Quip vs Sonicare & Oral-B

The main differences & similarities

Quip essentially offers 1 electric toothbrush. But it is available with or without a rechargeable battery, and with or without a smart (Bluetooth enabled) motor.

You then have material choices, be that plastic or metal. As a consequence you end up with a number of different variants with limited differences.

Oral-B and Sonicare on the other hand each offer many more models (8+), with differing features and functions.

Therefore making a direct comparison between Quip, Sonicare and Oral-B is challenging due to the vast array of models available from Sonicare and Oral-B.

As a result, this comparison is a more generalized overview of the key differences between the typical toothbrushes each brand offers.

It should be noted from the outset, that Quip's brushes, although electric, are more of a crossover between a manual and a traditional electric brush. The whole brushing experience is a little different. It does not offer the same powerful cleaning action as Oral-B and Sonicare.

That said, whilst the vast majority of Sonicare brushes are very different to Quip, they do offer the Philips One by Sonicare. It is the closest equivalent to Quip's toothbrush, notably compact and travel friendly.

Oral-B doesn't offer a direct competitor to these brushes.

If you specifically want a compact, travel friendly toothbrush, read our comparison of Quip and Philips One here to pick the best one for you.

Of the more typical electric toothbrushes these brands offer, it is the Sonicare 4100 Series and Oral-B Smart 1500 that are the most comparable brushes to Quip in terms of price and features.

I shall discuss each of the differences in more detail throughout the article, but the key things to be aware of are:

• Quip is powered by 1 x AAA battery or a built-in rechargeable. Most Sonicare & Oral-B brushes have a built-in rechargeable batteries only.
• Quip offers the best battery life.
• Quip and Sonicare offer a 'sonic' cleaning action compared to the oscillating-rotating cleaning action of Oral-B.
• Quip feels like a cross between a manual toothbrush and an electric toothbrush — it is not as powerful as a regular electric toothbrush.
• You need to use the same brushing technique with Quip as you would a manual brush — with a normal electric toothbrush this is often different.
• All will clean the teeth to a satisfactory standard. Oral-B and Sonicare feel like they clean better.
• Quip has a built-in timer and pacer, as do the Sonicare and Oral-B brushes we recommend in this article. 
• Quip does not have a pressure sensor or multiple cleaning modes.
• Quip is very slim and lightweight compared to Oral-B and Sonicare.
• Quip's travel case doubles up as a toothbrush holder.
• Quip is centered around a subscription system for replacement brush heads (new head delivered to your door every 3 months) whereas Oral-B and Sonicare are not. Although they do now offer subscription services.

Quip vs Sonicare vs Oral-B - which is best?

Overall I recommend the Oral-B Smart 1500 — it is my choice for best value electric toothbrush.

In my opinion, the Sonicare will tick more boxes for more people.

If you are a frequent traveler, and need to do so with minimal luggage, then Quip will, without doubt, be the product to go for (unless you prefer the Philips One).  But, in this instance, you have a very particular requirement.

For the majority of us, our requirements are less specific and we have a more general need for a toothbrush that cleans well, is affordable and has reassuring battery life.  This is where the offerings from Sonicare and Oral-B stand out.

Throughout the remainder of this article I do explain in more detail how all 3 brands compare and give you the additional insights and information that will hopefully allow you to really pick the brand of toothbrush that is best suited to you.

Overview

The electric toothbrush landscape is changing more quickly than ever thanks to inspiring new companies that are looking to deliver you and me better products and services.

Quip is one such example.

No doubt you want to know which of these brands produces the best product for you and which you should be investing in and why.

There is no simple answer to this question.

I have given my current recommendations, which should suit the vast majority, in the verdict section above. 

All 3 have their pros and cons and will appeal to some more than others.

In this article, I present as much information as possible for you to become better informed about which brand is more suited to you and why.

I compare Quip to Sonicare and Quip to Oral-B.  I do not compare Oral-B to Sonicare.  I have created a separate Sonicare vs Oral-B comparison article that compares these 2 major toothbrush brands.

When it comes to making the final decision, you may also like to see our post on the best electric toothbrushes.

