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Published: January 3, 2024

Oral-B iO review (Series 9)

Author: Jon Love (23 Comments)
Oral-B iO review (Series 9) 1

The best of Oral-B: what you need & lots more, but it’s expensive

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The iO9 is a great toothbrush. It cleans the teeth well and is packed full of tech to help you brush better.

But it’s expensive and only the most committed users will get maximum value from it.

Pros

Cons

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Premium design with colour screen

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Requires iO specific heads

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Quieter than other Oral-B brushes

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Bluetooth connectivity isn’t essential and adds to the cost

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Rapid recharging

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Charging travel case requires a separate power adapter

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Real-time tracking via Bluetooth can be valuable to the most committed users

Consider these and save £

The iO Series 6 is similar but significantly cheaper. You get a regular travel case, rather than a charging one. There are 2 fewer cleaning modes and a black and white display rather than colour. Our iO comparison explains the differences in full.

Or, if you like value for money, the Pro 3 3500 is a better buy, but it doesn’t offer any of the smart features.

The most detailed real-time tracking but it’s not always accurate

Perhaps the most unique and defining feature of the iO Series 9 is its ability to track the position of the toothbrush in your mouth using sensors built into the handle.

The iO9 is Bluetooth-enabled, making it a smart toothbrush. This allows data to be transferred from the brush handle to an Oral-B app on your smartphone, which provides visual insights into how you are brushing.

As a general rule, we don’t recommend smart brushes. You can brush your teeth just as well without one, they use more resources and they are usually more expensive.

Nonetheless, the intention is that the data is presented by the app in such a way that it educates you and encourages you to pay more attention to what you are doing. 

Oral-B iO review (Series 9) 12
Oral-B smartphone app tracks the real-time position of the toothbrush and gives a coverage score.

The 16 zone tracking is more granular than other iO models

Unlike the vast majority of iO Series brushes that track 6 zones, the iO Series 9 (and the iO10) have 16 zone tracking.

When tracking 16 zones, you are essentially tracking specific tooth surfaces.

Those zones are:

  • Upper rear right (inner, outer & biting) 
  • Upper front (inner & outer)
  • Upper rear left (inner, outer & biting)
  • Lower rear right (inner, outer & biting)
  • Lower front (inner & outer)
  • Lower rear right (inner, outer & biting)
Oral-B iO review (Series 9) 13

The logic is that with this more granular data, you can make more focused improvements.

For example, where the iO Series 6 might highlight that you don’t brush your lower back teeth well enough (1 of 6 tracked zones), the iO9 is more specific and shows that you don’t brush the inner surface of the back right teeth.

The whole system is very clever and with serious commitment, some will gain a real benefit.

The tracking is sometimes inaccurate, particularly if you are left-handed

No brush with real-time tracking — irrespective of brand — is perfect.

With the iO9, there is a real inconsistency in how well the sensor monitors the brush’s position. I’ve yet to establish any notable pattern to the cause. Left handed users (myself included) seem to fare worse.

Some sessions are better than others. It regularly thinks you are brushing a different zone to the one you are in, or not register it at all. There can also be a noticeable lag/delay in the visuals. 

Marginal improvements have been made, but accuracy should be better. I know many will be frustrated by this.

The app doesn’t force you to brush tooth surfaces in a specific order. I wonder whether it would improve the tracking if it did. It would also be useful for encouraging better techniques and habits.

Oral-B iO review (Series 9) 14

The app has some useful customisation features

Using the Oral-B app you can change the order of the cleaning modes or disable them. You can set specific oral care journeys, change the brushing time and alter the pacing of the timer.

You can see the remaining battery life and how long you have been using a particular brush head.

You don’t have to use the app every time that you brush your teeth — the data is retained by the handle and shared with the app next time you use it.  

When using the app while you brush, you get a very different screen setup. Not only do you see where you are brushing, but you also see which cleaning mode is selected and how long you have been brushing for. It will show you if you are applying too little or too much pressure.

All in all these are useful features, if not essential. 

You can achieve similar results for less money and without the need for all this tech

You don’t need a smart toothbrush to achieve clean teeth and make positive improvements to your oral care routine. You can do all you need with a manual brush, if not a cheaper electric toothbrush. 

