Saw It On Social: Quip Toothbrushes

Mar 14, 2019

I hate the dentist.  But since my parents spent so much money on braces and oral surgery, I need to take care of my teeth.  So when the Social Media Powers That Be decided that I needed a Quip Toothbrush, I bought one.

The Quip Toothbrush bills itself as the perfect toothbrush.  Affordable, compact, and effective.  They talk about how it’s designed beautifully and helps develop the healthy habits you need for better teeth.

Usually, this is where I would review the pros and cons of the product.  But I’m going to cut right to the chase: This toothbrush was hot garbage.

I bought it to review, but also because I don’t love lugging my Philips Sonicare on long trips.  I thought Quip would be a lightweight, quality replacement.  Boy, was I wrong.

Two days after I switched to the Quip, my teeth felt dirty.  I was brushing them 3-4 times per day to get the grime off.  Which is no surprise because the “vibrating” that is supposed to elevate the quip from a manual toothbrush to an electric is weak and unsatisfying.  It’s a good thing the company doesn’t make sex toys.

My breath was also less than fresh by end of day.  I wasn’t eating anything different or drinking anything different, but by 4pm, I was afraid to have close conversations with people.

Not only were my teeth not as clean as I was used to, my gums started bleeding on day four.  Like a lot.  At that point, I was done. Quip went in the trash.  Sonicare came out of storage.  And in 36-hours, my teeth were clean, my breath was fresh, and my gums were blood free.

So let’s talk about a toothbrush I actually do love, and I’m so sorry I cheated on with a flimsy piece of trash with a pretty design.

The Philips Sonicare is now my everything.  I have receding gums, and using this brush has improved their health markedly.  My teeth feel clean and smooth all the time.  My teeth are whiter, and my breath is fresher than when I was using a manual.

There are many varieties of the Sonicare toothbrush; I own the Diamond Clean Classic.  It is amazing.  I also splurge on the Plaque Control brush heads so I get the deepest clean.  For an under-$50 option, try their Protective Clean Brush.

My only complaints about the product are 1) that it’s a little bulky and 2) the brush heads are expensive (even if I buy them at Costco).  But my teeth are clean and my dentist is happy, so I see no need to change.

Bottom Line:  The Quip toothbrush has manual brush quality in an electric brush package.  It doesn’t pulse quickly enough to actually remove grime, and doesn’t hold a candle to the more expensive electrics it hopes to replace.  As one reviewer said, it’s more subscription than innovation.

Saw it on Social is a feature where I buy and review the products that are recommended to me via social media promoted posts.  I pay for all products myself and I don’t solicit or accept freebies.  The point is to decide whether the product is worth spending money, I can’t do that if I don’t spend money.

{this post contains affiliate links that may generate commission for the author}

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  1. Mary says:

    I actually like the Quip. It is not as good as a Sonicare. I think it is hard to switch because you have to use a different brushing technique than with the Sonicare because the vibration is so much different. I have had 2 dental checkups since I started using Quip, and the dentist and hygienist said my teeth and gums looked great.

  2. Rachel says:

    Thanks for this review. I was toying with buying a Quip toothbrush as it also took over my Instagram feed and Podcasting ads. Grace over at thestripe.com used to be a huge fan of the Quip as well, but recently her dentist told her to toss it in the trash. Between her dentist and your review, I can safely say this “electric toothbrush disrupter” won’t be on my buy list anytime soon.

    The Sonic toothbrush heads are ungodly expensive but at least they work!

  3. MM says:

    Oh wow – I’d been wondering about Quip, so thank you for this review!

  4. Crystal says:

    I’ve had great results from my Sonicare — thanks to your review I’m not going to bother trying Quip.
    For those who hate flossing (everyone?), my Waterpik investment was also worth it — easy, effective, and doesn’t hurt.

  5. Nicole says:

    I could NOT agree more – both on Quip and Sonicare. I bought the Quip thinking it would be good for travel, but it’s crap. The vibration is mostly a gimmick – I don’t think it does anything for cleaning – although I guess it kind of works as a timer. So, so, so not worth it. I’ve been using Sonicare for 10 years and my dentist remarks EVERY TIME on how clean my teeth are.

    • Jill says:

      My dentist said my teeth were so clean that he wanted to know what toothbrush I was using. I said Sonicare, and he said he’d pick one up for himself on his next trip to Walmart. 🙂 I’d switched to Sonicare because manual brushing was wearing away my enamel at the gum line.

  6. anna c says:

    I’ve been using Quip since December, and it’s been ok. I haven’t noticed that my teeth feel less clean or my breath is less fresh, but I am not happy about the fact that my (admittedly free) refill is over 2 weeks late (Yes, I actually change my toothbrush heads out every 3 months.) I also haven’t seen my dentist since I switched brushes. I’ll probably investigate the Sonicare options, since I also have receding gums and have been yelled about that by my dentist.

  7. MOnica T says:

    Thank you for cutting to the chase on this one, I had looked in to Quip as well for traveling, love my Oral-B electric at home but no way can I pack it. Sounds like Quip would just be a lot of headache over just packing a manual toothbrush for travel. They must spend a fortune on advertising!

  8. Ellen McElligott says:

    I guess I am the oddball, but I LOVE my Quip! My teeth feel just as clean with my sonicare, and the price point can’t be beat. To each their own! 🙂

  9. Carolina says:

    If you want to really up your toothcare game, use Dr. Tung’s floss. I got my husband and mom hooked. it gets SOOO MUCH more gunk out between your teeth. That + your Sonicare, and you’ll impress your dental hygienist next time you go in. It’s a real game changer.

  10. Rebecca says:

    As a long time reader and a dentist I approve this post!!!!!

