Or perhaps you are looking to upgrade to the latest model and are looking for the best electric toothbrush in 2021?
Choosing an electric toothbrush could be a tiresome process due to many reasons. Firstly, we are particularly picky when it comes to choosing personal care items.
Secondly, there are simply too many choices on the market to choose from which may get overwhelming.
We also understand that the needs of each one are different, so we have carefully assessed each group to ensure that whatever your preference, need or budget is – we are sure to have an excellent pick for you.
Best Rated Electric Toothbrushes – Our Top 8 Picks
| Image | Brush Type / Number of Modes / Battery Life | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Best Overall – Philips Sonicare DiamondClean 9700 (Editor’s Choice) | |||||
| One of the best premium electric toothbrushes on the market. Longest battery life and the most brushing modes than any other toothbrush. | ||||||
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 | Best For Sensitive Teeth – Foreo Issa | |||||
| The longest battery life we’ve seen in electric toothbrushes making it a great fit for travel. Ideal for people with ultra sensitive teeth. | ||||||
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 | Best Value Sonic – Philips Sonicare 2 Series | |||||
| One of best value sonic toothbrushes around. Although it is a budget alternative, the toothbrush is extremely efficient at removing plaque. | ||||||
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 | Best For Kids – Philips Sonicare for Kids (Editor’s Choice) | |||||
| The best electric toothbrushes for kids that helps them adopt good oral hygiene habits. The smart app makes tooth brushing engaging for kids. | ||||||
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 | Best Value Oscillating – Oral-B Pro 1000 (Editor’s Choice) | |||||
| The best value electric toothbrush from Braun. It features pulsation and oscillation action and delivers outstanding brushing results. | ||||||
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| Best Premium – Oral-B Pro 8000 Genius | |||||
| The most advanced electric toothbrush we have ever reviewed. It is packed with features and comes with an app that analyzes your brushing patterns in real time and provides recommendations. | ||||||
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 | Best Budget – Oral-B Vitality Floss Action | |||||
| The best entry-level electric toothbrush that is perfect for anyone wanting to give electric toothbrushes a go. | ||||||
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 | Best Brush & Flosser Set – Waterpik Complete Care 9.0 | |||||
| The best complete care oral solution that combines brushing and flossing. Capable of removing a great deal of plaque and looking after your gums. | ||||||
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| Top 8 Electric Toothbrushes | ||||||||||||||||
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1. Best Toothbrush Overall – Oral-B Pro 8000 Genius
In addition, it features intelligent sensors to ensure that all of your teeth have had sufficient attention and no parts have been left behind.
There are six brushing modes, the most we have seen in electric toothbrushes. Good to have it, but it is probably more than you would ever need or use.
Each mode is tailored for a specific purpose which makes the experience slightly more efficient compared to using a default brushing mode. Here are the modes:
- Daily Clean is the generic cleaning mode available in all Oral-B toothbrushes
- Gum Care is designed to provide a massaging activity or gums.
- Sensitive mode reduces the rotation speed and smoothes the contact with the brushing surface
- Whitening mode alternates between various brushing speeds to gently polish the teeth and remove the surface stains
- Pro-Clean provides a more intense brushing action by increasing the intensity of bristle movements
- Tongue Cleaning is designed to encourage you to ride your tongue of excess bacteria at the end of your brushing routine
You will also notice a built-in all-around LED light which is called a 360 SmartRing. It is connected to the two-minute timer and the pressure sensor to visually notify the user when the potential tooth or gum damage is detected due to the excessive physical force being applied.
You can choose between the 12 colors for a little bit of personalization using the mobile app.
The toothbrush comes with a smart case that supports a pass-through charging for an additional device. In other words, you can charge the toothbrush and your mobile phone from a single wall power socket.
There is no question that the toothbrush looks sleek and bursts with features, but the real highlight is the app which is available for iPhone and Android users.
It is in the app where all of the innovation, sensor reading, and processing come together to create a truly remarkable and unique experience. Notice that I did not say ‘practical’.
Using the app, you can add your dentist’s recommendations to tailor the brushing experience for your particular 
needs. For example, you may need to brush certain areas or your teeth more than the other areas.
