point, but all are included here as standard. Where the 9000 comes into its own needs a little more explanation.

The Genius range of brushes offer Bluetooth connectivity, this is something that has been available from 2014 on select Oral-B brushes, but it has been improved with Genius to take things to the next level.

Pairing with your Android or iOS device via the Oral-B app (download for Android here and iOS here) version 4.1 and above of the app has ‘Position Detection Technology’.

The app uses the front facing camera on your smartphone to track the actual position of the Genius 9000 inside your mouth when in use. It takes this data and displays this on the smartphone screen, giving instant feedback to highlight and direct you to where you have missed and where you need to clean next.

It is almost like having a dentist or hygienist looking over your shoulder saying good, bad, brush for longer, you missed a bit. There is a gallery later on in this Oral-B 9000 review showing multiple screenshots of the app in action.

Oral-B Genius 9000 Review 10

Oral-B’s Motion Tracking Study shows up to 80% of people spend insufficient time brushing in at least one zone of their mouth and 60% of people either didn’t brush their back molars at all, or spent insufficient time brushing them, so you can see why the position detection technology exists.

To be able to use your smartphone to track your movements and take advantage of this functionality, so you need something that will hold your phone at mouth height.  Few of us have smartphone mounts by the sink, so Oral-B include this with the 9000.  The suction cup adheres to a flat surface, ideally, a mirror or possibly a tile and adjustable arms hold the phone in place.

Oral-B Genius 9000 Review 11

The pressure sensor looks to reduce and stop gum and tissue abrasions that are caused by excessive pressure application when brushing the teeth. A fairly gentle glide across the tooth surfaces is all that is needed, with some manual brush users applying up to 2 times the amount of required pressure. With the triple pressure sensor technology built into the Genius, a visual notification is provided in red via the Oral-B app and through the LED SmartRing which illuminates red. The brush will automatically reduce the head speed and stop the pulsation until the pressure is reduced.

Although not new to the Genius range, another noteworthy and easily overlooked design feature, which is actually scientifically inspired, is the rounded brush head. Small and compact you can generally get the brush head into all the hard to reach areas of the mouth, which is not always possible with some other brush heads shaped differently.

The 9000 does now come with a smart travel case that holds the brush handle and up to two brush heads. When in the case the brush is protected but it can also be charged via the provided USB cable. A USB port on the case means you can even connect your smartphone to it and charge that too, making it great for travel.

Last and by no means least on the new and different feature is the SmartRing which is a multi colour 360 degree lighting system at the neck of the brush. Featuring 12 different coloured lights, you can customise the illumination via the Oral-B app.

Oral-B Genius 9000 Review 12

Having now covered these key differences, let’s look in more detail at all of these and more to see what the brush is really like to use on a day to day basis.

Aesthetically the Genius 9000 has seen some improvements in comparison to the Smart Series which it supersedes and there is clearly a link between the design of the Pro and Genius range, it is distinctly Oral-B.

The profile of this brush is slimmed down a little compared to the older Smart Series, so that the Genius has a more uniform cylindrical body, but is larger than that of the lesser featured Pro series which sits below the 9000 in the range.

The physical size is as a result primarily of the larger battery, which will last up to 16 days.

Take a ruler and scales to the brush and you will find that it is 24cm tall with the brush head attached and 2.7cm wide and 3.2cm deep and weighs 140 grams.

Primarily of plastic construction, the finish is either a gloss white or black. The plastic is resilient to the water, bacteria and toothpaste that it will come into contact with.

A fully sealed brush it can be used in the shower, rinsed off under a tap etc without issue. Don’t go taking the brush for a swim, but it is designed to resist water.

The front of the brush has become a little busier, but it actually works in its favour.

A break in the plastic body makes way for a tall, essentially rounded rectangle shaped panel. Within this is a similarly shaped yet smaller rubber panel in the upper third that has the power button and cleaning mode button.

The icon for each is actually transparent and lets a light shine through then powered on.

Below this are icons for the different cleaning modes, well 5 of the 6 available anyway. Each cleaning mode is backlit with a white light when selected.

The panel in which the cleaning modes are shown are either black, white, rose gold or orchid purple, subject to the variant you opt for.

Oral-B Genius 9000 Review 13

Press the power button once to power the brush on and press and hold for 2 seconds to turn the brush off. The button requires a firm push, meaning it is difficult to accidentally power on or off.

To change the cleaning mode it is a case of pressing the cleaning mode button (downwards facing arrow) under the power button and continuing to press until the desired cleaning mode is reached and the indicator illuminated.

The missing icon is for the standard, Daily Clean standard mode. I do not understand why there is no icon for this? Why not have this show in the list of cleaning modes actually on the brush. This is a little odd in my opinion and confusing as it looks like there are only 5 cleaning modes, not the available 6.