The tech the iO9 offers can certainly help detect areas for improvement, but there is a good chance you already know what these are.

It does make analysing your brushing more fun and engaging, but it comes at a cost.

If you're committed to the app enough to gain the insights, it still relies on you making the changes to your technique. 

You have the best opportunity to make required changes if you use the app whilst you brush as you will be shown on the screen what’s not going well.

But once you’ve perfected everything, then what? Will you continue to use the app once you’ve achieved a nigh-on perfect brushing score every time?

Even as someone who tests such products, I don’t regularly use the apps outside my testing.

To help perfect your brushing technique you could occasionally use plaque disclosing tablets, which are far cheaper. 

The colour screen looks impressive but impacts battery life

The Series 9 is one of three iO models that have a colour display. 

I can’t deny it looks impressive and adds a certain appeal to the brush, but it does far less than you might expect. It didn’t need to be colour, black and white like the iO6 or 7 would have been fine. And it seems to impact the battery life negatively too.

The biggest benefit is that it displays an icon and a text label for the cleaning modes. It’s a big step up from the icon only or no icons at all of some other brushes.

It's not a touchscreen, which is a good thing. Instead, it is controlled via the function buttons above and below.

As you use the brush the screen displays a timer, although it isn’t that easy to see given the way you hold a toothbrush.

Oral-B iO review (Series 9) 18
A timer is shown on screen during a standard cycle to show elapsed time.

You don’t get any real-time brushing feedback via the screen. It won’t show you if you have missed a zone, for example. Oclean does something similar on its X Pro Elite. I think Oral-B has missed an opportunity here. Instead, after brushing, the iO9 displays an emoji face to communicate whether you brushed poorly, ok or great.

A few seconds later the remaining battery power is shown with an icon and an exact percentage.

A number of settings like the brush language, Bluetooth connectivity and light ring can be accessed via the screen, but more settings and choices are available from the app.

Inconsistent battery life: it doesn’t always reach 2 weeks

With the majority of electric brushes offering a month or more of battery life, the iO9 ranks well below average. Oral-B claims a battery life of 14 days, but I’ve often found it to be worse – approximately 12 days use is most common from my testing. 

Despite having used the iO9 since its launch a few years ago, I can’t categorically say what’s causing it. My suspicion is the colour display. I will often see it activated as a result of vibration or movement nearby. To my knowledge, other iO brushes have the same lithium-ion battery sealed inside, yet achieve up to 17 days.

This isn’t a major issue for the vast majority of users. I wouldn’t say it’s a reason to avoid it, particularly as the Series 9 has a magnetic fast charger capable of topping the battery up in just 3 hours. If you are a frequent traveler it is something to bear in mind.

The magnetic charger is circular in shape and wider and deeper than a standard issue Oral-B stand. It doesn’t have the prong on top for the brush to sit on. Instead, a  slight convex zone in the centre aligns with the concave base of the iO9’s handle.

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The magnetic charger is able to recharge the battery fully in just 3 hours.

A 2 pin UK power adapter is hardwired into it, which is suitable for UK bathrooms. The cord is about 1.2 metres in length. The stand supports 100-240 volts, unlike the 220-240 volts of the standard charger. This is more convenient if you are a regular international traveller.

Feedback on the charge is available via the smartphone app and the screen of the brush. When the power is really low the light ring at the top of the brush handle will flash red. It pulses white when on charge.

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An example of the box contents of the iO Series 9.

It’s got the features your dentist recommends

The key features that dentists recommend for an electric toothbrush are a timer, pacer and pressure sensor. The iO9 does have all of these. 

Pressure sensors don’t come smarter than this

The visual pressure sensor on the iO9 is one of the best out there. This is useful if you brush too hard or scrub your teeth. 

The light ring illuminates in different colours to alert you when you are brushing with too much or too little force: 

  • White  – low pressure – not enough force is being applied. 
  • Green – the right amount of pressure is being used.
  • Red – high - excessive pressure is being applied and the force should be reduced.

If using the app it will alert you on screen too.

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The light ring is lit red when too much pressure is applied during brushing.

