Electric or manual, and does it actually matter

An electric brush is better than a manual one, on average, in studies. But the gap is much smaller than the price difference suggests, and it closes entirely if you use a manual brush properly for two minutes.

What the difference really is

The timer. Almost nobody brushes for two minutes with a manual brush, and almost everybody does with an electric one, because it tells them when to stop. That is most of the advantage right there.

The second thing is pressure. Most people brush far too hard, which wears the gum line and does nothing useful. A brush that complains when you press is worth more than one with more modes.

What to ignore

Ultrasonic claims, app connectivity, and anything with more than three settings. We have never once looked at a set of gums and been able to tell which mode somebody was using.

What actually matters more

Cleaning between the teeth. A brush of any kind reaches about three of the five surfaces of a tooth. Floss or an interdental brush does the other two, and gum disease starts in exactly the places a toothbrush cannot reach.

If you do one new thing this year, make it that rather than a new brush.