On paper, the Bambooi Bio Max sounds like the sort of product we would like to support, but we recommend you proceed with caution if you are considering buying it.
Going by Bambooi’s claims, the Bio Max is the most powerful toothbrush on the market, the most ‘eco-friendly’, and it’s cheaper than the majority of brushes from other brands.
But, at the moment, Bambooi’s marketing messages and terminology are putting us off. It uses several buzzwords and doesn’t divulge enough information to back up the claims it is making.
It’s worth pointing out that using buzzwords in this way isn’t unique to Bambooi, and we’ve been critical of others that have done similar.
We’ve recently published extensive research into eco-friendly dental healthcare and as part of that we’ve published a post on eco-friendly terminology and definitions, to help clarify what specific phrases mean.
We have not yet tested the Bambooi brush, so the following is an analysis of Bambooi’s marketing messages and pre-launch promotion.
Bambooi calls its product ‘the World’s first eco-friendly electric toothbrush’
If we’re going by the dictionary definition of eco-friendly, “not harmful to the environment”, then there is no such thing as an eco-friendly electric toothbrush.
Bambooi is using materials such as sugarcane, cornstarch, castor oil and tapioca in place of petroleum-based plastic. In theory, this could reduce the impact that its brush has on the planet.
However, the materials used to make a product are just one part of the impact an electric toothbrush has.
Therefore, the fact that one electric toothbrush has less impact than another does not make it ‘eco-friendly’.
The term ‘eco-friendly’ is not regulated at present so manufacturers are free to use it as they wish, but from our understanding of the definition, it is an inaccurate way to describe an electric toothbrush.
Bambooi advertises its toothbrush as ‘good for the planet’
As per the above, the fact that Bambooi purportedly has less of an impact on the planet than other brushes does not mean it is ‘good for the planet’, it would simply be less bad than rival products.
Bambooi advertises its brush as ‘100% plant-based’
‘Plant-based’ is another term that is unregulated and used in a variety of contexts.
Perhaps the Bambooi casing and brush heads are ‘plant-based’, but the battery certainly won’t be, it is made from lithium. Therefore to call the product ‘100%’ plant-based’ is inaccurate.
And even plant-based materials are still difficult to dispose of. Take cornstarch PLA as an example. Yes, it is derived from corn and could therefore be called plant-based, but it is still a plastic. It is not as simple as throwing it in a home compost heap, and it requires specialist recycling.
‘The brush heads are made from natural cornstarch’
Bambooi doesn’t provide additional information here so we will go by the understanding we have from similar products.
Usually, when cornstarch is used in place of petroleum based plastic, it takes the form of cornstarch PLA. This is a form of plastic. Theoretically it can be composted in industrial facilities, but at the moment the infrastructure is not in place to make this possible. This means that cornstarch PLA products need to be recycled with specialist facilities such as TerraCycle, or be thrown in the bin.
The upside of using cornstarch PLA rather than petroleum based plastic is that corn is a renewable resource, whereas petroleum isn’t. So by using corn, a finite resource is not being used. But either way, if it is thrown in the bin, the product still ends up in landfill.
At present, the materials Bambooi uses are unproven in terms of durability
It is encouraging to see brands trying to challenge that market with new materials.
Bambooi says it is using several alternatives to petroleum based plastic: sugar cane, tapioca, castor oil and bamboo.
These could well be a way to reduce some of the impact of an electric toothbrush, but at the moment they are unproven. If these materials fail sooner than normal plastic, they could actually increase the impact of an electric toothbrush, i.e. if it needs to be replaced sooner.
Without seeing evidence of quality assurance tests and clinical studies, it’s impossible to say for certain if they are better for the planet. To truly measure the impact of one product compared to another, a life cycle analysis needs to be completed.
Is Bambooi offering to recycle brush heads?
On the product page for the Bio Max, Bambooi mentions a ‘responsible brush head recycling scheme’ but does not go into any further detail.
Its promotional video does say that it will recycle heads for free if they are sent back:
Some manufacturers are starting to offer schemes where a prepaid mailer comes with their product so that it can be returned to them for recycling.
If Bambooi is offering this then great, but it would be nice if the process was made clearer, and whether or not the customer incurs the cost of sending it back.
How powerful is the motor?
The Bio Max product page says the brush offers 62,000 pulses per minute, whereas the promotional video says 50,000 pulses per minute. Which one is it?
The reviews on its website are questionable
At the time of writing, on Bambooi’s website it has 2222 5-star reviews. Conversely, on its TrustPilot page, it has an average rating of 2.1 out of 5.
Many of the reviews embedded on the Bambooi homepage are also unrelated to the Bio Max brush, which is the only product available to buy as far as we can tell.
Perhaps Bambooi’s products and services were once much better, but if Trustpilot reviews are anything to go by there appears to be some discrepancy in the overall rating of this company.
