I tried the Burst toothbrush made popular by the viral ‘corn test’ video — here’s how it stacked up against my Philips Sonicare

• Burst Sonic toothbrushes have charcoal-infused, anti-microbial toothbrush heads, but are cheaper than most alternatives.
• For $69.99, you’ll get a Burst Sonic toothbrush, head, and charger, and for an additional $18 a year, Burst will deliver fresh heads quarterly so you don’t have to remember to change them yourself.
• I tried it myself, and it made my old Philips Sonicare toothbrush seem unnecessarily expensive – this one is not only more affordable, it also works just as well.
• See also: The best electric toothbrushes you can buy

When I received the Burst Sonic toothbrush with orders from my editor to put it through its paces, I wasn’t quite sure what that could mean. It’s a toothbrush, no? Granted, yes, it’s electric, but unless the thing conks out on me within a few months, what’s there to really say?

Well, it’s on the affordable side, for one thing. For another, the replacement heads, even though they’re charcoal-charged, are much cheaper than most comparable toothbrush heads. While I’m no accountant, paying $40 or more for replacement heads every year for my Phillips Sonicare electric toothbrush suddenly seemed like it was adding up. Was spending roughly $300 in oral hygiene accessories over the eight years I owned my Sonicare really necessary? I signed up for Burst.

Why Burst is a better value

Burst is a more affordable alternative that ultimately gives me the same clean feeling as my Sonicare at a much better value, and I don’t have to remember to go out and buy or change brush heads, which, for a forgetful fool such as I, is a huge relief.

The base package is $69.99 for the toothbrush, base, charger, and your first toothbrush head (as compared to my Philips Sonicare kit, which was about $200). When you sign up for the Burst replacement head program, you’ll get one brush head delivered three times a year for an annual subscription fee of $18. You may never have to think about ordering or going out to buy one ever again.

This, I’m finding, is the main issue with other electric toothbrushes. I’d often forget to replace brush heads in the first place, even though I’d already bought them. Then, when I did remember to change heads, I could never recall where they were so safely stored. Back to the pharmacy. Back to the toothbrush aisle.

Months later, I’d find three five-packs of electric toothbrush heads crammed into the back of a closet beneath the heating pad filled with basmati rice, amidst myriad other items I never use.

My experience using the Burst toothbrush

The Burst Sonic toothbrush has three functions (massage, whiten, sensitive) as opposed to my Sonicare’s clean, white, and gum care along with three intensity settings. Maybe I’m just lazy, but I’ll never use all of that. As a matter of fact, I’ll probably rarely, if ever, use all three of the Burst Sonic’s settings, either.

But, I did find myself switching from “whitening” (I’m working on trying to whiten my teeth) to “sensitive” when things got tender, and it did hurt less. I was still able to brush my teeth sufficiently without having to endure as much discomfort to my gums, and that much I appreciated. As for the whitening of my not-so-white ivories, I can’t speak much to that just yet.

What the experts have to say about the charcoal-infused bristles

The most unique thing about Burst might be that the bristles on its brush heads are infused with binchotan (white charcoal), which not only works to remove stains but carries its own self-sanitizing qualities. The flip side of charcoal in dental hygiene products, though, is that while it cleans, it’s also abrasive.

How abrasive? That’s hard to say. According to one dentist we polled, Dr. Caroline Barsoum of Integrated Aesthetic Dentistry in Manhattan, “it can be extremely abrasive or ineffective at reducing cavities.” According to my personal dentist, Dr. Jamie Hwang of Tribeca Dental Design, the amount of charcoal these products carry is negligible, and it’s more important that you brush your teeth and change your (electric) toothbrush heads regularly. So, the jury’s still out on charcoal-infused dental products, and you might want to do your own research for your own peace of mind before placing an order. On the flip side, these toothbrushes will accept most toothbrush heads, so ditching the charcoal-infused head is easy enough.

The battery life: How long it lasts and how it charges

My absolute favorite thing about the Burst, though, is the battery life. The company suggests that it’s the “longest battery life on the market,” and while it’s hard to say how it will hold up over time, I’ve only had to charge it twice in several months. I’ve only had a few electric toothbrushes in my life, but none have lasted this long between charges.

The small and tidy charging base looks like most any electric toothbrush base but connects to a simple USB block, so if you happen to misplace it, there’s a better chance that a spare is lying around. Any piece of tech that can streamline with my other devices is praiseworthy in my book.

My old Sonicare kit now feels like overkill. Don’t get me wrong: It was good to me. But a full Philips Sonicare set (complete with electronic UV sanitizer) as I bought it is about $225. Granted that the “Sanitizer” dock that cleans your brush heads and charges your toothbrush is probably a good thing to have, it’s unnecessarily expensive on my budget, and, frankly, takes up too much precious space in my small apartment.

The bottom Line

Burst’s replacement brush heads, which come from Burst quarterly for only $6 per head (remember, the brush itself comes with one already), alleviate you of the arduous task of keeping your oral hygiene equipment up to snuff on your own. No, that may not sound like much, but it is one less thing to worry about, which I’ll always take.

From here on out, I no longer have to concern myself with keeping a schedule around both buying and remembering to change my brush head every three months. That may not sound like much of a relief, but don’t lie: Are you really making sure that you change your current toothbrush or brush head every three months? Sign up for Burst. Your teeth will thank you.