When I received the Amazon box containing the Oral-B Genius Pro 8000, the first and most notable thing I was immediately drawn to was the packaging! Not only was it the nicest and most luxurious packaging I’d seen yet, but it went a step further by including a hinged cover with a silk fabric pull tab and a magnetic closure clasp. It also had a display window on the inside. I could easily tell Oral-B was putting their best foot forward to show us they’re all in on this high-end brush model. We chose to purchase and review the black model.
Oral-B Genius Pro 8000 Smart Brush
The Official Unboxing!
Let’s check out a breakdown of what you actually get in the box.
- Brush body (main unit)
- Home charger
- Brush holder (made to clip onto the charger so it looks like it’s one and the same unit)
- Travel charger with power cord
- Mirror suction cell phone holder
- 3 brush heads (all different styles)
- Manual and manual supplement explaining how to get the app
We found that the brush itself does not have any type of “Wow” factor. Its design is not as sleek and sexy as a Philips Sonicare, and it’s lighter than the Sonicare which, so some, may denote a lack of quality workmanship. Ironically, it’s likely the other way around since the Sonicare is made in China (not that everything in China is cheap, we’re just sayin’, not sayin’!). Braun makes its Oral-B brushes in Germany, which, if you know anything about your 20th Century history, manufactures the best quality products (arguably) in the entire world! I know it’s upside down, but you can see where it’s made in the photo below. That’s the base of the Genius that sits on top of the charger.
As you pick up the brush, you’ll notice a very practical feel to the body. Along the entire backside of the brush, there is a grippy rubber material that ensures minimal chances of having the most expensive toothbrush you’ve ever purchased, crash onto your hard tile! Even if it did, I don’t think you’d have to chuck it. It’ll probably survive fabulously! The same grippy rubber is found in the front button area where you actually touch, while the rest of the entire handle is a glossy, hard plastic.
Braun is certainly not the only company to include a brushing pressure sensitivity feature, and up until recently, I thought it was a useless feature anyway. I figured, the harder you push, the cleaner the “feel” once you’re done! Well, that’s a loser attitude as I found out after much research. Your teeth have enamel on them (invisible) which can wear away if you’re psycho about pressing hard as you brush. You can easily wear it away. Maybe worse, you can wear away or even chase that gumline farther from the cutting edge of your teeth, which means your chompers will be really “out there” for everyone to see when you smile. If you like huge teeth, then push it real hard! When I actually tried the brush in my mouth, I was a little unsure of how sensitive it would be. I thought I’d have to push way too hard to activate it, but much to my surprise and delight (overstatement), I found the pressure threshold to be right on! Just as I was getting to the point of thinking I was pushing too hard, I was blessed with the bright red alarm! I’ve activated the alarm in the photo below to show the pretty color!
Oral-B Toothbrush Heads
See that nice metal shaft at the top of the brush? This shaft can take any one of 8 different toothbrush heads (sold separately)For more information check out our review on the different types of Oral-B replacement brush heads.
Oral-B offers the most choice out of all-electric brush heads. Whether you want a gentler brush head for sensitive gums or one designed just for braces, there is a toothbrush head for you.
You will find 3 toothbrush heads included in the Oral-B Genius Pro 8000 box.
These are the 3 heads included in the package. From Left to Right we have the CrossAction, the 3-D White, and the Sensitive Gum Care brush head. A quick online search revealed that these brushes total a value of just a shade over $30! Sweet! In case you’re still with me, and you care, here’s a super quick overview of what each of the included brushes do – by the way, remember there are at least 5 other heads you can buy and they all have very different purposes. If nothing else, you have to credit Oral-B for being creative and thorough in their line of brush offerings!
CrossAction
The round head is specially designed for a tooth‐by‐tooth clean, and its CrissCross bristles are set at a 16-degree angle to reach deep between teeth to lift and power away up to 300% more plaque for a superior clean vs. a regular manual toothbrush. At least that’s what I think it does!
3-D White
The Oral-B 3D White replacement electric toothbrush head features a specially designed polishing cup to help remove surface stains while bristles clean away plaque, making it ideal for advanced cleaning and whitening. And finally…
Sensitive Gum Care
This one is what it says. It’s simply a gentle way to get a superior brush when compared to a regular, manual brush.
Okay, next I saw a bunch of colored rings that came with each brush head. What’s the deal with those? Are they necessary?
Let me explain
The great thing about electric toothbrushes is that they can be shared. Well, the handle at least. All you need to do is swap out the head when the next person uses it.
Because brushing your teeth with someone else’s toothbrush is disgusting, Oral-B uses different colored identification rings so that you can tell them apart. The identification rings come with every replacement toothbrush head.
The toothbrush head simply slides onto the shaft of the Oral-B Pro 3000 and a light tug is all that takes to remove it. Swapping out the head takes no longer than three seconds which definitely makes sharing the toothbrush less frustrating.
