Our choice: Pro 2.0
These are two similar, but subtly different electric toothbrushes from the same brand.
The Pro 2.0 is my top pick and the editor’s choice in our best electric toothbrush post. It is the complete package, with the features you need plus the bonus of a stylish, compact charging travel case.
It doesn’t win by a big margin, though.
When to choose the Core 1.0
The reason to choose the Core 1.0 is the lower price.
If you don’t find yourself away from home all that often, it costs less but still has the brush head take-back scheme, sleek design and magnetic mount that is unique to SURI.
When you do travel, you can easily make do with the protective travel cap that comes with the Core 1.0.
How we scored them
As you can see from the table below, we scored these brushes very closely.
Most importantly, they both clean your teeth well when used correctly.
The plastic body of the Core doesn’t feel quite as nice in the hand as the aluminium body of the Pro, but it’s still a pleasure to use.
The Core scores less in our additional items category due to the lack of the travel case, but as a result it scores higher in the price category.
Both brushes use the same heads so there is no price difference in that respect.
| Overall Score |
| How well it cleans |
| How it feels |
| Recommended features |
| Additional items & features |
| Battery performance |
| Smart features |
| Price |
| Support & reputation |
| Buying options |
Both clean very well
The Core 1.0's motor is slightly less powerful than the one in the Pro 2.0 — it offers up to 28,000 vibrations per minute compared with 33,000 on the Pro 2.0.
In the real world, this makes little difference. If I hold them side by side I can just about tell, but it doesn’t affect the overall clean. It still performed just as well in my plaque disclosing tests — see the photo from my Core 1.0 testing below, or see my Pro 2.0 review for the equivalent photo.
If it’s your first electric toothbrush, you’re certainly not going to pick it up and feel like it’s not powerful enough. I can actually feel the vibrations very strongly through the handle.
It’s worth pointing out here that you use SURI’s brushes slightly differently to other models from the likes of Sonicare and Oral-B.
With SURI, you still need to move the brush in small circular motions like you would a manual brush, whereas with other brushes you move them from tooth to tooth and hold them in place, albeit with small manoeuvres to make sure you cover all parts of the tooth.
Features comparison
The following table lists the key differences between each brush.
| Find out more |
| Electric Teeth Rating |
| Approximate 3 year cost |
| Cleaning Action |
| Number of cleaning modes |
| Brushing intensities |
| Timer |
| Pacer |
| Pressure Sensor |
| Hands-on battery life |
| Battery type |
| Number of heads included |
| Travel case included |
| Bluetooth connectivity |
| Noise |
| Warranty |
| Buying options |
|
Our Choice
|
|
|---|---|
| Review | - |
(5)
|
(5)
|
| £160 | £120 |
| Sonic | Sonic |
| 2 | 2 |
| - | - |
|
|
| 30 second quadpacer | 30 second quadpacer |
|
|
|
| 38 days | 33 days |
| Rechargeable Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion) | Rechargeable Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion) |
| 1 | 1 |
|
|
- |
| - | - |
| 58dB | 54dB |
| 2 years | 2 years |
Detailed comparison:
The Core 1.0 is impressively similar to the Pro 2.0. I say impressive because SURI has managed to maintain the essence of its flagship while offering it at a lower price.
I have been happily switching between the two of them during testing. Here’s a look at what sets them apart.
Similar look, different feel
The biggest difference between the Core and the Pro is the handle design.
The Pro 2.0 has an aluminium handle, while the Core 1.0 uses a lighter bio-based plastic. I go into more detail about the Core’s handle in the “How it feels” section of my SURI Core 1.0 Review.
The Core is about 9 grams lighter. It’s ever so slightly smaller in height and width.
The Pro feels more premium, but I do really like using the Core.
It's slim, lightweight and has a nice matte finish that gives you a good grip without lots of textured surfaces.
So, if a premium feel is important to you, the Pro gets the win, but the Core certainly doesn't feel cheap.
