Braun Professional Care 8500 Series €74.99 Highs: A "dentist-inspired oral care system" that includes a tongue scraper, a toothbrush and an electric toothpick, this is the Rolls Royce of toothbrushes.

It has variable speed control and a pressure sensor to stop you using it too vigorously. A timer tells you when to move the brush to the four quarters of your mouth - every 30 seconds, apparently - and when to stop. Braun offer a 100 per cent refund if you're not happy with it.

Lows: It seems like an inordinate amount to pay for a toothbrush - even one with all the above.While we can't fault its design or effectiveness, it is a bit loud and we did wonder about the usefulness of all the extra bits - if you used them all you'd never be on time for work.

Verdict: High priced but excellent cleaning.

Star rating: ****

Crest Spin Brush €9.45

Highs: This is a nicely designed toothbrush that is easy to hold and has natty rubber dimples for your brushing thumb. It can be used in pulses or on a continuous setting and offers very vigorous cleaning at a comparatively low cost. It has a good-sized brush-head, only half of which moves, and quite a steady base. Batteries are included.

Lows: Having taken them out for examination we would not be confident the batteries would last too long. We also found the battery cap had an annoying habit of coming loose mid-clean, sending the batteries rattling around the sink and stopping the brush dead. Its greatest flaw, however, was its hum, which seemed inordinately loud - not what you're looking for on hungover mornings or when a loved one is sleeping close by.

Verdict: Loud and vigorous.

Star rating: ***

Aquafresh Duofriends €4.74

Highs: Apparently this has been "specially designed for kids" although we could not see what this meant unless the manufacturer's regard blue and yellow as being child-friendly. It is lightweight and easy to grip and has a gentler hum than some of the competition. It has a very sturdy base and comes with a cap to keep the bristles clean. It has a six-month guarantee and "dual-action cleaning", ie one brush moves, the other doesn't.

Lows: It seemed to lack some of the welly the other toothbrushes had and even the act of cleaning your teeth could on occasion cause it to stutter to a halt. Even when it's going full steam it tickles the teeth rather than cleaning them although it is possible this is what the manufactures meant when they said it was designed for kids.

Verdict: Cheap, but where's the power?

Star rating: **

Colgate Micro Sonic Power €4.33

Highs: This was on special offer in Boots which made it seem very good value indeed - its full price is closer to €6.50. It has the sonic action beloved of more expensive models, and the manufacturer claims it has 20,000 movements per minute. It has excellent grip and the sonic affect seems to deliver a better clean than a simple vibrating brush and made it a whole lot quieter. It seems very powerful and not only was the mouth left tingling, so too was the hand.

Lows: Encased in hard plastic that is next to impossible to open without resorting to sharp kitchen implements, it is also the only brush that can't stand on its own base. In truth, that's hardly much of a complaint.

Verdict: Excellent cleaning, excellent value.

Star rating: *****

Philips SonicCare Advance 4100 €89.99

Highs: This was the most expensive brush we tried - although not the most expensive on the market - and is clearly a good quality product. To get you accustomed to its sonic power - or the "Soniccare experience" as the manufacturer would have it - it gently increases the strength at which it cleans for the first 12 uses. The brush head is a decent size and it has a two-minute timer. Its recharging base is good and sturdy and, like Braun, Philips offers a money-back guarantee if you're not happy with it.

Lows: It seemed to be very expensive and very big and the section in the instruction book about avoiding electrocution, while eminently sensible, was a bit alarming. Replacement brush heads may be hard to source.

Verdict: Good but too highly priced.

Star rating: **