What the cleaning experience is like and how clean our teeth felt after brushing.
How well it cleans Score SummaryWhat the brush is like in-hand; how grippy it is, what the balance is like, how easy it is to remove brush heads.
How it feels Score SummaryDoes the brush have our recommended features of a timer, pacer & pressure sensor and how well do they perform?
Recommended features Score SummaryHow long does the battery last, how long does it take to charge and does the brush have a battery level indicator?
Battery performance Score SummaryWhat are the total ownership costs over the space of several years and how expensive are replacement brush heads?
Price Score SummaryHow easy is it to clean the brush, how noisy is it, does it come with a travel case or any other useful items?
Additional items & features Score SummaryHow long is the warranty, what is the manufacturer's reputation and how strong are its environmental efforts?
Support & reputation Score SummaryApplies to smart toothbrushes only. How well does the smart technology work and how useful is the app?
Smart features Score SummaryOur verdict
The Vitality Pro has dentist recommended features and can help you clean your teeth better than you would with a manual brush.
Daily use is hampered by the lack of battery notification LED and visible pressure sensor. Invest slightly more to get a brush that delivers a better user experience, such as the Oral-B Pro 3 3500.
The Pro 3 3500 costs a bit more, but it offers increased cleaning power, an improved battery life, a battery notification LED, a visible pressure sensor and a travel case.
Pros |
Cons |
|---|---|
A grippy handle |
No battery status feedback |
|
3 cleaning modes |
Doesn’t remember the last mode used |
|
Additional brush head included |
No cleaning mode icons or labels |
|
No pressure sensor |
No feedback on the battery’s charge level is frustrating
17 days of use is what I achieved in my testing. This is great, given that the built-in rechargeable Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) battery is claimed to give 10 days of use.
3-4 weeks is the average usage time of most electric brushes, so the Vitality falls below this, but for the price, this can perhaps be excused.
The lack of an LED on the handle to give any feedback on the battery life is the most irritating part of the Vitality Pro. You can’t tell if the battery is low or not. The only way you know the battery needs a charge is when it slows or stops.
Avoid it slowing and cutting out in the middle of a brushing session by placing it on the charging stand every few days to keep it topped up.
When placed on the provided charger you don’t get any feedback either. You just have to hope it is being recharged. It takes up to 22 hours to complete a full charge.
The stand supports 220-240v and has a 2 pin power adapter, suitable for bathroom shaver sockets, hardwired into it.
If you don’t have a 2 pin shaver socket charger in your bathroom you can purchase a 2 pin to 3 pin plug adapter to allow you to charge it from other sockets.
A grippy handle that’s more difficult to keep clean
The tapered design of the Vitality Pro’s handle makes it look and feel a little different to most other brushes. It’s available in several different colours, so you can find your preference.
Wrapping almost the entirety of the handle is a rubber grip with a dimpled texture. It assists in holding the brush securely. Unfortunately, the dimples catch residual toothpaste and debris, making it harder to keep clean.
The brush is water resistant so can be rinsed under the tap to aid with cleaning. It also means it can be used in the shower if desired.
A single function button powers the brush on and allows for switching between the 3 brushing modes. The white convex shape, complete with power icon, stands out from the handle. The firm push required isn’t ideal if you suffer with arthritis or painful joints.
The Pro will stand upright on a countertop and a moulding on the back of the handle helps prevent it rolling when laid flat.
It’s got a 2 minute timer and pacer to help you brush evenly
Two of the essential features our in-house dentists recommend are a timer and a pacer. The Vitality Pro has both.
The pacer is activated from the moment the brush is powered on, pausing the brushing action every 30 seconds to tell you to move on to the next part of the mouth. There are 4 sections in total and you need to brush the inner, outer and biting surfaces of the teeth during this time.
After 2 minutes the alert changes slightly to tell you that you have brushed for long enough. Unlike some brushes, the Vitality doesn’t power off automatically. This may be a disappointment to some, but it’s not a big issue.
Brushing for the full 2 minutes is very important, but just as important if not more so, is using the correct technique. Make sure you learn how to brush your teeth properly — you need to use an electric brush in a different way to a manual one.
It lacks the protection of a pressure sensor
The Vitality Pro does not have a pressure sensor. This means that you are not alerted in any way should you scrub the teeth too hard. Forceful brushing will damage teeth and gums in the long term.
Pressure sensors often don’t feature in the cheapest of toothbrushes. You don’t need it to brush your teeth well, but it is a feature that dentists recommend. If you know you’re in the habit of brushing too hard, you should seriously consider the Pro 3, or any other brush that has one.
The sensitive cleaning modes are good for first-time users
The brushing modes available on the Vitality Pro are:
- Sensitive plus
- Sensitive
- Daily clean
In most instances, you only need one: daily clean. This will suffice for the vast majority of users.
But, sensitive is a great option for new electric toothbrush users or if you have particularly tender gums. Those with gum disease will also benefit from the slower and less intense movements.
No icons or labels to tell you which mode you’re using
Pressing the power button at any time allows you to switch between the modes.
Unfortunately, there is nothing to confirm which mode you have selected. There are no labels, icons or LEDs on the handle. Instead, you have to learn the order. You will get used to the different sounds and sensations that each offers.
