Oral-B iO (Price TBA — available in August 2020)
Oral-B Guide (Price TBA — available in Spring 2020)
Folks can take their own views on the necessity of a connected toothbrush. You certainly don't need one in your bathroom, and some customers are understandably concerned about relaying their health data to large companies.
That said, I know I don't need this toothbrush, but goddamn do I want this toothbrush. I tried it out, and it was the the most comfortable brushing experience I've ever had. While I find most electric toothbrushes to be obnoxiously loud, this one barely hums in your mouth. It felt like a massage on my teeth, and I didn't want to turn it off.
In the Oral-B app, you can access a number of features, such as an animation that illustrates where you're brushing in real time, and a scorecard that lets you know how you're doing. Again, I suspect most folks will find these features superfluous, but I think they're a lot of fun. I actually looked forward to my brushing sessions because they felt like beating a game. That might just be the millennial in me.
If you're buying this toothbrush, you might also consider buying the Oral-B Guide, a compatible toothbrush charger that doubles as an Alexa-powered smart speaker. It displays a four-segment toothbrush timer via an LED ring around the side to let you know when to switch sections. It's also water resistant, and has a particularly grippy base designed to stick on your sink.
You may laugh, but I think this product is awesome. I want both a toothbrush charger and an Alexa speaker in my bathroom, and outlets are a limited resource. I say the more we can combine, the better.