Oral-B has announced the July launch of the latest addition to its iO line of electric toothbrushes. With a recommended retail price of $59.94 in the US (but no UK launch date or pricing has yet been announced), the iO Series 2 will be the most economical yet.
If you’re in the US, you can pre-order the iO2 Starter Kit (which contains an extra brush head) on Amazon now for $65.99.
Here’s why I’m eagerly awaiting its release.
In my opinion, the Oral-B iO range offers the best brushing performance and I regularly recommend these brushes to my friends. But for people who aren’t convinced by the advanced feature sets – which include smart brush feedback, fast charging and a color OLED display – the prices may be a barrier.
There are currently eight brushes in the Oral-B iO range, ranging from the iO3 to the luxurious iO10. Each has a slightly different set of features, corresponding to a US price of between $79.99 for the iO3 and $379.49 for the iO10.
It’s a different story in the UK, where prices tend to fluctuate a lot more and electric toothbrushes are often launched at hugely inflated prices. You might see the Oral-B iO3 with an RRP of £160 – but you shouldn’t pay more than £75 for it. Similarly, the iO10 has an RRP of £800, but is widely available for around £400.
To learn the features of all the brushes in Oral-B’s iO line, see what you should pay, and get our recommendations, take a look at our roundup of the best Oral-B electric toothbrushes.
The bottom line is that the cost may be off-putting for people who would benefit from an iO, and the iO2’s $59.94 price should give the brush much broader appeal. It was designed to encourage people who use a manual brush to switch to an electric one.
Here’s why you might want to take the plunge.
What are the features of the Oral-B iO2?
The iO2 has all the features we want to see in an electric toothbrush:
- Strong Brushing Performance: Brush head oscillates and vibrates for powerful cleaning and plaque removal.
- Dentist-recommended 2-minute timer, plus quadrant alerts to let you know when you’ve brushed a part of your mouth long enough.
- Pressure Sensor: Pressing too hard is one of the most common mistakes when brushing and can damage gums and weaken tooth enamel. If the bristles on your brush tend to spread out in the middle like a palm tree, this is a sign that you need to use a brush with a pressure sensor. The iO2 has a pressure sensor that lights up red and will slow down the brush if you press too hard when cleaning.
- Three brushing modes, for a perfect level of comfort: super sensitive, gentle and daily cleaning.
- One-button operation for easy use.
Oral-B has not yet given any information on battery life or brush charging time. Based on other iO brushes at a similar price, we think the battery will last 7-10 days – if you only brush twice a day for 2 minutes (remember, sharing a brush will cut battery life in half). It will likely have a charge time of over 20 hours, which means it’s a much better option if you’re happy to keep it on its charging stand.
When will iO2 be available?
If you’re in the US, you can pre-order the iO2 Starter Kit on Amazon now for $65.99. You will receive two black brush heads, a black brush handle, and a standard white Oral-B charger in the kit. It will be delivered in July.
The iO2 with a single brush head will be available at Oral-B in the US and other US retailers starting in July for $59.94. Its UK price and release date have not yet been confirmed.
We will review the iO2 as soon as it becomes available. In the meantime, for our best recommendations, check out our roundup of the best Oral-B electric toothbrushes, best cheap electric toothbrushes, and best electric toothbrushes overall.
