Best Electric Toothbrush 2010 : Oral b vs Philips Sonicare

What is the best electric toothbrush for you? When looking for an electric toothbrush consider the following factors: 

Battery Life : Do you need a long battery life. This is especially good for when you go travelling. 

Cleaning : Is a brush which is effective at plaque and stain removal important to you?  Are there different brush heads to reach in different parts of the mouth? Do you require a timer? Would you appreciate different timed cleaning modes - perhaps a 1 minute routine for when you're in a rush and in between meals and a 2 minute routine for normal use. 

Comfort : Is the handle easy and comfortable to hold

Extras : Do you require a travel case or a wall mount? Look out for extras. 

Read on for the best electric toothbrush 2010 comparing two brands, Philips and Oral B. 

An electric toothbrush which strengths are getting rid of plaque and an excellent battery life (great for when you're travelling). The toothbrush has lots of great features including different brush heads, multiple cleaning modes and brushing routines. Another pro is its easy to grip handle.

Read on for an summary of features:

Cleaning: Excellent plaque removal due to newly sized brush heads which also have better tooth coverage. The high speed bristle action provides deep cleaning between teeth and along the gum line. Brush heads come in two sizes: "standard" for a regular cleaning, and "mini" for precision in hard-to-reach areas.

Mulitple Cleaning Modes: one speed and three modes - standard clean, sensitive mode and massage mode for your gums.

Brushing routine: "GoCare" is a quick one-minute routine for between regular brushings, and "MaxCare" is a three-minute cleaning mode that combines two minutes of "Clean" mode with one minute of "Massage" mode. There's also a built in timer which lets you move to different areas within the mouth an automatic shut off after two minutes. 

Battery Life: This electric toothbrush has an excellent battery life which can last up to two weeks between charges.

Easy to grip handle : for comfortable brushing

LIke the Philips Sonicare above, this is another toothbrush which sells itself on being able to get rid of plaque effectively. It also has a good battery life. It also features two different brush heads and 3 brushing modes. The only feature it doesn't have that the sonicare does is different brushing routines

Cleaning : There's two types of bristles to help provide maximum cleaning power. The "CrissCross" bristles are angled to reach deep and clean between teeth, while "Power Tip" bristles are longer to reach more difficult spots. Effective at removing plaque, reverses gingivitis and helps remove tea and coffee stains.

Multiple Cleaning Modes : 3 brushing modes including clean, soft and massage.

Brushing Routine : There's a 2 minute timer and a bleep goes at 30 second intervals to let you know when to brush different areas of the mouth.

Battery Life : Good battery life from its internal rechargeable battery-- up to two weeks under normal, twice-daily use.

Handle : Comfortable handle

Overall these toothbrushes are similar in features and performance. They both come with travel cases, have mulitple cleaning modes, 2 different brush heads and good battery life. The reviews on amazon.com for both are very good.

The Philips Sonicare Flexicare has more features than the Oral B, such as two different brushing routines.It's handle is perhaps slightly better as its designed to be easy to grip.  However, its more expensive, currently selling at £114 on amazon.com.