To switch cleaning modes you must have the brush powered on and cannot press the cleaning mode button to cycle through them before powering the brush on.

In the lower third of the panel is a Bluetooth icon, a battery icon made up of 3 bars and then finally the Oral-B and Braun logos.

On the rear of the brush is a contoured rubber grip which assists when holding the brush for grip, especially when wet.

The base of the brush is sealed but has a recess into which the prong on the charging stand fits to charge the brush.

On the neck of the brush is where you find the LED SmartRing which will illuminate red when the pressure sensor in the brush is activated and will at other times (when powered on) shine one of 12 different colours set by you through the Oral-B app.

If using the app at the same time as brushing, the screen on the app will also illuminate red and tell you to reduce the pressure should you apply too much to the teeth.

The brushes are available in:

  • Black
  • White
  • Rose Gold
  • Orchid Purple

Despite my affinity to the colour black, I think the white brush looks better. Why? Because the brush heads supplied are primarily white.

I know black and white it a classic colour combination but I think it would look a lot better if all the brush heads matched the body. Sadly, only the CrossAction is available in black.

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The smartphone holder provided with all variant is white, as is the charging stand and brush head compartment. Yet the charging case for the black brush is black in colour.

It is a small criticism, after all, I should be focusing on the job it does of cleaning the teeth, not the colour, but it would be nice to either have a choice or see a bit more consistency in my opinion.

That said, you may be reading this and thinking you would never want a black charging stand or smartphone holder.

The cleaning modes available on the 9000 are:

  • Daily Clean
  • Gum Care
  • Sensitive
  • Whitening
  • Pro-Clean
  • Tongue Cleaner

All these modes, with the exception of Pro Clean are standard cleaning modes found on previous/other Oral-B models, although not all brush handles have every mode.

The Pro-Clean mode replaces what was known as Deep Clean mode that is available on previous models. Pro-Clean provides an intense clean feeling with 3,000 more movements per minute than the more standard Daily Clean mode.

You can choose any cleaning mode you like based on your preference.  It is advisable to use the toothbrush head best suited for each clean and your personal oral hygiene needs.

To find out more about each cleaning mode and the best brush head to use with it, read our Oral-B cleaning modes explained article.

Oral-B Genius 9000 Review 15

Typically the cleaning modes last for 2 minutes each and this ties in with what is recommended by oral health professionals.  The built-in timer has 2 modes, the standard 2 minute or professional.

With the 2 minute timer it signals with a long stuttering sound and a flashing light of the smart ring that the 2 minute brushing time has come to an end.

With the professional mode (came preset out of the box) the quadpacer on the 9000 kicks in.  A short stuttering sound and flashing light of the Smart Ring at 30 second intervals to move to the next quadrant of your mouth.  A long stuttering sound and flashing light indicate the end of the professionally recommended 2 minute clean.

The timer memorises the elapsed brushing time, even when the handle is briefly switched off during brushing. Anything longer than 30 seconds paused and the timer resets

You can change which timer profile you have enabled.  To change this, press and hold the mode button for 2 seconds.  Toggle between timer selection by pressing the on/off button. Confirm the selection by pressing the mode button.  2 LED’s illuminated indicate 2 minute timer and 4 LEDs illuminated indicate Professional timer. More advanced timer options come via the app.

The mouth is made up of 4 quadrants, so you spend 30 seconds cleaning each.  If you are using the app and the tracking, the app will signal to you it is time to move on and where to focus next.

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There is no denying my teeth always feel cleaner with an electric toothbrush clean in comparison to a clean with a manual brush. Independent evidence backs this up.

The brush heads provided with the Genius 9000 use an oscillating-rotating and pulsating motion, as demonstrated in this image.

This is a proprietary technology that helps clean tooth by tooth reaching areas that are often missed. In fact, it is worth noting that the brush heads on Oral-B electric toothbrushes, including this Genius 9000 are smaller and round in shape compared to the longer and more rectangular designs of that of Colgate and more.

It is this circular design and smaller brush head surface area which allows for greater movement and reach in the mouth when in use.

The dynamic 3D movement helps adapt to your teeth as it oscillates, rotates and pulsates to break up and remove up to 100% more plaque than a manual toothbrush.

Whilst 3 brush heads are supplied, they are interchangeable and it is advisable to use the appropriate brush head with the appropriate cleaning mode, although any cleaning mode can be used with any brush head.

Is it possible that in the future if you connect the 3D White brush head the brush automatically switches to whitening mode? You may not want to, but a thought for future progression?! Sonicare offers this with its DiamondClean Smart.

