European electric toothbrushes
Euronomy Team
Oral-B belongs to Procter and Gamble in Cincinnati. Its biggest rival, Philips Sonicare, is Dutch. Europe offers a few more worth knowing: a Swiss brush dentists swear by, a French mouthpiece that cleans your teeth in twenty seconds, and a British upstart built for sustainability.
Which European electric toothbrushes are worth buying?
A short list of electric toothbrushes designed or owned in Europe, from the obvious swap to the delightfully different.
Oral-B and Braun: are they European?
Oral-B is owned by Procter and Gamble, a US company. Its electric brushes are sold as Oral-B powered by Braun, a German brand. Both sit under the same owner.
Emmi-dent
Known for: The technological outlier. Cleans with patented ultrasound chips and no scrubbing motion at all, which suits sensitive gums, braces and implants.
Manufactured in: Germany
Curaprox
Known for: Swiss gum-health specialist. The Hydrosonic range uses the same famously gentle CUREN filaments as the cult CS 5460 manual brush. The dentist's pick.
Manufactured in: Switzerland
Y-Brush
Known for: U-shaped sonic mouthpiece that brushes all your teeth at once in about 20 seconds. For anyone who finds two minutes too long.
Manufactured in: France
Happybrush
Known for: Covers both technologies, with the Eco Vibe sonic range and the Eco R2 rotating brush, plus kids' models. Recyclable parts at a fair mid-range price.
Manufactured in: Germany (the Eco Vibe 3+ sonic range; happybrush doesn't state a country for its other models)
Philips Sonicare
Known for: The default European alternative. Sonic cleaning from the entry 4000 Series to the app-connected DiamondClean, with heads in every European chemist.
Manufactured in: China and Indonesia (designed and headquartered in the Netherlands)
Jordan
Known for: Scandinavia's toothbrush institution. The Clean Smile keeps it simple with two speeds and a pressure sensor, and its heads fit most oscillating Oral-B handles for less.
Manufactured in: not disclosed
Spotlight Oral Care
Known for: Irish brand run by practising dentist sisters. A clinically led sonic brush that is vegan-friendly and free of triclosan and SLS.
Manufactured in: not disclosed
FOREO
Known for: The ISSA, a sonic hybrid with silicone and polymer bristles that looks more like a bathroom design object than a medical device. Designed in Stockholm.
Manufactured in: China
SURI
Known for: Repairable aluminium sonic brush with plant-based cornstarch heads and a genuine head-recycling scheme. The sustainability pick. Designed in London.
Manufactured in: China
Boombrush
Known for: Rotterdam's "last toothbrush ever". A year of battery on one charge, a lifetime warranty and free head recycling. B Corp certified, sold direct.
Manufactured in: not disclosed
Frequently asked questions
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