16 best electric toothbrushes for whiter teeth, tested by over 355 people

Score: 97/100

This is one of the highest-scoring devices we’ve ever tested at the Good Housekeeping Institute. It’s also more affordable than many other devices on the market, so you can achieve sparkling results at home, for less.

Every single tester told us it was straightforward to use, delivered powerful vibrations and visibly removed plaque. They all praised the design and said they would continue to use the toothbrush after the trial, too.

“I liked that the brush vibrated every 30 seconds to show how much of the two-minute time slot you had left,” said one tester, while another loved the “green and red light that indicates whether you’re brushing too hard,” and we had lots of positive comments about the handy travel case for taking it away with you on your trips. Gentle but effective was the overall takeaway, with squeaky clean smiles across the board.

Score: 93/100

Our runner-up is as gentle as a manual brush, providing a satisfying deep clean. Its rapid sonic vibrations push toothpaste and air into hard-to-reach areas, successfully removing plaque, reducing staining and freshening breath.

It has three cleaning modes, including sensitive and whitening, and comes with three different-sized brush heads for effective and comfortable use. Our testers liked its cleaning power, overall design and long battery life, with everybody planning to continue using it after the trial period. The only (small) downsides were its high-pitched noise and overly sensitive on/off button.

Score: 92/100

Dentin hypersensitivity, or in layman’s terms, sensitive teeth, occurs when the outer protective enamel is worn away by chips, decay and excessive brushing. But there’s no fear of that with this brush, as the three intensity settings let you find the right pressure for you, and left teeth noticeably cleaner for our testers.

Panellists said all three settings were gentle on their gums and sensitive teeth, and the bristles were “just right”, according to one – not too soft or too firm. A bit of trial and error was needed to switch between the different speeds, but once you find your favourite, you’re able to set it as default.

All in all, this removes plaque gently and effectively. The included travel case and spare brush head are a nice touch, too.

Score: 92/100

This lightweight, compact brush is a great choice for frequent flyers and to and fro-ers. Testers loved that you can easily slip it into your weekend bag. It also has a cap to protect the brush, rather than a bulky case, to keep it even more streamlined. If you’re going on an extended trip, the 45-day battery life means you won’t be running out of charge anytime soon either.

When it came to performance, it was smiles all around for our panel members, as all agreed that it left their teeth feeling squeaky clean, with no added sensitivity.

Score: 91/100

If you’re fed up with braces, implants or bridges getting in the way of your brushing, look to this cleverly designed sonic toothbrush. It comes with three differently sized brush heads to help you clean both teeth and gums thoroughly, while a choice of seven cleaning modes let you customise your brushing.

Our testers found it easy to control, with many praising its good looks and compact size. Their teeth felt much cleaner after use, too. In fact, one tester compared the results to dentist quality (minus the chair fear). “I’m proud of my smile,” said another beaming tester, telling us it left their teeth looking shinier and whiter.

The lack of instructions made it slightly confusing to navigate at first. But overall, our panel loved it.

Score: 91/100

So you’ve made the decision to switch from manual to electric — congrats! If you’re a newbie and sceptical about the power of an electric toothbrush on sensitive teeth and gums, this model may well convince you.

Testers agreed it left their teeth feeling squeaky-clean, removing plaque without causing any discomfort, while most found the vibrations weren’t too overpowering. The pressure sensor also came in useful, and it was easy to manoeuvre.

Our lab test did flag it was on the noisier side, but the majority of testers didn’t find this to be an issue.

Score: 90/100

This toothbrush claims to help prevent cavities and improve gum health. It offers three cleaning modes, with a separate purpose-built brush head for each one. It even automatically detects which brush head you're using and selects the right setting.

Overall, our testers were impressed by this solid all-rounder. It enhanced their brushing experience and left their teeth feeling cleaner. Our lab tests found it reduced plaque, too. It also has a good pressure sensor and lasts for two weeks on one charge.

Score: 90/100

One of Oral-B’s most advanced toothbrushes yet, this top-of-the-range model boasts seven cleaning modes, including super sensitive, tongue cleaning and whitening. Its pressure sensor has coloured lights to let you know if you’re brushing too hard, too softly or just right, and its interactive display shows a two-minute timer and brush head replacement reminders.