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The CrossAction brush head relies on hundreds of bristles that are angled in different directions. It has been scientifically engineered, to ensure the bristles cross over different parts of the tooth surface more effectively than those brush heads that have standard straight bristles.

The Gum Care brush head has softer bristles that are less abrasive on the teeth and gums. Ideal if you have or suffer from increased sensitivity.

The 3D White brush head has a polishing cup in the centre of it which helps buff teeth up to give them the dentist shine.

You need not be limited to the brush heads in the box and you can use any one of the 6 brush heads that Oral B offers as suitable for this brush.  You may need to purchase these separately.

  • Gum Care
  • Precision Clean
  • CrossAction
  • 3D White
  • FlossAction
  • Sensitive Clean

Remember to replace your brush head at least once every 3 months or 90 days if not sooner. You can have the app remind you of this, or why not set up a scheduled delivery through Amazon?

An Oral-B brush head will actually fade in colour as it ages giving you another visual indicator that it is time to replace the brush head.

Included in the box with the Genius is a charging stand, but also a moulded piece of plastic complete with a lid which offers a home to additional brush heads.  This protects them from dirt and dust and vies a safe place to keep them.  Ideal if you use different brush heads or have brush heads for different users.

When the brush requires a charge the last battery bar within the translucent battery icon on the lower third of the brush handle will flash red.  It will then light up when charging.

If the power in the handle is extremely low, the battery will require at least a 30 minute charge.

Any electric toothbrush irrespective of the brand will be more effective at removing plaque and this is why Oral-B state that up to 100% more plaque can be removed in comparison to a manual toothbrush.  This is in part due to the power and consistency offered from a powerbrush along with the brush head design and then equally as important is the brushing technique.

As a moulded brush with a virtually all in one design, maintenance is not simple on this brush unless it is a rinse and a wipe. However, maintenance should not really be required. Should something go wrong, there is as standard a 24 month warranty is provided with the Genius 9000.

2 years of assured usage means lots of time to track and build a history of your brushing.

Version 4.1 is the earliest version of the Oral-B app to support the Genius range of electric toothbrushes.  It brings to the app the position detection technology, improved professional guidance, dental care journey and brushing challenges.

The app will run on most Android or iOS devices.  And uses Bluetooth on your phone and the 9000 brush to pair. Your smartphone must have Bluetooth 4.0 as a minimum for compatibility.

You can download from iTunes here for Apple devices and Google Play Store here for Android devices.

The app is very comprehensive with lots of options, too many to go through completely in this Oral-B 9000 review.  It gives you all you need though to not only effectively brush your teeth, but to log the cleans and motivate you.

There are features like integration with your calendar so you can see your days agenda, news, tips and tricks, so you stay interested when cleaning your teeth.  Although for me, on occasions, it can be a bit distracting from you ensuring you brush correctly and you may want to customise the settings to avoid some notifications.

Of course, the big part of this is the Position Detection Technology which uses the smartphones camera, the app and the brush to show on screen visually where you have and have not cleaned and shows you how to brush all zones in the mouth evenly and equally.  Anyone of any age can use and learn from the feedback it gives.

Whilst a toothbrush plays a vital role in oral hygiene the routine and way in which you clean does too. This app makes it easy to see and represent in real-time just how good, or bad you are doing.

Challenges are presented to you allowing you to obtain a score based on how well you brush and improve your habits. Brush better and for longer and you ate on the road to success. Gain badges for achievements and share socially if you chose.

If you have perfected your technique you may have less to gain than others, but I was impressed at just how well the app works and monitors you clean, it still had areas where I could improve!

The app is deeper and more intelligent too.  You can customise the brush and personal goals through the app gaining more suitable tips and advice along with product suggestions. For example, if you wish to whiten your teeth the app will advise and amend your routine to achieve the goal.  You can choose from the Fresh Breath Gum Health, Plaque Fighter, Whitening and Ortho Care journeys.

In 2018 ‘Gum Protection Technology’ or ‘Gum Guard’ as it is also referred to as was introduced.

Essentially, this is a software update to the smartphone app (available in version 6.0.1 of the app and above) that offers a special brushing journey, specifically designed to help improve your gum health over an 8 week period.

Bleeding gums are usually a sign of gum disease, which in many cases can be treated with a good oral hygiene routine at home.

The app is geared to help reduce and stop the bleeding of gums and help you turn your red, bleeding, sore and puffy gums to a nice healthy pink, blood free gums.

You run through a series of screens, shown below that collect data and allow you or your dental professional to make custom adjustments to help achieve the end goal.

Naturally, Oral-B recommends selected products to help get the job done, but over the 8 week period, the app will monitor, encourage and help you work towards achieving those healthier gums.

Setting up this Gum Guard mode within the app does disable some other cleaning modes, but you can end what Oral-B call a journey at any point if you like.

