Is the quip toothbrush any good?

December 3, 2017 4:13 PM

I'm considering a quip electric toothbrush, but it's hard to find solid information. Can any MeFites share their experiences?

There are so many review scams these days, I just don't trust what I find outside of huge retailers like Amazon or independents like Consumer Reports. Since you can only purchase quip directly, and it hasn't been around that long, I haven't been able to find any reviews on sites I can trust.

I've used Philips Sonicare brushes for awhile and have generally been happy with the performance, but I travel quite a bit and the non-replaceable battery no longer lasts long enough. I don't want to have to pack a charger since I like traveling light so I'm thinking I'll either get a new Sonicare (basic models go for as little as $40) or the quip.

Channeling my inner Rory Gilmore…

Pro:

• Considerably smaller and more stylish than the Sonicare, with a travel case that is also a wall-mount
• Convenient refill service delivers new brush heads every 3 months
• Standard AAA replaceable battery

Con:

• Can only purchase refill heads from quip
• Refill heads are rather expensive compared to Sonicare
• Uncertain customer service/company longevity

posted by Cogito to Shopping (11 answers total)

It does get a brief mention in the Wirecutter electric toothbrush review. FWIW, they seem to think it's on okay option for someone who travels a lot, but, reading between the lines, weren't fans overall.
posted by hoyland at 4:26 PM on December 3, 2017

Oh... this sounds pretty damning when you're looking for a Sonicare replacement (again from the Wirecutter):

We prefer the Goby over the weaker Quip subscription brushes, which only vibrate softly like cheaper Oral-B Pulsar disposables.

posted by hoyland at 4:28 PM on December 3, 2017

I have a quip toothbrush and i like it a bunch. I had been using a sonicare before that and after we killed the third one in five years we switched.
posted by noloveforned at 5:11 PM on December 3, 2017

My Quip sucked, and then broke, after about two months of regular use. Would not recommend.
posted by protocoach at 5:14 PM on December 3, 2017

I really wanted to like the Quip (since I like getting toothpaste and brush heads automatically in the mail). Stuck with it for a pretty long time too, multiple years I think. Had 2 or 3 brushes go bad (wouldn't stay on) from water getting into the battery chamber. Eventually the batteries just didn't hold up for long enough, and removing the brush head to change the battery makes the compartment not seal as well in the future.

Switched it out for the cheap Oral-B and I like it a lot. I didn't realize how weak the Quip's vibrations were (mostly just there to let you know when 30 seconds per quadrant was up) until I used a new brush.
posted by supercres at 5:24 PM on December 3, 2017

Best answer: No. It's a waste of money compared to the Sonicare (I also thought it'd be great for travel, and it turned out to be nowhere near as good). Buy a Sonicare that doesn't come with a dedicated charger; mine just takes a standard micro USB cable that plugs into the travel case.
posted by halogen at 9:53 PM on December 3, 2017 [2 favorites]

Mine broke and the support team was utterly unhelpful. The design is pretty, but mechanically doesn't make any sense - the brush head pops off using the exact same force with which you brush your teeth. Get a non-startup toothbrush instead.
posted by tmcw at 11:04 PM on December 3, 2017

The above-mentioned Wirecutter review is great at providing some information on which toothbrush features are worth your money and which are not. My take is that the major factor in favour of any electric toothbrush, over a manual one, is that it may have a timer on it which can help you to brush for at least 2 minutes. And if you are going to get an electric brush - then you are better off getting one which can be re-charged for reasons of convenience. Anything else: brush head design, number of osculations per second, method of producing vibrations etc, has no clear benefit. So you are best off with a simple, rechargeable brush and probably wasting your money with anything more elaborate.
posted by rongorongo at 2:24 AM on December 4, 2017

I love mine! But I also brush quite gently, and it's my first electric toothbrush, so I guess take that into account. Still, it's worked out very well for me, and I really, really like the convenience of delivery.
posted by kalimac at 12:25 PM on December 4, 2017 [1 favorite]

I like mine and I do like how easy it is to travel with and that it doesn't take up much space in my tiny bathroom.
posted by hrj at 4:20 PM on December 4, 2017

FWIW, if it’s battery life you’re concerned about, the Quip starts off at a disadvantage compared to toothbrushes with a built-in battery like the Sonicare. Quick looking around shows that Sonicare toothbrushes use a battery with ~2000 mAh capacity. The highest capacity rechargeable AAA battery you can purchase is ~800 mAh (and non-rechargeable alkaline AAA cells are lower than that). Of course you could just carry around an extra 2 AAA batteries to match the Sonicare’s capacity.

This comes down to size - the Sonicares just have a physically larger battery to store juice in.

I brush with a $40 Sonicare and haven’t used the Quip.
posted by aaronbeekay at 3:59 AM on December 5, 2017