Oral-B's iO3 Review: A Budget Electric Toothbrush to Consider For Long-Term

If you’re not sold on an electric toothbrush, let me entice you a little more with a budget option from Oral-B. After reading this review, you may have just found your gateway into the world of electric toothbrushes. Yes, as I’ve already written, electric toothbrushes offer many advantages over manual ones.

If you’re not already familiar with the world of electric toothbrushes, then the research ahead of you may be a little too daunting. Firstly, there are several brands (including many Indian start-ups) available to pick from. Second, the type of electric toothbrush. Third, within a single company, such as Oral-B, there are several options that overlap and may confuse you because they differ very little.

The iO series from Oral-B launched in 2020, with 10 models to choose from. I’m not here to convince you as to which iO model to pick. I’m here to sway all the ‘manual’ brushers, to at least give the ‘electric’ feel a chance. To that extent, let me dive in and tell you all about the iO3 from Oral-B.

What’s the Oral-B iO3?

The Oral-B iO3 is often considered the “stripped back” electric toothbrush. If you just want a hassle-free electric toothbrush experience, then this is the way to go. If you’re more Devil Wears Prada than The Mummy, then you’ll fit right in. It’s designed with current grooming trends in mind. It’s sleek, smooth, looks good, and has a good in-hand feel and grip. It’ll light up your bathroom cabinet as no other product would.

The iO3 comes with three brushing modes for your daily cleaning needs. The three modes are daily clean, whitening and sensitive. You may be excited to try whitening and sensitivity, but you’ll end up gravitating toward ‘daily clean’ for your twice-a-day brushing!

If you’re one who isn’t ‘hot’ on smart features, then you’ll fit right in. With the iO3, there is no display, no accompanying app for the electric toothbrush, and no smart features.

What I’ve liked most about the iO3 is that you can monitor your brushing just by looking in the mirror, without having to stare at a smartphone side by side (though in many cases that is also helpful) while brushing. When you enable the ‘daily clean’ mode and start your brushing, you’ll notice the pressure sensor. The pressure sensor will light up green if you get the brushing pressure just right, or red if you’re brushing a little too firmly, in which case you need to reduce it. This is a welcome feature as it helps avoid gum damage.

Another thing I really liked was that the brush vibrates every 30 seconds. This is done so that you, the brusher, know when to shift the brush from one part of the mouth to the other. The brush won’t automatically turn off at the end of the two-minute timer, so that’s something to keep in mind.

Yes, the iO3 comes without an LCD display, as many of the pricier models do. After using the iO9 for the better part of the last few months, I actually haven’t missed it. I do miss having to use the app, but it isn’t a dealbreaker at all.

Something I welcomed was the fact that the iO3 has a head replacement reminder. Yes, there is a discreet orange LED light that flashes when it is time for you to swap your brush head.

It’s a relatively quiet electric toothbrush, and one that is easy to clean and keep mould-free.

A few downsides

One downside to the iO3 is that you don’t know which brushing mode you’re using, since there are no visual cues (thanks to the lack of an LED display). For this, you’ll have to rely on the vibration mode to tell. Or just your intuition.

Secondly, the toothbrush goes straight into brushing mode once you turn it on, and doesn’t give you even a few seconds to get ready.

Third, but something that isn’t a dealbreaker, is that the i03 doesn’t come with a travel case. Forget about a charging travel case (which was my gripe with the more expensive i09), but a simple travel case would have been nice.

Verdict: A little bit pricey as an entry-level model

At the time of writing and filing this review, the Oral-B i03 retails for Rs 5,214 on Amazon India. That’s down from an MRP of Rs 6,499. For me, that’s a little too pricey as an entry-level model. The i09 model can be had for Rs 9,900. That’s less than double the price.

Furthermore, replacement heads (it is recommended to replace your brush head every 3 months) cost Rs 1,155 for 2.

It’s a pricey entry into the world of electric toothbrushes (and no, I wouldn’t recommend the Oral-B i02). On the other hand, it is one of the best electric toothbrushes in that price range, and is tried and tested.

If you really just want to test an electric toothbrush before diving into something for the long term, I wouldn’t hesitate to check out many of the alternatives from Indian start-ups. But, if this is your strict budget, and you are sure you want an electric toothbrush, then the Oral-B i03 can become your favourite daily companion.

It’s got pressure sensors, a 2-minute timer, a sleek, firm-grip design, and extremely long-lasting battery life. I didn’t talk about battery life, but that’s because it does live up to the company's two-week claim. I unboxed the toothbrush, immediately charged it, and used it hassle-free for 15-16 days straight, with brushing twice a day. It does take a long time to fully charge, so I’d recommend leaving it on the charger (which is included in the box) overnight.

With all that said, I’d wait for a discount and snap up the i03. At any price below Rs 4,000, this is an instant recommendation.