Your gums might be in good shape, but other areas of the mouth might need attention, this is where the  Professional Guidance feature allows you and your dental professional to work together.  Actually, share and discuss improvement areas and have your dentist actually program into the app extra brushing time and adjustments to your cleaning modes in your app.

Online backup is another useful feature.  With an Oral-B account, you can never lose data and even share with compatible services for additional insights and benefits. As the app logs data over the days and weeks, it is impressive to see through the logs how your habits and brushing time changes.

Whilst you need to launch the app each time to use it the brush itself can store the data for up to 20 cleans meaning you do not need to always have the app to hand.

The connection and transfer is fairly reliable and I have yet to run into any real problems. Here’s a gallery of screenshot from the app for those that are interested:

Now we have spoken about all the magic that is the Oral-B app for tracking the clean, you need to hold your smartphone at face height to actually do the tracking.  Easier said than done.

You could hold it in your hand, but unless you have some super power that means you can hold your phone perfectly positioned for 2+ minutes and clean your teeth, then the provided smartphone holder will come in use.

Best described as a smartphone holder you would use in a car and attach to the windshield, used in the home and attached to a mirror!

It is a more clinical and perhaps suitable in white; more fitting for the bathroom scene.  The suction cup will attach to mirrors and in some cases tiles.  Do make sure it is secure before mounting your phone! There is a lever to lock it in place and unlock the hold along with a tab on the suction cup to further release the holder.

Whilst the holder has remained attached to my mirror and not fallen, I know many are concerned of it failing and an expensive smartphone being broken as a result.

Oral-B Genius 9000 Review 33

The universal holder has the Oral-B logo on it and an arm that can be adjusted to fit many smartphones of varying sizes from 58mm wide through to 83mm wide.  If you are using a Samsung Galaxy S series or an Apple iPhone 6S Plus even, it will fit. There is then a full 360 degree rotation option.  For some phones, the button placement may interfere with the adjustable arms to do consider this when docking the phone.

It is a practical addition and can move with you.  That said, you are likely to mount it and leave it as I assume you are generally going to brush your teeth in the same location each time.

The house proud may not like the holder on show, but for the sake of your teeth and oral health let go any reservations you may have about what the neighbours or family members may think about a smartphone holder in the bathroom. I am wondering if there is another solution?

In my bathroom, I ended up with the suction cup being sort of in the middle of the mirror which was a bit annoying, due to my height and the mirror position.  There is also the fact that if you share this brush with others, although they may have the app on their phone and may need to change the placement of the suction cup, thus making it cumbersome and a lot of effort.

It is also worth noting that whilst it is perfectly possible to share a brush handle, the handle can not differentiate between 2 users, so your data synced to the app will be wrong. There are ways around this, but it is a bit of a hassle.

Even for me, even as someone writing about toothbrushes, I find it hard work and difficult to set up the smartphone in the holder with the app.  It’s a bit of a chore and although it may take 15-30 seconds, that’s around 25% of the time I would spend cleaning my teeth.

Oral-B Genius 9000 Review 34

It is not to say I have not found a routine, but I have not perfected it and am finding that I may use the app more in the evenings than the morning and probably in total using it 50-60% of the time.

Even with a commitment to use it in the evenings, the app needs to work and whilst up to a point it does, I do feel the position detection technology and the overall experience is not there yet.  Not everyone will take the time to use it.

There are silly quirks, like the smartphone holder having full tilt and swivel capabilities, but the phone must be perfectly upright for the position detection to track, making the holder mobility almost redundant.

You need to be almost statute still for the app to track effectively.

I found it unable to accurately track where I was in the mouth.  It was close but often registered in the wrong area.  I think this was in part by me tilting my head, opening and closing my mouth more or less as I moved around my mouth.

Practice will allow me to get better but how much practice and how ‘still’ should I stay.

As you brush there are fading blue sections on the screen that do act for encouragement and at times the app gets it right, encouraging you to spend more time here and there with a mix of praise and positive feedback.

I found myself at times; spending more time cleaning my teeth (this is a good thing to a point) to try and ensure I got all areas of the mouth. However, in doing so, due to the app not registering the areas quite correctly.  I ended up spending more time in certain areas of the mouth than others.  This resulted in the app thinking I had done a splendid job when I know I had not.

For those who know they have bad habits could use this combination for a few weeks to learn, understand and perfect their clean, but I see very few really committing to this and using everyday.

Even with my desire to make it work it has taken over a week to get close and I still don’t find it perfect.  From that I feel that for most the effort for the reward is too high.

This is perhaps not how Oral-B envisaged or planned the usage, but there is only advantage to be gained from using it occasionally than not at all.  Even a few times a week it reminds you and helps perfect your brushing habits.

