By Wirecutter Staff
It’s not beautiful.
In fact, it may be the clunkiest thing on your bathroom counter. But the Oral-B Pro 1000 is a longtime Wirecutter favorite electric toothbrush because it’s effective and economical.
Our pick
The Oral-B Pro 1000 has the most important features—a two-minute timer, an easy brushing process, and compatibility with the largest range of brush heads—for the lowest price.
This bare-bones model has two of the most important features an electric toothbrush can offer: relatively affordable, easy-to-procure replacement brush heads and an onboard timer.
The Oral-B Pro 1000 has been a pick for seven years and running—even before it was the first powered toothbrush to earn the American Dental Association’s Seal of Acceptance.
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Very few people need an electric toothbrush. Any soft-bristled brush—powered or manual—can be used effectively. But no matter what you use, dentists recommend that you brush your teeth for two minutes, twice a day. The timer built into an electric toothbrush is what makes people more likely to brush for at least two minutes (it’s shockingly more effective than singing two rounds of “Happy Birthday” in your head!).
The Pro 1000’s handle automates this tracking as soon as it’s powered on; the gentle buzzes at half-minute intervals nudge you to move the brush around your mouth, and there’s even a small-but-celebratory crescendo of vibrations once you’ve been brushing for exactly 120 seconds.
Notably missing from the Pro 1000 are fancy-sounding features, like charcoal-infused bristles (for which there are precisely zero benefits borne out by non-industry-supported clinical trials).
If you find a pressure sensor helpful to avoid brushing too hard for too long, the Pro 1000 has one, too. It doesn’t beep or flash, like the pressure sensors on some pricier models, but the warning buzz is effective at signaling you to lighten up.
Your toothbrush requires good hygiene, too.
A quick wipe-down of the brush handle after every use keeps the Pro 1000 neat, and it prevents buildup of dried toothpaste and spit, which can settle into ridges.
When it’s time to replace the brush head, use the worn-down head you’re about to discard to scrub the junction between the head and handle and any other crevices.
You can also use a cotton swab and some rubbing alcohol to occasionally do a deeper clean of the handle’s various recesses.
The Pro 1000 has a two-year warranty, but our original test brushes have buzzed on for seven-plus years (with minor reductions in their battery capacities).
The original version of this article was part of our 2020 “52 Things We Love” series, an ode to Wirecutter picks that have withstood the test of time. This version was edited by Rachelle Bergstein. Read the entire series.
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