A quick introduction to Quip

I have written about this more and completed a detailed hands-on Quip Toothbrush Review, but below is a quick primer on Quip and what it is.

Quip is a US-based company that offers a stylish and compact electric toothbrush as well as complimentary accessories for your oral health care routine.

Selling direct to consumers through their website www.getquip.com, the brush is designed to be purchased and used on a subscription model.

Much like how you subscribe to Netflix, Amazon Prime, Spotify or similar, Quip delivers replacement brush heads to your door every 3 months for a small fixed fee.

Like other services this pay-as-you-go subscription service is cost effective, reliable, well managed and does not require an ongoing commitment.

Copying some might say is the biggest form of flattery and the increasing number of companies that are mimicking Quip, is a testament to what they have created and the desire for many to profit from the increasingly popular subscription model.

Whilst the subscription model brings its own benefits and drawbacks, how does this novel electric toothbrush really compare to the better known and perhaps more trusted products from Sonicare and Oral-B?  It is this question that I hope to answer for you.

What is Quip?

Quip is a US based company that offers door to door delivery of electric toothbrushes and replacement brush heads.

Their service is focused around a subscription model whereby subscribers pay a one time fee to obtain an electric toothbrush, then a regular fee (every 3 months) for a predetermined number of brush heads to be delivered to your door.

They do offer the opportunity to purchase without a subscription and offer complementary products like toothpaste.

What is Quip like to use?

For full details on what Quip is like to use and how it really performs you are best taking a few moments to read my full review of the Quip toothbrush.

It goes into great detail, but there are summary sections you can glance over for a quicker read.

Should there be a question that I have not answered, just let me know in the comments or by getting in touch by contacting us.

Quip vs other electric toothbrushes

I believe it is important to really explain and put into context Quip in comparison to all electric toothbrushes before looking explicitly at how it compares to Oral-B and Sonicare.

Quip is an electric toothbrush, but my hands-on, the feedback I have received and heard from others is that it is a little different to what they anticipated. Notably, the motor and brushing experience is different from what most would consider a ‘regular electric toothbrush’.

If you have never used an electric toothbrush before you do not have quite the same comparison to make, but many expected the power and brushing experience to be considerably more than a manual toothbrush, when in fact Quip feels, and in many ways behaves more like a manual brush than an electric one.

Its motor offers 15,000 movements per minute compared to many sonic toothbrushes that offer 30,000 or more.

I really consider it a bit of a crossover.  Not sold on electric, but want some of the benefits, then Quip is a neat option, particularly when you consider the subscription element.

The techniques used to correctly brush your teeth are different for that of a manual and electric brush and with Quip, although it offers the bristle vibration you want to brush like you would a manual toothbrush.

Whilst there are many benefits to an electric toothbrush, the core features you need to look out for in my opinion are a built-in timer, pacer, and soft brush bristles.  Quip has these bases covered.

Too few people brush for the correct amount of time and the built-in timer really helps with this whilst keeping a compact and aesthetically pleasing profile.

What Quip's electric toothbrush does not offer are some of the more advanced, and arguably less necessary features such as pressure sensors and multiple cleaning modes.

That said, there is now an option of a 'smart' variant which brings some tracking and logging of brushing habits, like premium models from Oral-B and Sonicare.

Quip vs Sonicare

As with Oral-B, the differing business models and range of products between these brands make it difficult to make a direct comparison.

Technically speaking the Philips One by Sonicare is a direct competitor to Quip. But, when most people think or refer to the Sonicare brand they are talking about their more capable 'traditional' brushes.

Therefore to try and make the fairest comparison and comment on the 2 companies I will compare what I consider to be the most like-for-like model from the Sonicare range, in this case, the Series 4100.

Design

The slim, compact and travel-friendly profile of Quip, particularly the aluminum handle option certainly wins in comparison to Sonicare in my opinion.

Both feel quality in hand and well built. Sonicare, in particular, do produce a premium feeling toothbrush.

Quip is not best suited those with restricted hand movement or grip, Sonicares larger handles win out here.

