Once a high-tech piece of kit, you may feel like even the best electric toothbrushes have failed to evolve in line with the rest of the health tech industry. Despite spending hundreds of pounds on my last electric toothbrush, its battery died fast and I'm embarrassed to admit that it would quickly become gunky, leaving marks on my sink that used to drive me wild.
When I first tried the SURI over a year ago, I was initially drawn in by the sustainable design. Every time I threw away my plastic brush heads (which was often), I'd be struck with guilt that I was creating yet more plastic waste for landfill, so when I heard that you could send the brush heads of the SURI back to be recycled, it seemed like a simple yet genius way of reducing my carbon footprint.
A year in though, I can confirm that this brush, while sustainable, doesn't feel like you're making a sacrifice for the sake of the planet. It's sleek and modern, wall-mountable, and the battery life has been a game-changer.
SURI Electric Toothbrush review
Specifications
- Size: 27 x 7.11 x 6.91 cm
- RRP: £75
- Replacement head RRP: £14.40 for 3
- Battery life between charges: At least 40 days
- Cleaning modes: 2
- Pressure sensor: No
- Timer: Yes, the toothbrush stops after two minutes
- Bluetooth functionality: No
- Buy: Direct from SURI, £75
First impressions of the SURI Electric Toothbrush
As expected, the SURI Electric Toothbrush comes in a sustainable and sleek cardboard box. You'll get a wall mount, a sleek charger (which looks a bit like a pebble), and one replacement head included. You don't get a plug with the charger, just the USB, so I just used one of the old phone charging plugs I had lying around. I'd recommend picking up some replacement brush heads when you buy the brush because I always forget when I'm running low, so it's good to have a stash ready and waiting for when you need to replace your first head.
If you pay a bit extra you can get a fetching travel case with your brush which features a UV light to sanitise the brush on the move. I'd highly recommend the investment because it makes travelling with your brush a lot easier, and you don't need to worry about your brush knocking around with the rest of your toiletries in your wash bag.
User experience with the SURI Electric Toothbrush
There are two brush settings with the SURI Electric Toothbrush - everyday clean and polish. Typically I stick to the first setting, but to switch you just need to press the main button a second time and you'll notice that the (already quiet) sonic vibrations feel and sound lower in tone.
One good feature with this toothbrush is that it vibrates every 30 seconds to remind you to move to a different part of your mouth. It also automatically shuts off after 2 minutes, although you can switch back on if you're not quite done.
Perhaps this is an indication that I brush a bit too hard (something the SURI doesn't alert you to, which some of the best Oral B electric toothbrushes do) but I found that the bristles on this brush are a little too soft for my liking at first. They're only available in medium-soft for now, and if the brand came out with firmer bristles I'd pick some up. I've got used to the softer option for now though, and I find that I need to replace my brush head roughly once every 40 days, which is also how often SURI claims its battery life lasts and how often you should change your toothbrush, as recommended by dentists.
In my experience, the battery life with this brush far exceeds 40 days. I've only charged it a handful of times - and I've been using it for the past year. It also charges really fast and to make things even easier, the brush buzzes to remind you when its battery is running low, so you won't be caught short having only brushed half of your teeth.
As for my aforementioned toothbrush gunk, I've made particularly good use of the wall mount that comes with the SURI Electric Toothbrush to keep its marks off my sink. If you do prefer to leave your brush standing at the edge of your sink though, note that its slimline base will fall over very easily because it's a lot less bottom-heavy than most toothbrushes. If you're renting, try sticking your brush to a mirror rather than any paintwork - just in case.
I drink a lot of tea and coffee, so while I've not noticed any major differences in my teeth since testing the SURI, I'd say it's a win that my teeth haven't discoloured in the past year. I also find that I have less sensitivity since using this brush. Perhaps switching to a softer bristle was a good thing after all.
How does the SURI Electric Toothbrush compare?
We recently reviewed the Waken electric toothbrush, which has good eco credentials and is half the price of the SURI. It's made of post-consumer recycled plastic and the heads are made from bioplastic. Like the SURI, you can also send the heads back to the manufacturer to be recycled. There's a big difference visibly - the Waken lacks the aesthetically pleasing look of the SURI, and it can't be wall-mounted.
Although a sonic brush is nothing to scoff at, some people prefer an oscillating head on their electric toothbrush. Our Digital Health Editor gave the Oral-B iO10 four stars for the pressure sensor, oscillating toothbrush heads, and several working modes. The main downside was the high price point, which the SURI and Waken don't have. The iO10 is app-compatible though, with feedback on how you're cleaning your teeth and any spots you may be missing via Bluetooth.
Should I buy the SURI Electric Toothbrush?
Am I a fan of the SURI Electric Toothbrush? Suffice to say, I got my boyfriend a matching one for Christmas. Now our toothbrushes sit wall-mounted, side-by-side, and my bathroom cleaning routine involves a lot less scrubbing of old toothpaste marks.
If you like the idea of a super-smart electric toothbrush that can pair with an app or give you feedback on how you can improve your oral hygiene, there are a few (admittedly more expensive) options on the market that could be a better fit. While the sonic brush has worked for me, many dentists recommend oscillating heads to really get in between the teeth and scrub away surface stains that cause teeth to turn brown or yellow.
However, if you want to upgrade your toothbrush for a more sustainable and aesthetically pleasing alternative, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better option than the SURI.
