Everyone needs a good toilet brush. We evaluated popular picks from Clorox, Oxo, Rubbermaid, Simplehuman, and more, using a top-secret, fake-poop mixture our labs use to test toilets
No two toilet brushes are exactly the same—that’s what we learned after evaluating seven popular toilet brushes and their holders.
By Lisa Fogarty
Cleaning toilets is at the top of nobody’s favorite tasks, but it has to be done—and having great tools can ease the yuck factor. At CR, we take toilets seriously. We’ve tested toilets, toilet bowl cleaners, toilet paper, flushable wipes, and even bidet seats and toilet stools. Now it’s time to put toilet brushes—an unsung cleaning hero—to the test.
To test seven popular toilet brushes from brands like Clorox, Oxo, and Simplehuman, we enlisted the help of CR Test Engineer Larry Ciufo, who whipped up a top-secret proprietary formula for us to apply to our toilets that mimics the look and texture of … you know what. To call this the grossest test I’ve conducted is an understatement.
A good toilet brush should have sturdy bristles that won’t easily warp, a design that allows it to reach everywhere, including under the toilet rim, a comfortable handle, and a holder that is stable, easy to clean, and, in a perfect world, pretty. To keep things consistent, we tested each brush with the top-rated toilet bowl cleaner from our lab tests. Toilet brushes may seem the same, but we found major differences among them, and only four rose to the occasion as noteworthy taskmasters.
Sneak peek: The name Clorox is synonymous with cleaning, and we found a lot to love about the Clorox Toilet Bowl Brush, including a feature that should be a staple on all brushes: under-rim bristles that remove gunk you can’t always see. Here are more details about the Clorox brush, along with and our top and least favorite choices.
Simplehuman Toilet Brush
Pros: One of the best brush designs and holders we’ve seen.
Cons: If you prefer a holder that closes fully and keeps the brush from being exposed, this isn’t the toilet brush for you. This was also our most expensive model.
I never dreamed I’d get ecstatic about a toilet brush, but Simplehuman is unlike any brush I’ve used or seen before.
Brush and handle: The smart crescent-shaped brush head and tough, sturdy bristles left no area of my bowl untouched, including under the rim (it took a little more maneuvering to get beneath the front curved part of the bowl, but it still got it spotless in seconds). While testing these brushes, I learned quickly that handle comfort is important. This one has a 12-inch-long handle with a smooth top and a magnetic steel base (more on that in a minute). Even though it’s on the wider side (and my hand is small), it wasn’t bulky like Mr. Siga, below, and had a curved top that made it very comfortable to hold and use.
Holder: Oh, how I love this holder. The top of the open-concept holder has a magnet that instantly attaches to the bottom portion of the handle and keeps it in place. Neither the handle nor the holder budged. The holder is also compact and easy to tuck away in a corner, and thanks to its open design, I don’t think mold and mildew will be a concern as long as you keep it clean.
On that note, we should all be cleaning our toilet brushes and holders after each use. A disinfectant spray can be used on the toilet brush, and a disinfectant wipe is helpful when cleaning its handle. Holders can also be sprayed with disinfectant and then rinsed with hot water, or soaked in a mixture of equal parts bleach and hot water for a thorough cleaning. Another great thing about the Simplehuman holder is that there are no sneaky places where muck can accumulate, and cleaning and drying it is as effortless as possible.
Clorox Toilet Bowl Brush
Pros: An amazing row of rim bristles designed to get under the rim of the toilet bowl.
Cons: Similar to the Simplehuman toilet brush, this isn’t for you if you want your brush completely concealed in its holder.
Can I close my eyes, make a wish, and create this same Clorox Toilet Brush, but with a different holder? No? Okay, I had to try.
Brush and handle: The brush is phenomenal. Even though the brush head is a traditional oval shape, it also features tough-as-nails rim bristles that extend at the perfect angle to reach under the rim and remove any gunk stuck there. All toilet brush heads should take note and include this detail. Its handle is a lengthy 12 inches with a rubber grip on top that feels comfortable to hold and use.
Handle: Here’s where we’d like a few words with Clorox’s manager. The holder feels too short for the brush, which wobbles slightly when placed inside it. This is a shame because it boasts other good features. The holder is designed at an angle and can be pushed into a corner, where it’s less conspicuous than many of the other brushes we tested, especially the bulky Amazon Basics, below. It doesn’t have ventilation holes or slots, but the top is open enough that they’re not really needed. It was easy to clean and dry, thanks to its smaller profile.
Oxo Good Grips Compact Toilet Brush & Canister
Pros: A solid choice with an extra-long handle and a canister holder that springs open and closed.
Cons: Cleaning the holder may take longer than with some other holders.