The good news is the brush stores your clean history for the last 20 cleans so you can still retain a lot of data even if you do not use the app all that regularly.  The best data will be for those who use the app all the time.

Dare I suggest that using any electric toothbrush and using disclosing tablets will be a cheaper, more efficient and generally more beneficial way for most of us to see and act upon our poor teeth cleaning performance.

Oral-B Genius 9000 Review 35

The travel case included with the Genius 9000 is branded and can be considered smart given the previous travel cases available for Oral-B products.  Rather than a cheap yet functional piece of moulded plastic, the travel case here is much more capable.

Larger than I expected the case is well designed and colour matched to the brush. Soft touch material all round, a large plastic release button to open it up with gloss plastic end caps to the case.

Containing a USB connectivity this case not only allows the 9000 and up to 2 brush heads to be protected during travel, it also allows the brush to be charged in the case.

This means you do not need to take the charging dock with you if you feel you will need to charge your brush whilst travelling.

In the box comes a multi-voltage (100-240v) power adapter which connects to the proprietary port on the case and charges the Genius 9000.

The mains adapter is the same 2 pin configuration you get with the traditional charging dock.

Considerably more stylish the travel case goes one stage further. Connect the USB charge cable for your smartphone to it and you can not only charge the brush but your phone too, when the mains power adapter is connected to the case.

You may think why or how silly, but this means if going away you need to take 1 power adapter and a USB cable rather than 2 power adapters and a docking station. Thumbs up all round from us here at Electric Teeth.

If we were to get critical this isn’t a great way to charge your phone up fast, but ideal for overnight and a great reminder to use the Oral-B app (as if you would forget)!

And when you do use the app, the case cover actually has a clip designed to hold your smartphone in place too! Pretty nifty, if your phone is no thicker than 12mm.

It would have also been great if the case used a more standard Micro USB charger, rather than a proprietary connector. This would mean that if you misplaced your Oral-B power adapter it would be easy to find an alternative.

We should also be clear in that there is no battery built into the case it will not charge the brush handle unless mains power is connected.

Summary of design, usability, clean & general use

  • Black, white, rose gold & orchid purple colour options
  • Black variant comes with just 1 colour matched brush head
  • Comfortable to hold in hand
  • Grippy rubber on the rear ensures the brush remains in hand
  • White illumination for cleaning modes, power indicator etc.
  • Dedicated power and cleaning mode buttons
  • 6 cleaning modes – Daily Clean, Gum Care, Sensitive, Whitening, Pro-Clean and tongue cleaner
  • A busy front panel with icons that illuminate to show the cleaning mode being used.
  • Icons for only 5 of the 6 modes
  • 3 brush heads included (1 x CrossAction, 1 x Gum Care & 1 x 3D White)
  • Brush head storage compartment for up to 4 heads
  • Built-in quadpacer and 2 minute timer
  • A pressure sensor that illuminates red for pressure and green on a quadrant change
  • LED SmartRing that can be customised 1 of 12 colour options
  • Bluetooth connectivity to record your brushing history via app for Android and iOS
  • An intelligent app that tracks, records and suggests improvements to your cleaning and can be customised and programmed to your needs and goals
  • The app promotes the right idea but the hassle of using, the inaccuracies and desire to work with the app can work against the long term goal of better oral health
  • Travel case that holds the Genius 9000 and 2 brush heads
  • The brush can be charged in the case whilst charging a mobile phone too
  • Smartphone holder for attaching to a bathroom mirror included
  • Holder fits devices from 58-83mm
  • Some may find impractical to use
  • Using the app and smartphone holder can be a fiddle
  • Water resistant and can be used in the shower

Battery life

When it comes to battery life there are few occasions when we need a really long life from our toothbrushes.

Most of us leave it at home, in a hotel room or in a location where it could be on charge.

The Genius 9000 offers up to 16 days of life, if using the standard 2 minute daily clean twice a day. That is 32 toothbrushing sessions or 64 minutes of cleaning.

This is an improvement on older models, but how is it that Philips still manage even in their more basic brushes to offer up to 3 weeks, that is virtually double that of Oral-B in brushes, and they are not much thicker?

I think the number of users who need such a long battery life are limited and it would be rare that even in 16 days you could not find time to set the brush on the charging stand and replenish the battery overnight for example.

Frequent travellers may well be the exception, where you wish to carry less in your bag.

Well, this is where Oral-B actually come to the rescue with the Smart Travel Case, not only making the Genius 9000 more appealing to travellers, they do for me win back a bit of what they lost in the lesser battery life.