Frustratingly, the alerts are visual only. Blind or partially sighted users will struggle. It would be even better if the handle used a vibration alert, particularly when too much pressure is being applied.

Brush your teeth evenly and for longer

2 minutes is the optimum time to rush. Unsurprisingly the iO encourages you to achieve this. As you brush, the motor pauses at 30 second intervals to prompt you to move to the next part of your mouth. 

If you want to brush for longer you can – unlike some other brushes, the iO9 doesn’t power off automatically after 2 minutes. 

The pacing is deactivated when you use the app and real-time tracking

When you brush in real-time with the app, the pacing is disabled. The logic is that you are paying attention to the timer and visuals on screen, therefore you don’t need the prompts. 

You can see when you have brushed each surface and when you should move to the next one.

Oral-B iO review (Series 9) 22
Black onyx brush handle comes with matching brush heads.

The motion of the larger brush head is gentler and achieves great cleaning results 

It sounds somewhat cliche, but the iO9 does deliver that dentist clean feeling after every use. 

Oral-B’s oscillating-rotating and micro vibrating cleaning action is backed by clinical data. The iO9 specifically has achieved the American Dental Association's Seal of Acceptance.

The brush heads have gotten bigger and are iO-specific

With the introduction of the iO Series came a similar, but different range of brush heads.

The long established range of brush heads compatible with the vast majority of Oral-B brushes do not fit iO handles.

You now need an iO-specific head, of which there are 4 styles, when using the iO9.

Oral-B iO review (Series 9) 23
4 different styles of brush heads are available and fit to the iO Series brush handles.

If you’re used to an Oral-B brush head, you may well notice how they have gotten a little bigger. They are approximately 10% deeper. It’s not a big difference, but it is noticeable. If you have a very cramped mouth you may prefer to avoid the iO range.

The price has also gone up. On average, iO brush heads are twice as expensive as non-iO Oral-B heads. Expect to now pay £8 per replacement head.

Just like any other toothbrush, you need to replace the bristles every 3 months. The app and brush can track the head and alert you (in the app and via the display) when this is required. It’s useful and not as intrusive as you might think.

A gentler brushing experience

With the introduction of the iO Series came an entirely new brush motor. This is significant because it has reduced the harshness of the brushing experience.

I’ve always liked the intense clean that the round brush head gives, but some, understandably, have found it to be too much. 

There is a noticeable difference with the iO Series. It is much softer and ultimately makes for a more enjoyable time using the brush. Importantly it still cleans the teeth just as well.

Oral-B iO review (Series 9) 24

Quieter, but still quite loud

The rather loud mechanical noise from older Oral-B models has been replaced with a softer and less irritating sound. It’s an improvement, but it still isn’t at the same more enjoyable pitch of most sonic toothbrushes. 

We registered it at up to 72 decibels (dB). That’s only a few dB less than most Oral-B brushes, but it’s noticeable.

Newer iO models (Series 3, 4, 5 and 6) have been improved further producing just 64dB. 

I can’t help but feel Oral-B has missed an opportunity to really make a significant change. The brush didn’t need to be silent, but it could have been reduced further to compete with the quietest electric toothbrushes.

The iO9 and its replacement heads are expensive

You need pretty deep pockets to buy and maintain the iO Series 9. If you can afford and justify it, you are getting a fantastic toothbrush.

The suggested retail price is £499.99. I wouldn’t blame you if you spat out your coffee whilst reading that.

Thanks to creative marketing in the UK the actual selling price is typically half this at £250.

That is still about 6 times more expensive than our top recommended Oral-B toothbrush!

With iO-specific heads now costing about £8 you can expect the Series 9 to cost £338 over 3 years.

As I have made clear, you don’t need to spend this to achieve clean teeth. The Pro 3 3500 costs a quarter of the price and cleans the teeth just as well.

But if you want the best, there is no denying that the tech is impressive, even with some irritations.

Oral-B iO review (Series 9) 25

It’s probably the best looking brush Oral-B has made

Oral-B has failed to keep up with the competition when it comes to design aesthetics and the iO9 addresses this to a large degree.

It looks much more modern, with a clean and minimal appearance. I particularly like the lack of gloss plastics.

