I’ll admit a slight bias up front – I’m a big Suri fan. Its flagship brush currently sits at the top of our electric toothbrush buying guide. So when the Core 1.0 landed on my desk, I was hoping it would be just as good. Happily, it mostly is.
In a market where premium brushes are racing to add cameras, AI coaching and app subscriptions, Suri has gone the other way. The Core 1.0 is a sonic toothbrush built around the essentials, and that’s it, really.
Not just a Suri 1.0 in a plastic case
The cheap route would have been to repackage the Suri 1.0 in a plastic shell, call it “Core” and knock a few bucks off. Suri hasn’t done that. The Core 1.0 has a haptic pressure sensor, a two-minute brushing timer, a button lock and a magnetic mirror mount, so it’s a fully new product with all the essentials in tact.
The pressure sensor is the standout. If you press too hard and the handle gives a soft pulse to remind you to chill out. It protects your gums and enamel, and it’s quite rare to find one at this price.
Design and build
Just like its more expensive sibling, the Core 1.0 is a handsome thing. The handle is slim, and the finish looks and feels more expensive than its price suggests.
It comes in four colours (Haze, Ember, Nightfall and Moonrise), and I’d happily leave any of them on show in the bathroom.
It also feels pretty good in the hand. There’s not much creak or flex, and the buttons have a satisfying click. Although, the Suri Pro 2.0 still feels more premium.
That’s more impressive when you consider the eco-ethos behind it. The handle is made from more than 90-percent bio-based material, the brush heads are plant-based, made from cornstarch with medium-soft bristles derived from castor oil, and there’s a free mail-back recycling scheme for old heads.
Suri is also B Corp certified. It’s the brand’s whole approach, and it’s reassuring to see it carried over to a cheaper product with no obvious compromises.
It’s light, too, making it’s comfortable to hold for the full two minutes and easy to chuck in a wash bag. The plant-based travel cap clips on securely, and the button lock stops it buzzing into life in your luggage.
Quiet, and it lasts
The Core 1.0 is also quiet. Sonic brushes can sound like an angry wasp trapped in a jar, but this one is a low, restrained hum. That makes it a good choice if you brush early and share a wall with a sleeping partner or child.
Battery life is the other pleasant surprise. Suri claims up to four weeks on a single charge, and I got more like five weeks before it needed topping up. Used twice a day, that’s a very long time between charges, and, again, ideal if you travel.
Charging is via USB-C, with a wireless induction pebble.
How does it clean?
Suri says the Core 1.0 removes 100-percent more plaque than a manual toothbrush, and it’s clinically tested and designed with dentists. In daily use, my teeth feel properly clean after two minutes, with that smooth, just-been-to-the-hygienist finish.
The timer and pressure sensor also help build better habits, which matters as much as raw power.
It’s not the best clean on the market, though. If you want the absolute maximum, a more powerful oscillating-rotating brush or a pricier sonic model will get a little further. So the Core 1.0 is good rather than class-leading.
One small gripe
One thing nags me, and it’s entirely personal. The brush heads don’t match the handle. Pick a Nightfall handle and your replacement heads won’t match it, and for someone who likes a tidy bathroom, that’s an annoyance. It doesn’t affect performance, and plenty of people won’t care at all.
Great value
Which brings us to the price. At US$75 / £65, the Core 1.0 is a great-value buy, and you’re not really losing out much compared with the Suri 2.0 (which costs US$105 / £105). You get the build quality, the eco-credentials, the pressure sensor and the battery life, and you give up a more powerful motor and premium build.
Compare that with the $500 Dyson brush with a camera. That’s a clever piece of tech, sure, but it’s also a lot of money to spend on something you use for two minutes, twice a day (and the Suri is waterproof, unlike some others).
Suri Core 1.0 verdict
I came to the Core 1.0 as a Suri fan and I’m leaving as one. It isn’t the strongest cleaner you can buy, and the mismatched heads will irritate the tidy-minded. But it’s lovely to use, built well, kind to the planet and very easy to live with. If you want a sensible, stylish electric toothbrush without paying for features you’ll never use, this is the one to get.
