Skilled’s Score
Execs
- Nice cleansing efficiency
- Stress sensor
- Brushing timer
Cons
- 16-hour charging time
- 2-week battery life
- No USB charging
Our Verdict
When you don’t need good options, the iO3 is the iO brush to get. It delivers nice brushing efficiency and might be shared by all of the household. Nevertheless, you’ll solely get a few weeks from its battery life (and that’s if just one individual is utilizing it) and it has an extended charging time – however this gained’t be an issue for those who’re completely satisfied to maintain it on the stand.
Oral-B’s iO sequence of brushes are a very new design, with a brand new brush head, new options and crucially, an upgraded brushing efficiency that mixes oscillations with micro vibrations to highly effective impact. They’re an improve on earlier Oral-B brushes in each respect – besides maybe the charging time and battery life on the cheaper fashions.
There at the moment are seven fashions in Oral-B’s iO line – which runs from the reasonably priced iO3 to the posh iO10 – every with a special function set and value level. Most have good options, which improve in high quality and depth as the worth level rises. The pricier fashions (from the iO7 upwards) have quick charging and from the iO8 up they’ve a full color OLED display for suggestions and settings.
If you wish to examine brush options and costs in addition to professionals and cons, take a look at our round-up of one of the best Oral-B brushes. Every entry hyperlinks to an in-depth assessment of the mannequin.
On this assessment, we’re wanting on the iO Collection 3, essentially the most not too long ago launched – and essentially the most budget-friendly – of the sequence.
In some respects, that is the comb we’ve been ready for. It’s the most cost effective and easiest iO but. In order for you all of the good brushing efficiency of the iO line and its key options, however you’re not fearful about lacking out on linked expertise, this may very well be the iO mannequin for you.
Design and construct
- Three brushing modes
- UK shaver plug/ US normal two-pin
- No USB charging
The iO3, like all iO brushes, is constructed by Braun. It is available in black, pink or blue – and a white mannequin can also be obtainable within the US. Keep in mind that as iO brush heads solely are available in black or white, for those who go for pink or blue, you’ll have a two-colour brush.
By the way, iO brush heads don’t include the colored, plastic rings you utilize to distinguish your brush head out of your associate’s. As a substitute, there are symbols on the neck like a plus, umbrella or wavy traces that allow you to establish yours.
It’s not as simple to share the smart-enabled iO fashions with different members of the family, as certainly one of their fundamental advantages is to trace your brushing efficiency. If a couple of of you is utilizing the identical brush, you’ll get mixed-up knowledge. However the iO3 is a good brush for sharing – besides that you just’ll have to cost it frequently.
The iO brush design is completely different from the older Oral-B fashions. The comb head is thicker on the base, so it flows into the comb deal with extra organically than the older, slim brush heads. It weighs 135g, so it’s about 10g heavier than the older fashion Oral-B Professional 3, which shouldn’t be noticeable. It has the identical construct as different iO fashions.
Emma Rowley / Foundry
It has a easy (however not shiny) deal with. Some folks have expressed a choice for the older, grippy fashion however I didn’t discover it slippery to carry when brushing.
On the entrance of the comb deal with, the place the OLED display is located on the pricier fashions, is a rubber panel with two buttons for operation.
The actual motive to purchase the iO3 is its brushing energy. It’s far more efficient than older Oral-B fashions – and higher than the competitors as properly
The primary switches the comb on and off and the second allows you to cycle between cleansing modes.
On the prime of the comb deal with is the sunshine ring. There’s no technique to personalise the color on this mannequin, which is one thing you are able to do within the Oral-B app or the comb deal with on different iO fashions. As a substitute, it glows white whenever you swap it on – however its different colors are used for various features on the comb.
All brushes include a charger. Within the UK, it has a shaver plug. Within the US it has a typical two-pin plug. You might also get a journey case included together with your brush, relying on which pack you choose up. It’s fundamental moulded plastic however there’s area inside for 2 brush heads.