Large areas of textured grips found on some handles have been sacrificed here, but the matt finish to the handle creates some resistance to the fingertip.

In the palm, the cylindrical handle feels solid and well balanced. It stands upright on a countertop and doesn’t roll when laid on a flat surface.

It is of practical plastic construction, not metal like SURI.

Of course, the display helps with the appeal too.

Each function button has a slightly concave shape and a different material finish from the rest of the handle, thus it's obvious to the fingertip where it is positioned. 

Ultimately, the brush, available in 3 colours, white, black and rose quartz is more refined.

Mould can build up inside the head if you’re not careful

This tooth cleaning device needs to be kept clean too, otherwise you could find a nasty surprise in your brush head.

Failure to properly rinse and clean the brush head after each use has resulted in many people finding mould growing inside the brush head.

It’s not a new problem with Oral-B brushes and is linked to the holes in the brush head. With the iO range it has become more obvious as a result of the gap around the magnetic attachment point at the top of the handle. It offers an ideal trap and breeding ground for bacteria.

The iO9 is water-resistant despite its OLED display and can be happily rinsed under a tap and even used in the shower. 

Oral-B iO review (Series 9) 26
The iO9 is water resistant and fairly easy to keep clean.

A brushing mode for every day of the week

No less than 7 different cleaning modes are available on the iO Series 9.

I’ve yet to find anyone who uses them all or any real justification for having so many. The reality is the cleaning results between each are very similar.

Nonetheless, your choices are:

  • Daily Clean 
  • Sensitive 
  • Whiten 
  • Gum Care
  • Intense 
  • Super Sensitive 
  • Tongue Clean 

My preference is Daily Clean, but the sensitive mode is nice to have for those times your teeth and gums might be feeling a bit tender. It is also a useful mode for those starting out their journey with an electric toothbrush because it’s not as intense. 

Unlike many other models (and that includes other iO models), it is really simple to switch between modes and know which you have selected. You don’t have to remember a specific order or know what each icon means.  The colour screen makes it easy to see and select the mode you want.

The bulky power adapter makes the charging travel case less useful

The iO9 premium travel case is, in my opinion, the worst available today. Those that come with the Sonicare 9900 Prestige, SURI and others are far better.

Oral-B iO review (Series 9) 27
A premium charging travel case is included with the Series 9.

It is admittedly one of a select few that have the ability to charge the brush whilst in the case. But, it is hampered by the bulky proprietary power adapter.

The competition uses USB connectors and cables. Thus you can likely use the same power adapter for your toothbrush as you can your smartphone (as long as it’s not an iPhone). That is not the case here (excuse the pun).

To be clear, there is no battery in the power2go case. It must be connected to a power outlet to charge the toothbrush.

One redeeming factor is that the 2 pin power adapter does support 100-240v, so you need only a plug adapter when travelling, not a voltage adapter too.

It is a very durable travel case too. Thicker and heavier than most, it holds the handle and 1 brush head.

When connected to power, an LED on the outside gives feedback on the charge status.

Oral-B iO review (Series 9) 28

You get a three year warranty, not the standard two 

Where the vast majority of brushes come with a standard 2 year warranty, the iO9 does have the option of an additional third year, at no extra cost, if you register the brush. 

Making you register for the extra year is a marketing ploy by Oral-B. I do wish they just gave this as standard and benefited from the positive feedback this would gain. It would put them well ahead of the competition.

By their very nature, electric brushes are prone to failure, but the chances of a brush failing are slim. Long established manufacturing processes and experience in the industry have been applied.

My iO9 is still going strong after 3+ years.

Regretfully the iO9 or any of the iO models have not been designed to be repairable at home. It is common practice for electric brushes not to be user serviceable. It’s a shame more environmentally considerate approaches are not being factored in by leading brands.

Environmental impact

The environmental impact of electric toothbrushes is on average 11 times greater than a manual brush. This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t use one. You need to balance effective cleaning and disease prevention against the environmental impact.

With the additional, non-essential technology built into the iO9, plus the extra accessories, bigger box and increased shipping weight the impact is likely much higher than lower spec’d brushes.

While Oral-B has partnered with schemes such as TerraCycle, it does not yet have its own recycling scheme for used brush heads or faulty products.

