Smart toothbrush with charging travel case - Oral-B iO9 review

The Oral-B iO9 impresses with its innovative technology, intuitive operation and overall good cleaning performance. In particular, the smart app connection and the wide range of programmes offer real added value for those who value individual dental care and control.

However, there are minor weaknesses in the reliability of the sensors and the limited range of functions without permanent smartphone tracking. The limited capacity of the travel case and the longer charging times when using a different mains voltage are also points of criticism that somewhat reduce convenience when travelling.

Overall, this is a high-quality electric toothbrush that can be recommended with a few minor reservations, especially for tech-savvy users and frequent travellers.

The Oral-B iO9 is available for approximately $250 from Amazon, among other retailers.

The Oral-B iO9 is one of the manufacturer's top-of-the-range models, with only the iO 10 ranking above it, but the only difference between the two is the charging station.

We took the iO 9 with its charging travel case with us on a trip to get a better impression of the electric toothbrush and its smart features. Not only does it offer app connectivity, but it is even supported by AI algorithms while brushing.

The Oral-B iO9 stands out with its modern, slim design. The brush handle is non-slip thanks to rubberised elements, and the colour display adds a touch of class. The package includes a magnetic charger and a practical travel charging station. Overall, the workmanship appears very solid.

Incidentally, the power adapter (2-pin) also fits most shavers perfectly, so one should usually be enough when travelling.

The iO9 uses a magnetic drive that transmits energy evenly to the tips of the bristles. Compared to conventional oscillating brushes, it is noticeably quieter, yet still powerful. In practice, plaque is thoroughly removed and teeth feel smooth and clean after brushing.

In our test, we used the iO9 in the morning and a SoniCare DiamondClean 9000 in the evening for comparison. Both offer good cleaning performance, but the SoniCare, which uses ultrasound, leaves the tooth surfaces feeling cleaner, while the iO9 seems to us to be more thorough at the gum line.

The Oral-B iO9 benefits from its smart connection when brushing with the app. The sensors in the toothbrush transmit the movements to the connected smartphone and the corresponding areas are worked through on the brushing map. This works well in most cases and promotes more thorough brushing behaviour. However, the sensors are not always 100% reliable and sometimes slip into an unbrushed area or do not completely detect the brushed area – but this is rather the exception.

The app and the smart ring below the brush head also indicate whether the pressure applied with the toothbrush is sufficient, too weak or too strong. The iO9 offers seven programmes: standard cleaning, gum protection, whitening, intensive cleaning, super sensitive, tongue cleaning and sensitive mode. The selection is made via an interactive colour display. This also shows the charge status and brushing time, making the toothbrush intuitive to use.

The app allows you to view evaluations, define brushing goals and earn medals, among other things. It is a pity that only guided brushing sessions are recorded in detail. So if you don't want to take your smartphone into the bathroom with you all the time, you will have limited functionality.

The charging travel case is very practical for travelling, as the toothbrush can be charged directly in it and only needs to be connected to the mains. If you want to take more than one brush head with you, you will need to pack an additional container (included in delivery), as there is only room for one in the case.

A full charge takes just under three hours, provided the voltage in your destination country is correct. On a long-distance trip across the Atlantic, our holiday destination only had 110/120 volts, which meant that the charging process took significantly longer, more than twice as long in fact.

The Oral-B iO9 has a good battery life. With a full charge, we managed at least five days, brushing twice a day. So, you still need to remember to take the power adapter with you for a long summer holiday, but it's not necessary for a weekend trip.