  11. Keilexandra says:

    I was tempted by the Quip for the same reason as you — I adore my Sonicare and have used it for decades (the same one, even!), but it’s a bit bulky for travel. I guess I’ll have to keep packing it, or maybe just taking a manual for overnight trips.

  12. Amy says:

    Wow, I have a Quip and like it but have never used a larger electric toothbrush. I feel silly asking this but did you actually brush your teeth with it or just hold it up against your teeth? I don’t think it’s designed to do ALL the work for you like other brushes may but it’s better than a non-electric toothbrush.

  13. Cait says:

    I’ll chime in with a few others to say I actually like the Quip. I hate most electric toothbrushes though, so if you tend to like electric toothbrushes, we must just have different preferences. I find the vibration of a lot of toothbrushes overly aggressive so I like the gentler approach. Maybe that makes it less effective than the Sonicare, idk. But it’s still better than the non-electric toothbrush I was using before since I couldn’t find an electric one I liked.

  14. Sara says:

    I couldn’t disagree more. I’ve had stronger electric toothbrushes and they cause my gums to bleed and be sore. Quip is a great clean and it’s affordable and great for travel. Also I don’t use the Quip toothpaste— I will give you that it doesn’t clean very well— and I instead use prescription fluoride toothpaste and Act, plus floss daily.

    Frankly, the state of oral care in our country is what is hot garbage given how much money we taxpayers spend for it, how much we pay out of pocket, and how utterly inadequate dental insurance is and Quip is a reasonable solution for a quality teeth cleaning that could save many people from the horrors of poor oral health. I think oral heath is an investment but it’s one I can make that many people cannot. Quip is a great option for people who need something better than manual. I encourage people to consider it, especially if you can’t afford a Sonicare or other state of the art electric toothbrush.

  15. brandi says:

    Jumping in with everyone else who loves their Quip. I’ve had mine for just over a year now, and it’s honestly great. I also just went to the dentist for the first time in 8 years, and when they did the second half of my deep clean, they checked the first half and said it was looking great. I also struggle with bleeding gums, but post cleaning, the bleeding is almost completely stopped. Even with intense flossing.

    I’ve tried Oral B and Sonicare, and the vibrations are too intense for me. I hate the way they feel in my sinuses. Add to the fact that the heads are expensive, and I end up using the same one for way too long. For the cost, Quip has made sure that I’m actually changing my brush heads every three months, and that I don’t hate brushing my teeth. I haven’t noticed anything with my breath, but I also don’t use the Quip toothpaste – I use the Crest 3D White, and ACT dry mouth mouthwash.

  16. Claire says:

    So agree and thank you for being honest! I’ve seen so many reviews that just laud this piece of junk – did they even try it? The bristles were too big and stiff, it fit awkwardly in my hand, and the replacement heads kept popping off when I was brushing. Yes it’s pretty, and the 30 second timer to switch quadrants is neat, but it’s a crap toothbrush.

    • Belle says:

      Some of it is the influence of money. Some of it is just you don’t want to be the one criticizing the company everyone else loves. I actually heard a blogger tell a group of people she didn’t like a popular product (SKII Essence), but that she could never say it on her blog, because being critical doesn’t serve her audience. I was like, of course not, why would balance matter.

  17. Meg says:

    Thank you for this review! I’m a current Diamond Clean user and while I love the toothbrush, my husband and I share a base and we killed our first Diamond Clean after three years. At $200 a pop, that is a short life span. We’re at two years on our second base and were planning to switch to Quip when our current base dies. I always appreciate your honest reviews and for saving me from wasting money on a Quip!

  18. Edna Mazur says:

    I have a sonicare, love it, and have no intention of switching. Definitely don’t mind making room for it in my suitcase, totally worth it.

    Just came here to say I lol’d (in my office) a few times reading this review. Thanks for brightening up my morning.

  19. Amy says:

    Can you do “Saw it on Social” for meundies? I’ve been hearing about them and seeing the ads everywhere on my social feeds!

    • Jessica says:

      I don’t have any “influencer” channels that I could even potentially be paid for saying this but I LOVE MeUndies. LOVE THEM. They’re the softest, best fitting, most comfortable underwear I’ve ever worn. I have them in the regular bikini style and thong and am slowly transitioning (since they’re a little expensive) all of my underwear to MeUndies. I’m also looking forward to trying their lounge wear. If they’re underwear are this soft then I can only imagine how the lounge wear will feel. Depending on the clothes you wear they might give VPL but when I wear a certain type of material or a pencil skirt, for example, I always wear specific seamless undies.

  20. Maria says:

    Agree with this review 100%! I’m a longtime Sonicare user who is traveling a lot this year and thought a Quip might free up some space in my carry-on luggage. What a disappointment. The bristles are so stiff, and my teeth never felt clean. I also trashed it after about a week.

  21. Rachel says:

    I also prefer my Quip over Sonicare. Much gentler on gums and enamel, but requires a different style of brushing (use it like an analog toothbrush, not like a Sonicare). I think different people’s teeth and gums need different things. ????????‍♀️

  22. Grace Atwood says:

    when i first saw this post i was like NO ABRA NO!!!!!! and am so glad I read it bc I couldn’t agree more. I bought the Quip with my own money and LOVED the design. I like everything in my home to be beautiful, and it fit so perfectly in. But it didn’t get my teeth clean and after using it for 6 months my dentist was like WTF is wrong with your teeth – I’ve always had perfect checkups!

    Into the trash it went.

    I just wish someone could make something pretty that worked. 🙁

    • Belle says:

      I know! It’s like when you’re a kid, and you want the Luden’s cough drops that taste like candy, and your Dad keeps insisting on the CEpacol that taste like poison. The poison is what works. Or was that just me? 😉

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