Its brush heads are made from petroleum-based plastic, which uses up the planet’s finite resources compared to using plant-based plastics.

Come the end of its life the extra electrical components required for the smart technology results in more e-waste. 

Conclusion: fantastic, but you’re paying for non-essential features

The iO9 is a top of the range brush and one I do recommend.

It isn’t for everyone and even if you can afford the premium price, I will reiterate, you don’t need the extra features. More affordable brushes (see the Pro 3 3500) clean the teeth just as well.

But, if you love your tech and want the best, this is it. For those committed to getting the most from the iO9, it can pick up on your mistakes and encourage you to do better. Used to its full capability, it will help you achieve cleaner and healthier teeth.

Just be aware that the battery life isn’t amazing. The tracking isn’t perfect and you’re stuck buying more expensive brush heads.

Size guide

  • Toothbrush height with head - 24cm / 9.5 inches
  • Toothbrush height without head - 18.3cm / 7.2 inches
  • Width - 2.8cm / 1.1 inches
  • Depth/thickness - 2.8cm / 1.1 inches
  • Weight with head - 140g / 4.9oz
  • Weight without head - 131g / 4.6oz
  • Travel case size - 23cm / 9.1 inches (L) x 6.5cm / 2.6 inches (W) x 3.7cm / 1.5 inches (D)
  • Travel case weight - 139g / 4.9oz without brush or 279g / 9.8oz with brush
  • Package weight - 635g / 22.4oz

Noise

  • 72dB

Country of manufacture

  • Germany (handle & brush head) & China (travel case & charger)

FAQ

How do I turn on or off Bluetooth on the iO9?

Disable Bluetooth by entering the «Settings» menu on the interactive display-> Bluetooth -> disable. Follow the same procedure to enable Bluetooth again.

How do I change the language on the iO9?

Press the lower mode/function button (under the display) multiple times until you see the settings icon. Looks like a cog icon.

Press the power button once to enter the settings menu.

Press the mode button twice to get to Language.

Press the power button once.

Press the mode button multiple times until the language you desire is shown on the display.

Press the power button to confirm the language choice.

More Oral-B iO content

In case you hadn’t noticed, the Oral-B iO range now includes several models. 

We explain the differences in our Oral-B iO comparison

We’ve also reviewed each brush individually: 

Author: Jon Love

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K
Karen
October 2, 2023

Hello Mr. Love, I appreciate very much reading your article on Oral B iQ 9. I’m 86 years old, totally confused and overwhelmed by the many kinds of electric brushes on the market. All I need is a simple one that does a thorough job since I have a few bridges and many repaired teeth without enamels. Due to some difficulty holding and maneuvering large handles, a thinner lighter handle is much preferred, regrettably I wasn’t able to find the diameters or weights of the brush handles. Too much technology confuses me, also easy access of replacement brushed would helpful in saving some money. Do you think Oral B pro 5000 would be good? Or could you recommend one for my need? Thank you kindly, Karen

JL
Jon Love - Chief tester
October 2, 2023

Hi Karen. The number of brush models are very confusing. I am happy to make a recommendation for you. I just want to confirm your location? What country do you live in? Your comment is on our UK website, but the Pro 5000 isn't a model commonly sold in the UK. Please advise and I will happily assist.

K
Karen
October 2, 2023

Thank you Mr. Love, I’m in California, USA.

JL
Jon Love - Chief tester
October 3, 2023

Thank you for confirming Karen. Whilst the Pro 5000 isn't a bad option, it has more features than you need. Our top pick in the Oral-B range is the Smart 1500. It strikes the blanace in features, price and performance. I'm not sure if you are brand concious or not, but a slimmer and lighter handle would be the Philips Sonicare 4100 Series. The Philips brush is cheaper to buy initially, but the brush heads are a bit more expensive than the Oral-B heads. Over 3 years the Oral-B works out a bit cheaper, but there isn't a huge difference in it. Fundamentally they both clean the teeth well. I've included the dimensions and weights below. I hope this helps. Any questions, just ask. Smart 1500 dimensions: Height (without head) – 7.68 inches/19.5cm Height (with head) – 9.13 inches/23.2cm Width – 0.98 inches/2.5cm Thickness – 1.14 inches/2.9cm Weight (without head) – 4.2oz/119g Weight (with head) – 4.4oz/124g Sonicare 4100 Series: Height (without head) – 17.3cm/6.8 inches Height (with head) – 23.4cm/9.2 inches Width – 2.5cm/0.9 inches Thickness – 2.7cm/1 inches Weight (without head) – 92g/3.2oz Weight (with head) – 97g/3.4oz