While brushing, Oral-B Pro 8000 sends the usage patterns to the app which tracks your movements and analyzes the data in real-time.
The position detection system comes with a smartphone holder that you would ideally place on your bathroom mirror such that the phone’s camera can focus on your face. The video from the mobile phone’s camera and the data from the toothbrush sensors is processed to create a graphical representation of your mouth and the areas that have been brushed versus the areas that are still outstanding.
| Bottom Line |
|---|
| It is really hard to flaw Oral-B Pro 8000 even if you try. It is a real flagship which is truly innovative and jam-packed with features. It would shine the best for people who require a personalized brushing approach as then most of the innovative features will actually find practical use. The Oral-B Pro 8000 could really be a gem for some of us, just make sure that the features that it comes with are practical for you, else, you could opt for cheaper toothbrushes in our review which produce comparable cleaning results. |
- Design 90%
- Features 100%
- Cleaning Efficiency 90%
- Battery Life 80%
- Value 70%
| POSITIVE | |
|---|---|
 | One of the most technologically advanced toothbrushes on the market |
| Long battery life |
| Removes up to 500% more plaques than the manual toothbrush |
| Customizable brushing program |
| Travel case that can charge your phone |
| NEGATIVE | |
|---|---|
| Expensive |
2. Best Toothbrush For Sensitive Teeth – Foreo Issa
Like many successful startups, Foreo adds a new, innovative twist by combining an ergonomic design, silicone and PBT polymer bristles and sonic pulse technology.
The toothbrush features a beautiful, lightweight and ergonomic design, which feels very comfortable in hands.
It is also completely waterproof, which makes it usable in the shower or bath.
The most standout feature of the toothbrush is its 3D flexible brush head, which is made of an antibacterial, non-porous silicone. Not only the rubbery silicone nubs provide better protection by not scratching your tooth enamel and damaging gums, but it also lasts up to 3 times longer compared to the conventional brush heads using nylon. The antibacterial fabric harbors up to 10,000 times fewer bacteria compared to the competition which allows it to stay in use for an extended period of time.
Silicone bristles may seem like a great idea in theory, but in practice, it is not as straightforward. They are definitely doing a great job taking care of the sensitive teeth and gums, yet they fail to get between the teeth to remove the plague that other toothbrushes with nylon bristles seem to do quite effortlessly.
Foreo claims that the battery can last up to 365 brushes on a single charge which takes only 1 hour. This sounds somewhat hard to believe compared to the competition, yet our testing results have found this statement to be mostly accurate.
| Bottom Line |
|---|
| Foreo Issa toothbrush is a great looking, ergonomically designed and travel-friendly toothbrush. It comes with a premium price tag, but it can be easily justified with amazing battery life and the extra tooth and gum protection it provides. The toothbrush is not for everyone and if you are after general-purpose care, there are better options on the market. |
- Design 90%
- Features 70%
- Cleaning Efficiency 60%
- Battery Life 100%
- Value 60%
| POSITIVE | |
|---|---|
| Beautiful design |
| Quick charge feature |
| Unbelievable battery life |
| Bristles need replacement only once a year |
| Great sensitive teeth |
| NEGATIVE | |
|---|---|
| Not as effective in removing plaque as toothbrushes with nylon bristles |
| May feel too small for people with big hands |
| Expensive |
3. Best Toothbrush For Braces – Philips Sonicare 2 Series
Philips claims that the toothbrush removes up to 6 times more plaque compared to a conventional toothbrush.
The first impression is that the toothbrush looks pretty plain and quite boring.
It is however well balanced and has a rounded ergonomic shape that makes the toothbrush sit well in hands providing an easy and comfortable grip.
Like other toothbrushes in the Sonicare range, the Sonicare 2 Series moves at 31,000 strokes per minute. This is insanely fast, especially for an entry-level toothbrush.
The toothbrush comes with an EasyStart feature which if you are might find useful if transitioning from manual toothbrushes. Some people starting with electric toothbrushes may find the sonic vibration unnatural and weird, so Sonicare 2 Series has a mode where it gradually builds up the stoke speed throughout 14 uses which helps to make the transition from a manual toothbrush smoother.