Another clever feature which does save power and potentially assists with the cleaning time is that on a Philips brush the brush will switch itself off at the end of the clean whereas a Genius series from Oral B will not do this. Is this because by not turning off encourages longer cleaning sessions?

Oral-B Genius 9000 Review 36

Included in the box is the more traditional charging stand that you can leave the Genius 9000 sat on when not in use.  The charging dock itself is white in colour and has a small prong on the top which aligns with a recess in the bottom of the brush handle and will charge the brush fully in about 8-12 hours.  I tend to leave it on charge overnight. When charging the battery charging icon pulses with a white light.

When power is low the battery status icon will flash and you will likely feel the decrease in brush power. When depleted completely the motor will power down and the battery icon flash red.

Another small criticism is that you never know quite how much power is left, is it 20%, 15%?  The battery status icons flashes when low.  The flashing helps but a percentage guide would be useful, but I have yet to see a brush that offers this.  I would have thought that the partnership with the app would have allowed this.

The battery is built-in and is not user replaceable.

All told if you do choose to keep the brush on the charger the whole time, it is fine and if you do take the charger away with you to a foreign country the 2 pin adapter on the charger will connect to sockets found in most bathrooms around the world but make sure to check whether you need an adapter and converter as the charger in the box supports 220-240v.

The charger for the smart travel case supports 100-240v.

To ensure that the battery holds its maximum capacity, at least once every six months, charge the battery fully and then let it discharge until it no longer functions.

Summary of battery life

  • 64 minutes of usage time or 16 days usage based on 2 cleans a day
  • Oral-B brush with longest battery life
  • The battery is built-in and not user replaceable
  • Can be left on the charger
  • Takes about 12 hours to charge fully
  • When completely flat at least 30 minutes of charge is required
  • Recommended to discharge battery fully every 6 months
  • The charging stand included in the box supports 220-240v
  • Battery status icon flashes with a white light when charging and red when the battery is very low
  • Would be good if you got a percentage (%) of the remaining battery
  • Smart travel case charger works on 100-240 volts
  • No auto-power off to conserve the battery
  • Questionable whether a premium brush should offer a better battery life
  • May require an adapter to charge the brush

Price & where to buy

I have included links to buying options here at the start of the review.

In the section below, I discuss the price more generally and in relation to similar products.

The Genius 9000 has a recommended retail price of $349.

It is not worth paying this price.

Whilst there is no guarantee, it is quite common for Oral-B brushes to sell with a discount of up to 50% off retail, meaning this price drops to a much more reasonable $175.

Of course, a feature packed brush will command a premium, but how much are these extra benefits really worth?! Not, the $349, I can tell you that.

This brush like every other requires replacement brush heads for each user every 3 months. Replacement heads can be purchased in various pack sizes and typically work out at around $7 a head.

Oral-B Genius 9000 Review 37

We like to offer up a figure for what we believe to be an average cost of ownership of this toothbrush. So I present 2 examples here, one at the full RRP and one at half price.

Using the average cost (based on one user) and ownership over 3 years the Genius 9000 will cost $412 or $0.38 per day to own, if purchased at full price.

When purchased at a more likely $175 (half price) the cost will be $238 and $0.22 per day.

Given all that this offers, it really is pretty fair.

This price does exclude the cost of water, toothpaste and electric to charge it, but you get a rough idea and is one of if not the cheapest decent electric toothbrushes available at the moment.

There is a good chance the brush will last longer than the 3 year period and using the same brush handle but switching heads with other users in your household will only help bring the cost down and drive more value from it.

If cost is a big factor, whilst the 9000 brings some benefits, you may wish to consider the Smart 5 5000 for a reasonable cost saving.

Please note that all prices quoted are approximates and will vary based on location, supplier and time of purchase.  These figures were correct at the time of writing and should not be relied upon as hard fact, but used as a guide during your decision process.

Summary of price & where to buy

  • Recommended retail price of $349
  • Able to purchase for $175
  • Could cost as much as 38 cents per day or as little as 22 cents per day, based on 3 years of usage by one user
  • Share brush handle to extend value
  • Smart 5 5000 from Oral-B is a bit cheaper
  • Live price comparison here

Reliability & long term use

We would not be doing you justice if it was not a standard procedure for us to thoroughly test each electric toothbrush we review here at Electric Teeth HQ. The Genius 9000 is no exception.

Weaknesses or vulnerabilities are often noticed from an early stage and on the whole electric toothbrushes from premium brands like Oral-B and Philips Sonicare are well made and reliable.

Of course, some can go wrong, but there are usually covered under warranty.

In-house dentist Dr Gemma Wheeler has had her Genius 9000 since pre-release in early 2015. She is happy to report it is still in good working order, surviving daily usage in the shower!

I too can confirm that the very model used in this review continues to function as good as it did when it launched in 2016.

