Sustainable Tomorrow Zen Bamboo Electric Toothbrush Review

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As someone who is always on the lookout for sustainable alternatives to everyday products, I was intrigued when I recently came across the Zen Bamboo Electric Toothbrush from Sustainable Tomorrow. This sounded like the ideal next step for anyone trying to actively reduce their plastic waste and so I have been putting this toothbrush through its paces for the last few weeks to let you know how it fares and performs and this is my honest review…

About Sustainable Tomorrow

Founded with the vision of tackling the global plastic crisis, Sustainable Tomorrow focuses on creating eco-friendly, high-quality alternatives to everyday essentials that help reduce waste and protect our planet. They believe that sustainability doesn’t have to mean compromising on performance or style, it’s about making better choices for the future whilst helping to enhance your everyday life.

“During my career, I have had the chance to travel the world, and I have seen people using plastic in many ways. From one side of the planet to the other, we are far from understanding the danger linked to single use plastic products. From bags to forks to straws, all should be replaced by sustainable products”

Adrien A., founder of Sustainable Tomorrow

Zen Bamboo Electric Toothbrush Review

First Impressions

When the toothbrush arrived, the packaging was the very first thing to catch my eye. Fully recyclable, with no unnecessary plastic, that was one of my sustainability boxes ticked, PLUS, it has the most beautiful design I think I have ever seen on any packaging box. Just take a look…

Inside, the toothbrush itself looked elegant and minimalist and I was quite intrigued by all of the different brushing options I could see on the handle. I was also sent their handy bamboo travel case which looked and felt so luxurious. I couldn’t wait to try it all out.

What’s It Made Of?

Now when I first saw the Zen Bamboo toothbrush I did assume that the entire product was made from bamboo (given the name) however, on further reading I discovered that the base has been made using recycled plastics and this is due to the fact that bamboo just wouldn’t hold up under tests. As you can imagine, over time, bamboo will absorb water and having a permanent base made of this would lead to damage, mould and faulty electrics so the company chose to create this part out of the safer and more durable option of 100% recycled plastic.

All of their toothbrush heads are made from bamboo and as these are what are changed regularly this is the important area of sustainability to focus on. Each head is made of 95% raw bamboo and 5% sustainably sourced materials, including the cornstarch PLA and plant-based castor nut oil bristles. If you are anything like me, you will be pleased to hear that the bamboo part is fully home compostable, while the remaining 5% can be recycled at the appropriate local recycling facilities. I need to note here that they do state on their website that the bristles are capable of breaking down in a home composting environment, it just takes so much time that they can’t officially/legally label them as compostable so if you don’t mind them hanging around for a while you could pop the whole thing in your compost bin (which I will probably do).

Performance

Now, onto the main question: how well does it clean? The Zen Bamboo Electric Toothbrush uses sonic technology to deliver up to 38,000 vibrations per minute, which certainly sounded impressive to me. The company also states that you will have 7x healthier gums in up to two weeks compared to an ordinary manual toothbrush. Having now used this for the last few weeks I have certainly put the brush to the test so I could report back.

I have repeatedly gone through all five brushing modes – Clean, White, Polish, Gum Care and Sensitive – and found each to have their use.

Clean – This is your normal everyday cleaning option. This looks, sounds and feels like a standard sonic toothbrush and feels really good when in use. It leaves your teeth with a very good clean.

White – This mode has a high frequency back and forth sonic action to aid in getting your teeth sparkly white. This has a low nee-nah sort of sound to it which I did find a little annoying but when you see the results it can be forgiven!

Polish – The toothbrush pulsates much faster on the polish mode to help get that overall polished look and feel. The sound of this is faster and higher pitched and the overall feel is fab.

Gum Care – This is a slower, more gentle sonic action which is ideal if you have sensitive gums. This has a low pulsating sound. I found this to be so gentle that I could run the brush all over my gums and the inside of my cheeks for a whole oral care clean.

Sensitive – Like above, this mode is much more gentle and great if you have sensitive teeth. This has the quietest sound of all of them. I don’t have sensitive teeth but this would have been perfect when I was on my Invisalign journey as some days my teeth were very tender from movement.

Overall I like to use the normal clean mode followed by a blast of either polish or white to get a real deep-down clean. My eldest son (10) has also been trying it out using a different bamboo head and he loves the gum care option as he has always found other electric toothbrushes to be a little too rough and has struggled to brush at the base of his teeth. With the Zen Bamboo Toothbrush, he can easily clean around his whole mouth with no discomfort.

The toothbrush is also equipped with an internal timer meaning it will automatically switch off once you have brushed for two minutes – very handy (especially with kids!)

Battery Life

This is an area where I think the Zen Bamboo Toothbrush really shines. A single charge (4 hours) lasts up to 30 days, which is brilliant for both energy and time-saving. It also means that you can take the brush on holiday with you and happily leave the charger behind (although it is only a USB and wouldn’t take up much room).

Zen Bamboo Travel Box

Their travel box has been crafted from raw bamboo to provide a safe and clean way of transporting your electric toothbrush on trips/holidays. The top simply lifts off, the toothbrush fits snugly inside and will take up very little space in your luggage. At the time of this review, the travel box is priced at £20.95.

Sustainability Points

I love that the company has clearly considered many sustainability factors when producing this toothbrush. From the eco-friendly materials to the recyclable packaging, it’s a great way of helping more people to move away from the standard plastic manual toothbrush which can take up to 400 years to breakdown to a more sustainable product.

Pros

• Eco-friendly design – Compostable bamboo heads and 100% recycled plastic base. FSC certified.
• Impressive battery life – A month-long charge makes it energy-efficient and convenient.
• Customisable brushing modes – Five options to suit different needs.
• Zero plastic packaging – Fully recyclable and thoughtfully designed.
• Affordable price point – At £64.95 for a one off payment, this is a really good price point for a sustainable product. You could also choose to subscribe and pay £56.51 and get the bamboo heads delivered regularly (£6.00 every 2-3 months).
• 30-Day Risk-Free Trial – You can try your new Sustainable Tomorrow toothbrush for 30 days, and if you’re not 100% satisfied, return it for a full refund.

Cons

• Brushing heads require proper disposal – While compostable, you do need to remove the bristles first, which could feel fiddly for some. You would also need to check where the bristles could be recycled if you didn’t want to try the compost bin.
• Soft bristles – While gentle on gums, some people may prefer firmer bristles for a more thorough clean.
• No Recycling Service as of yet – Right now the company doesn’t have the capacity to put this into place BUT it is something they are looking to implement in 2025 starting with the US so watch this space!

Final Thoughts

The Zen Bamboo Electric Toothbrush is a great choice for anyone looking to combine sustainable living with effective oral hygiene. It’s clear that Sustainable Tomorrow has gone the extra mile to offer a product that’s not only functional but also kinder to the planet.

If this sounds like something you’d be interested in swapping over to why not take a look at the Sustainable Tomorrow website here?

*I was sent this toothbrush in exchange for an honest review. All views and opinions are my own. For further information please refer to my disclosure page.

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