Dysons $500 AI toothbrush may fall short, but this $40 pick with 148K reviews does the job

I’ve tested a variety of Dyson products, from the acclaimed AirWrap to numerous vacuums, so when I first saw the company’s new AI-powered toothbrush, I thought it was unlike anything I’d seen before — until I saw how it performed in reviews.Dyson’s $499 CameraJet toothbrush is certainly ambitious.The high-tech toothbrush uses a built-in camera and AI-powered technology to help identify areas of your mouth that may need more attention, while its design combines brushing and water flossing.

It’s that “futuristic gadget” you’d expect from Dyson, a company that has never been shy about rethinking everyday appliances.But all that technology comes at a steep price, and it ended up being taken off the market.Consumer Reports, for example, found issues during its testing and reported that its reviewer ultimately went back to a conventional electric toothbrush.

Dyson has also acknowledged an issue affecting a small batch of CameraJet units.A spokesperson told Allure that “unfortunately, one production batch of jet tubes experienced a process issue, creating a potential for water seepage which affected the performance of a small number of products.We took what we believe to be the right decision to isolate impacted products, which resulted in an out-of-stock position.

We are now in full production and shipping product to our partners.We are sorry that we have let down our loyal customers and we will do all we can to support them.”That got me thinking: Do you really need to spend nearly $500 on a toothbrush?For me, the answer is no — especially when a much cheaper option can handle the basics just fine.The AquaSonic Black Series Ultra Whitening Toothbrush is currently on sale for only $40, ahead of October Prime Day, which starts Oct.

6.And unlike Dyson’s futuristic approach, AquaSonic keeps things refreshingly straightforward.The Black Series has 40,000 vibrations per minute, four brushing modes, a built-in two-minute timer and wireless charging...