Oral-B Vitality Electric Toothbrush An affordable, no-frills electric toothbrush from a well-known brand
Overview
Back in 2014, I bought an Oral-B Vitality by Braun, and it served me well for years. Over time it got pretty dirty, and after a stretch without use it developed black mold.
When I decided to go back to an electric toothbrush, I bought the exact same model, brand new. Years of use had taught me exactly what it does well and where it falls short.
In this review, I give you an honest breakdown of what is good, what is bad, and whether the Oral-B Vitality is still worth buying.
See the Oral-B Vitality Electric Toothbrush in action below before diving into the detailed breakdown.
Product description
The Oral-B Vitality is a rechargeable electric toothbrush with an oscillating CrossAction brush head. The handle is made of solid plastic with a rubberized grip and a single power button, and it sits on a wireless charging base.
It has a built-in 2-minute timer that signals when the time is up, but it does not shut the toothbrush off on its own. The light-blue indicator bristles on the brush head fade over about 3 months of recommended use, to signal when it is time to replace the head.
Colored rings let several family members share one handle, each with their own brush head.
Battery & Charging
| Battery | Built-in rechargeable NiMH |
| Charging time | Up to 16 hours |
| Battery life | About 20 minutes of brushing, roughly 5 days, per my own use |
| Battery life (per Oral-B manual) | Up to 8 days of regular brushing |
| Charging unit output | 0.9 W |
| Voltage | 220-240V AC, 50-60Hz (the unit I use) |
| Charging unit cable length | 0.90 meter |
Dimensions & Weight
| Weight (handle + brush head) | About 110 g |
Features
| Brush head | Oral-B CrossAction |
| Timer | 2 minutes, fixed |
| Battery indicator | None |
| Handle | Waterproof, per the user manual |
| Replacement indicator | Indicator bristles that fade over about 3 months |
| Warranty | 1 year per the user manual, 2 years per Oral-B US website (varies by region) |
Inside the box
Pros
A relatively affordable electric toothbrush by a well-known brand: The name Oral-B is synonymous with dental hygiene. Just so you know, Oral-B is owned by Procter & Gamble (P&G). Since I'm already familiar with cheap electric toothbrushes (see my video), I can say that the price of the Oral-B Vitality is attractive compared to other models.
Durability: The toothbrush is made from quality plastic & rubber, that lasts well over time. I know that because my old Oral-B Vitality lasted well for 7 years. In the photos below you can see my old Oral-B toothbrush. Although the black mold isn't a lovely sight, I want you to see what happens to the brush over time. Please note I stopped using the brush once the mold appeared. The only thing I had to replace was the brushing head every 3 months.
Battery Life: Once the battery is fully charged, the toothbrush is expected to last for approximately 20 minutes (based on an assumption of 5 days of use, when brushing your teeth twice a day, two minutes each time).
Non-original brushing heads are relatively cheap: Original brushing heads by Oral-B are considerably more expensive compared to non-original brushing heads. It is up to you to decide which one to get, but if you consider getting yourself the non-original brush heads, then do that. The reason is that for the cost, you can at least try them. If it works for you then stick with them. Over the years I have bought non-original heads, some online and some from reputable pharmacy chains under their own label, and I have not run into problems so far. Please note that Oral-B does not recommend non-original heads, and its manual warns that the handle warranty may not apply to damage attributed to them.
Cons
This is an old model: As I mentioned several times in this review, I already bought this toothbrush back in 2014. Today, you can find newer electric toothbrushes, including other models by Oral-B itself. Some of them offer a more updated design and their price range is about the same as this one.
Basic electric toothbrush: The Oral-B Vitality has a power button to turn it on & off. Other than that, it offers only a 2-minute timer feature, that can't be modified. It doesn't have a display for you to learn about the battery status (or at least a LED indicator could be nice).
The original brushing heads are relatively expensive: I believe the original Oral-B brushing heads are of better quality compared to the non-original brushing heads. And if the price wasn't an issue, I would tell you to get the original brushing heads when you have to replace them.
Once it catches black mold it is hard to remove: The best advice I can give you here is to make sure to keep the toothbrush dry when not using it. Otherwise, it is a matter of time until it will catch black mold. I'm not sure how much time it took for the mold to appear on my previous toothbrush, but once it showed, I wasn't able to get rid of it. Bleach is supposed to be the best solution for this issue, but I didn't manage to completely remove it. And this is not an esthetic sight.
Overall Verdict
The Oral-B Vitality is an excellent purchase. It is affordable, reliable, and well built, and it comes from a well-known brand. My previous unit lasted for several years, which says a lot for a toothbrush at this price.
It is not perfect. Original replacement brush heads cost more than you might expect, so cheaper third-party heads are worth considering. It also keeps things simple, with no digital display and no battery level or charging indicator. And over time, black mold can build up if the handle stays wet, so dry it after use and store it somewhere dry.
Taking all of that into account, I still recommend it.
I bought the Oral-B Vitality twice, and it has been a great, no-frills toothbrush both times: affordable, durable, and easy to live with as long as you keep the handle dry.
Where to buy
Below are links to purchase the Oral-B Vitality Electric Toothbrush (or similar models):
Photos
FAQ
How often should I replace the Oral-B Vitality brush head?
Does the Oral-B Vitality have a battery indicator?
How long does the battery take to charge, and how long does it last?
Does the 2-minute timer turn the toothbrush off?
Can several family members share one handle?
How do I prevent black mold on the handle?
Got questions about the Oral-B Vitality Electric Toothbrush?
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