Oral-B iO Series 9 Review: A ₹16,000 Toothbrush That Knows When You're Brushing Wrong

We've tested plenty of gadgets that claim to use AI. Smartphones, laptops, wearables, even smart rings. A toothbrush wasn't on that list until now.

The Oral-B iO Series 9 is the company's most feature-packed electric toothbrush, combining a magnetic drive motor, colour display, Bluetooth connectivity, and AI-powered brushing analysis. On paper, it sounds like the kind of product designed more for CES show floors than real bathrooms.

But after using it for a few weeks, we came away with a slightly different conclusion.

The AI isn't the reason to buy this toothbrush. The brushing experience is. \

What immediately stands out

The biggest upgrade here isn't the display or the app. It's the motor.

Oral-B's magnetic iO drive feels noticeably different from older electric toothbrushes. Instead of the aggressive buzzing and vibration typically associated with electric brushes, the iO9 feels smoother, quieter, and far more refined.

The round brush head continues to be Oral-B's biggest advantage. If your teeth aren't perfectly aligned and you have some crowding in the lower front teeth, the smaller circular head makes a real difference. It wraps around individual teeth more effectively and gets into areas where traditional flat brush heads often struggle.
After every brushing session, teeth genuinely feel cleaner. Not marketing-clean. Dentist-clean.

The AI is useful... for a while
Oral-B's AI Brushing Recognition system tracks how you brush and maps coverage across 16 zones of your mouth.

For the first few days, it's genuinely insightful.

You quickly realise there are parts of your mouth you routinely rush through or ignore altogether. The app highlights missed areas and helps build better habits.

The reality, though, is that most people won't keep opening the app forever.

Neither did we.

After a couple of weeks, the novelty wears off because the brush has already done its job. You've learned where you're making mistakes and adjusted accordingly.
That's why the AI feels more like a coaching tool than a feature you'll actively use for years.
The feature that actually matters

Ironically, the most useful smart feature doesn't require an app.
The pressure sensor ring around the brush handle changes colour depending on how hard you're brushing. Green means you're applying the right amount of pressure, red means you're pressing too hard, and white means you're being too gentle. This sounds simple, but it's surprisingly effective.
Most people brush far harder than dentists recommend. We found ourselves doing exactly that, especially around crowded areas where extra force felt necessary.
Within a couple of weeks, the pressure sensor subtly retrained our brushing technique without demanding any effort.

If there's one feature that genuinely improves oral hygiene here, it's this. Seven modes, but you'll probably use two. The iO9 includes seven cleaning modes ranging from Daily Clean and Sensitive to Gum Care, Whitening, Tongue Clean and Intense.

In reality, most users will stick to Daily Clean most of the time and occasionally switch to Sensitive when gums feel irritated.

The colour display makes switching modes straightforward and is genuinely useful, even if it's not exactly essential on a toothbrush.

Battery life is excellent
Battery anxiety isn't a thing here.
We consistently got about a week of twice-daily brushing on a single charge. The magnetic charging dock works well, and the included Power2Go travel case is a useful addition for frequent travellers.
For a product packed with electronics, battery life is refreshingly hassle-free.

The problem? The price!

At around ₹16,000 online, the iO Series 9 sits firmly in luxury gadget territory.
Replacement brush heads are also more expensive than standard Oral-B refills, so ownership costs continue long after the initial purchase.

That's where things get complicated.

Because while the iO9 is excellent, cheaper models in the iO lineup deliver very similar cleaning performance. You're largely paying extra for the display, enhanced tracking, and AI-powered feedback.
Whether that's worth it depends on how much you value those extras.

Verdict

The Oral-B iO Series 9 is one of the best electric toothbrushes we've used, but not because it has AI.
The real strengths are the excellent brushing performance, the round brush head, the refined motor, and the pressure coaching system that actively helps improve technique.

For people with crowded or overlapping teeth, the advantages become even more noticeable.

The AI features are useful initially, but they aren't what justify the purchase long term.
Buy it during a sale rather than at full MRP, and it becomes much easier to recommend. Just don't expect artificial intelligence to transform your oral hygiene routine. The fundamentals are still doing most of the work here.