suri

WHEN I was doing the research for this SURI review, I came across some alarming stats.

Every year, over four billion toothbrushes end up either in landfill or, more worryingly, in the ocean.

And it takes so long for a single toothbrush to decompose that almost every plastic toothbrush produced since the 1930s is still languishing somewhere on the planet.

If you’re an electric toothbrush user, you might think you’re exempt from this, but — I hate to break it to you — you’re not. In fact, you’re probably worse.

SURI 2.0 Electric Toothbrush, £105

Happily, there’s now an ingeniously designed, decently affordable alternative.

Last week, SURI — a brand favoured by celebs including Gwyneth Paltrow — unveiled its second-generation SURI 2.0 toothbrush, and I was lucky enough to get my hands on one prior to its release date.

I’ve used the original SURI 1.0 toothbrush for years, but for the last month I’ve been getting to grips with the new model.

Pros

• One of the most thoughtfully-designed products I think I’ve ever come across — the attention to detail is astounding
• MUCH more sustainable than alternatives
• Brilliant battery life
• Pretty affordable, depending on which generation you go for
• Perfect for travel
• If you take care of it, it’ll last forever
• Dentist-approved (it’s approved by the dentist I spoke to, at least)

Cons

• The first generation doesn’t have pressure sensing, which can lead to overbrushing
• The second generation is significantly more expensive than the first
• There’s no bells and whistles like app connectivity — but do you really need them?

Rating: 9.5/10

How I tested the SURI toothbrush

I first met the co-founder of SURI, Mark, at a press event almost three years ago.

His knowledge and passion blew me away, and he was kind enough to give me one of the brand’s toothbrushes to try myself.

It’s tackled my gnashers daily ever since — it’s moved house twice with me, and gone on several holidays.

This summer, I was one of several lucky journalists to be sent the brand’s new and upgraded toothbrush, the SURI 2.0.

As the Sun’s reviews manager, it’s my job to hold it to account, ensuring that it delivers on its promises, provides value for money, and handles day-to-day operations.

SURI toothbrush review: The Nitty Gritty

First impressions

SURI 1.0 Electric Toothbrush, £75

Before I encountered SURI in 2022, I’d happily been using a middle-of-the-road electric toothbrush, without thinking too much about its environmental impact.

If you’d put a gun to my head, I’d probably have told you that electric toothbrushes are better for the environment than manual ones, as they don’t have to be thrown away every couple of months.

I’d have been wrong.

In fact, they’re a nightmare combo of hard-to-mine rare earth metals, carbon-dioxide-heavy manufacturing processes and “planned obsolescence” — they’re only designed to last three to five years or so, so that you routinely come back and buy a new one.

That means that they, too, end up in landfills, where their toxic components can leech into soil and water supplies.

SURI (short for “Sustainable Rituals”), by comparison, has put a LOT of thought into how to end the environmental nightmare caused by billions of humans brushing their teeth.

The handle is made from aluminium, rather than the hard plastic preferred by other brands. This is a very conscious choice — 75% of all aluminium ever created is still in circulation today, because it’s such an easy-to-recycle material.

Other parts of the toothbrush are made from clever materials like cornstarch (the head), castor oil (the bristles), and steel (the internal components).

These are all designed to have as small an environmental impact as possible — when you buy replacement heads, SURI sends you a mail bag so that you can return your used heads to be industrially composted.

Does it deliver?

1

SURI 2.0 Electric Toothbrush, £105

So we’ve established that SURI is more sustainable than its competitors — but does it make a better toothbrush?

When I’ve spoken to the company’s co-founder, Mark, he has emphasised the company’s decision not to include the app-powered, Bluetooth-compatible bells and whistles you get in other toothbrushes.

After all, what percentage of people really want to link their toothbrush to an app? Most people I’ve encountered want to get the chore over and done with so they can go to bed.

Instead, the SURI is pretty utilitarian — it includes all the things that you’d need in a modern toothbrush, without adding any unnecessary marketing fluff.

It’s a sonic toothbrush, which is a type of electric toothbrush — they’re defined by their very, very quick vibration, which produces their signature “sonic” humming sound.

The SURI vibrates 33,000 times per minute, which actually puts it at the gentler end of the spectrum — and unlike some competitors, it doesn’t have multiple power settings.