To help you manage the brushing process, the toothbrush comes with a two-minute timer that notifies you once the recommended brushing time has lapsed. Moreover, just like the higher-end models, the Sonicare 2 Series comes with QuadPacer which makes small pauses between pulsations and beeps every 30 seconds to help you focus on each of the tooth areas one at a time.
The Sonicare 2 Series is priced as an entry-level toothbrush, yet it includes some of the features and technology found in more expensive, premium models. It won’t win any design awards, but it will deliver an incredible amount of value for a very reasonable price. For our test, the toothbrush came with an additional head free of charge, which made it even better value for the money. At the same time, this bonus could be promotional and perhaps should not be expected to be included by default.
| Bottom Line |
|---|
| Being one of the bestselling electric toothbrushes in America, Philips Sonicare 2 Series is a perfect toothbrush for anyone transitioning from a manual to an electric toothbrush, especially if you need to give your plague levels some additional care. In fact, it is one of the best value, general-purpose toothbrushes we have ever tested. Note, however, that it is not a perfect fit for people with sensitive gums or teeth as the toothbrush has only one brushing mode which is rather intense. |
- Design 80%
- Features 80%
- Cleaning Efficiency 90%
- Battery Life 80%
- Value 90%
| POSITIVE | |
|---|---|
| Good value, well priced |
| Very reliable |
| Great plague removal ability |
| Ideal for people transitioning from manual to electric toothbrushes |
| Power build up mode that increases pulsation intensity over 14 uses |
| NEGATIVE | |
|---|---|
| Low battery indicator only comes on too late, when the battery is practically flat |
4. Best Affordable Electric Toothbrush – Oral-B Pro 1000
The build quality is good as the toothbrush feels solid and sturdy.
The materials used for a handle are of slightly better quality compared to the ones used in the cheaper Vitality version, yet not as good as the materials used for the premium range.
Given that the toothbrush is positioned as a low-mid level toothbrush, we were quite surprised by how many features come with it.
In fact, it hosts most of the practical features, such as good battery life (i.e. seven days instead of five for Vitality), better ergonomics and a pressure sensor to prevent the teeth and gum damage.
The key difference with the lower-end model is that the Oral-B Pro 1000 features a 3D cleaning system. In short, the brush head not only rotates at 8,800 oscillations per minute but also makes 20,000 pulsations which quite noticeably improves the cleaning efficiency. The toothbrush comes with a 2-minute timer and a QuadPacer which helps you time each mouth quadrant to 30 seconds as recommended by the dentists.
Oral-B Pro 1000 is a great general purpose toothbrush but it is limited by only having a single brushing mode (i.e. Daily Clean), which is great for everyday cleaning but would not be ideal for someone having sensitive gums or teeth.
In addition, multiple users have reported an excessive charge time of around 20 hours required in order to fully charge the battery. This is partly due to the NiMH battery being used, compared to Lithium-ion batteries found on the more expensive models.
| Bottom Line |
|---|
| Oral-B Pro 1000 has all the features you need for a great tooth brushing experience. It comes with a precision 3D cleaning technology which combines pulsation and oscillation action as well as the pressure sensor, both of which we found to be extremely useful. The more expensive Oral-B toothbrushes come with more brushing modes, and would only marginally improve the overall cleaning performance, if at all. If you are after a toothbrush that gives you an extremely big bang for your buck at the same time maintaining an exceptional cleaning performance comparable with the best toothbrushes on the market – Oral-B Pro 1000 is as good as it gets. |
- Design 80%
- Features 80%
- Cleaning Efficiency 90%
- Battery Life 70%
- Value 90%
| POSITIVE | |
|---|---|
| Solid build quality |
| Amazing cleaning performance |
| Competitively priced and featured |
| Pressure sensor |
| NEGATIVE | |
|---|---|
| Average battery life |
| Only one brushing mode |
| Not ideal for people with sensitive gums and teeth |
5. Best Electric Toothbrush For Kids – Philips Sonicare For Kids
Sonicare for Kids toothbrush is more than just an electric toothbrush, it is a new tooth brushing experience!
The toothbrush has been intentionally designed to educate and make kids love brushing their teeth.
