The Mercury News

$30 sonic toothbrush stands up against pricier models

- DON LINDICH Sound advice Contact Don Lindich at www.soundadvic­enews. com and use the “submit question” link on that site.

Terrific Techno Toothbrush from TLOVII: I have owned a Sonicare toothbrush for years and love the sonic cleaning action that leaves your teeth feeling like they were just cleaned at the dentist. Though happy with the end results, I’ve never been 100% satisfied with the product itself. The most full-featured Sonicare models sell for $150 to $300, and I have a hard time parting with that much money for a toothbrush.

Given this I have always gotten by with a basic Sonicare model with one cleaning mode. The dedicated charger has a bulky AC cord and a cradle that stands the toothbrush straight up so if you bump it, it falls over. The toothbrush is also kind of heavy relative to the size. As a result I don’t use it 100% of the time, though I really should given the superior cleaning it provides.

Over the years I tried a few other electric toothbrush­es and never found anything else I liked. What I really wanted was a sonic toothbrush that was affordable, full-featured and did not use a dedicated charger. I recently discovered one that checks all the boxes, and I’m delighted to share it with readers who may not have experience­d how wonderful a sonic toothbrush can be.

I found the TLOVII sonic toothbrush on Amazon after a recent price reduction from $39.99 to $29.99. I bought one and it was among the best $30 I’ve ever spent. The five different modes (normal, soft, massage, whitening and gum care) allow you to set the toothbrush according to your personal needs and the condition of your teeth and gums. It charges via a supplied USB cable with a magnetic connection. The toothbrush is effective, attractive, feels good in the hand and is fun and easy to own and use.

Here are a few tips to get you started off right. After you put toothpaste on the brush head, put the brush in position and close your lips before you turn on the toothbrush. Otherwise you may send toothpaste and froth flying out of your mouth, propelled by the sonic action. The sensations of the pulsing brush head will feel a little odd at first, but you will quickly adapt and enjoy it. It is recommend you divide your mouth into four quadrants and brush each quadrant for 30 seconds, for a total of two minutes. The toothbrush briefly pauses every 30 seconds to tell you to change quadrant, and it shuts off completely

Q With the coupon code the ZVOX rechargeab­le VB25 hearing aids are $299 and the battery-powered VB20s, $199. Why wouldn’t I just get the VB25?

— T.K., Oakland after the two-minute cycle.

Sometimes I listen to audio products while I am writing about them. In this case I brushed my teeth just before I sat down to write this col

A umn, and ran my tongue The VB20 has more over my teeth to feel how features and app consmooth and clean they are. trol. For many this makes They look whiter in the it worth changing batteries, mirror, too. For less than which cost about $60 $30 TLOVII will let you per year. I suggest visiting experience this for yourself, the website and comparing and with regular use both models closely before you may even get a better deciding. The $200 off report the next time you code HEAR200 has been go to the dentist, too! extended until April 30.

The TLOVII Sonic Eleczvox.com tric Toothbrush is currently $29.99 on amazon. com. The warranty is one year and brush head refills are $7.99 per two-pack.

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