Efficiency and options
- Approx. 16 hour charging time
- Purple/inexperienced stress sensor
- Brushing timer
The actual motive to purchase the iO3 is its brushing energy. It’s far more efficient than older Oral-B fashions – and higher than the competitors as properly – leaving enamel feeling easy and clear. Having examined quite a few electrical toothbrushes, the iO sequence are those I at all times return to. My enamel by no means really feel as clear utilizing different brushes.
The iO3 has three brushing modes: each day clear, whitening and delicate. The one issue is realizing which is which. You’ll want to inform them aside utilizing the change in vibration whenever you swap to every setting – one thing I didn’t discover notably simple at first.
When you’re shopping for an electrical toothbrush, there are a few options that we expect are indispensable – and the iO3 has them.
The primary is a simple to learn stress sensor. When you brush too onerous, the sunshine ring across the neck of the iO will glow shiny crimson. However what units the iO fashions other than rivals is the additional stress sensor setting: for those who get the brushing stress excellent, the sunshine ring will glow inexperienced.
The iO3 can even time your brushing. Each 30 seconds, there’s a stutter within the vibration, to let to maneuver on to brushing the subsequent quadrant of your mouth. After the dentist-approved two-minute brushing time has elapsed, an extended interruption will let that you just’ve brushed sufficient.
The iO3 is a good brush for sharing – besides that you just’ll have to cost it frequently
The comb gained’t swap off routinely however for those who flip it off after two minutes, the sunshine ring will cycle via its colors in a mini-celebration of brushing achieved properly.
The iO additionally has a battery gentle indicator. When it must cost, the on/off swap will blink crimson. However for those who can’t plug it in immediately, you’ll nonetheless get one other brushing session or two earlier than it provides up completely. That is an enchancment on earlier Oral-B fashions, the place the battery gentle got here on simply earlier than it conked out.
The battery life and charging are about the one issues I don’t love about this brush. It ought to final round 18 days (for twice a day, two minutes of brushing) however in our testing interval, I tended to get round 10-14 days at greatest.
You’ll solely have the ability to eke out the battery life for longer for those who by no means brush greater than twice a day and by no means for over 4 minutes per day. When you’re sharing with a associate, you’ll solely get per week, or per week and a half at most, earlier than you should recharge.
As for charging, Oral-B says that it could possibly take as much as 16 hours for a full cost. That is lower than preferrred for those who don’t have a tendency to go away it on the stand to cost between brushing, as it could possibly’t full a full cost between a morning and a night brush.
Value and availability
Within the US, the iO3 is mostly priced between $75 and $79.99. On the time of writing, Walmart is promoting it for $79.97 and Goal $79.99, however one of the best costs are on Amazon the place it’s round $75.
Issues are a bit of completely different within the UK, the place Oral-B is displaying a wild RRP of £160, though it has ‘minimize the worth’ to £75 – which is what this toothbrush is value. You may also purchase it from Boots and Amazon for £75. That’s what it is best to pay, and never a penny extra.
However ought to you actually pay $75/ £75 for a toothbrush? Costs for electrical toothbrushes are excessive – and rising. You should buy an excellent high quality electrical toothbrush for much less, though the respectable ones nonetheless are likely to value round $50/£50, so the distinction isn’t enormous.
We’ve choices in our round-up of one of the best low-cost electrical toothbrushes. However, a technique or one other, most of us will find yourself paying to care for our enamel and an funding in a superb brush might prevent in the long term.
Verdict
So far as I’m involved, with regards to brushing efficiency and brushing options, Oral-B has the competitors beat. iO brushes are one of the best round and the iO3 has every part you should preserve your enamel in wonderful situation.
Nevertheless, there are a lot better choices with regards to battery life, charging time and charging strategies (we want there was a USB charging choice). When you’re completely satisfied to maintain your iO3 on its charging stand, there’s no motive to not purchase – however it gained’t go well with individuals who journey lots or need quick charging.
iO brushes from sequence 7 upwards have quick charging. You possibly can see how all of the fashions examine in our Oral-B brush round-up. When you’re not set on an Oral-B brush, try our spherical up of all one of the best electrical toothbrushes we’ve examined.