Different colours
The Pro 2.0 is available in five colours, while the Core 1.0 has four.
Whichever colour Core model you choose, the brush head is white, unlike the colour-matched heads for the Pro.
Both brushes use exactly the same brush head style. With SURI brushes, there’s only one brush head style available, with plant-based bristles and bio-based materials.
As with the Pro 2.0, a pre-paid postage bag comes with the Core so that you can send used brush heads back to SURI.
A more powerful motor on the Pro 2.0
The Pro 2.0 motor is a little more powerful. It offers up to 33,000 vibrations per minute, compared with 28,000 on the Core.
I can tell the difference if I really concentrate on it, but unless you have used the Pro extensively or compare the brushes side by side, it’s hard to really notice the difference.
I dare say 33,000 vibrations might feel a bit too strong in the handle of the Core, given its more lightweight material.
Most importantly, when it comes to cleaning results, the plaque removal is great for both brushes.
The Core 1.0 cleans very well and compares favourably with other brushes around this price.
So the Pro wins on power, but not by enough to make that alone a reason to spend more.
Both brushes have the same two cleaning modes: Gentle Clean and Deep Clean.
The nice touches haven't been lost
The Core and the Pro both have a two-minute timer and pacer, a pressure sensor and a travel lock.
The pressure sensor can be turned on and off, which is a nice touch that isn't included with many brushes.
The Core 1.0 also includes the magnetic mount that comes with the Pro 2.0.
This is a simple yet pleasing inclusion with SURI brushes. It keeps the brush off the bathroom counter and adds to the stylish approach of SURI's design.
The Pro 2.0 is worth paying for if you travel a lot
There isn’t a brush in the same price range that comes with as nice a travel case as the Pro 2.0.
It’s sturdy, compact, stores a spare brush head and it can charge your brush using a USB-C cable, which is the same type of cable most smartphones now use.
It really is convenient to be able to pack it in a case and not have to worry about taking a proprietary charging cable, as is the case with Oral-B brushes and many Sonicares.
It also has a UV-C light for sanitising the brush head, although I would argue this is unnecessary and not worth factoring in to your decision.
That being said, if you are on a budget, or don’t travel all that often, the Core 1.0 has a decent travel configuration.
It comes with a protective cap (which also comes with the Pro 2.0) that protects the brush head when it’s in your bag. It would be fairly easy to lose though, so be vigilant about where you store it.
The charging stand that comes with the Core is USB-C so it could easily be connected to a plug adapter for a smartphone.
Battery life is great on both
Battery life is another area where the Pro has an advantage, but only a small one.
SURI quotes up to 28 days for the Core and up to 34 days for the Pro.
In my testing, I achieved 33 days with the Core and 38 days with the Pro, so I have no complaints.
These are among the best battery life measures available in an electric toothbrush. It’s one of the advantages of going for a non-smart toothbrush as often the extra features and Bluetooth connectivity drain the battery more quickly.
Both the Pro and Core use USB-C charging, although neither comes with a two-pin plug adapter.
The charging stands are different, too, and unfortunately you can't use one brush on the other's stand.
The Core is a bit quieter
The Core 1.0 comes in a little quieter in our testing, but there's barely anything in it. I measured around 54 decibels, compared with around 58dB for the Pro 2.0.
Both brushes are at the quieter end of the scale in our post on the quietest brushes. The range goes from 45dB up to 77dB.
Here they are compared to a few other models:
|
Oclean X Pro Elite
|
|
SURI Core 1.0
|
|
Philips Sonicare 1100 Series
|
|
SURI Pro 2.0
|
|
Philips Sonicare Series 5300
|
|
Oral-B iO Series 3 (iO3)
|
Price
Price comparison is straightforward when it comes to SURI because of the single brush head style.
The Core 1.0 costs £65 in the UK, while the Pro 2.0 with case has a list price of £105.