Whilst rubber or contoured grips tend to be a bit more subtle on Sonicare brushes, they do tend to offer more in the way of gripping points.

Stylish Quip is, the positioning of the power button is not ideal, it takes a bit of getting used to.

The travel cap/case that also doubles up as a brush holder is genius and is something I really love about Quip electric toothbrush.

Features

The standard Quip toothbrush is fairly limited in its features.

The 4100 has a brush head replacement reminder system and pressure sensor. But they don't interfere with daily use.

Both benefit from a built-in pacer and 2 minute timer.

Something I love as a feature and is great to see on both is the automatic power off, which turns the brush motor off after the 2 minute cleaning cycle.

The simplicity allows you and I as brush users to focus on actually cleaning our teeth for the correct amount of time which is more important.

Quip has a Bluetooth enabled motor in select variants of their brush which brings some logging of oral care routine via a smartphone app.

Whilst this is more than what most need, Quip doesn't offer the additional modes, technology and advancements such as real-time tracking like Philips.

Opt for a more premium Sonicare model and the features are significantly improved.  The Prestige 9900 is the best example of this.  Quip is left well behind here.

Brush heads

As I suggest when comparing to Oral-B, sometimes simplicity is key and Quip offers 1 style of brush head only.

Sonicare has a much more diverse range of brush heads.

The need for these different configurations is questionable as it is with Oral-B and the actual cleaning difference between them is almost impossible to differentiate for most users.

Most common is the C2 Optimal Plaque Control, that offers all-round effective cleaning.

Either brand's brush head should be replaced every 3 months. Quip's subscription service is designed to deliver these to your door. Although not giving priority to subscription, Sonicare does now offer such a service for their heads. Most Sonicare heads have indicator bristles built-in that fade over time to act as a reminder. Quip does not.

Philips do sell their own brush heads, but they tend to be sold at full retail price and are often cheaper elsewhere.  

Cleaning

Scientific or clinically accurate my hands-on testing, reviews and opinion are not.

Lab tests may indeed return very different results and opinion to me.

However, for what it is worth, I much prefer the clean offered by Sonicare.

I believe the resulting clean and plaque removal is likely better than a manual brush with the 2 Series from Sonicare or Quip.  The increased bristle movement has to help.

Having used both, after cleaning my mouth felt fresh and clean.  Not as aggressive are either in comparison to Oral-B, but Sonicare wins out by quite some way for me personally.

I believe this is because of the increased bristle movements.

The sonic action of the 4100 Series works at 31,000 brush strokes per minute compared to 15,000 of Quip electric toothbrush.  This is significant and noticeable.

Brushing with an electric toothbrush requires, for the most part, the brush to do all the work.  Manual brushes require human power to make those movements.  With Quip I found myself using a manual brushing technique.  The feeling of an underpowered motor just didn't give me the confidence to use the typical electric toothbrush approach.

As a result, the 4100 is for me a much more convenient and enjoyable experience where I feel I have more control and consistency to the clean.

Battery life

Whilst there is always 1 or 2 models from brands that buck the trend, Sonicare have a solid history of battery life and performance.

More often than not their brushes last 3 weeks or so based on 2 cleans per day of 2 minutes in length.

The 4100 is claimed to have 2 weeks of battery life. It achieved a few days over this.

This seems somewhat insignificant when Quip tops out at about 3 months usage time. This applies to the single AAA battery and rechargeable variant.

The increased number of movements offered by Sonicare does indeed have some effect on battery performance, but nobody can deny that there is a significant difference here.

Quip's standard model doesn't need recharging. It is simply a case of replacing the AAA battery when it is flat.  If you are subscribed you will be sent one, but if not they are easy to pick up.

The rechargeable Quip model comes with a compact and convenient magnetic USB charging cable.

Sonicare requires a more bulky charging stand and connection to mains power.

When traveling Quip becomes the more convenient option here.

Price

Whether you feel you should pay a premium or not for convenience is for you to decide.

Personally, I think it is worth it.  But, subscribe to Quip and that premium is removed because of the commitment you make, albeit you can cancel at any point without penalty.