It doesn’t remember the last mode used
Frustratingly, the brush does not remember the last cleaning mode used. This means every time you use the brush, you will need to press the power button 3 times to access our preferred mode, Daily Clean.
It’s not a deal breaker nor a reason to avoid the Vitality Pro, but it’s something to be aware of.
Satisfactory cleaning results from the less powerful motor
The cleaning action doesn’t feel as intense as other premium Oral-B models, yet the actual brushing results are more than satisfactory.
The Vitality Pro has an oscillating and rotating movement to the small round brush head, referred to as a 2D cleaning action. Premium models have a 3D action, which adds in a movement known as pulsations.
If you have used Oral-B before, you might be able to tell the difference. If not, then it is likely going to feel quite powerful and a big step up from a manual brush.
With a small round brush head, you can clean the tightest of spaces in the mouth with relative ease. The plaque removal is good, and, being electric, it does a lot of the work for you.
2 brush heads are included, 1 x Sensi UltraThin and 1 x CrossAction. These are our preferred head styles. They are just two styles from the diverse range of Oral-B brush heads that are compatible with the push-on, pull-off attachment system the Vitality has.
Dentists typically prefer the softer bristled heads and these pair nicely with the more gentle cleaning modes.
Fairly priced but with compromises
£50 is the retail price, but don’t pay this, it’s not worth it.
£25 is the typical selling price and is much more reasonable.
Over 3 years, the Vitality Pro costs £55 when accounting for replacement heads at £3 each.
I strongly recommend considering the Pro 3 3500. For a long time it was our top recommended brush and still features in our list of the best electric toothbrushes. It costs £78 over 3 years, but brings multiple benefits that justify the extra £20.
You can’t repair it yourself, but you can extend the warranty
A 2 year manufacturer warranty is provided as standard. This can be extended, for free, to 3 years, if you register the brush.
More affordable brushes often come with compromises. Whilst it’s impossible to make assurances about reliability, my testing hasn’t revealed any reasons to be concerned about the Vitality Pro.
It’s solid and durable, with limited features that could go wrong.
Unfortunately, it is not designed to be repaired at home and would need to be returned to a service centre at your expense should it go wrong.
Environmental impact
Electric toothbrushes have an impact 11 times greater than a manual brush on average.
The Vitality Pro doesn’t have the same impact as some other brushes that have additional, non-essential features, such as microchips and OLED displays. With the Vitality Pro, you get only the things you truly need.
The brush heads are made from petroleum-based plastic rather than plant-based plastic and whilst Oral-B has partnered with schemes such as TerraCycle in some countries, it does not yet have its own recycling scheme for used brush heads or faulty products.
Conclusion: consider your options
The Vitality Pro is a perfectly usable toothbrush, all things considered.
It’s one of the most grippy brushes and has multiple cleaning modes to suit different users. The cleaning results are satisfactory.
Minor irritations, notably the lack of feedback on the battery charge level, mean that other brushes, like the Pro 3 3500, are more enjoyable to use. The 3500 costs a bit more, but you gain a pressure sensor, travel case and better cleaning action.
Video review
You can see my hands-on testing and experience with the Vitality Pro in the video below.
Size guide
- Toothbrush height with head - 22cm / 8.7 inches
- Toothbrush height without head - 18cm / 7.1 inches
- Width - 3.2~2.5cm / 1.3~1 inches
- Depth/thickness - 3.2~2.5cm / 1.3~1 inches
- Weight with head - 105g / 3.7oz
- Weight without head - 99g / 3.5oz
- Package weight - 430g / 15.2oz
Noise
- 73dB
Country of manufacture
- Hungary
Vitality Pro toothbrush worst ever should clearly state in the description no LED light. Had I know this I would not have purchased. Stuck with it now far too much hassle for me to return
Very disappointed with this brush.
First time user so far so good
inceleme için teşekkürler. teknik özellikler kısmına bu diş fırçalarının motor dönme hızlarınıda ekleyebilirseniz iki farklı modeli karşılaştırırken daha faydalı olur.
Thanks for the review. It would be more useful when comparing two different models if you could add the motor rotation speeds of these toothbrushes to the technical specifications section.
Hi.
We will often include this information, if we feel it is relevant if comparing 2 brushes. As this is a review of one brush only, we didn't want to put too uch emphasis on this.
For what it is worth , this offers 7,600 oscillations and 0 pulsations.
I suppose thatVitality Pro's 2D cleaning action offers a lower performance compared to oral b's power toothbrush with 3D cleaning actions (wich add pulsations and microvibrations). But is it wrong to say that Vitality is more gentle on gums and teeth compared to oral b's power toothbrush with 3D (as traditional technology and IO)?
I don't think it is wrong. It feels like one of the better words that can be used to describe the difference between them. I do see how it can be interpreted differently, but I am not sure how to describe it otherwise. Open to suggestions.
If you use the Vitalty and then use a Pro Series or an iO model, there is a notable difference. The Pro and iO's feel more powerful and stronger on the teeth and gums.
I now have two vitality pro toothbrushes,, neither of which will recharge. How do you recharge it. I have used different wall sockets made sure the fuses are working. I have tried them both on and off as recommended. Can you help please.
How do you know they are not charging Ann? Have you left them on the charger for 12+ hours and still no function from the brush?
These brushes don't have an LED to ket you know they are charging or have fully charged.
Were they working previously and both stopped?