Over time your toothbrush head will begin to wear out. Oral-B uses blue “indicator bristles” to let you know the time has come to replace your toothbrush head. When the bristles have faded, it’s time to replace your brush head.
During testing I found this to be a fairly reliable method of determining when to change the heads. Brushing twice a day saw the blue indicator bristles fade almost right on the 3-month mark. Impressive.
It’s always appreciated when the manufacturer has considered the problem of what to do with extra brush heads. This is the one included with the Oral-B. The brush head holder is especially handy if you are planning on sharing your electric toothbrush with your partner or kids. It gives you a dedicated place to store your brush heads when they are not in use.
The holder can carry up to 4 different brush heads and well-placed ventilation holes in the lid help dry the bristles after each brushing session.
I was pleased to note that even with all 4 toothbrush spots filled up I was easily able to pick up the middle brush heads.
Every now and then you are going to want to give the toothbrush holder a clean down to keep it hygienic. Cleaning is as simple as tossing the holder through a dishwasher cycle. Yep, the toothbrush case is actually dishwasher safe.
Now you may be wondering what that circular hole on the holder is for. That is where the Oral-B Pro 3000 Toothbrush charger rests. If you have space you set this up on your bathroom counter as an all-in-one brushing station. Heck, even if you don’t have space, MAKE SOME! Seriously, life is much better and you feel as if you’re using the system to its full potential if you can dedicate some real estate to this layout. There are no individual brush covers as with the Sonicare brand, but truth be told, this is easier, and just as hygienic!
If you look at the charger, you’ll notice it is little more than an oval shaped piece of plastic with a knob sticking out of the top.
Remember that hole in the base of the handle? It slides over the knob which results in the battery being charged.
Here is the cool thing:
Like most of the Oral-B electric toothbrush range, the Pro 3000 charges wirelessly. The knob does not lock or click into the toothbrush handle. Instead, your handle will just sit loosely on top. I loved this, plugging and unplugging charging cables gets old very quickly.
The charging cord is just over 4 feet in length. More than long enough to stretch from the nearest power outlet to your bathroom counter.
If you flip the charger over you can see the specifications printed on the bottom:
Again we see a repeat of the problem that I found on most other Oral-B chargers. The charger only works between 110-130V. This does not leave you with a whole lot of places that the charger will work outside of the United States.
Note: This review is the American model. If you buy the Oral-B Pro 3000 locally then it will be compatible with the voltage of that country.
For shorter trips, this won’t be a problem. Simply charge the toothbrush before you leave. But for longer vacations, the battery will likely die before the trip is over.
The Oral-B Pro 3000 will immediately begin to charge the moment you place it on the stand:
By the way, please note that the brush does come with a tiny bit of juice – just enough to brush once if you’re lucky. Count on charging it for 8 hours or more before it cleans as intended. We let ours sit overnight and the results were worth it! The manual claims that with a 12-hour charge, you’ll be able to brush 2 times daily for 2 minutes each time …. for 12 days! That’s incredible! Ours didn’t do quite that well, but it was close enough to impress us. My charger is inches from my sink, so there’s no reason to let it sit for 12 days without charging anyways!
Charging/Travel Case
Once again, Oral-B has put some ingenious thought into their case design. Here’s a very practical, utilitarian case that works for me! It’s got that luxurious powder-coated feel (like the white IPhone case!), and a 6-foot long charging cord! The inside of the box is a no-nonsense, no frills kind of deal. It reminds me of the inside of a good quality Volkswagen Jetta! It’s true that the Sonicare has a much sexier case with a few luxurious appointments, but this case outshines the Sonicare for a couple of reasons. First of all, it has a USB port to facilitate charging of your phone at the same time as you’re charging your brush, and you only need one plug to the wall. Secondly, the actual hinge of the case is made of a mesh material to allow airflow which will inhibit bacteria growth. Nice thinkin’ Oral-B!
Testing the Oral-B Genius Pro 8000 Electric Toothbrush
Brushing with the Oral-B Genius Pro 8000 is a very pleasant experience and is a huge step up from the entry-level Pro 1000.
The first thing that you will notice when you pick up the electric toothbrush is just how comfortable it is to hold. Despite the long narrow shape, the Oral-B Genius sits comfortably in the grasp of your hand.
It has many great features like the integrated timer. Many dentists agree that proper brushing takes at least two minutes.
While you are brushing your teeth the Genius Pro 8000 Will briefly pause every 30 seconds, alerting you that 30 seconds has passed.
The instruction manual suggests that you split your mouth into quadrants (quarters) when brushing.
- Brush left half of top teeth for 30 seconds
- Brush right half of top teeth for 30 seconds
- Brush left half of bottom teeth for 30 seconds
- Brush right half of bottom teeth for 30 seconds
Each time the timer of the Oral-B Genius Pro 8000 alerts you that 30 seconds is up, you move onto the next quarter of your mouth.
Once you have finished brushing all quarters, two minutes will have passed. Brushing your teeth for the recommended two minutes has never been easier and it really takes the guesswork out of brushing. If you use the app, it REALLY brings the whole experience to a new level. I could talk at great length about the advantages and features of the app as it relates to the timer, but there’s a video below that explains it much quicker.