Personally, day-to-day, I’m fine with that — I like a gentler clean, and relatively low vibrations work with the softer castor oil bristles to create a sensation that feels much kinder to my gums than other brushes I’ve used.

However, it would be nice to have a pedal-to-the-metal setting for those days when I’ve had a few glasses of red wine, or accidentally made my way through a large bag of Skittles while watching telly.

The thing about the OG SURI brush that concerned some dentists was its lack of pressure sensor, a feature that notifies you if you’re brushing too hard.

Thankfully, the new SURI 2.0 has added that feature.

There are a host of other features that make this brush extremely practical.

The first that comes to mind is the UV-C Travel Case, which comes as standard with the SURI 2.0 but is an added cost for the 1.0.

As well as protecting your toothbrush from whatever else you throw in your suitcase with it, it comes with a UV light that removes 99.9% of the bacteria on your bristles.

There’s also the month-long battery life — my partner’s electric toothbrush only lasts for a week, if she’s lucky.

Last, but certainly not least, is a tiny thing that I love — each SURI brush comes with a magnetic mount, which you can put on your bathroom mirror or wall.

That might sound pointless, but it stops your toothbrush from amassing that gross toothpaste residue at the bottom, which always makes me feel slightly nauseous.

How much is the SURI toothbrush?

The new SURI 2.0 costs £105.

That’s quite a steep increase from the original brush, which retails for just £75.

However, the 2.0 comes with a travel case as standard, which wasn’t the case for the original brush — if you wanted one, you’d have to fork out another £25.

While it’s not exactly a bargain in a world where you can pick up an electric toothbrush for £40 or £50 on Amazon, SURI markets its device as “the last toothbrush you’ll ever buy” — the toothbrush is designed to be repaired, and SURI will replace the battery for a “reasonable” fee.

The toothbrush head needs to be replaced every couple of months; you can buy a pack of three heads for £14.99, or set up a subscription to have two heads delivered every six months for £8.98 each time.

Where to buy the SURI toothbrush

The best place to get the SURI is probably the brand’s own website, where you can find both generations of the toothbrush as well as all the accessories you might want, including the travel case, chargers, magnetic mounts and toothpaste.

However, it’s also available at selected retailers, including Boots.

SURI alternatives

In terms of its environmental attributes, SURI is in a class of its own.

A few companies are attempting to make Oral care more environmental — for example, Georganics makes a sonic toothbrush with a “Zero to Landfill” scheme, through which the brand promises to responsibly dispose of your toothbrush.

However, it doesn’t have the same stylish mass appeal — it feels a bit granola and tree-hugging than SURI’s chic, Gwyneth Paltrow-friendly version of sustainability.

Plus, SURI puts a bigger emphasis on ensuring that its toothbrushes are made from environmentally friendly materials.

And, of course, if you’re not bothered about eco-credentials, there are tons of options available from normal high-street brands.

Washington, DC – A federal judge has ordered Georgetown University scholar Badar Khan Suri released from immigration detention, in the latest victory for US visa holders targeted by the administration of President Donald Trump for pro-Palestine stances or advocacy.

The ruling on Wednesday by US District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles comes shortly after two other prominent students targeted for deportation, Columbia University Student Mohsen Mahdawi and Tufts University PhD student Rumeysa Ozturk, were ordered released from detention as their deportation cases move forward.

Speaking at a news conference following the hearing at the federal court in Arlington, Virginia, Khan Suri’s wife, Mapheze Saleh, thanked supporters who demonstrated outside of the facility.

“I thank everyone who came out to support the cause of a truth-telling, speaking up and standing for Palestinian rights,” said Saleh, who is Palestinian American.

As with similar cases where visa holders have been targeted for deportation related to their pro-Palestine views and advocacy, lawyers for Suri Khan – who has Indian citizenship and a US student visa – argued ICE agents unlawfully detained him outside his Virginia home in March for speech that should have been constitutionally protected.

The Trump administration has taken the broad position that those constitutional protections do not apply to temporary visa holders or even US permanent residents. The question will likely eventually be decided by the US Supreme Court.

The administration has further relied on the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 to justify its actions. An obscure provision of the law allows the US secretary of state to deport any non-citizen deemed to have “potentially serious adverse foreign consequences”.

