What is the best electric toothbrush today?

Another very satisfied Sonicare FlexCare user here. We've been using it for about 4 years with no issues, and had the previous SonicCare model for about 10 years before that. The brush-heads are pricey here in Canada, about $10 each at Costco, but I know these things tend to be cheaper in the USA. It's the toothbrush recommended by the dental practice we go to.

I tried both the Oral B (as per Wirecutter) and the Sonicare, and I vastly prefer the Sonicare. I find the Oral B to be a little... brutal. I just feel really abused after using the Oral B. Every once in a while I go back to it and I feel like my fillings are going to snap out of my mouth or my gums are going to be shoved around like a bumper car. (My mouth is a mess though.) The most expensive ones have bells and whistles that I don't feel are necessary, at least for me. The fairly basic models do the trick, I think, though you should make sure you're getting something that has what you want.

I'm a new electric toothbrush user, but I've been a huge fan of my http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B004M1BO3U/metafilter-20/ref=nosim/ so far. Everything you'd want in a good brush (30 second timing for each section of your mouth is the BEST!) without tons of annoying crap going on. I couldn't imagine wanting anything more from a toothbrush. Plus, it's actually fairly reasonably priced, too. Clean mouth, ftw!

I had an expensive Oral-B, which eventually broke, and tried to replace it with a cheap one, a near-duplicate but one which didn't have a sensitive-teeth-low-vibration-setting, so I had to return the blasted thing. Make sure the one you get meets your needs.

The Wirecutter recommends the http://thewirecutter.com/reviews/the-best-electric-toothbrush/, particularly with the http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000AUIFCA/metafilter-20/ref=nosim/. I have an http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B008PEMOV6/metafilter-20/ref=nosim/, and while I'm not sure how it differs from the model the Wirecutter recommended, I can definitely vouch for the floss action brush heads. My teeth feel so clean after brushing with them. I've also had a Sonicare, but it always seemed to leave plaque behind in the vertical ridges in my teeth. (I must say though, that every dentist who's asked me if I've tried one has expressed surprise when I told them about my experience with the brand.)

I should also mention that I have sensitive teeth and my toothbrush has been great for it! I feel like they are getting less sensitive, even.

I can't find the exact model Sonicare I have, but http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0085RZLVI/metafilter-20/ref=nosim/ is very similar. Mine has 3 modes - go clean, "normal clean" and max clean, at 1, 2 and 3 minutes each, respectively. I use the 3 minute timer every time I brush, because I like the idea of doing more than the recommendation.

The best brush is the one that you use. That being said, sonicare has been the industry standard for a long time for good reason. it is effective, offers choices for bristle stiffness and head size and is reasonably priced.

Another long-term satisfied Sonicare user here. I recently replaced my old one after about 7 or 8 years with one that has a White Clean mode. I actually find this feature slightly annoying - previously I could just hit the button to pause and resume the cleaning, and it had a little timer to tell you when you'd spent the right amount of time on one quadrant. Now the button switches between different modes, which is really annoying. If I want to take it out of my mouth mid-brush, I have to hold down the button to pause it, and it never quite seems to resume properly. The actual brushing is still superb, and my teeth feel fantastic. tl;dr - Sonicare, but get the simplest model possible.