It only comes with a 1 year warranty
Bambooi comes with a 1 year warranty, whereas many other brushes from leading brands come with a 2 year warranty.
Having 1 year less on a warranty gives consumers less protection.
Only having a 1 year warranty isn’t an absolute deal breaker, but do be aware that if buying the Bio Max, you will have 1 year less protection than if you opt for a brush that comes with a 2 year warranty.
To end on a positive note
The above may sound very critical of Bambooi, but our main aim is to give consumers a clear understanding of the messages they are being presented with.
Consumer goods are awash with buzzwords and big promises, so we drill down into the details to help people make the right buying choices.
It is encouraging to see a company like Bambooi trying to challenge the status quo, but to be taken seriously it needs to provide more information on the claims it is making.
Bambooi does at least offer a 90 day money back guarantee. It’s worth noting that at the moment there is little company history to back this up, but if implemented successfully it is a plus point. If it’s offering a recycling scheme for brush heads, that is also a good thing.
I have a bambooi tooth brush and I love it. I just can’t seem to find replacement heads for it.
I ordered and paid for an electric toothbrush back in 2021 and still have not received it. Is this a dodgy company? Looks like it. I really want my money refunded because basically this is theft!!
Hi Kathryn.
We don’t have any affiliations with the company so can’t really give much insight.
It would seem as if they had the right intentions, but for whatever reason the company has ceased trading.
I recommend your card issuer, through whom you made the payment for the products and see if you can claim the money back.
Bambooi hasn’t refunded my £125; I’d like to try and find out the (ex?) owner’s details and contact them.
Do you know anything?
Hi Lesley.
I don’t know the owner of the company. The best information I can share is from companies house.
As for the refund, you are probably going to be more successful asking your card issuer to refund you and they will make the relevant claims.
Thanks Jon – I’ve found the Companies House info and just need to put together the details for the credit card claim.
Frustrating, and irritating, considering all the other things that are happening to everybody in this world.
I bought 4!! For my entire family… currently out close to 500… and they sent me an email 4 months ago telling me my order is still coming. I feel this company is trying to make us all wait beyond the limitations time to get our money back so act fast.
Great review and very good exploration of the company’s claims to point out greenwashing. Unfortunately, Bambooi is a scam. I fell for it too and found out later that these toothbrushes were ordered from Alibaba for $15. The product is clearly cheaply manufactured in China (not Germany as claimed) as it contained no CE markings, safety and specs leaflets or info regarding warranty which you would expect from a genuine product.
I’ve learned my lesson and will interrogate claims made by companies better and read reviews like this before embarking on a purchase.
I hope for many people who have been duped that the 21 year old “CEO” of the company will be fined and learns a valuable lesson too.
Any idea who the 21 year old CEO is? And how we can contact him/her?
Still not received. Please refund me. Beyond a joke now!
Hi Joanne.
Please be aware we are not Bambooi or affiliated with them. We have just written about their product.
It would seem the company is no longer trading. Their website is no longer available and communications are going unanswered according to others.
To try and obtain a refund, you will need to speak to your card issuer, through whom you made a payment. They may be able to help.
The company has now disappeared with hundreds of customers like myself duped out of £80 . Either orders did not arrive at all or like mine they did but were worse than useless 😳..Not a good company at all..Seems to be some sort of scam as crowd funding says it was not successful yet we paid for cheap flimsy goods not fit for purpose. May report to BBC Watchdog as there seems to be no other way to get a refund..Not fair that our money was used to set up the business yet all the claims of a good quality eco friendly toothbrush were a let down 😢💜💚
Hi Colleen. Sorry to have to read this. I am not sure how you paid for the brush, but you may want to try making a claim through your card issuer.
Yes I mat try thst..We did receive the goods but they were useless..It seems the owner started with good intentions but got out of their depth 😢💚💜
I bought my toothbrush and I actually quite like it. With this in mind I ordered some more brush heads in July. I still haven’t received them and now I can’t seem to contact the company. I get a bad feeling I’m never going to see them.
Hi I am in the same situation as you. I received my toothbrush and like it but now can’t get the replacement brush heads! I was going to buy one for my son too. Glad I didn’t
Hi hope you are well. I too purchased this toothbrush but it died on me 😞 I do have a new box of brush heads if you would like them….free x
I bought a toothbrush from bambooi, and found the instructions unclear and wrong. By trial and error I accidentally found out that a green light appears when the toothbrush is fully charged. This was after I forgot and left it on charge for 18 hours. The instructions had said fully charged after 10 hours. The instructions gave claims of not needing to recharge for weeks in fact it needed recharging after 6 days . They offered a travel case none arrived they sent an apology, but still promised to send one free of charge. Of course it never arrived. The actual brush heads work loose quite quickly and if removed for travelling the clip tends to break easily. I find the toothbrush does clean effectively and am sure it is possible to overcome the drawbacks. I intend to save the brush heads and return them to the company suggesting a free return envelope be supplied if they can truly recycle.
