At a glance
Expert’s Rating
Pros
- Outstanding brushing performance
- Vibrant OLED screen
- Effective pressure sensor
- Multiple brushing modes
- Rapid magnetic charging
Cons
- Delayed feedback on charging base
- Lack of USB charging options
- Average battery life
- High price point
Our Verdict
Deciding whether the Oral-B iO Series 10 Limited Edition is worth the hefty price tag can be a challenge. While it offers exceptional performance and a range of features, similar benefits can be found in the more budget-friendly iO models. If you’re in the market for a luxurious toothbrush and can overlook the limited battery life and charging options, the iO Series 10 Limited Edition stands out as a top choice in the electric toothbrush market.
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Best Prices Today: Oral-B iO Series 10 Special Edition
There are nine models in the Oral-B iO series, ranging from the most budget-friendly, the iO2, to the flagship iO10. Or at least there were, until Oral-B tweaked the functionality and look of its highest-end model and reissued it as a limited edition.
I’ve been using the iO10 Limited Edition for two months and in this review, I’ll discuss what it’s like to use, how it compares to other iO models, and how it compares to the standard iO10.
If you’re choosing a brush, read our Oral-B iO comparison guide, which outlines the features each model has and their regular and sale prices. You can see our top Oral-B recommendations in our best Oral-B toothbrush round-up.
Design, Accessories and Brushing Modes
- Seven brushing modes
- Brighter, clearer OLED screen
- Sensitive, visible pressure sensor
The iO10 Limited Edition has a matt gold handle – the colour is much more muted and subtle than you’d imagine if you heard the off-putting and Trumpian words ‘gold electric toothbrush’. There are two colourways: Lunar Gold, which comes with a black brush head, charging base, travel case and brush head case, and Eclipse Gold, whose accessories are white.
Emma Rowley / Foundry
Incidentally, there’s only one brush head in the box, which feels less than generous considering the price and the fact that it’s the iO flagship. The luxury experience should really be extended to the inclusion of a second brush head.
On the same subject, you can plug in the travel case and charge your brush that way, which is handy for trips, but it doesn’t have the luxe feel of the beautifully made travel case with UV cleaning light that comes with the Suri 2.0.
I’ll use the Suri 2.0 as a comparison throughout this article as it’s a new, similarly high-end brush (although it’s considerably less spendy), but I think the iO models have a better brushing performance and some great features that the Suri lacks.
The display is very easy to read and the text and icons are sharp and detailed
The Limited Edition has a very different look from the original models, which come in black or white, with matching accessories and a contrasting, dotted starburst design on the handle.
On the handle is a full-colour OLED screen, with a power button above it and a mode button below to scroll through options. The screen on the Limited Edition appears brighter and clearer than the original, but Oral-B doesn’t disclose peak brightness in nits.
However, the display is very easy to read and the text and icons are sharp and detailed. The screen greets you when you pick up the brush, and shows remaining battery life and the number of days until you need to replace your toothbrush head.
Emma Rowley / Foundry
It has seven brushing modes: smart adapt, daily clean, sensitive, whiten, gum care, intense and tongue clean. That’s an impressive number of options, and it makes it easy to find something that works for you, or choose a gentler option on days when your teeth might be more sensitive or you have a headache.
You can also customise brushing time, choose whether the brush pauses after the brushing session is complete and switch off vibration alerts – all in the app.
There’s a light ring around the neck of the brush, whose colour you can change, but its main function is as a highly visible pressure sensor that glows red when you press too hard and green when you get it just right.
It’s very sensitive and it really will help you to better look after your teeth if you tend to press too hard when you brush. But it’s not exclusive to this model – it’s an excellent feature that all iO models from the iO3 up share.
The iO10 weighs 138g, which is around the same as most iO models. But it’s considerably chunkier and heavier than rivals such as the Suri 2.0, so personal preference is important here. I found it comfortable to hold and use.
Emma Rowley / Foundry
It’s worth saying here that you can find a considerable number of complaints online from people who say their iO brush is difficult to keep clean, or that the connector between handle and brush head winds up mouldy.
I’ve been using iO brushes for years and have never found this to happen, although I do follow guidance and take the brush head off regularly and rinse both parts out and let them dry. So it may be that there’s a little more maintenance required than with some rival brushes. Be prepared for that if you buy.
Performance and Features
- Real-time in-app brushing feedback is excellent
- Feedback via the charging puck is less so
- Other app features of limited usefulness
The big differentiator between the iO10 and iO9 is the iO Sense magnetic charger that comes with this model. It’s a puck-shaped device that plugs into a shaver socket and has a digital clock on its side, which is a handy feature if you set it up in your bathroom.
But I don’t love the fact that the brush is very easy to knock off the charger and would prefer something a bit more sturdy to protect something so expensive.
