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| Customer Reviews: | | Average Customer Review: ( 218 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
266 of 267 found the following review helpful:
 My battery finally died after SIX YEARS... May 05, 2006
By John
The only difference I can see between my new 9500 and the 7500/7300 models (about $20 cheaper if you can still find one) is that it comes with two different brush sizes. Replacement brushes are available in drug stores, Wal Marts, Target, and some grocery stores. It has two power settings. By default, it beeps at 30-second intervals and shuts off after two minutes so you can "do" your teeth by quadrants. All the "programmable timer" feature amounts to is the option of running for an extra 30-second interval, or turning the timer off entirely so that it's just on/off. The "easy start" feature, enabled out of the box, gradually increases power over the first fourteen brushings.
(August, 2006: Note that there is now a 9800 model with the same features as this one currently selling on Amazon for LESS. That is the one to get.)
My turn-of-the-century Sonicare would run a *good* two weeks on a charge with just me using it, and this one does too (more like three!). The instructions (then and now) say to leave it in the charger when not in use, but I always unplugged it to run the battery all the way down before re-charging; I think that's why it lasted so long. These have a good old fashioned nickel-cadmium battery and they only have so many charge cycles. I suspect the manufacturer doesn't want that getting around because their revenue stream would atrophy if everyone went this long before buying a replacement.
One nice thing about these new-generation Sonicares: smaller brushes and dramatically less splatter. The brush of my Y2K model looked like a standard manual toothbrush and some splatter was inevitable with that thing; I would remove my shirt or drape a towel over my shoulders to avoid getting festooned with micro-flecks of toothpaste. But not with this one! Plus, it hardly weighs anything at all; it's like holding a spoon.
My dentist turned me on and still recommends this brand today. (I brush for the whole two minutes and he recommends not doing that more than once per day and with a gentle, ordinary toothpaste as opposed to a whitener.) Money well spent --I haven't had a cavity in all those years. Never thought much about my gums, but they are nice & pink & clean & tight, like in the ad photos. Sonicare gives you 60 days to send it back if you don't like it.
Tip for newbies: Stand in the shower so that you don't splatter toothpaste all over the bathroom! Have fun! :-)
65 of 69 found the following review helpful:
It's a must buy Jul 10, 2006
By I. He
"HWG"
Comparing this with Oral-B, Sonicare is more powerful, giving you versitility to move around the mouth. As a man and as a regular guy who has been using the regular tooth bush since childhood, I couln't help moving any electronic tools up and down and left and right in the mouth. With Oral-B, you can't do that, you feel it's not right doing it. But Sonicare makes that easy. I love it.
I'm a regular tea drinker, my teeth look brigher after using it comparing 5 years using the Oral-B.
45 of 47 found the following review helpful:
 Buy the Sonicare FlexCare Jul 08, 2008
By College Jane
Do yourself a favor and buy the Sonicare FlexCare. The newer FlexCare models are an upgrade without the screw-on design flaw of this Sonicare model. This model has a hideous design where the saliva and other brushing liquids seep down into the inner mechanisms of the hand piece and pool up in a really disgusting way and requires you to take it apart and clean off inner crevices made up of metal and plastic parts. The new design eliminates all that slew of slime. This brushing action is fantastic, just like the new one, but this design stinks...literally.
20 of 20 found the following review helpful:
 Better shape than oralb Nov 06, 2006
By jebbypal
As someone whose gums are prone to recession, the oralb power toothbrush was always too rough and the round heads too large to avoid my gums. Even using the "gentle" head caused me problems. However, my teeth stain easily to coffee, so I like that power toothbrushes minimize stain buildup between dental visits. I tried this after seeing it at a friend's house.
Verdict: the more normal "brush" shape is more what one is accustomed to with normal toothbrushes. It still seems a tad over energetic even on the gentle cycle, but I haven't noticed any worsening of recession. It also fights stains in between the teeth better than its oralb counterpart.