Oral-B Genius 9000 Review 10

With years of experience behind them, the Oral-B team have designed the 9000 to be just as good if not better than brushes of the past.

The introduction of the smart travel case and smartphone holder offer up potential extra failure points, but to date they have both performed well.

When buying Oral-B you are getting a good quality brush supported by a 2 year warranty.

To prolong the life of any brush giving it a rinse and a wipe down to remove grime that builds up is a must.

The weakest point is the battery.  After repeated charges and discharges it can fail and should it, they are not easy to replace.  You should get in the routine of depleting and recharging the battery regularly to reduce the chances of failure. Remember, register your brush online to get that third years warranty, because should it fail in this time it will be covered.

Conclusion

The fundamental job of a toothbrush is simple, it is to aid in the cleaning of the teeth to ensure teeth are healthy and presentable,

Whilst science and technology have come into play certainly more so in the last 50 years there are still millions using a manual toothbrush, which to a point suffices.

However, the electric toothbrush can bring many advantages and if in the more privileged parts of the world where these options are open to you, why not take advantage of this.

The improved clean should be just the start of why you should opt for one.

The Genius 9000 represents innovation and is a product fitting of the technologically developed world that we live in.  It pushes the boundaries to not only deliver an exceptional clean but enhance and improve the experience that goes with it.

Sadly the app and position detection technology is not quite good enough to make this brush perfect.

A decent box contents, great cleaning options, superb support and design, despite some shortcomings (battery life, noise, colour options) the Genius 9000 sets a benchmark for the future of oral health.

The Genius 9000 was the flagship model, until the newer Genius AI was released.

Addressing at least 1 negative of the 9000, the Genius AI will for those wanting a feature rich brush, be the better buy.

You can, however, get a perfectly functional brush for a lot less but still gain many of the benefits.

Our Choice
Oral-B Pro 2000 Black Electric Toothbrush + Travel Case
Oral-B Genius 9000 White Electric Toothbrush
Oral-B Smart 5 5000 White Electric Toothbrush
Brush Name
Oral-B Pro 2 2000
Oral-B Genius 9000
Oral-B Smart 5 5000
Customer Rating
Electric Teeth Rating
5/5
5/5
5/5
Price
$ 89.00
$ 228.00
$ 119.00
Prime
Amazon Prime
-
Amazon Prime
Shaver Shop
Oral-B Genius 9000 Review 2
Oral-B Genius 9000 Review 2
Oral-B Genius 9000 Review 2
Our Choice
Oral-B Pro 2000 Black Electric Toothbrush + Travel Case
Brush Name
Oral-B Pro 2 2000
Customer Rating
Electric Teeth Rating
5/5
Price
$ 89.00
Prime
Amazon Prime
Shaver Shop
Oral-B Genius 9000 Review 2
Oral-B Genius 9000 White Electric Toothbrush
Brush Name
Oral-B Genius 9000
Customer Rating
Electric Teeth Rating
5/5
Price
$ 228.00
Prime
-
Shaver Shop
Oral-B Genius 9000 Review 2
Oral-B Smart 5 5000 White Electric Toothbrush
Brush Name
Oral-B Smart 5 5000
Customer Rating
Electric Teeth Rating
5/5
Price
$ 119.00
Prime
Amazon Prime
Shaver Shop
Oral-B Genius 9000 Review 2

Electric Teeth Rating

Electric Teeth 5 Star Rating

Size Guide

  • Height (without head) – 20.5cm
  • Height (with head) – 24cm
  • Width – 2.7cm
  • Thickness – 3.2cm
  • Weight (without head) – 134g
  • Weight (with head) – 140g

