Deutsch
Español
Français
Italiano
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Русский
Türkçe
Svenska
Chinese
MagyarOclean X Ultra WiFi Smart Sonic toothbrush review: Philips Sonicare alternative with WLAN, AI & a touchscreen
According to its manufacturer, the Oclean X Ultra WiFi Smart Sonic (short: Oclean X Ultra S) is the world's first electric toothbrush with a WiFi connection. Aside from its access to your home WLAN, the sonic toothbrush also features AI voice guidance, a touch-sensitive display as well as an advertized runtime of up to 40 days including fast charging.
Price-wise, Oclean (a subsidiary of Huami within the Xiaomi Group) charges a similar amount to mid-range toothbrushes from the Philips Sonicare series, for example, despite the toothbrush's extensive features. The X Ultra S' MRSP is around US$140 and can be purchased via the manufacturer's online store.
April 7, 2024 update: Oclean has reached out to us to clarify that it is not really affiliated with Xiaomi or the Xiaomi ecosystem. Oclean used to be affiliated with Huami, a Xiaomi company, however that is no longer the case.
Case - The Oclean X Ultra WiFi Smart Sonic is built well
In our eyes, the Oclean X Ultra S looks high-quality and thanks to its 0.96-inch OLED panel, it comes across as being very modern. Its case is IPX7-certified against water, meaning it can be submerged without any issues. Its low weight of only 109 grams including the brush head is remarkable.
We have no reason to critique the toothbrush's build quality when compared to a Philips Sonicare. The Oclean X Ultra S' matte surface makes it nice to hold, however, toothpaste residue or oil marks from moisturized hands are quite noticeable—especially on our black version. It also isn't quite as easy to clean as a toothbrush with a glossy finish.
The bottom of the Oclean X Ultra S features a colored LED ring—the power indicator light. It shines red to indicate "errors" during use, such as using too much pressure when brushing your teeth.
Scope of delivery & accessories - The Oclean toothbrush can also be charged within its case
The Oclean sonic toothbrush's scope of delivery includes a user guide, three brush heads, a USB induction charging station as well as a travel case which supports wireless charging and features a magnetic wall mount. The X Ultra S can be charged wirelessly via the USB induction charging station (5 volts and 1 ampere). You can store the toothbrush on the magnetic wall mount when not in use.
According to the manufacturer, it is recommended that toothbrush heads should be changed every 3 months—the number of uses is documented automatically by the toothbrush. The brush heads can be purchased via the manufacturer's website or from various other online retailers. At the time of writing, an 8-pack costs US$30 and a 4-pack costs around US$20. This means the Oclean replacement brushes aren't exactly cheap but compared to attachments for the Philips Sonicare or other electric toothbrushes, they aren't out of the ordinary. You can choose between four profiles: standard cleaning, plaque control, gum care or children.
App & functions - The electric toothbrush with WLAN and Bluetooth
Toothbrushes from Oclean can be set up using the application "Oclean Care+"—however, only if you create an account. The app is available for smartphones and tablets using iOS or Android—we used the X Ultra S alongside a Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. Aside from settings options, users can also monitor their tooth-brushing habits and read a report on their health with the help of various parameters. Furthermore, firmware updates are shown and the toothbrush automatically updates to the newest version using an established WiFi connection.
During first setup, the app asks for key data on the user's teeth and personal preferences, on the basis of which it suggests a profile to use.
The Oclean X Ultra S has 8-zone detection and reminds users to change the cleaning area every 30 seconds. A total of 18 different modes and a user-defined mode (in which personal preferences can be set) are supported. Using a specially developed chipset, AI voice guidance informs the user via bone conduction technology about brushing too fast or applying too much pressure—this worked reliably in our test.
According to the manufacturer, the X Ultra S operates at 84,000 oscillations per minute, making the Oclean toothbrush one of the most powerful sonic toothbrushes on the market. We are unable to verify this information. Based on the mouthfeel, the Oclean X Ultra S delivers slightly less intense vibrations than a Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 5100.