You can get both brushes a bit cheaper when they are on sale.
Over 3 years of ownership the cost is about £120 for the Core or £160 for the Pro 2.
Essentially you are paying an extra £40 for the case, the UV-Sanitiser and the aluminium handle. It’s not a bad deal, if those things appeal to you.
Conclusion: which one would I buy?
My preference is the Pro 2. For you, it comes down to what you value.
If you want the most premium SURI experience, the Pro 2.0 is the obvious choice.
You get the aluminium handle, more powerful motor, slightly longer battery life and, most importantly, the excellent charging travel case.
It's the more complete package.
But if you don't travel regularly, I think the Core 1.0 makes more sense.
You're getting essentially the same brushing experience, the same brush heads and the same important features.
It's quieter, lighter and costs less.
You're not giving up the things that actually matter for day-to-day brushing.
For someone buying their first electric toothbrush, I'd recommend the Core 1.0 in most cases.
If you already own a perfectly functional electric toothbrush, I wouldn't suggest replacing it with either of these simply for the sake of it.
You're not going to suddenly get dramatically better cleaning results, and replacing a perfectly good brush isn't good for the environment.
But if you're buying new, the choice is pretty simple.
Core 1.0 for most people. Pro 2.0 if you travel regularly or want the more premium experience.
Both are excellent brushes, but for less money the Core 1.0 offers a lot of what makes the Pro 2.0 good.
Disclaimer
The SURI brushes spoken about in this review were provided by SURI ahead of release. Electric Teeth did not purchase this model. No financial reward was provided to conclude the review the way that we did and SURI had no editorial control over the content.
Your information is incorrect regarding the weights of the Suri v2 against v1. I own both versions and the v1 is 82g with a 103g travel case, totalling 185g. The v2 is 78g with a 151g charging case, totalling 228g. So the v2 is HEAVIER by a significant 43g when in its travelling case, and almost the same weight without case, whereas you said “The 2.0 is about 11g lighter than the 1.0. Or 36g lighter when in the travel case”. And then further down the article you repeated, “When inside the travel case the S2 comes in at 36 grams lighter than the S1, which is a small but meaningful difference”. Please correct the article since this is a highly misleading mistake for travellers. Otherwise very useful article, thanks!
Hi.
You are absoluetely correct. It is wrong. The article has been updated.
Not sure what happened there. Proof we are human 🤦♂️. Not our intention to mislead.
No problem! Happens to the best of us. Btw in your corrected text, there is a typo: “When inside the travel case the S1 comes in at 44 grams lighter than the S1, which is a small but meaningful difference.” (Says version 1 twice)
Oh gosh.😑🤦♂️
About to initiate a reset & reboot on myself 😆
I bought a 2.0 model & really liked it, but couldn't find a way to charge it with the USB-C cable. I contacted SURI but they weren't able to help me. So I'm returning my 2.0 & thinking of getting a 1.0, but I would have kept the 2.0 if I was able to charge it.
Hi Linda.
When you say you couldn't find a way to charge it. Is this because you don't have a USB-C power adapter? You possibly need a 3 pin, USB-C power adapter to allow you to connect the charging cable to a power outlet.
A lot of modern smartphones now come with such adapters or other modern tech products. Failing that you should be able to puchase an adapter for less than £10 in stores or online.
Thanks for your response Jon. When I bought the Siri I didn’t expect to have to buy another piece of equipment in order to charge it. I expected it to come with a U.K. connection. It didn’t have a USB end on the cable, so Hope could I charge it? It’s not good enough to expect people to purchase another adaptor.
Hi Linda.
I understand what you are saying and I don't necessarily disagree. However, what SURI are doing are working on the basis that many now have such adapters or if they don't they will have to acquire as USB Type C connectors are the future standard as per EU legislation.
They are also trying to avoid adding extra adapters uncessarily, given many will have such.
Here's a suitable power adapter you could invest in should you change your mind.