All are approximates

 FAQ

  • Is the Genius 9000 an oscillating brush?
    • Yes, with Oral-B 3D motion that oscillates, rotates and pulsates.
  • What is daily clean mode?
    • This is the comprehensive everyday cleaning mode that works with the provided CrossAction brush head to effectively clean the teeth using the Oral-B 3D oscillating, rotating and pulsating technology to clean the teeth and remove up to 100% more plaque than a manual brush.
  • What is gum care mode?
    • Using a lower speed and power output through the brush head in conjunction with the provided Cross Action to clean the teeth and massage gums, stimulating blood flow and assisting in reducing sensitivity in the gums when brushing.
  • What is sensitive mode?
    • A gentle yet thorough cleaning mode that combined with the sensitive brush head works to remove bacteria and plaque from sensitive areas of the mouth.
  • What is whitening mode?
    • A mode engineered to offer a polishing effect on the teeth as if you were at the dentist. Suitable for occasional or everyday use it works ideally with a 3D White brush head to make teeth look whiter and shine.
  • What is Pro-Clean mode?
    • A mode offering an additional 3,000 movements per minute over the standard Daily Clean mode, for an intense clean feeling.
  • What is Tongue Cleaning mode?
    • A gentle mode to be used on the tongue surfaces and the inner cheeks to help remove bacteria that would not be removed through a normal teeth cleaning routine.
  • Does it have any other cleaning modes?
    • No, the Genius 9000 has 6 cleaning modes. Daily Clean, Gum Care, Sensitive, Whitening, Pro-Clean and Tongue Cleaning. There are no other brushes from Oral-B or other brands that offer more.
  • What brush head does it come with and what alternative ones can be used?
    • With the Genius 9000 you get 3 brush heads included, a CrossAction, Gum Care and 3D White head. You can change the head with any others on offer from Oral-B.
  • Does the Genius 9000 have a pressure sensor?
    • Yes, it does.
  • Does the Genius 9000 have Bluetooth?
    • Yes, it does.
  • What is Position Detection and what are the benefits of using it?
    • When using the Genius 9000 CrossAction electric toothbrush, Position Detection unlocks enhanced features within the Oral-B App, including self-tracking, personal statistics, game mode, and encouragement to maintain good techniques, which all lead to helping you to brush like your dentist recommends and never missing a zone.
  • Does the Genius 9000 come with a warranty & how long is it?
    • If purchased new from an approved retailer the Genius 9000 will come with a 2 year warranty.
  • Does the Genius 9000 have a built-in timer?
    • Yes. Often referred to as the quadpacer or professional timer; subject to the cleaning mode the brush will provide an audible warning through a slight pause in the brushing mode to tell you to change quadrants. There are 4 quadrants to the mouth, and brushing is normally for 2 minutes. The timer will active at 30 second intervals, with a different sound at the end of the 2 minutes. The LED SmartRing will also illuminate to at 30 second intervals to notify you.
  • How long does the battery last?
    • The battery lasts up 16 days based on 2 cleans per day.
  • Does it come with a charger?
    • Yes. It actually comes with two. A traditional stand that forms part of the charging station and a travel case that has a power adapter for charging the brush in the case.
  • Can this be fixed to a wall?
    • The Genius 9000 charging station or brush head holder has not been designed to be fixed to a wall.
  • Can I use the Genius 9000 in the shower?
    • Yes. The Genius 9000 is waterproof so if you choose you can use it in the shower
  • Does it come with a travel case?
    • Yes, a smart travel case is included in the box.
  • What are the benefits of the Smart Travel Case?
    • The Smart Travel Case for the Genius 9000 CrossAction electric toothbrush features a rigid, durable structure that can be placed vertically or horizontally for storage, and simplifies travel with your electronic toothbrush by enabling you to charge your brush and smartphone in one outlet at the same time. The inner cover includes a smartphone holder for optimal placement of your phone while using the Oral-B App, allowing you to maintain the comfort of your at-home oral care routine while on the go.
  • How long does the Genius 9000 take to charge?
    • A full charge takes up to 12 hours. From this you will be able to get up to 16 days of use.
    • When completely flat and out of power the 9000 will need at least 30 minutes on charge.
  • What voltage does the charger support?
    • The traditional charging stand supports voltages of 220-240v.
    • The charger for the smart travel case supports 100-240v.
    • Both may require adapters for use in different parts of the world.
  • Can the Genius 9000 be charged via a USB cable?
    • No, this is not possible.
  • Is the Genius 9000 quieter than other brushes?
    • No the Genius 9000 is quite loud and no quieter than any other Oral-B electric toothbrush.
  • Does the Oral-B app work with Windows Phones such as Nokia and Microsoft Lumias?
    • No. Oral-B has produced the app for Apple iOS and Google Android only. There is currently no application suitable for those with Microsoft Windows phones or any other mobile platform.
  • Is the battery in the Genius 9000 replaceable?
    • No, the battery is built-in. Whilst technically it could be replaced it would void the warranty and is not advised.
  • What size phone does the smartphone holder take?
    • The smartphone holder will accommodate phones from 58-83mm wide, this includes larger phones like the iPhone 6S Plus.

Your Opinions

Do you own or have you used the Oral-B Genius 9000.

Are there certain features that you really like or dislike?

Let us know what you think about this brush and let others who may well be considering purchasing one know your opinions before they do.

About Jon Love

Jon is a leading voice on electric toothbrushes and has been quoted by mainstream media publications for his opinions and expertise.

Having handled & tested hundreds of products there really is very little he does not know about them.

Passionate about business and helping others, Jon has been involved in various online enterprises since the early 2000s.

After spending 12 years in consumer technology, it was in 2014 that he focused his attention on dental health, having experienced first-hand the challenge of choosing a new toothbrush.

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