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Battery-free toothbrush is powered with a twist

Brush your teeth properly without the need to plug in or toss batteries.

Battery-powered toothbrushes are convenient if you don't like brushing your teeth the old-fashioned way, but they have a catch: batteries. Typically, you either need to dock your brush (and remember to carry a charger with you on long trips) or toss disposables when they're done. There might be a better way soon, though: Goodwell Co. is crowdfunding Be, which it bills as the first battery-free powered toothbrush. Twist the base twice and a kinetic energy storage mechanism will vibrate the brush head for up to 2 minutes, or just long enough for that dentist-recommended cleaning. You don't have to connect to a charger, and you won't contribute to landfills by chucking out batteries (the bristles are even biodegradable).

As you might surmise, there's a catch: the brushes aren't cheap. Early backers can get a starter kit for $49 (a brush, three head refills and a travel case), but there were only a few dozen left as of this writing -- and there weren't many more for the $89 cleaning kit or $96 two-pack, either. And you'll have to wait until December 2018 even if you do get a pledge in. If Goodwell pulls this off, though, it'll be no small feat -- you'll have a powered brush you can take on vacation knowing that it won't conk out in mid-scrub.