To guide this experience, the toothbrush uses a Bluetooth connection with a SonicareKids App, which is compatible with most iPhones and Android phones.
The application keeps track of brushing times and teaches kids about the importance of oral hygiene.
And you would not believe it – it works like a charm!
It also challenges kids to brush their teeth better and longer by offering a set of interactive coaching sessions that keep the kids engaged in the toothbrushing process. The coaching sessions are accompanied by clear illustrations, are highly interactive, and reward kids for the job well done. The overall experience using the application is more than positive as it takes the kid’s encouragement and education to a whole new level which makes the twice-a-day toothbrushing almost effortless for parents.
It is important to note that 98% of the surveyed parents have agreed that the application helps their kids to have a better and longer brushing sessions by developing healthy oral habits early in their lives.
Philips Sonicare for Kids comes with 8 different stickers for the front part of the toothbrush. This may be a small bonus for adults, but in practice – a great benefit for kids. Some parents have reported that the ability to change the stickers on a daily basis was already enough to get their kids to brush their teeth.
The toothbrush is designed for kids from 4 to 10 years old and comes with two rubberized brush heads to protect gums and teeth. One compact and one regular size brush heads that come in the box ensure a perfect fit for younger or older kids. It also has a great rubber grip, so it never slips out of those little hands, even when they are wet.
To further help smooth the tooth brushing process, the Sonicare for Kids comes with an EasyStart feature which starts the brushing experience with lower-frequency pulsations and ramps them up to 31,000 pulsations per minute over the 14 days of use.
Sonicare for Kids has two modes, Gentle and Extra Gentle. The former is being designed as a normal brushing mode for older and more independent kids, whereas the latter represents a shorter brushing cycle (i.e. 1 min) and a reduced power intensity designed for toothbrush training.
To ensure that the kids do not use the toothbrush for too long and damage their teeth, it comes with a two-minute timer that switches the toothbrush off automatically. This feature also helps to prologue the battery life, which can last up to 3 weeks on a single charge thanks to the integrated Lithium-Ion battery.
| Bottom Line |
|---|
| Sonicare for Kids is the best kids toothbrush there is on the market by a long shot. It is not cheap, but it is probably your best chance to have your kids adopt a healthy oral routine early. It makes the tooth brushing process at home easier, more fun and keeps the kids engaged. The research has shown that there are more and more kids with tooth decay today than ever and if this toothbrush gives your kids a better chance of maintaining good oral health. It could be a relatively small investment compared to the dental work that you would need to do later. |
- Design 90%
- Features 90%
- Cleaning Efficiency 90%
- Battery Life 90%
- Value 70%
| POSITIVE | |
|---|---|
| The best electric toothbrush for kids on the market |
| Good battery life |
| Interactive brushing experience that keeps the kids engaged |
| NEGATIVE | |
|---|---|
| Not cheap |
| No fading indicators on the bristles |
6. Best Smart Toothbrush – Sonicare DiamondClean Smart 9700
This smart electric toothbrush offers a pristine and innovative brushing experience. It has 5 different modes and corresponding smart brushes that are made to address specific issues in your oral hygiene.
You can also connect your phone to the toothbrush via the Sonicare app to gather data on your brushing techniques.
Sonicare DiamondClean Smart 9700 incorporates design choices that elevate the user experience. The handle of the toothbrush is optimized for grip and ease of brushing. It is as much about functionality as it is about being fancy with this smart toothbrush. The toothbrush comes with five brushing modes to cater for multiple needs:
- Clean – a general-purpose brushing mode
- Gum Health – adds a minute of low-powered gum brushing
- Sensitive –provides additional care for your sensitive teeth and gums
- Deep Clean – a three-minute power wash
- White – fights the morning coffee and tea stains to keep your teeth whiter
To support the dentist recommendations of effective tooth brushing, the Sonicare DiamondClean features a SmartTimer and Quadpacer which time your brushing to 2 minutes with 30-second intervals to spend on each one of the quadrants (i.e., upper-left, lower-left, upper-right and lower-right).
The battery life of Sonicare DiamondClean is as good as it gets with electric toothbrushes. It gives you up to 3 weeks of use on a single charge which is the best result except for the Foreo Issa.