I purchased a toothbrush in March? I’m still waiting and now your site has disappeared from Facebook and Instagram. I am not happy I want My money
Hi Gemma.
I am sorry to have to read your comment. Please be aware, Electric Teeth (us) are in no way affiliated with Bambooi.
It does seem that they have ceased trading.
I would advise speaking to the payment provider you used to pay for the brush that you haven’t received to see if they can help you obtain a refund.
I ordered some new toothbrush heads for my bambooi toothbrush back in August. They still haven’t arrived.
Can you look into it please?
Thanks
Louise Palmer
Hi Louise. I am sorry to read this, but there is nothing we can do. We are not affiliated with the company in any way and have only written about the product.
Hi Louise and hope you are well. I too had this toothbrush but it died so I have a box of brand new heads although the box is opened but contents unused. Free to you if it helps x
I also brought a toothbrush and hairbrush in May it arrived ok though a case to carry it in did not. The cleaning was good and charge has lasted 6 days, rather then the weeks advertised I received a response when I pointed this out. Since then nothing I found that it was better to recharge regularly for 8-10 hours, the tooth brush worked fine after this. But brush heads if taken of to travel come lose. Only lasted a short time, it was a shame but there are positives, I am sorry if they have gone under as it was cheerful start. They did not take money our of account until product was posted.
Thank you for your page and have some interesting points on Bambooi. I purchased, at least paid for a Bambooi electric brush – 11th August, 2022 and paid. Since then only communication, from Bmbooi, was by automated email. Thus sent a letter, by recorded mail, to Mr Bryden L James (CEO of Bambooi), on 15th September – no response.
Their web site is currently down. Company register is 12360801.
Any advice? Richard Stroud
Hi Richard.
Thanks for the comment.
I don’t know what is going on with Bambooi, but I fear they have ceased trading.
I am not sure how you paid, hopefully via Paypal or with a credit or debit card. I would suggest opening a claim/chargeback with your card company on this matter.
Bambooi is scam, I they are not a company worth integrity. They promised me a refund in June, but have now disappeared. I don’t understand how you are able to sell their products, since I’m not en been sure they ever have the products. They were so many complaints on their facebook ads until they stopped all comments then subsequently, as I said, disappeared.
Sorry to have to read your comment.
Just to be clear we are not selling any of their products and are not affiliated with them.
Have you spoken to your credit/debit card company to see if you can claim the money back that way?
I paid for 2 Bambooi toothbrushes in October 2021 (£76 deal) I knew that it would be several months before I received them BUT ABSOLUTELY NOTHING has arrived. I get automated replies from their customer service which do not address the issue and it’s impossible to get a refund. I would not touch this company with a bargepole – massive con.
Hi Amanda. I am sorry to have to read your comment. I don’t know how you paid for the brushes, but it is well worth speaking to your payment provider to see if they can help. Many credit/debit card companies have procedures in place to help claim your money back in circumstances like this. Worth getting in touch.
Thank you – I’ve done exactly as you suggested and I expect I will eventually get my money back…such a disappointment as I really wanted to support a more eco-friendly way of brushing my teeth. There are other companies now offering something similar so I will wait and then try one of those.
Fingers crossed Amanda. I would recommend having a look at SURI.
I paid a £10 deposit and have heard nothing! Will have to look back and remind myself how I paid, now I realise my toothbrush may never arrive 🙁😡.
I have a bambooi electric tooth brush and have had it for over 6 months. I am obsessed with having clean teeth. It gives an exceptional clean for the same amount of clean to an oral b and Phillips sonic. I have had both. Both died. My teeth feel as clean as a dentist clean and the brushes last like new for a long time unlike the my 2 previous brushes.
I have had exactly the same experience as the lady above. After first charge, the charge no longer holds and it runs out after one brush. Emailed the company twice in the last 3 weeks and had zero response. What would be your advice?
Sorry to hear this Alex.
I am not sure where you stand. Legally, it should be replaced under warranty. As above my advice would be to get in touch with the card provider you used to pay for it, to see if they can help or contact Trading Standards.
I pre ordered the toothbrush and received a few emails to say the toothbrush was delayed in customs, delayed due to high volume of orders etc. it has never arrived and I have tried to contact them through every possible contact point and have never received a reply other than an automated response saying someone would reply shortly. They won’t even answer their telephone
Sorry to hear this Kelli. If you contact your card issuer you may be able to arrange a refund. You could also try getting in touch with trading standards.
Thank you for your advice.
I bought one of these toothbrushes about 3 months ago and initially was very very impressed – the battery seemed fully charged as it lasted a few weeks before I had to re-charge. However it doe not hold a charge – often just goes flat after one brushing. I have tried to contact the company but can only do so by email and so far I have just got an automated response saying they are busy but should get back to me in 48 hours – that was at least 2 weeks ago!! No impressed with customer service.