Oral-B iO Series 2 vs Oral-B iO Series 4
Over three years, with heads at each maker's own pack price, the Oral-B iO Series 2 costs about $144 to the Oral-B iO Series 4's $179. Every other published figure for both is in the table, with the rows where they differ tinted.
Oral-B
Oral-B iO Series 2
Pressure sensor · ADA Seal listing28-day battery · charging stand
~$65
Oral-B pitches the iO2 as the one-button way into its iO range: the handle starts on its super-sensitive setting, and the only control is a single button.
Best for: Someone moving from a manual brush who wants the iO head without paying for a screen
Oral-B
Oral-B iO Series 4
Pressure sensor · ADA Seal listingbattery life not published · charging stand · travel case
~$100
This is where the iO line picks up the Oral-B app and a hard travel case.
Best for: App tracking and a case without paying for a screen
| Specification | Oral-B iO Series 2 | Oral-B iO Series 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Approx. price | ~$65 | ~$100 |
| 3-year cost | ~$144 ($65 handle + 11 heads at $7.22) | ~$179 ($100 handle + 11 heads at $7.22) |
| Type | Oscillating-rotating | Oscillating-rotating |
| Motion | Oscillating-rotating (round head) | Oscillating-rotating (round head) |
| Motor | iO magnetic drive | iO magnetic drive |
| Pressure sensor | Multi-signal pressure sensor: Automatic gum pressure sensor that slows the brush down and signals red when you press too hard | Multi-signal pressure sensor: iO pressure sensor signals whether you are applying the right pressure |
| ADA Seal | Listed: Oral-B iO Series | Listed: Oral-B iO Series |
| Timer | 2-minute timer | 2-minute timer |
| Quadrant pacer | Yes, every 30 seconds | not published |
| Modes | 3: Super Sensitive, Gentle, Daily Clean | 4: Daily Clean, Sensitive, Super Sensitive, Whitening |
| Screen | None | None |
| App | not published | Yes |
| Battery | 28-day battery (Oral-B: "1 charge lasts 4 weeks") | not published |
| Charging | charging stand | charging stand |
| Travel case | not published | Yes |
| Heads in the box | not published | 1 |
| Head family | Oral-B iO | Oral-B iO |
| Head compatibility | Takes Oral-B iO heads only (Ultimate Clean, Gum & Sensitive, Ultimate White, Targeted Clean); non-iO Oral-B heads do not fit | Compatible only with Oral-B iO replacement heads |
| Price per head | $7.22 (Oral-B iO Ultimate Clean 9-count, $64.99 on oralb.com) | $7.22 (Oral-B iO Ultimate Clean 9-count, $64.99 on oralb.com) |
| Replace heads every | 3 months (maker) | 3 months (maker) |
| Warranty | 2 years | 2 years |
Oral-B iO Series 2: what it gives up
- iO heads cost more per unit than Oral-B's older round heads and fit nothing else
- Oral-B doesn't say whether a travel case comes with it; the iO4 is the cheapest iO that confirms one
- App tracking isn't described here; Oral-B's pages confirm it from the $100 iO4 up
Oral-B iO Series 4: what it gives up
- No screen; mode and timer feedback come from lights only
- Like every iO except the iO2, it has no published battery life
- The case doesn't charge; among iO handles only the $330 iO9's does
- At $100 it costs well over the iO3 for the case, app and one extra mode
Full pages: Oral-B iO Series 2 · Oral-B iO Series 4