It doesn't have Bluetooth or an app, yet the Xiaomi toothbrush almost won me over

Until now, in my editorial practice, I have primarily focused on testing smartphones and accessories such as smartwatches or headphones. This year, I faced a more interesting challenge in the form of an electric bike, and Xiaomi convinced me that I wouldn’t be bored even during the holidays with its electric toothbrush Oscillation Electric Toothbrush. While this one isn’t smart – it doesn’t support app connectivity and has neither Wi-Fi nor Bluetooth – it is still a useful piece of electronics that might help you improve your dental hygiene.

First impressions: appealing design and packaging with everything you need

The Xiaomi Oscillation Electric Toothbrush caught my attention right from its packaging content. Besides the device itself and a brush head for cleaning teeth, you’ll find not only manuals but also a USB-A to USB-C charging cable and a wall adapter. I wouldn’t have expected its presence, as I hardly ever encounter one even inside smartphone boxes these days.

The toothbrush body itself boasts a minimalist design that will fit into any bathroom – especially when we’re talking about the white variant I received for testing. However, Xiaomi also sells a blue version, which would look equally good on many sinks.

The toothbrush’s construction is made of matte white plastic and meets an IPX8 waterproof rating, which is more than desirable given that the device will come into contact with water quite often. On the front of the body, we find a slightly raised, this time glossy, control panel with a button and two light indicators. On a part of the back, there’s a light surface treatment in the form of embossed dots (similar to those used in Braille). These help the device fit better in hand. At the top, of course, is the tip for attaching the brush head, while at the bottom, under a protective plug, the manufacturer has placed a USB-C port for charging.

Getting to know the toothbrush and first cleaning

The Xiaomi Oscillation Electric Toothbrush is very user-friendly, but even so, I would recommend less experienced users to read the manual. The first step after unpacking is, of course, attaching the brush head, which is not complicated – simply place it on the tip so that its bristles and the toothbrush’s control panel face you, and press gently.

Then comes the actual cleaning. You wet the brush head, apply toothpaste, and press the button to activate the gentle mode, which is suitable for users with more sensitive gums. However, in my opinion, everyone should use it for the first cleaning to get acquainted with the toothbrush and get used to it. Regardless of the chosen mode, the toothbrush offers a 3-second gradual start to prevent toothpaste splatter.

I myself was surprised at how quickly I got used to the toothbrush. For a while, I was unsure exactly how I should handle it, but a combination of gentle circular hand movements and holding the toothbrush against the enamel seems ideal.

How does the toothbrush work?

The Xiaomi Oscillation Electric Toothbrush is equipped with an oscillating sonic motor that vibrates when rotating. It moves the brush head to achieve a double oscillation angle, allowing it to precisely reach hidden areas of the molars. It adheres to the rules of the Bass technique for teeth cleaning.

The brush head itself is designed to be as gentle as possible on your teeth. It has a rubber back, so its bumps against other teeth won’t be unpleasant, and I was satisfied that its bristles didn’t bother my recently more sensitive gums. Replacement heads can be purchased for 399 Kč from a number of local retailers or directly on Xiaomi’s official e-shop.

I didn’t even have to use the gentle mode, which after a while felt unnecessarily weak. I was content with the standard mode, which will very likely suit most users. Cleaning my molars was then made easier by the deep vibration cleaning mode, which I originally thought I wouldn’t use much. It’s ideal for removing dirt from hard-to-reach interdental spaces and areas of teeth not in the immediate vicinity of gums.

Battery life is also a highlight

One of the biggest advantages of the toothbrush is its battery life, which according to Xiaomi reaches up to 180 days. However, the Chinese giant adds in a note that this is only when using the gentle mode – when cleaning with the standard mode, the duration drops to 100 days. Even so, this number is excellent.

While I haven’t had the Xiaomi Oscillation Electric Toothbrush long enough to verify these figures based on my own experience, I can say that after approximately two weeks of use in standard mode, it still shows no signs of being discharged.

However, I haven’t figured out how to monitor the battery status. Since the toothbrush doesn’t have a proper display and doesn’t support phone connectivity, you definitely won’t know the exact percentages, and I don’t feel that any of the indicators even hint at the approximate capacity. Under normal circumstances, I would say it’s better to take a charger with you when traveling, or charge the toothbrush before leaving home. But since charging happens via a USB-C port, and almost everyone carries a “C-cable” these days, I see no reason to.

It’s intelligent in its own way, but not as it should be

Although you can’t connect the Xiaomi Oscillation Electric Toothbrush to your phone, it does have a few clever features that I wouldn’t hesitate to call at least somewhat intelligent. Firstly, there’s the activation of light indicators in response to body movement, which occurs, for example, when you pick it up from the sink. Secondly, we’re talking about a memory function, with which the toothbrush remembers the last used mode.

I definitely consider the so-called smart reminders for missed spots a disappointment. For these, the toothbrush uses a larger square-shaped light indicator, whose individual parts represent the respective halves of your dental arches. The manufacturer states that the toothbrush should use an orange color to indicate poorly cleaned areas after two minutes of brushing. The problem is that it marked as cleaned even those areas I hadn’t reached at all yet (or marked them as done after cleaning just one tooth). In practice, I didn’t follow the indicator at all and relied solely on my own judgment.

I had to do the same when it came to applying pressure to my teeth. While it’s common for more expensive competitors to warn you about your own harshness, the inexpensive Xiaomi Oscillation Electric Toothbrush cannot do that.

I find this a shame because precise detection of uncleaned areas is one of the main advantages of electric toothbrushes. While the Xiaomi model clearly indicates with its price that it doesn’t aim to compete with advanced toothbrushes that have a much better system for detecting uncleaned areas, these reminders are presented in official materials as one of the reasons why you should want the toothbrush.

Verdict: A decent toothbrush if you don’t insist on smart features

After many cleanings, I can say that the Xiaomi Oscillation Electric Toothbrush is a well-made toothbrush that is easy to use, doesn’t irritate gums or teeth, and effectively removes dirt. When using it, one tends to extend the cleaning process to truly “go over” all teeth thoroughly – so when I was in a hurry in the morning, I preferred to reach for a classic toothbrush. However, if you take a moment and genuinely spend those few minutes with the toothbrush in your mouth, you’ll be rewarded with pleasantly smooth teeth.

All disadvantages are de facto linked to the price. The Xiaomi Oscillation Electric Toothbrush is a toothbrush for less than a thousand crowns, so it’s not too surprising that it doesn’t have a companion app for smartphones that would provide personalized recommendations. However, I regret that the notifications for missed spots didn’t work entirely to my satisfaction. 

However, if the absence of any added intelligence doesn’t bother you at all, the Xiaomi Oscillation Electric Toothbrush could serve you very well. In fact, it suits me so much that I plan to keep it.

What is your experience with electric toothbrushes?