In a separate ruling related to Columbia University Student Mahmoud Kahlil in April, a federal judge adopted a broad interpretation of the provision, saying Kahlil was deportable based on Rubio’s claims he took part in “anti-Semitic” protests. That came despite the top US diplomat providing no further evidence.

Similarly, the Department of Homeland Security had previously claimed in a post on X that Khan Suri was “spreading Hamas propaganda and promoting antisemitism on social media”.

It added he “was married to the daughter of a senior advisor for to Hamas terrorist group”.

But speaking to reporters, Nermeen Arastu, one of the lawyers representing Khan Suri, noted that evidence backing up those claims has not been presented by government lawyers in court.

Arastu, who is also an associate professor of law at the CUNY School of Law, said it was notable that “the court today also pointed out that the government is kind of throwing around accusations in social media, but not presenting them in the formal courtroom setting”.

“And tied that to this due process concept that’s so important here to understand – that at the very basic level, you have a right to understand the allegations that are being brought against you,” she said.

‘Badge of honour’

Critics have further accused the Trump administration of targeting Khan Suri based on his familial ties. His wife is the daughter of Ahmed Yousef, a former adviser to assassinated Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh who left his position with the armed group more than a decade ago.

“He should have never been arrested and jailed for his constitutionally protected speech just because the government disagrees with him,” ACLU of Virginia senior immigrants’ rights lawyer Sophia Gregg, told reporters on Wednesday.

“He should have never been punished for his relationship with his wife or his father-in-law,” she said.

Like in the cases of Ozturk and Mahdawi, Khan Suri’s cases will proceed despite his release. He faces two separate legal proceedings, one in immigration court in the one challenging his arrest and detention in Virginia.

He remained in detention in Texas when the ruling was issued on Wednesday, his lawyers said, adding they were expecting him to be released shortly.

Saleh said at the court that she had recently spoken to her husband from the detention centre in Texas, where he was held.

“He told me if my suffering in the detention centre is because I married a Palestinian and because I spoke out against the genocide in Gaza, then I should wear it as a badge of honour,” she said.

1 of 2 | Pro-Palestinian protesters march in an anti-ICE rally in Lower Manhattan in New York City in March. On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Patricia Giles ordered the immediate release of Indiana national and Georgetown University postdoctoral fellow Badar Khan Suri. He was held by ICE for two months.

File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo

May 14 (UPI) — U.S. District Judge Patricia Giles on Wednesday ordered the immediate release of Indian national and Georgetown University postdoctoral fellow Badar Khan Suri. He had been held by ICE for two months despite not having been charged with a crime.

Suri was in the United States on an academic visa. He was arrested March 17 by masked ICE agents and sent to a Texas detention immigration detention facility.

Judge Giles ordered Suri released without bond on condition that he maintain a residence in Virginia and attend hearings in his case in person. For Texas immigration hearings, Suri can attend virtually.

The judge said at Suri’s hearing his release is “in the public interest to disrupt the chilling effect on protected speech.”

Suri’s defense lawyers alleged he was singled out for revocation of his visa and deportation “based on his family connections and constitutionally protected speech.”

Suri has not been charged with a crime. He was taken by ICE for his social media posts supporting Palestinians.

Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security Tricia McLaughlin cited the posts as she claimed without including concrete evidence that Suri allegedly had connections to a senior adviser of Hamas.

Suri said in an April statement that he had “never even been to a protest.”

His release petition argued that he was likely targeted by the Trump administration due to his marriage to a U.S. citizen of Palestinian origin.

Also, Suri’s father-in-law Ahmed Yousef was an adviser to Hamas over a decade ago.

Giles ruled in March that Suri “shall not be removed from the United States unless and until the court issues a contrary order.”

Suri’s release order follows court-ordered releases from ICE custody of fellow immigrant academics Mohsen Mahdawi, a Columbia University Palestinian student, and Tufts University student Rumseya Ozturk.

Attorneys representing Suri said during his detention he was transferred to five different facilities across three states. They said he at one point slept in a room with no bed and a TV blaring almost all day for nearly two weeks.

In a letter to his lawyers, Suri wrote, “My only ‘crimes’ making me a ‘national security threat’ are my marriage to a United States citizen of Palestinian origin and my support for the Palestinian cause.”