K
Karen
October 4, 2023

Thank you Mr. Love, Your thoughtful analysis and recommendations are great and the detailed information is very helpful. Phillips Sonicare 4100 series is now my preference, its lighter weight and thinner handle will be easier for my hand in moving toothbrush around. Your advice has saved me hours of time and the agony of searching through a mass number of electric toothbrushes. I thank you sincerely for your time and kindness! Respectfully Karen

A
Antonino
March 18, 2023

Hi Team, Many thanks for your fantastic and very honest reviews. It is not easy to find anything similar to your website in any field. I have seen around different model: IO9, IO9N,IO9S. Are you aware of any major difference? Reading on line i saw many different opinions that are not trustable, maybe you have the answer :) Thanks a lot

JL
Jon Love - Chief tester
March 20, 2023

Hi Antonio. Thanks for the kind words. The difference with the N and S versions tends to be the brush head supplied/the box contents (accessories). Technically they are the same in terms of toothbrush features. It can vary from one country to another. I hope that helps.

A
Antonino
March 21, 2023

Many thanks for the reply, very helpful!

sc
ste cunningham
March 17, 2022

the problem with Braun is if you have an problem with your product they want you to throw it away and buy a new one, i am disabled and need an electric toothbrush so for the 4 weeks they was fixing mine i had to try to brush my teeth with manual not easy if your disabled and have metal work in your spine and you can only use your right hand, but they don't have good customer care i have bought Braun all my life but this has more than put me off a very traumatic experience and all i wanted was my toothbrush to work, Disgraceful is all i can say so look about the Spotlight Sonic is rated the best and only £50 a bargain compared to Braun.

sc
ste cunningham
March 17, 2022

No i paid £250 for one it lasted me about 6 months then would not charge so i sent it back the week after i was sent just the handle and charger back i plugged it in and again the morning after i tried and it wouldn't charge, so i posted it back after about 20 emails and then they said we can't send you a replacement until your gets back. What the hell do they think i was going to do with a toothbrush that didn't work, anyway after 4 weeks i have another plugged it in the sun come up i thought great but problem now is the language is Russian. so i would say NO keep away go for Spotlight Sonic only £50 rated No1

U
Unai
January 22, 2022

Hi! A quick question, with the io 7 and the io 8 special edition at the same price, which one is the best option? I understand that the only change in the 8 special edition againts the "normal" one is that it has a diferent case.

JL
Jon Love - Chief tester
January 24, 2022

If they are the same price, you are getting the extra cleaning mode of the iO8 included as well as a colour display, rather than black or white. Ultimately which you prefer.

E
Essa
June 25, 2021

I have used "Oral-B Genius X" In regards to this review and Oral-B iO. First of all, the above review is spot on, I agree with all you said in the video and the review. 1. The cost of increased heads is something to consider (i did not know this before reading this review. 2. I agree with your statement, the app is all over the place and does not do detection at all that well. This means there is no point to the app, and most of the time i don't even use the app. My experience with day to day use, the only benefit i can see with this and the more expensive Oral-B Electric toothbrush is the availability for Tooth+ or deepclean. There is setting which increase the speed and is more intense, i truly do think that is the only additional benefit. If i knew all of this i would have gone for the 2500 Pro. Its cheaper and does the job equally good. The rest is marketing hype. Also don't forget, the margin for Oral-B is in the original head.

e
emilio
January 15, 2021

purchased one of these, mostly because it is not as loud as the Genius series. Cleaning wise, I find it at least on par, if not slightly better. I find it awkward having to start a cleaning cycle, then stopping it, then wait a bit, just to check the battery level; admittedly, it is almost the same on the Genius. What is harder to explain and, frankly speaking, plain stupid is the fact that the battery level does not show while charging. How could their testing department miss this point? B.t.w. the operating manual says "The charge level is indicated on the interactive display (4). Once it is fully charged the display turns off". This is, actually, not true. When the charging starts the battery level is indicated for a while, then the display goes off during the rest of the charging process.

