I'm a fussy Shopping Editor but was pleasantly surprised when I put this sustainable and chic electric toothbrush to the test

Trends and seasons may change throughout the year, but come rain or shine (and whatever your personal style), good oral care is always necessary. A crucial part of our morning routines, we all know that picking the right toothbrush is important - but that doesn’t mean it has to be boring. Enter: my Suri toothbrush review. 

Far too often, I’ve had to compromise on either the style or effectiveness of my toothbrush. The most effective electric toothbrushes tend to leave little to be desired in terms of design, and ones that look chic tend to not have much else going for them - one way or another, nothing ever seemed to tick the right box when it came to electric toothbrushes. I’d all but given up hope on finding a chic, easy-to-use, sustainable and - most importantly - effective design. That was, until I tried Suri. 

This electric toothbrush is composed of recyclable, plant-based heads and bristles and a slim aluminium body that’s designed to be taken apart and repaired easily. Already, it's a far more sustainable option than any other toothbrush I’ve heard of, and if that wasn’t enough, the sleek design is complemented by accessories that increase their ease of use, including a magnetic wall mount and UV travel case.

While this all sounds brilliant on paper, I wanted to put one of the brushes to the test to see if it lived up to expectations. So what was my experience with using the Suri toothbrush IRL? And, crucially, would it actually perform? If you’re already convinced, shop it for yourself below, otherwise - keep scrolling for my honest review. 

Shop the SURI Toothbrush

Firstly (and I think this is crucial to note), the SURI’s vibrating effect performs very differently from that of an oscillating toothbrush. How so? Well, the long, narrow toothbrush head is powered by strong vibrations rather than an oscillating motion. 

It promises to be more effective than a regular (non-electric) toothbrush, but you’ll still have to do some manual scrubbing. More on how it actually works from a dentist below.

What kind of different electric toothbrushes are there?

Essentially, there are two main types of electric toothbrush out there - the oscillating toothbrush and the sonic or "vibrating" toothbrush. According to Advanced Facial Aesthetics and Skin Care Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Alexandra Day, "many studies have been carried out since the evolution of the electric toothbrush comparing the two main technologies that have dominated the market."

But what makes them different? "Oscillating toothbrushes generally have bristles arranged on a circular head that rotates or swings back and forth," says Dr. Day. "Some oscillating brushes have been further developed to incorporate vibration and pulsation into their action. The oscillating brush actions typically vary from 2500 to 7000 rotations per minute and some more recent brushes have an additional 40,000 pulses per minute that act a bit like a sonic toothbrush to agitate fluid while brushing to help clean beneath the gum line."

Sonic toothbrushes, however, "have a vibrating action that is generally faster with around 30,000 actions per minute." Wondering what this actually means? Well, the vibrations use fluid dynamics with high frequency and vibrations stimulating toothpaste and water to gently remove plaque and debris from the teeth, she explains. "This is particularly helpful at getting to the harder-to-reach areas such as beneath the gum line and dental bridges, orthodontic braces and implants." 

SURI would always suggest pivoting your brush head at a 45-degree angle towards your gum line and brush in small circles on your teeth. Your brush will make a haptic notification every 30 seconds for you to move to a different quadrant of your mouth and turn off after 2 minutes of use (the recommended brushing time).

All interesting stuff - but the question you really want to know the answer to. Which style is better for your teeth?

Is a sonic toothbrush better than an oscillating toothbrush?

According to Dr. Day (and a number of studies which compare the two electric toothbrush styles), "the efficiency of cleaning using both oscillating and sonic brushes is actually very similar."

But when it comes to the overall effect on your teeth and gums, there is a marked difference. When it comes to oscillating toothbrushes, she points out that care must be taken. "Customers and clinical observations highlight that these brushes can be too harsh on the gums, causing unwanted gum recession where the gum is pushed away from the tooth exposing the underlying root," she shares. "This in itself can lead to further problems, most notably tooth abrasion, where your exposed root can become brushed away and cause concavities in the teeth. These can be very sensitive and need repairing by a dentist."

Essentially, it comes down to your personal needs and preferences. As someone with pretty sensitive teeth and gums, I find some oscillating electric toothbrush styles a little too harsh. Sonic toothbrushes like Suri - which use gentler vibrations - seem like the perfect middle-ground of effective cleaning power which I can better control. However, if you prefer the power of an oscillating head and don’t enjoy the effort of a little manual scrubbing, the SURI toothbrush might not be for you. 

My honest Suri toothbrush review

This all sounds very promising, but how did I get on with actually using Suri? As mentioned above, I did have to manually scrub to get a properly deep clean, but as I’m used to manual toothbrushes and have pretty sensitive teeth, I didn’t mind this extra bit of effort. In reality, it meant I could control the amount of pressure exerted onto my teeth and gums. 

Other need-to-knows: The vibrations are quiet yet powerful, and it has a surprisingly long battery life, too. I’ve been using mine for over a month now and haven’t had to recharge it yet.

Once turned on, the brush pauses for a moment every 30 seconds, reminding you to move the toothbrush head to a different section of your mouth, then stops completely after the two minutes are up. I found this super helpful to ensure I don’t overwork certain areas of my teeth, which can cause damage in the long run.

Now, let’s talk about the design - because if I’m being honest, the chic style of this toothbrush was the thing that drew my attention to it in the first place. The sleek, slim toothbrush body comes in four matte shades (a charcoal grey, an off-white, a pebble blue and a mint green) to suit any bathroom interior style.

I was a huge fan of the magnetic mirror mount, which keeps my brush clean and separate from other appliances, and actually elevates - rather than distracts from - my bathroom decor. More accessories of note include the charging travel case which cleans itself with UV-C light between uses (genius) and the USB charging stand which continues the sleek design theme.

In terms of materials and aftercare, this is where Suri really impressed me. As Dr. Day points out, "It's more important than ever that we should consider the environmental impact of our health routines. Every year, four billion plastic manual toothbrushes go to landfill or end up in our oceans. Historically, many electric toothbrushes don't survive more than two to three years of use. With multiple layers of plastic and non-recyclable batteries, this is not helping make for a clean planet."

Suri's plant-based brush heads are pretty revolutionary in this regard. They can be recycled for free by the brand, and you can also set up a brush head subscription, which ships two extra heads with your first purchase and every six months afterwards. Waste? Consider it minimised. 

Is a SURI toothbrush worth it?

In my opinion, yes. As above, the chic, sustainable, easy-to-use and effective design makes it pretty much the best toothbrush I’ve ever used. It’s £75 for the brush only and £95 for the brush and UV case (which I would highly recommend, as it’s great for travelling).

There are much pricier models available with far less attractive features, so the under-£100 price makes for a pretty great investment purchase, IMO. You can shop the different colour options for yourself below - happy scrubbing.