18 of 18 found the following review helpful:
I made the switch from Oral-B Triumph... Mar 29, 2008
By R. Ocampo
"Artisan"
Here's a tip. Grab the same model from your local warehouse shopping club for the deluxe package and you will have an extra handle, an extra brush head and a compact plastic travel case at less than the price this single-brush head model is being offered.
I admit, I'm late in the game in switching to this particular model as there is now the more expensive FlexCare line with a more compact brush head and supposedly more powerful sonic brushing action. However, the price of the Sonicare is very, very attractive these days especially since they introduced the latest FlexCare line which is supposed to be more elite than this Elite model.
I've been an Oral-B Braun power toothbrush user for years constantly upgrading every two years for their latest toothbrush. I've generally been happy and I really can't complain much as any electric toothbrush is definitely a step up from manual.
So after two solid years of using the Oral-B Triumph model with exclusive use of their FlossAction brush head, I've decided to finally give in to the Philips Sonicare Elite side. Why did I make the switch?
I was drawn into the Sonicare line because I've been using a similar sonic product called Clarisonic for almost a year already. I was totally impressed with the effective cleaning ability and the smoothness it created on my skin. Furthermore, I was especially impressed with the 2-week battery life which gave a constant output from full charge to the end.
COMPARED TO ORAL-B:
My problem with Oral-B Triumph and their older line of power toothbrush is that at full charge the brush action is at it's best power. After a few days, you can tell how much the battery is getting drained and how weak the spinning action is becoming. The only solution of course is to keep it charged. But this is not always possible because I bring it with me when I travel for a few days and it would be cumbersome to bring even the charger when I want to save on space. Also even at home you would want to make full use of the fact that it's a rechargeable toothbrush that will help you charge once and save on electricity by constantly charging it after every use. Finally, it's still best to condition the battery by fully charging and discharging - which the manual suggests users do every once in awhile.
I don't know how Oral-B manages the power in the toothbrush, but from my experience it's best to charge it after 3-4 days of use. Otherwise, you won't get the same brushing speed and effectiveness.
I saw my dentist recently and he did commend how clean my teeth were. He even thanked me for making his job easier. HOWEVER, the problem he had was that he discovered two cavities. Two! After years of brushing with a power toothbrush, I finally get two cavities. The problem has got to do more with me and my eating habits. I became more daring and started to eat sticky sweets and neglected brushing until late in the day. I also decided on my own that the FlossAction brush head of Oral-B helped me actually floss less than twice every day. So here I am with amalgam in my tooth and a good wake up call. Still, even with it being my fault I still doubt the effectiveness of the FlossAction now and the ability to actually get in between the teeth in a powerful manner versus just grabbing a floss. My point is we need to floss anyway as part of the brushing habit, so why will I need to spend extra on the ubber expensive FlossAction brush head, when I need to spend on purchasing a good floss anyway.
ENTER SONICARE...
After the dental check up and cavity work, I decided to also invest in Sonicare this time. After 24 hours of initial charge and first month of use, I must say it's a different cleaning experience that feels more gentle to my teeth and gums.
My first few uses made me and my wife wonder if there was any effectiveness to the brushing action. The feeling left me wanting more power. Then I remembered that toothbrush is meant to increase in power gradually within the first 14 uses in order to sit in and get used to the sonic brushing experience.
The sonic brushing did get stronger and stronger as expected. At full power it feels like it's blasting away dirt particles that may have gotten stuck on the tooth. Unlike the Oral-B Triumph brush, there is the tingling sensation especially when the plastic part of the brush head comes into contact with your teeth.
The power is more constant from full charge up to the time it needs charging. You won't notice any waning brushing power unlike with Oral-B Triumph (which really is disappointing to feel as it loses it's charge). You can get two full weeks of use in between charging and this may help condition the battery better as well as save electricity by not having to leave the cord constantly plugged. (Although as a convenience and with two included handles, I leave one at the base full charged and alternate them every week.)
THE SONICARE ELITE 9000 HANDLE...
It honestly could be more ergonomic and better shaped. However, it's practically light versus Oral-B Triumph that a kid would be more comfortable in using the Sonicare handle than any other.
