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| Brand: Philips Sonicare
Buy New: $86.95
New (6)
Rating:  74 reviews
Sales Rank: 160
Ingredients: 1 Sonicare toothbrush w/1 ProResults brush head 1 Deluxe charger w/cord wrap and brush head storage 1 Luxury soft travel case 1 Hygienic travel cap 3 additional color code rings
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 6.7 x 9.3 x 3.7
Model: HX6911/02
UPC: 075020803443
EAN: 0075020803443
ASIN: B0013TVEWA
Release Date: March 7, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
 Top Notch Power Toothbrush March 26, 2008
P. Heath (Hurst, TX United States)
9 out of 10 found this review helpful
BACKGROUND: This is my second high end electric toothbrush. Prior to this one, I have used the Ultreo Ultrasonic, and I make comparisons between the two throughout my review.
SETUP: There's nothing too complicated about getting this toothbrush ready for use. I popped the end off of the brush head, and switched to the blue color ring in anticipation of this being a multi-user brush. After attached the brush head to the main body, I plugged in the charging base and put the toothbrush on to charge. There is a contradiction between the quick start guide and the detailed instructions. The quick start guide says to charge for a minimum of 2 hours while the detailed instructions call for at least 24 hours. I charged mine for about 5 hours before my first use. I doubt that there will be a negative effect on the battery life since this device is used about 5 minutes a day and sits on the charger for the remainder of the time - unlike a cell phone or other portable electronic device where you are more likely to drain the battery between charges.
After charging, I went ahead and made a few personalization settings. The personalization button is just below the power button, and it lets you choose between three brushing modes (Clean, Sensitive, and Massage) and two brushing routines (Go Care and Max Care). I did find it unusual to have these split out this way, but I guess more options appeal to a larger audience. I chose the "Clean" brushing mode because there is a special note in the instructions that this mode must be used for clinical studies. To me this implied that this is the most effective of the options.
For people who have not used powered brushes before, Philips has added an "Easy Care" feature which gradually increases the power level in order to keep from overwhelming you with the difference with a manual brush. Since I have previously used a powered brush, I disabled this feature by holding the power button for 5 seconds while on the charging base until I heard a single beep as indicated in the instruction.
Finally, Philips has built in a "Quadpacer" which is a timer that beeps every 30 seconds to indicate that it is time to move from one zone to the next. The zones are outside upper, inside upper, outside lower, and inside lower. You can toggle this feature on or off. I wanted to make sure this was on so I held the personalization button for 5 seconds while on the charging base. The first time I did this I heard a single beep which indicated that this feature was turned off. I repeated this process a second time, and two beeps indicated that this feature was enabled.
The variety of adjustments is one area that sets this Philips Sonicare toothbrush apart from the Ultreo Ultrasonic. The Ultreo did not have a single thing that you could alter. You could put the brush head on and turn it on and off, but that's it. This is a clear advantage for the Philips model as it is anything but a one size fits all product.
USAGE: The Sonicare toothbrush gives a great overall user experience. The Quadpacer signal is subtle so you will have to pay attention during your first use in order to know when to move to the next zone. However, once you know what to listen for, it is easy.
The Sonicare brush head is smaller than that of the Ultreo Ultrasonic, and I think people with smaller mouths will find this to be a plus. I also found it interesting that while the Sonicare brush feels more powerful, the occasional bump against my teeth is nowhere near as painful as it was with the Ultreo. This allows the Sonicare toothbrush to be used with my mouth fully closed which is absolutely necessary. Whether it is from being more powerful or just a greater range of motion in the brush head, the Sonicare is extremely messy if you open your mouth after having started.
All this considered, the real question is how good of a job of actually cleaning your teeth will this do? While this is not fully scientific, I think that the Sonicare and Ultreo brushes are difficult to distinguish in this category; however, they both do a great job. Both provide the squeaky clean feel to your teeth that just isn't there when using a manual brush.
From an ongoing usage standpoint, replacement brush heads for the Sonicare brush are currently being sold at 3 for ~$25. This is essentially 1/3 the cost of the Ultreo. This seems like a pretty reasonable cost to pay since the brush heads last for about 3 months. So after the initial investment, you are looking at ~$32 a year on an ongoing basis.
DRAWBACKS: In the grand scheme of things, there aren't any serious drawbacks to this product. There may be a group of people for whom the degree of options is considered unnecessary and confusing. The only other thing to be aware of is the included travel case. It is a soft case, and I would not put the toothbrush in this case with the intention of checking your bag on an airplane. It will not give the toothbrush any protection from the manhandling that checked bags receive.
CONCLUSION: This is a great, easy to use product that has pretty reasonable ongoing costs for long term use. I would recommend this to anyone who is looking to take their tooth brushing experience to the next level for day to day care.
What an electric toothbrush should be March 26, 2008
Andrew Gray (Minnesota)
9 out of 9 found this review helpful
This is my second attempt at having an electric toothbrush. The first attempt was with an Ultreo Ultrasound Toothbrush. That was a terrible experience that left me with headaches after using it and teeth that didn't feel clean. (it's nw in a box in my closet collecting dust).
On the other hand this Phillips Sonicare Flexcare toothbrush is a great experience. The brush head is nice and compact, but still covers the entre tooth surface being cleaned. It provides a nice pause to remind you to switch quadrants of your mouth. It has three different modes to use. One for normal cleaning, one for sensitive teeth/gums and one that massages the gums.