Quip is arguably one of the cheapest options for US residents, cheaper than the 4100 from Sonicare.

Making an assumption that the more premium $40 metal handled brush is selected, a total cost over 3 years including the $5 brush head is roughly $95.  Opt for plastic and save $10.

The cost of the Sonicare 4100 can vary a bit depending on when and where you buy it as prices do vary from one retailer to another.

Typically the 4100 will cost $40 for the handle, with replacement brush heads averaging around $10.

The Sonicare toothbrush works out at $150 over 3 years.

There are potentially cost savings if you subscribe to brush head deliveries from Sonicare themselves. You could then be looking at a cost of $138.

Please note that all costs quoted are approximates and prices will vary based on location, supplier, time of purchase.  These figures should not be relied on as hard fact but as a guide, based on real information at the time of writing.

Availability

Philips Sonicare wins here.

Whilst it will, of course, vary from model to model, availability is generally nationwide through normal grocery stores, pharmacies and large retailers as well as online from a range of different sellers.

Quip is primarily available only through www.getquip.com although Target, Best Buy and some others do now stock these too.

Much of this is of course determined by the different business models and Quip retain most control due to the subscription model.

Reliability

Another subjective element to this comparison, I have really had good experiences with both and have of course read and been told of negative experiences with both.

Sonicare's approach to customer service is great by all accounts and I am sure the same can be said of Quip.

The simpler setup of Quip does perhaps make it less prone to faults and whilst it comes with a 1 year warranty compared to the 2 year of Sonicare, I understand that Quip will extend that warranty, whilst you are subscribed.

If purchased outright, the 2 year warranty from Sonicare might be more reassuring.

Quip vs Oral-B

I want to be clear from the outset and say that trying to make a direct comparison between these two is difficult as they have different business models and approaches to the dental health market.

At the time of writing, Quip essentially has 1 electric toothbrush, but with certain specification choices that result in a wide variety of variants.

Oral-B on the other hand has a range of models that differ in features and price.

Therefore to try and make the fairest comparison and comment on the 2 companies I will compare what I consider to be the most like-for-like model from the Oral-B range, in this case, the Oral-B Smart 1500.

Design

As is always the case with design, this is personal opinion but I have to hand this to Quip.

Whilst the Smart 1500 is slim in hand with nice soft touch rubber grips and simple to access power button, Quip is a much slimmer and sleeker model.

The way the battery sits in the brush handle, the brush head connects and the feel in hand is all very smart and the aluminum finish of the body is great.

The positioning of the power button is not ideal, it takes a bit of getting used to.

A travel cap/case that also doubles up as a brush holder is genius and is something I really love about Quip.

Features

The 1500 has a few more features than Quip, but these extras are not essential.

The 1500 does have 2 extra cleaning modes and a visible pressure sensor. Neither interfere with daily brushing. Although the extra modes can make it more tricky to know what to select.

Both have a built-in 2 minute timer and a 30 second pacer.

Quip electric toothbrush will automatically turn itself off after the 2 minutes, Oral-B brushes do not do this.

Quip has a Bluetooth enabled motor in select variants of their brush which brings some logging of oral care routine via a smartphone app.

Whilst this is more than what most need, Quip doesn't offer the additional modes, technology and advancements such as real-time tracking like Oral-B. Although the Smart 1500, despite its name, dos not have these smart tracking features. You need to look at more premium models in the Oral-B range.

Brush heads

Sometimes simplicity is key and Quip offer 1 style of brush head only.

Oral-B has a much more diverse range of brush heads, although the CrossAction head is the default brush head in most instances.

The need for these is questionable, however, there are a couple of different brush heads in particular that are most certainly better suited to different users.

Those that stand out are the sensitive, ortho and interspace.

Whilst Quip’s brush head is not firm, Oral-B’s sensitive head might be more suited to some.

Either should be replaced every 3 months.

Quip is geared to offering heads on subscription, so replacements arrive at your door when you need them. Oral-B does now offer such but it isn't quite a slick or heavily promoted as Quips program.