It uses inductive charging, so you can just pop the toothbrush into the included glass cup when you are done with it. Thanks to the LED feedback, you would know when your toothbrush is fully charged. It also comes with a travel charging case for frequent travelers, but it does not hold additional brush heads.
| Bottom Line |
|---|
| With its specialized brushing modes, smart brushes, app, and built-in sensors, Sonicare DiamondClean Smart 9700 is designed to improve and give you insight into your brushing habits. In fact, it is the best electric toothbrush Philips has ever made, but it does not come cheap. It is the kind of upfront investment you need if you have trouble maintaining proper oral hygiene. |
- Design 95%
- Features 85%
- Cleaning Efficiency 90%
- Battery Life 90%
- Value 80%
| POSITIVE | |
|---|---|
| Premium feel, build quality and design |
| Five cleaning modes |
| Brush-sync technology |
| Unique and innovative wireless glass charger |
| 3-week battery life |
| NEGATIVE | |
|---|---|
| Expensive |
| Dark color head refills are hard to find |
7. Best Cheap Electric Toothbrush – Oral-B Vitality Floss Action
It represents the most basic set of features, yet comes with the most important one – the famous Oral-B oscillation cleaning action powered by 7600 rotation per minute.
The toothbrush also comes with two Floss Action brush heads in the box – hence the name.
The brush head features MicroPulse bristles designed for a deeper clean.
The Vitality’s handle is partially made of a rubberized material that grips well and feels comfortable in the hand. It also makes the toothbrush completely waterproof, so you can use it in the shower.
Although the toothbrush features the oscillation mechanism, it is the most basic implementation of it which is termed – 2D. The difference between Vitality and other more expensive models is the 3D technology, which in addition to oscillating also pulsates. It provides a superior cleaning power, but also comes at a higher price.
As far as the toothbrush features go, it is a basic as it gets. You get a single cleaning mode and a two-minute timer. It does not have a pressure sensor, quadrant timer, battery indicator, or LED display but that is expected.
Overall, the Vitality makes electric brushes ultra-affordable. If you have been sitting on the fence in terms of switching to electric toothbrushes – this is your best way to get you and your family make the switch. My electric toothbrushing experience started exactly with this toothbrush and have never looked back at the conventional toothbrushes again. In other words – transitioning from a manual toothbrush to Vitality would be the best bang for your buck you will ever get in oral care.
| Bottom Line |
|---|
| Vitality Floss Action is the best cheap electric toothbrush you can buy. You will not find another toothbrush at this price point with a comparable tooth brushing performance. If you want to learn what electric toothbrushes are all about – this is your safe way to try. |
- Design 70%
- Features 60%
- Cleaning Efficiency 80%
- Battery Life 70%
- Value 90%
| POSITIVE | |
|---|---|
| Unbeatable value |
| Great cleaning action for a budget toothbrush |
| Compatible with all Oral-B brush heads |
| NEGATIVE | |
|---|---|
| Battery life |
| No battery indicator |
| A little bit noisy when in use |
8. Best Electric Toothbrush and Flosser – Waterpik Complete Care 9.0
You can pick between two colors, white and black. Although black looks more premium, white is more practical as it is a lot more stain-resistant.
The previous generation Waterpik Complete Care 7.0 was hugely successful but had a couple of design imperfections, many of which have been addressed in the new design.
Firstly, the new device is more compact and requires less room on your bathroom counter. The layout and positioning of the toothbrush, flosser, water tank, and controls have been redesigned. As a result, the unit is easier to use and looks more modern.
On the side of the unit, you will find the controls to turn the unit on or off as well as to adjust the water pressure. There are ten settings that adjust the pressure between 10 and 100 psi. Quite remarkable for a unit of that size.
Flosser
The unit comes with five flosser tips, which is significantly more than other water flossers provide:
- 2 x Classic Jet – a standard flosser tip, there are three of them that come in the box.
- Plaque Seeker – a tip with bristles, which add some extra scrubbing power (if needed)
- Orthodontic – a tip designed to shoot water through braces
- Pik Pocket – a tip designed to wash out periodontal pockets
The unit can get somewhat loud when used, but this is typical for all types of water flossers.