Use & cleaning performance - The Oclean brush lights up
Probably the most important criterion for a toothbrush: the Oclean X Ultra S leaves your mouth feeling clean with smooth teeth—there is little cause for critique in this aspect. The in-house Maglev 3.0 motor delivers great cleaning performance—even in direct comparison with the similarly priced Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 5100. We used the Oclean X Ultra S continuously at the highest level 32. The lower, adjustable intensities are more suitable for users with sensitive gums. As with the other manufacturers, there is not much difference between the cleaning profiles. There is a noticeable difference between the highest and lowest intensity, but the vibration differences in between were only marginally perceptible to us.
When the toothbrush is picked up, users' brushing activity is displayed via a cloverleaf motif on the 0.96-inch screen. The content is easily recognizable, but the panel could be slightly larger. Unfortunately, it is not possible to customize the cloverleaf, and we would have liked more customization options for the widget displays. In addition to the weather, we would have liked to see the battery status of the toothbrush or the time, for example.
The touch display provides the user with immediate feedback on their brushing result, including blind zone detection via the built-in 6-axis gyroscope. The AI voice guidance also gives you a voice warning when you are using too much pressure or prompts the user to brush less quickly. Information is transmitted via bone conduction technology which sends audio vibrations through the jawbone into the inner ear while brushing—however, people in the immediate vicinity can hear these prompts very clearly, too. Users are also notified that the brushing area should be changed every 30 seconds.
In some areas, it is clear that the Philips-Sonicare competitor's AI voice guidance is still in its infancy. Although the prompt to change to a different cleaning area is given by spoken word, the Oclean X Ultra S' vibration motor also stops. The same applies to other voice indications, which—in our view—are somewhat unnecessary and not properly thought through. In addition, the amount of information actually given is currently still very limited.
Runtimes - The Oclean X Ultra WiFi Smart Sonic's battery lasts for ages
We used the Oclean X Ultra S twice a day for 2.5 minutes during our test period and are very satisfied with its battery life. However, we didn't even come close to the advertized 40 days when connected to the WiFi. After 10 days of use (including set-up), we charged the toothbrush for the first time when it had a remaining capacity of 20 per cent. After a further 15 days, our fully charged Oclean X Ultra S had an indicated remaining capacity of 11 per cent. If you brush your teeth for a little less time or deactivate the WiFi connection, you will probably get a runtime of around three weeks.
We couldn't see any difference in performance when the battery was low. However, we would have liked to see information about its battery outside of the app—at least a low battery indication or the estimated remaining usage time based on the user's brushing behavior. The Oclean X Ultra S would have plenty of options, be it via voice message, the display or the indicator light.
The X Ultra S' integrated battery can be charged wirelessly using the magnetic charging station. A charge (11 per cent to 100 per cent) only takes around four hours, which is a very good value compared to the competition.
Pros
+ long runtimes
+ interesting features (oral cavity detection, ...)
+ high connectivity (BT, WLAN)
+ good display with touch gestures
Cons
– touchscreen reacts slowly
– replacement brushes are quite expensive
– few customization options
Verdict on the Oclean X Ultra WiFi Smart Sonic
The Oclean X Ultra S is a modern toothbrush with a variety of features. Whether these functions are actually needed in everyday use is up to the individual users, however, the sonic toothbrush doesn't really cost any more than other smart devices around a price of about US$140.
With 84,000 oscillations per minute, the Oclean toothbrush is one of the most powerful sonic toothbrushes on the market, resulting in a clean mouth and smooth teeth. Whether the 8-zone mouth area detection always delivers valid results is somewhat doubtful from our point of view, but it certainly provides an objective indication of personal brushing behavior.
The Oclean X Ultra S is a very smart sonic toothbrush for a thoroughly competitive price.
With future firmware updates, we would like to see more scope for initialization options, which the 0.96-inch touch display and AI language options offer. More widgets and customization of display content on the cloverleaf motif are certainly a start. The Oclean X Ultra S' connectivity also ensures that the toothbrush is always supplied with the latest version.
We would the X Ultra S' successor to have a more responsive panel, as the Oclean toothbrush often reacts somewhat sluggishly. The size of the screen could also be increased a little so that numbers are easier to see.
Transparency
The present review sample was made available to the author as a loan by the manufacturer or a shop for the purposes of review. The lender had no influence on this review, nor did the manufacturer receive a copy of this review before publication. There was no obligation to publish this review.