JL
Jon Love - Chief tester
January 16, 2021

Yes you are correct that the display goes off. However, the light ring at the top of the handle continues to pulse whilst it is on charge indicating that it has not yet fully recharged.

MG
Mark Gibson
January 6, 2021

Was about to push the button at £250 - been waiting a decade for Orall B to come out with a Lithium Ion battery and the benefits this brings. But a bulky proprietary charger for the travel case is a deal breaker - I will simply just not buy a device that does not support standard USB charging in this day and age on the grounds of convenience and environmental friendliness (and I have enough devices bricked through loss of charger thanks). My current set up is an Oral B at home and a Sonicare for travel - purely for the convenience of USB charging. Why oh why oh why etc ... would you provide a travel case (where weight, form factor and convenience are paramount) with a bulky proprietary charger? There must be some shadowy commercial reasoning behind this but what ever this is it is at the expensive of the user experience so will not be purchasing.

JL
Jon Love - Chief tester
January 7, 2021

Thanks for sharing your thoughts Mark, I have to say I agree. Sonicare have it right on the travel case front as you already know. Oral-B does have other lithium-ion battery toothbrushes, but none has a travel case that offers charging via USB.

MG
Mark Gibson
January 7, 2021

Thanks Jon - which pre iO models are Li?

JL
Jon Love - Chief tester
January 7, 2021

Oral-B: Pro 2 2000 Pro 2 2500 Pro 3 3000 Smart 4 4000 Smart 5 5000 Smart 6 6000 Genius 8000 Genius 9000 Genius X These are the main ones, a few others that are variants of above.

MG
Mark Gibson
January 7, 2021

Good lord, your right. I had assumed from the performance charging time of mine that it was still stuck in NiMH land! Had high hopes for the iO range - just a shame about the proprietary chrger and the real use battery life (relative to Sonicare) - particularly given the price point. Many thanks for the response and the accurate info - your site is a great resource and I know where to come before my next purchase.

JO
Jan Olsson
September 24, 2020

Yes my IO series-7, 100% battery on a saturday afternoon, after charging 5 hours. Today thursdaymorning after brushing, down to 30%...7 weeks...hahahaha...I'm happy if I get one week.

JO
Jan Olsson
September 19, 2020

What? Seven weeks on one charge? Are you kiddin` me? I just bought an io series 7 and get just one week on one charge. Using sensitive mood, blue tooth turned off and brushing 2+2 minutes a day.

JL
Jon Love - Chief tester
September 21, 2020

Hi Jan. Thanks for sharing your experience. This was the battery life we got in our hands-on testing. We repeated this 3 times in simulated testing to verify the results. I was very surprised when the results turned out this way. Equally, I am surprised that the battery life you have achieved is just 1 week for 2 cleans twice a day for 2 minutes each time. I am presuming it was at 100% when you began?

B
Bryan
August 15, 2020

Brilliant review. I love the toothbrush, the clean it gives is the best, but the battery life is appalling :(

JL
Jon Love - Chief tester
August 15, 2020

Hi Bryan. Thanks for the comment. What are you getting from the brush in terms of battery life?

SK
Steve Knievel
August 7, 2020

True. I'm a dental nurse so maybe I'm more attuned than the man in the street!

SK
Steve Knievel
August 3, 2020

Great review, very useful. I bought the series 7 and love the higher speed motor. It's like a Sonicare but with Oral B oscillation. One thing, though, is that the brush does let you know if pressure is too firm, by reducing the brush speed (in addition to the red light which you mentioned). It says so in the user manual, and having tried it for myself, it works.

JL
Jon Love - Chief tester
August 7, 2020

It does indeed Steve. This is definitely useful to protect the teeth, but it is not something that most would notice in use I don't think. Compared to other Oral-B models, there isn't the same noticeable difference in sound when the sensor is activated.

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