Overall, the flossing performance is amongst the best in class. Waterpik provides multiple studies and clinical results on plague removal effectiveness, gum health, implant, or braces use which demonstrates an exceptional flossing performance.
Toothbrush
The toothbrush has also been deeply revised and is now called Waterpik Triple Sonic brush. It comes with two brush heads and represents a noticeable improvement over the previous model in all regards. There are three Sonic brushing modes available, tailored for general brushing, whitening, and massaging. We were quite surprised to see multiple brushing modes as they are typically found in more expensive toothbrushes. In fact, in functionality and performance, the Waterpik Triple Sonic brush reminds us of Philips HealthyWhite Plus and Sonicare Essence Plus, which are medium-range electric toothbrushes.
At the bottom of the toothbrush, you will find a small battery level indicator that displays the charge level.
Since the toothbrush is using NiMH battery (instead of Lithium-ion), you need to be careful about how you recharge your toothbrush. Overcharging the battery degrades the cells and can eventually make the toothbrush worthless.
The brushing performance is excellent, especially given the affordable price point. Waterpik makes claims that the toothbrush is nine times better at removing stains than the regular toothbrush and we tend to agree with that.
| Bottom Line |
|---|
| If you are looking for a complete care unit that combines brushing and flossing, you can’t go wrong with Waterpik Complete Care 9.0. The flossing action has proven to be extremely capable of cleaning plague and taking care of your gums. Also, it was clinically proven to improve gums health around implants and efficiently remove plaque around braces. Overall, Waterpik Complete Care 9.0 is one of the best complete care oral solutions on the market. |
- Design 80%
- Features 70%
- Cleaning Efficiency 90%
- Battery Life 80%
- Value 90%
| POSITIVE | |
|---|---|
| The best value electric toothbrush and flosser combo out there |
| Compact design and ease of use |
| Great for anyone with braces, implants, crowns, bridges, and veneers |
| Proven to have better results than a toothbrush on its own |
| NEGATIVE | |
|---|---|
| NiMH battery |
| Too bulky for travel |
Why Use an Electric Toothbrush?
The research has shown that the importance of our dental health has a direct impact on our overall health as well as life expectancy. One research has focused on Alzheimer’s disease which found that having gum disease can accelerate the rate of mental decline by six times. In fact, there are multiple studies conducted in other fields that prove that dental health is more important than we ever thought.
The question about electric versus manual toothbrushes is the one we hear the most. It is quite typical that people want to know and justify the additional expense of buying an electric toothbrush. We believe the answer is pretty straightforward and the benefits of electric toothbrushes are substantial and that investment will pay back enormous dividends in the long run.
According to Dr. Edwards-Lunn, co-founder of Dr. Heff’s Remarkable Mints, using an electric toothbrush drastically reduces the chance of gum disease. Some of the reasons to support this claim are:
- Ease of use, so people tend to use them longer than manual toothbrushes
- Better reach, the manual toothbrushes can’t merely match
- Superior cleaning performance as electric toothbrushes pulsate or rotate at rates not possible for a manual toothbrush
- Brushing assistance with built-in timer and pressure sensor
Moreover, most electric toothbrushes in our review are waterproof and can be used when bathing or showering and if you were to add one of the most recommended shower speakers to the mix – you are sure to have both productive and enjoyable experience.
Isn’t there an updated version – Waterpik Complete Care 9.0?
Yup, we have updated our review with it now, please check it out. Thanks for your comment.
Pulsating or oscillating?
I do not think you can go wrong with either. Both Phillips and Oral-B are reputable brands, so if one had a clear upper hand on the other, they would be both making it. What I suggest is you try the entry-level Phillips and Oral-B and after a couple of weeks use, see which one you prefer better.
I’ve bought ORAL-B PRO 500 – is it the same as Vitality? It is quite confusing as I am not sure if there are any differences between the two and which one should I have purchased?
Yes, more or less. The only difference is that Oral B Pro 500 has a quadrant timer that beeps when you have to change between mouth quadrants, but that is about it.
Where is Oclean X Pro Elite? It beats everything on this list in terms of efficiency, cleaning intensity, and quietness. Please have it reviewed, too.
Thanks for your feedback, will consider the product you have suggested!