I'm diligent with hygienist appointments not only for overall oral health but to minimise any treatment in the future; thankfully, I haven't ever needed any, as private practices are extortionate for restorative. In my previous appointment (August 2022), if you are private, you'll be familiar with the industry standard scoring system they use during the checkup appointment. I scored 12%, which is within the excellent range (they still ideally like under 10%). I had always considered getting the IO, as my Sonicare wasn't doing as much of a thorough job as I thought and not keeping its charge (battery degradation). Honestly, I bought into the whole gimmick, but you’re locked in with the IO as the brushes aren’t reverse-compatible with any previous models. As there was a Black Friday sale in mid-December at £35.00 so, I purchased two X8’s (£10 cheaper for each however, unfortunately, the seller turned out to be bogus and never delivered the goods, but Amazon thankfully refunded the order; I still gave in. Although now more expensive than when I first purchased my initial order. Now repurchasing, ensuring the order was fulfilled by Amazon directly if anything should arise again. I changed over to the IO to see if it was as good as others said or even had more positive benefits over my Sonicare that served me well for four years in terms of durability. After buying the IO-6, anything newer in the series was pointless and a waste of money on features you still get with the series 7 and 8 lines, yet to find only one brush head supplied, regardless of whichever model you chose, for a product RRP of £300. You’d expect at minimum two. Thankfully, I never paid the heavy price tag.
I separate my reviews into three sections, pros, med and cons, for easier reading and to allow the reader to focus on whichever they find more informative.
Pro:
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* They clean exceptionally well while being just as soft as the brush head that initially came with the unit, and during use, I haven’t found the bristles deforming prematurely. I don’t have gum disease, but using these hasn’t irritated the gums.
* Within the outer bristles, there is a colour indicator when the optimal performance is affected, requiring changing from blue to white. I'm not going to say I always remember to and may go slightly over the recommended three months at times, but the indicators give me a visual rather than having to guess. That said, the Oral-B app also indicates. But still handy to have if you don’t want to use the app.
* One current review states, “becomes unbearably noisy after one month” for me; this hasn't occurred yet. (I will update if this becomes an issue with any of the future replacements)
Med:
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* There is an element of upkeep. After each use, remove the head and rinse the inside thoroughly. Otherwise, the paste can quickly harden and form between the gap between the head and the unit, the vibration plate inside, and the lower hole. Most, of course, will do this, but it’s something to be mindful of as some may not be consistent at doing so. It’s not a quick run under the faucet.
* Having spent £91.98, I don’t know what I expected in terms of presentation. I got a battered-up plain white box with a minor brand label on the reverse, destroyed once you open it. If you’re paying the “Premium” price, you’d expect the outer packaging to be in line with the contents, as it’s plain, with no branding on the front, it could easily be mistaken for something else later.
Con:
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* I do agree; they are massively overpriced. But since you are now locked into the IO brand as they are incompatible with previous generations. These brushes periodically fluctuate in price, currently at £45.99. If you can afford it, purchasing two X8 packs may be ideal as you get double the amount of the X8 for close to the same price as one single X8 pack while not on sale, working out at £5.75 and lasting three months per brush head as opposed to £11.50 lasting the same three months while not reduced. If they can reduce them by 50%, surely they know they aren’t worth the total price in the first place. At the moment, there don’t seem to be any third-party options, and it appears they’ll never be any, at least not soon.
Conclusion:
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Sure there are more positives than concerns, but as I'm sure you will appreciate, I cannot wait four years to review the item(s). However, having used one for almost one month, it has held up well in terms of performance, with no premature deform while still showing the same amount of brush performance. The brush colour indicator is in a similar state to the timeframe as the first initial that came with the unit. So would I recommend these? On a deal, absolutely whenever there is, as most may purchase the x8 only, this gives the customer two years to check the prices periodically, hopefully nowhere near the £91.99 price tag. I am also aware that out of the X2 8’s I purchased, there is a possible chance of rogue(s), but I shall update this review in the event of such an encounter. Overall, I am happy with the performance. At £91.99, not so much.
At my most recent appointment (January 2023), however, at the time, I didn't confess that any changes had been made since my last visit until after completion, to where they were surprised how the health of my gums had improved furthermore to the standard industry score as quickly to 11%. Not quite the 10% but with more time, I’m sure it’ll get there.
There’s no point in me adding additional images as the current ones are sufficient, and the majority are the same, so I’d be unable to show anything different.
| Product Name | Oral-B iO Ultimate Clean Black Toothbrush Heads, Pack of 4 Counts |
|---|---|
| Weight | 0.03 Kilograms |
| Units | 4 count |
| Manufacturer contact | Procter & Gamble UK, Weybridge, Surrey, KT13 0XP |
| Country of origin | Germany |
| Brand | Oral-B |
| Format | Base Form |
| Age Range Description | Adult |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