The controls are simple and the light indicator couldn't be more effective. You have two buttons. One power the toothbrush and the other to switch between a more gentle cycle. If you want to program the toothbrush, you simply use those two buttons and watch the led indicator light to tell you what mode you are at based on it's position. Furthermore, this same led light will tell you the charge indicator status as well as how much power is left.
The good thing about this light is that it will come on only when it needs to thus helping lengthen in-between charges. On the other hand Oral-B Triumph has this fun, but ridiculous display which is constantly on even if it isn't docked at the base. 24/7 the Triumph handle will display the battery status in monocrhome-hard-to-see graphic form versus a simple bright green led light which comes on to alert you for a few seconds only after every use. Simple and ingenius. No need for a constant battery drain which could be used more toward powering the toothbrush head than the display.
THE ELITE BRUSH HEAD...
I must admit it was a little turn off at first to feel it so flimsy on my teeth. I was used to the Oral-B FlossAction head which was more pronounced and bulky. However after the Sonicare started to gain full power, I understood why it was designed as such.
I appreciate how gentle yet powerful it can act. My teeth feel squeaky clean that I'm only hoping this is what the dentist will also see on my next visit.
Philips used to advertise to change brush heads every 6 months. I was impressed they could design one to last twice as long as regular competitor heads. And then suddenly with the release of their FlexCare line all packaging including the Elite replacement heads state to replace every 3 months. So I don't know if this was a marketing gimmick, the realization that they need to make more money in half the time, or that people were complaining of bacteria build-up and foul odor from collecting water.
HERE'S THE PROBLEM...(especially why I didn't give it 5 stars)
Unlike Oral-B's design, Philips Sonicare design is poor in terms of maintenance. Water and toothpaste can and will enter the crevices of the head and handle. The brush and handle don't screw in together to form a water proof experience. (Versus Oral-B's simple design of having a metal rod stick out from the body and have the brush head insert into that rotating rod to create the brushing action.)
What happens is that if you don't disassemble one from the other, you get build-up of old and stale water, saliva and toothpaste. Yes, it's really that gross. So the solution is to disassemble the head from the body periodically. My personal solution is to just keep the head and body disassembled and cleaned after every brushing. It may appear more cumbersome, but it's easier to let water run thru both each and every time than to wait for residue to build up and for foul odor to occur.
Of course the solution was solved with the introduction of their latest FlexCare line which imitates the construction of Oral-B, but still maintaining the sonic ability. This is great news actually since less maintenance is required. However, with it's current price point I would rather not be the first to invest this time and just wait until even more kinks are sorted out and a better offer is brought to the market. And as we've seen they always lower the price, introduce an upgraded line and with more accessories. So until then I will enjoy my Sonicare purchase at an price unimaginable a year ago.
INCLUDED ACCESSORIES...
2 brush handles.
3 brush heads - 2 full size heads and 1 compact.
1 charging base to share among the two provided handles.
1 small plastic container to hold two brush heads in case you have more than two people sharing the handles. More importantly, that's where I place the brush head everyday to keep them separate from the handle while I air dry both after every brushing.
1 compact travel case which is okay for only 1 person since it holds 1 handle and only 1 brush head. They should be able to provide a travel case that case house 1 handle and 2 brush heads. Oral-B was smart enough to supply me with this kind of case for my Triumph purchase. This way me and my wife are able to bring only one travel case. The Sonicare case doesn't allow for another head which makes me end up purchasing yet another compact travel case, thus making the experience not compact anymore.
CONCLUSION...
So you can see why this toothbrush as a whole with accessories and design flaw of not being waterproof does not earn perfect 5 stars.
However, after experiencing the sonic brushing method. I don't think I will end up coming back to Oral-B's products with it's inefficient power-hungry display and short battery life.
I can only wait a year later until the FlexCare lowers in price and then I will upgrade within the Philips line.
All in all a very worthy and wise purchase especially if you are able to grab one from warehouse clubs (or hopefully here if they decide to match or lower the price even further).
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