Cleaning

My hands-on testing has not been conducted in a scientific or clinical method to make a conclusive comment on how well one cleans compared to the other and to my knowledge no comparative clinical study has been conducted.

Both offer benefits without doubt over a manual toothbrush.  The movement of the bristles will help dislodge food particles and plaque more effectively.

Having used both, after cleaning my mouth felt fresh and clean, but I would be lying if I didn't say Oral-B gives a more invigorating and deeper feeling clean.

This for me is for 2 reasons.

The primary is the number of movements of the brush head.  It does vary from model to model but the Smart 1500 offers at least 8,800 oscillations and 40,000 pulsations.

Quip offers 15,000 but it just feels weak and less effective when brushing.

The 2nd reason is the brush head.  The small round profile of Oral-B’s heads feel like they reach deeper in the mouth and are easier to position and control than the larger head on Quip electric toothbrush.

The convenience of the cleaning technique comes into play too.

Brushing with an electric toothbrush requires the brush to d the majority of the work, whilst you move it tooth to tooth.  Manual brushes require human power to make those movements.  With Quip I found myself using a manual brushing technique but with the benefits of the 15,000 movements, using the more traditional tooth to tooth approach felt ineffective.

Battery life

At 3 months usage time from Quip, powered by a single AAA battery there is no comparison when the Smart 1500 from Oral-B lasts for 14 days.

Even Quips rechargeable variant lasts 3+ months.

The increased number of movements of the Oral-B does indeed have some effect on battery performance, but nobody can deny that there is a significant difference here.

The 1500 requires mains power for recharging, whereas Quip needs a simple and easily available AAA battery.

When traveling Quip becomes the more convenient option here.  No bulky charger to lug around.

Price

Given the convenience offered by Quip, which many of us might expect to pay a premium for, they actually one of the cheapest options within the USA.

They do sell internationally, but the price is more expensive when shipping and currency fees are considered.

Due to the different package options, making an accurate price comparison is difficult, but assuming you went for the more premium metal handled option, it would cost $40.

The replacement brush heads are then $5 every 3 month's and are delivered to your door with no shipping fees and includes a replacement AAA battery (if applicable).

This brush head cost is very comparable to Oral-B, but these are not normally available as single brush heads on subscription. Generally, you need to purchase a pack of 4 heads.

Here at Electric Teeth, we like to price the brush over a 3 year period to try and offer a fair ownership cost comparison.

Quip works out at roughly $95.

Oral-B’s Smart 1500 is about $120.

Please note that all costs quoted are approximates and prices will vary based on location, supplier, time of purchase.  These figures should not be relied on as hard fact but as a guide, based on real information at the time of writing.

Availability

Oral-B wins here.

Whilst it will, of course, vary from model to model, availability is generally nationwide through normal grocery stores, pharmacies and large retailers as well as online from a range of different sellers.

Quip is primarily available through www.getquip.com although Target and other major stores like Best Buy also stock some of Quip's brushes now.

Much of this is of course determined by the different business models and Quip retain most control due to the subscription model.

Reliability

A very difficult subject to comment on given that my experiences have all been positive.

I have however read and heard complaints about both and this is expected to a point.

The simpler setup of Quip does perhaps make it less prone to faults and whilst it comes with a 1 year warranty compared to the 2 year of Oral-B, I understand that Quip will extend that warranty, whilst you are subscribed.

If purchased outright, the 2 year warranty from Oral-B might be more reassuring.

Conclusion

The main reason to consider Quip instead of Sonicare or Oral-B is the subscription aspect. 

If you are lax at replacing your brush head, the Quip subscription may be best suited to you. 

The regular payments and deliveries of brush heads will act as the stimulus you need to take better care of your oral health.

If the subscription aspect is not important to you, my recommendation is to go for Oral-B or Sonicare. 

The Oral-B Smart 1500 is my recommendation for best overall electric toothbrush and the Sonicare 4100 Series, is the equivalent from Philips. They are roughly the same price as Quip — I have included buying links for all three below.  

Regardless of which brush you choose, the important thing is to use it properly alongside a good oral health routine.