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Colgate Smart Electronic Toothbrush E1 Review

While this product may have an impressive set of smarts, we found its performance on the whole to be quite unimpressive
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Colgate Smart Electronic Toothbrush E1 Review (The Colgate Smart E1 toothbrush.)
The Colgate Smart E1 toothbrush.
Credit: Colgate
Price:  $100 List
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Manufacturer:   Colgate
By David Wise and Austin Palmer  ⋅  Jan 5, 2022
58
OVERALL
SCORE
  • Comfort - 40% 5.0
  • Cleaning - 30% 6.0
  • Ease of Use - 20% 8.0
  • Battery Life - 10% 4.0

Our Verdict

While we were intrigued by the premise of using artificial intelligence to more efficiently brush your teeth, we discovered that, on the whole, the Colgate E1 failed to impress us. This product only performed slightly above average in our cleaning metric, paling in comparison to the rotation-oscillation toothbrushes that we have tested. It also didn't strike us as being particularly comfortable and has a mediocre battery life, though it is very convenient and easy to use. The main thing that sets this brush apart is its companion app, which we didn't find to be enough to redeem its otherwise uninspiring performance.
REASONS TO BUY
Exceptional easy to use
Fully-featured app
REASONS TO AVOID
Only one cleaning mode
Unimpressive cleaning performance
Lackluster battery life
Colgate no longer makes the E1 toothbrush.

Our Analysis and Test Results

To determine which brush is truly the best, we bought the top models that are currently available and tested them side-by-side. Our toothbrush showdown was divided into four weighted rating metrics: Ease of Use, Cleaning, Battery Life, and Comfort.

colgate smart electronic toothbrush e1 - the colgate smart e1.
The Colgate Smart E1.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

Performance Comparison


colgate smart electronic toothbrush e1 - the e1 was very quiet.
The E1 was very quiet.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

Comfort


Our Comfort metric, responsible for 40% of the total score, is based on how comfortable it felt to brush with, the amount of noise each brush generated, and if there is a pressure sensor. This brush lacks a low power setting for sensitive gums, but we found overall that this brush generally lacked intensity when it came to brushing. This allowed our testers with sensitive gums to utilize this brush in its normal setting without too much discomfort. None of our judges found this brush to be anything but comfortable, noting that the intensity of brushing is quite similar to using a regular, manual toothbrush.

This brush is also one of the quietest models — significantly quieter than the mechanically sounding rotation-oscillation models. Very few of our judges had any issues with the sounds made by this brush, regardless of whether they were the ones brushing or a bystander. However, one judge was not a fan of a higher-pitch whine they found this brush to emit. This brush does lack a pressure sensor, losing it a few points.

colgate smart electronic toothbrush e1 - average at cleaning, this brush felt more like a manual brush with a...
Average at cleaning, this brush felt more like a manual brush with a slight vibration than an electric toothbrush.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

Cleaning


Responsible for the next largest portion of the score at 30%, our cleaning test is next in terms of importance. We ranked and scored the cleaning performance of each brush by having our testers skip brushing their teeth for a period of about 12 hours, then had them use a plaque-disclosing tablet to reveal the plaque accumulations. They then used the E1 to clean their teeth, with scores based on the before and after photos in addition to a close-up visual inspection.

The Colgate Smart delivered a slightly above-average performance. This brush usually got the majority of the plaque of the outward-facing — and easier to reach — surfaces of our testers' teeth without issue.

colgate smart electronic toothbrush e1 - the e1's before and after cleaning performance of incisors.
The E1's before and after cleaning performance of incisors.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

However, it did tend to do much worse on the hard-to-reach interior surfaces. The majority of our testers had multiple spots where the tinted plaque remained on either the inside surfaces of their front teeth or anywhere around their molars.

colgate smart electronic toothbrush e1 - the e1 was easy to clean except the area around the power button.
The E1 was easy to clean except the area around the power button.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

Ease of Use


This metric is next in terms of importance, meriting 20% of the total score for each toothbrush. We ranked each product on how easy the handle is to clean, how intuitive the interface for each brush is, and if there is storage for additional brush heads, as well as if there is a two-minute timer. It only has a single cleaning mode, but it does have a two-minute timer with quadrant pacing. We did note that it is a little more difficult to swap brush heads on this brush, as you have to twist them on and off, rather than simply snapping them into place like almost any other toothbrush we have tested.

It is very easy to clean the majority of the handle of this toothbrush, with the only problem area being around the button. This area is a bit of a pain to clean, so we would advise that you do your best to keep this area clean. Colgate also states that the handle is waterproof, but you shouldn't rinse it under running water and use a damp cloth instead, so using it in the shower is definitely out. Finally, this brush has one of the most simplistic interfaces of the entire group, only having a single button. In addition to having a one-button interface, this toothbrush is also a smart product, wirelessly connecting to your smartphone.

colgate smart electronic toothbrush e1 - the start and finish screens of a coaching app. this coach shows...
The start and finish screens of a coaching app. This coach shows which section is coming next and how well you did.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

It has a companion mobile app that purportedly will use artificial intelligence to coach your brushing and improve your overall dental health. While we can't really speak to the actual effectiveness of this, we weren't huge fans of using the app while brushing, finding the whole process to be a bit inconvenient and cumbersome.

This brush is very stable on the base - it wobbles around a lot, but never toppled in our shake test. It's a little less stable off of the base but still isn't very prone to being knocked over. Unfortunately, there is not a handy place to store any additional brush heads on the charging base. This toothbrush isn't particularly impressive in the aesthetics department, but it has an overall sleek design, putting it just above average in the style department.

colgate smart electronic toothbrush e1 - the e1 has awesome battery life.
The E1 has awesome battery life.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman

Battery Life


Our final metric is responsible for the residual 10% of the total score for each brush. We ran each brush for two minutes in the morning and two minutes in the evening each day, scoring each one off of how long it lasted. The E1 delivered a bit of a lackluster performance. This brush lasted for 18 days in our test before calling it quits. It also has a battery indicator that will change colors from green to yellow to red, informing you when it is time to charge this smart toothbrush.

Value


While there are definitely better overall value options than the Colgate, this product is the best value option if you are set on getting a smart toothbrush, with the smart offerings from Oral-B or Sonicare costing significantly more.

Conclusion


All in all, we found the Colgate Smart Electronic Toothbrush to be relatively underwhelming and quite lackluster in terms of performance. It does have an exceptional battery life but failed to impress in our cleaning, comfort, or ease of use tests.

David Wise and Austin Palmer