Oral-B iO Series 10 Review

The Oral-B iO Series 10 tested well in nearly all metrics with effective cleaning power and the utmost comfort. Paired with its mobile app, this premium toothbrush is a great match for the data-driven user. However, it has some small weaknesses you should consider before making your purchase in terms of comfort and battery life.

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Tested and Rated

We understand the importance of real-world experience. That's why we buy toothbrushes from the same places you do — retail stores. No PR company freebies. Our expert reviewer, Gena Bradshaw, then puts these toothbrushes through their paces with hundreds of hours of testing, including rigorous plaque and stain assessments. Gena has tested nearly 100 toothbrushes, providing me, Ryan White, with the data needed to write this review.

Performance Comparison

Cleaning

Our testers employed various methods to assess the overall cleaning ability of each electric toothbrush. This metric accounts for 40% of the overall score, reflecting our serious consideration of its significance. Our experienced testers used a plaque dispensing tablet, highlighting buildup in a pink hue. This was done to assess the cleaning efficacy of a standard two-minute brushing session — before and after photos were taken and examined during this process. Testers then noted their gut feeling and reported the perceived cleanliness of their teeth. Lastly, a mixture of coffee grounds and pesto was spread across a dental model to gauge the brush's cleaning power.

No faults were found with the Oral-B iO Series 10 in these tests. It efficiently removed all the pink plaque, leaving the testers' mouths exceptionally clean. Even with light pressure, it successfully eliminated the pesto and coffee ground mixture as well. I was left feeling clean and refreshed after every use.

The accompanying mobile app also highlights brushing progress and any missed quadrants. It also times your brushing session, ensuring that you spend the right amount of time on each quadrant of your teeth.

Comfort

All the cleaning power in the world is meaningless without comfort, which is exactly why it consists of 30% of the final score. I tested the noise level of electric toothbrushes and the feel of the brush head during use. Additionally, I considered the presence of a pressure sensor to indicate excessive brushing force and the availability of a sensitive mode in each device.

I used a decibel reader to test the sound emitted by the brush. The Oral-B iO Series 10 registered 50 decibels from 6 feet away and 62 decibels from 3 inches away. While falling within an acceptable range, the sound was still noticeable to our testers but not overly grating. The Series 10 is also noticeably quieter than its predecessor, the Series 9, by 11 decibels at 3 inches away.

The pressure sensor performed as advertised, alerting us when brushing too vigorously as an indicator ring around the neck of the handle that changes colors to indicate intensity. The vibration of this unit also felt smooth and consistent. With both sensitive and super-sensitive modes, it caters to those with touchy gums, preventing discomfort.

Ease of Use

Next, I tested the simplicity of using the Oral-B compared to its competitors. I specifically assessed the toothbrush's modes, timer, water resistance, and storage options. The iO Series 10 has a whopping seven modes to choose from: Tongue Clean, Gum Care, Sensitive, Whiten, Daily Clean, Intense, and Super Sensitive. Swapping modes is made easy with the dedicated button. While some may find the abundance of modes overwhelming, others may enjoy exploring the variety. In our experience, more modes don't necessarily equate to more functionality. Nevertheless, everything you need is here, and the brush conveniently remembers and defaults to the last used setting.

The Oral-B can be paired with a companion app, providing a wealth of information to track your brushing progress, particularly in hitting those quadrants. As an added bonus, the app provides a score based on how well you brushed. The app must remain open during your brushing sessions to utilize these features. I found the app and all of its functions simple to operate. Additional brush heads can also be ordered through the smart app, and brushing reminders can be set.

Even the charging dock on this device has smart capabilities. You can see the two-minute timer from the iO Sense™ Smart Charger. Users can choose to have the smart stand serve as a timer for the two-minute duration, or you can choose to have it track your cleaning. When it's tracking, a quadrant will glow, then change colors when it's finished and start on a new quadrant until all of the quadrants are fully displayed.

I was quite displeased with the three holes on the brush head, as they can lead to a messy brushing experience, with liquid trickling down into the interior of the handle. This poses quite a headache when attempting to clean, and for this reason, points were deducted. This issue seems to be a consistent challenge across the Oral-B line. The water resistance is a plus, allowing usage in the shower and helping to mitigate some of these concerns.

Battery Life

To determine overall battery efficiency, I used each toothbrush twice daily and noted the point at which each one reached depletion. While not an industry leader in overall battery life, the Oral-B iO Series 10 held up okay, lasting a total of 22.5 days. But, I expected a lot more battery from such a pricey device, as leading electric toothbrushes in this metric can often last for over 40 days — almost two times as much as the Series 10.

If used primarily at home, it conveniently charges on the base station, eliminating concerns. This unit also comes with a travel case that functions as a charger. I like that this case has a display that reads the battery level when it's plugged in.

Should You Buy the Oral-B iO Series 10?

Undoubtedly, the Oral-B iO Series 10 is an excellent electric toothbrush. I appreciated many of the features above, like its smart app, exceptional cleaning performance, and comfortable brushing. However, the reality is that it comes with an exorbitant price tag, and for that reason, I hesitate to give it my full recommendation.

What Other Electric Toothbrush Should You Consider?

Within the same line, the Oral-B iO Series 9 has many of the same great features as the Series 10. It pairs with a mobile app and is effective at cleaning. Plus, the Series 9 has a longer battery life. However, if a premium model isn't what you're searching for, the Philips Sonicare 4100 is an excellent alternative. It doesn't have all the bells and whistles of the iO models, but it does a great job cleaning at a fraction of the price. See how this unit stacks up in our review of top-ranked toothbrushes.