Oral-B electric toothbrush comparisons

The differences between these models are relatively subtle. The most significant difference is that the Pro 300 and 400 don’t have the 30 second pacer like the Pro 500+. The pacer is a feature we recommend is present to help achieve an even clean of the teeth.

The Pro 300 has 1 brushing mode, the 400 has 2 modes and the 500+ has 3.

The Pro 300 has either Daily Clean or sensitive cleaning mode subject to the variant on sale. If supplied with a FlossAction head, the handle has Daily Clean. If supplied with a Sensitive brush head it has a sensitive cleaning mode.

The 400 has Daily Clean and Sensitive mode, whilst the 500+ has Sensitive Plus/Super Sensitive mode too. 

The Pro 300 brush handle has a grey coloured grip compared to the blue on the 400. The 500+ comes with either a black, mint (green) or Lilac (purple) grip.

The Pro 1000 and Smart 2000 look very similar at first glance, but there are a couple of subtle differences.

The first, and perhaps most significant is the inclusion of a visible pressure sensor.

The visible pressure sensor is located around the neck of the Smart 2000, wrapping a full 360 degrees around the top of the handle. This will be lit with a red light when activated, making it very clear when you are applying too much pressure.  

Relieve the pressure and the light will go out.

At the same time that the pressure sensor is illuminated, the motor will slow to reduce pushing too many movements to the brush head, reducing the chances of doing unnecessary damage.

The 1000 has a pressure sensor, but it is not visible.

With the Smart 2000 you get an additional cleaning mode over the 1000. Labelled Sensitive, it is a less powerful mode that is a little more gentle on the teeth and gums, whilst still offering a thorough clean.

The brush does too come with a sensitive brush head to compliment this additional cleaning mode, rather than the default, CrossAction head.

The 2000 also benefits from a Lithium-Ion battery offering 2+ weeks of battery compared to the 10+ days of the 1000.

As a consequence of these additional features, the Smart 2000 does command a price premium but does too make it the better option.

Place these brushes side by side and it is almost impossible to tell the difference between each of them.

There are more similarities between these 2 brushes than there are differences.

However, despite their looks, there is 1 significant difference that separates these 2 brushes.

The Genius X has built-in sensors and Artificial Intelligence which track the movement of the brush handle when in use.

This does away with one of the biggest frustrations of the Genius Pro 8000 when it came to real-time tracking of the toothbrush in use.

With the 8000 you have to stand still in front of the camera on your smartphone for it to track, you do not have to with the X.

The tracking technology is clever on both models and it can encourage and help you achieve a better clean, but the Genius X makes the whole process much more user friendly, with a lot less hassle.

It does not mean the brush will actually clean the teeth better. In fact, both have the same motor inside and the same cleaning modes.

The trade off in many respects is the price.

The Genius X does command a premium for this technological upgrade and you get a little less in the box.

Both come with a premium travel case and a 2+ week battery life. A visible pressure sensor, 2 minute timer and pacer are built-in too.

The Oral-B iO has been redesigned from the ground up. From the motor to the handle, to the brush head, it has all changed.

The new magnetic driven motor is quieter and the way it works produces a cleaning sensation that is similar, but different.

Does it clean the teeth better? No, not really. Both do a great job of removing plaque.

However, there is no denying that the iO looks and feels the part.

There are fewer gloss plastics and large expanses of rubber grips, with a much more exclusive looking design.

A display has been built into the handle that allows you to control certain features of the brush and gain some real-time feedback without the need for the smartphone application.

Just like the Genius X, this is a smart toothbrush, but the technology has been enhanced even further to provide a more accurate tracking and feedback loop so that you and I can brush better.

You get the standard features like the 2 minute timer, 30 second pacer, rechargeable battery and fading indicator bristles on the brush head.

You too get a visible pressure sensor, but this now lights up not only red to alert you when you brush too hard, but green too, to show you are using just the right amount of pressure.

A new magnetic charger means the brush can be recharged in as little as 3 hours, rather than the more typical 12.

It does too come with a premium travel case, similar to that of the Genius X, which allows the brush to be charged whilst inside. However, like the X, this requires a separate proprietary power adapter.

There is a great deal to like about the iO and this is without a doubt a step up for Oral-B. But, the downside is the price. It costs quite a bit more than the Genius X and does not deliver significant benefits that would be justifiable to most for the price.