It even makes use of AI to monitor your brushing with 3D teeth tracking. Suffice to say, our testers were impressed with all this tech, with nearly everybody finding it powerful and effective at cleaning thoroughly. Our only niggle is the lack of a replacement head in the box, which seems mean given its high price.

Score: 89/100

One of the quietest electric toothbrushes we’ve ever tested (along with the Oclean X10 below), this was not only silent, but it was also gentle on sensitive gums for most of our panel. All found it comfortable to hold and easy to clean with, too.

The sleek and premium look made it stand out from the crowd, with one tester describing the magnetic charger and pad accessory as a “revelation’’. Many found the battery was so good they didn’t need to charge it during the entire trial period.

Score: 89/100

This elegant sonic toothbrush delivers a punchy 62,000 vibrations per minute, removing up to 10 times more plaque over a fortnight than a manual could muster. Its bristles are soft and flexible — great if you suffer from sensitivity — and its two-minute timer is broken into 30-second intervals to make sure all areas of your mouth get adequately brushed.

Its five cleaning modes cover all the most common brushing needs, leaving almost all testers with considerably cleaner teeth, and it comes in a choice of pink, white, black or rose gold.

Our panel rated its two-week battery life and USB travel case that doubles up as a charger. It’s just a shame that there isn’t a pressure sensor to keep us from brushing too rigorously.

Score: 88/100

Thanks to its five cleaning modes and a guided timer, testers felt this brush provided a customised clean, which everyone agreed visibly removed plaque.

The bristles felt soft for all, while many said it was easy to reach all areas of the mouth. Our panel praised its high-quality design, with one tester saying it was gentler than their previous electric toothbrush.

Score: 87/100

When you travel a lot, there’s nothing more annoying than forgetting your toothbrush because you left it charging in a hotel somewhere. But good news – instead of needing cables, this smart gadget charges inside its travel case.

Using gentle micro-vibrations and AI technology to guide you through your brushing routine, our testers said it delivered a really clean feeling. It boasts a range of settings and will even remember the last one you used, so you don’t have to fiddle around to find your favourite.

Our panel found it sleek and stylish, and, while expensive, it does come with a lot of clever tech. It lights up to tell you if you’re using too much or too little pressure and vibrates when it's time to move onto the next section (although some found the vibration too subtle). There’s also a countdown timer that rewards you with a smiley face when you’ve brushed for the recommended two minutes.

Those who aren’t fans of reading the instructions will also be pleased to know that our panel found it intuitive and easy to set up and use.

Score: 87/100

This sleek matte black brush comes with carbon-coated bristles, designed to gently remove discolouration, which our testers found delivered on its promise. It didn’t cause any gum discomfort, with almost everyone finding the brush head was gentle on teeth.

Some missed a pressure sensor and thought the visual cues for the cleaning modes could have been clearer; however, everyone who tested it said they’d stick to this model in future.

Score: 85/100

For those who have sensitive teeth and gums but still love that squeaky clean feeling, this brush could be the one. Our testers liked how fine the bristles were and how soft they felt on gums, but said it still gave a great clean. One panellist even noticed immediate results, saying their teeth looked whiter after just one day.

As well as being whisper quiet, it charged quickly, and testers praised the handy magnetic wall mount included. For some, though, the buttons were too close together, making it easy to select the wrong one.

An interactive display screen was its most impressive feature, providing a visual guide to any areas missed and a countdown to ensure you brush for the recommended two minutes. However, some of our testers thought the emojis used on the interface were better suited to younger users.

Score: 85/100

From Philips' legendary Sonicare range, this brush lived up to its predecessors, leaving all our testers with a thorough, fresh clean. What’s more, the majority also saw a visible reduction in plaque, which should earn some brownie points with the dentist.

Testers also raved about the “glamorous” design, with one saying their teeth were visibly whiter after use. The lab test found it to be “loud” on our noise scale — but this didn’t deter our testers, with almost all wanting to keep using it after the trial.

Score: 85/100

This Ordo toothbrush is available either as part of a subscription or on its own. Our testers liked its four different brushing modes that offer a customisable clean and appreciated its impressive three weeks of battery life. They found it easy to control and gentle, yet effective.

If you do opt for the subscription package, you can get a refill delivery of oral care products and a replacement head every one, two or three months.