Brush and handle: The Oxo Good Grips has the longest handle of all of the brushes we tested (13 inches), and it’s smooth and feels nice to hold and use. Its wider top than bottom is especially helpful because it provides a good, firm grip when working it around the bowl. A rubber grip would have made it even more comfortable. Its brush head is dense, hard, and scrubs the bowl well, but I made the mistake of testing this one right after Clorox, and I immediately missed having a special rim brush. It wasn’t the easiest to get under the rim of the bowl, and it missed a few spots of gross scum.
Holder: The canister spring opens when I pull the brush out and automatically shuts when I put the brush back in. The brush is completely stable in the holder, and it has a canister drip tray. The holder is small and looks nice, but it’s not so small that I feared the brush would fall out. I found the holder easy to rinse clean, but not as easy to dry, since a few sections are difficult to reach.
CB2 Rubber-Coated Toilet Brush
Pros: A simple, minimalist choice that looks classy in your bathroom.
Cons: The brush is on the soft side and requires assembly.
Brush and handle: I performed a simple stress test on all the brushes, forcefully pushing the brush head 30 times against my porcelain sink basin. The CB2 brush head, along with Amazon Basics and Rubbermaid heads, warped slightly after this test. Its bristles felt softer than our other top choices, but it cleaned the bowl well enough. Its handle measured 9 inches and is the second shortest after Amazon Basics, but unlike AB, it wasn’t slippery and had a comfortably soft, grippy feel. You have to assemble this one by attaching the brush head to three pieces: the base and top of the handle, and its lid. It’s simple to do, but made it feel cheap for a $25 toilet brush.
Holder: CB2 earned a top spot because of its holder. This is a simple, minimalist holder that is aesthetically pleasing and doesn’t scream “toilet brush!” It also has some weight to it and stays securely in place on the floor. However, it lacks ventilation, and water can easily pool in it. Cleaning it is easy, and there are no sneaky areas that might collect muck or water.
Other Toilet Brushes We Tested
In a pinch, nearly any toilet brush will do. But, for the money, these three didn’t perform as well as our top choices.
Amazon Basics Toilet Brush and Holder
Pros: Comes with four toilet brushes and holders, and is a great deal.
Cons: Everything else was average.
Let’s start on a positive note: this one from Amazon Basics comes with four toilet brushes and holders, and at about $7.82 per brush/holder, it’s a bargain when you need to outfit every bathroom in your home at once. Just don’t expect bells and whistles. Pushing down hard on the bristles 30 times bent and distorted them. The handle is just 5 inches (the shortest on this list), which doesn’t leave your hand much room to maneuver. The handle is square and bulky, with no grips, so it felt like holding onto a block—not the most comfortable.
The holder is the bulkiest among the brushes, too. It lacks ventilation holes and slits, and water pooled in it right away. The larger, deeper holder was more difficult to clean (it’s narrow at the base and wider at the top). It also doesn’t look very pretty.
Mr. Siga Premium Toilet Brush With Holder
Pros: Dense, sturdy bristles.
Cons: The handle was wide and uncomfortable.
Like CB2, Mr. Siga has to be assembled, but it’s simple: just twist the brush head into the 12-inch handle. Its bristles are hard and dense, and didn’t bend when I applied force. One of its biggest issues was its handle, which was wide and bulky, lacked grip, and caused my hand to hurt after a few seconds of use. And we had mixed feelings about its holder. It looks futuristic, and we appreciate that it features numerous ventilation holes at both the top and the bottom. But it didn’t close quite right, and others, including the similarly priced Oxo, looked and felt like higher-quality options.
Rubbermaid Toilet Brush
Pros: A holder-less option if you already have a holder you love.
Cons: Its bristles are soft and can become dented.
This was the only toilet brush we tested that didn’t come with its own holder, but if you already have a holder you want to display, this might be a great option (check the measurements before ordering to make sure it’s a good fit). Its bristles aren’t as solid, dense, or hard as Mr. Siga or Oxo, though, so when I tested their durability they dented slightly. Its 11-inch handle lacks rubber grips and features a very large hanging hole where you grip it. It’s not the most comfortable, but because it’s thin and slightly curved, it is more comfortable than Mr. Siga. This one cleans the bowl like any average toilet brush, but it takes longer to get those spots beneath the rim.
How We Tested Toilet Brushes
We brushed a proprietary formula created by CR’s test engineer into the insides of our toilet bowls and let it sit for an hour. We applied the best toilet cleaner from CR’s lab tests to the bowl, and tested how well each brush removed the gunk, paying close attention to curved edges and under the toilet rim.
We performed a force test on the bristles of each brush by pressing them down against a porcelain surface 30 times and examining whether they warped. We considered grip comfort, handle length, flexibility, control, and overall weight balance.
We independently measured each brush handle. A brush handle that felt secure and maneuverable during scrubbing scored better than one that felt awkward or slippery. Finally, we evaluated the holder for ease of cleaning, ventilation holes, how well it sealed shut (where applicable), and how it looked in our bathroom.
Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. CR does not endorse products or services, and does not accept advertising. Copyright © 2026, Consumer Reports, Inc.