The Oral-B Genius Pro 8000 will pulse three times to signal when the full two minutes is up. At this stage, it will continue running (for those of you who wish to brush longer). You will need to manually turn the button off when you have finished brushing.
There are SIX different brushing modes on the Genius Pro 8000 handle.
-
Daily Clean
- This is the default mode for daily cleaning.
- 10,500 oscillations and up to 48,000 pulsations
- Use of the CrossAction, Floss Action, TriZone or Precision Clean brush heads are suitable for this cleaning mode.
-
Gum Care
- This is for those with sore or inflamed and even bleeding gums. It offers a gentle massage of gums to stimulate blood flow and strengthen the gum tissue.
- Each Pro series brush has a timer built in which will give an audible tone via a pause in the brushing at 30-second intervals and then at the end of the 2-minute cycle.
- Use of the Cross Action, Floss Action, TriZone or Precision Clean brush heads are suitable for this cleaning mode.
-
Sensitive (massage)
- A gentle, but thorough cleaning of sensitive areas of the mouth, this mode is also recommended by some dentists as a better option than the Daily Clean as it is not so powerful.
- Each Pro series brush has a timer built in which will give an audible tone via a pause in the brushing at 30-second intervals and then at the end of the 2-minute cycle.
- 6,500 oscillations and 30,000 pulsations.
- Using the Sensitive brush head is most suitable for this cleaning mode.
-
Whitening
- Aims to polish teeth to give that dentist clean look and feel for brighter teeth.
- Suitable for occasional or everyday cleaning use.
- The cleaning cycle lasts for 2 minutes and 20 seconds normally.
- The first 2 minutes are for completing the normal cleaning and the additional 20 seconds for focusing on the front teeth.
- 10,500 oscillations and 48,000 pulsations
- Using the 3D White brush head is most suitable for this cleaning mode.
-
Pro Clean
- This is cleaning mode is the same as the Daily Clean but pre-programmed to last longer.
- The cleaning cycle lasts for 3 minutes, 45 seconds for each quadrant compared to the standard 2 minute clean and 30-second intervals.
- Each Pro series brush has a timer built in which will give an audible tone via a pause in the brushing at 45-second intervals and then at the end of the 3-minute cycle.
- 8,800 – 10,500 oscillations and up to 48,000 pulsations (subject to model – see power delivery).
- Using the Cross Action, Floss Action, TriZone or Precision Clean brush heads are suitable for this cleaning mode.
-
Tongue Cleaner
- Used for cleaning the tongue or inside of the cheeks.
- More gentle than a conventional cleaning mode.
- Suitable for daily or occasional use.
- The cleaning lasts for 20 seconds.
- 7,300 oscillations and 33,000 pulsations
- Using the Sensitive brush head is advisable for this mode.
The Oral-B Genius Pro 8000 has 10,5000 oscillations and 48,000 pulsations per minute brush time. That’s the highest number in the entire line of brushes from Oral-B.
Bluetooth Wi-Hoo!
This was the part I was really waiting for! I was super skeptical, but I had an open mind. I thought seriously though, will I really need and use a smartphone app to brush my teeth? Let me just say at the outset, you don’t NEED an app any more than you need a Ferrari to get to work every day! It’s just nice to have if you can afford it! I would love to outline all the features of the app and how it works with your brush to customize the brush itself and your experience. The video we’ve included does a better job, so I’ll direct you to it in a second. We love that not only does the app provide you with brushing information like where you should brush and for how long, or how hard you’re pressing, but it also gives you customizable features like what color light you’d like the collar to light up when you charge the handle! Anyways, check this out and we’ll talk more on the other side:
See, I told you it was cool!
Here’s a picture of the phone mount for your mirror or glossy tile. This sucker works way better than any other suction unit I’ve ever tried (including my GPS unit). It sucks so bad, I mean hard, that it seems like it’ll break the glass when I apply it, and try to disengage it!
Instruction Manuals
One quick word about the manuals. Compared to the competition, Oral-B puts extra effort into making their manuals for universally understandable. They go to great lengths to show you the instructions in universally understood drawings rather than 600 pages of verbal instructions in every language this side of Jupiter! That is something this reviewer appreciated tremendously!
Final thoughts
The Oral-B Genius Pro 8000 is a step up from any previous Oral-B model. Despite a few features that you might not use (like the smartphone app) EVERY SINGLE time (perhaps occasionally to keep on track with your brushing technique) this is probably our favorite toothbrush in the Oral-B range of electric toothbrushes. While the brush handle/body/head or the case is nowhere near as “sexy” and sleek l00king as the Philips Sonicare, it has its advantages for sure. In fact, for the time being (and the forseeable future) the Oral-B Genius Pro 8000 is my personal brush!
The great performance combined with the wide range of interchangeable brush heads allows you to customize your perfect brushing experience.
Highly recommended!