There are also two other settings. MaxCare which is slightly longer than the normal setting and incorporates both regular and massage into each quadrant and GoCare which is a quick hit brushing when you are in a rush.
This package comes with everything you would expect. The toothbrush with one cleaning head (I would have liked to see one additional one included). It comes with a deluxe charging stand (I really like that you can wind the cord up inside the stand to get rid of some of the cords in the bathroom). A nice travel case (I wish it would have been more sturdy - it's basically a pouch). Three additional color rings to help know who's brush head is who's. (with the absence of more brush heads this addition is a little confusing).
The actual experience of brushing is great. Where the Ultreo was akin to torture for me, this was more like a spa for the teeth and gums. The head is small to where there is no jamming it into the back of your mouth, it leaves my mouth feeling fresh and almost like I just got done at the dentist. I usually brush my teeth twice a day, however, I have found myself wondering if I should brush more, just so I can use this toothbrush (sound corny I know - but it's the tooth! ok bad pun, sorry).
Like I said this is my second run at an electric toothbrush ad I am glad I tried again. This is what an experience with an electric toothbrush should be. I really enjoy this product and will be suggesting it to many people.
Starts like a bee in your mouth . . . ends up as a workhorse April 2, 2008
Debbie Lee Wesselmann (the Lehigh Valley, PA)
8 out of 9 found this review helpful
This Sonicare electric toothbrush is, simply put, an excellent product. I've been using a Braun (which I believe is the same as Oral B) electric toothbrush for years, and it does not compare with this newest generation of dental hygiene products.
This model comes preset with a step-up program that gradually increases the speed of the brush head over 14 uses until it reaches maximum effectiveness, a feature designed especially to those new to electric toothbrushes. Although I've used an electric toothbrush for years, I decided to try out the pre-programmed sessions to see how it worked. On the first day, the toothbrush sounded like a bee in my mouth; it was gentle, with enough high-speed vibration to clean my teeth better than my old, full-speed Braun. Over the fourteen uses -- I did it in a week, but those new to electric toothbrushes might want to use it only once a day at first -- the brush lost its whine and gradually moved to its final, more authoritative vibration that cleans exceptionally well. Even at maximum power, this toothbrush does not vibrate through my entire skull the way my Braun does.
The coolest part of the Sonicare is the option of selecting different modes. The sensitive teeth setting is more like a mosquito than a bee; although I have sensitive teeth, I find that the regular cleaning doesn't bother me and is more thorough. You may select "Go Care" (a one-minute touch up between regular brushings), "Massage" for the gums, and MaxCare for a 30 second tooth brushing following by a fifteen second gum massage for each quadrant (total time = 3 minutes.) To remind you to switch "quadrants" of your mouth, the pitch changes slightly. After the routine time is up, the toothbrush stops.
First time electric toothbrush users should note the instructions about angling the brush head and moving gently side to side. You do not move the brush much yourself as you would with a traditional tooth brush; otherwise, you'll irritate or even rip your gums. My dentist has always advocated using an electric toothbrush once a day, not twice, with a traditional brush doing the work for the second brushing, although I find that the Sonicare, unlike my old Braun, is gentle enough to use twice. Still, users might not want to throw out their toothbrushes.
The Sonicare comes with a stand charger, one standard brush head, user identification bands, a soft carrying case, and a plastic cap to protect the brush head while traveling. Those who have smaller mouths will want to buy the optional Philips Sonicare Elite (E-Series) Replacement Brush Head, Compact (2-Pack) since it's not easy maneuvering the head behind, say, the front teeth. If you are concerned about sanitizing the heads, you might prefer to buy the version with the sanitizer (Philips Sonicare Flexcare Professional with UV Sanitizer), although you can always buy a sanitizer separately later (Philips Sonicare UV Sanitizer.)
I have only two complaints about this product: you cannot attach it to the wall to keep counter space free, and the automatic stop feature is annoying if I'm not quite done brushing. The inability to mount it on the wall is especially frustrating since the handle is incredibly easy to knock off the charger. Some people might not like the fact that it tickles like the Dickens when you hit the roof of your mouth while on the brushing speeds.
I highly recommend this toothbrush. Electric toothbrushes promote oral health through both cleaner teeth and gum stimulation, and the Sonicare is an exceptional entry into the market.
Works Great April 10, 2008
Brian Koch (MI United States)
8 out of 8 found this review helpful
I have been using the Sonicare Elite 7300 brush for a couple of years now, so it was no surprise to me that the FlexCare line is also a very good brush. All-in-all, using the new FlexCare is not all that much different than the Elite series, it feels about the same despite the advertised 80% less vibration. That being said the vibration does not bother me at all. The two biggest differences I noticed with the FlexCare are the significantly smaller handle size, which could be good if you have smaller hands and the somewhat larger brush head size, which I kind of like, because it seems to clean more areas faster. Of course the new ProResults brush head also means that I can't use the same brush heads that I have already bought for my older brush, but I like the new head design and also the way that it just presses on instead of screwing on like the older heads did.
As for all of the brushing modes and cleaning routines offered with this brush, I have not even bothered with them, I like brushing my normal 2 minutes (30 seconds each quadrant) which is what the standard clean mode does, so that is what I use. The charger station is also nice because it can hold two extra brush heads so that up to 3 people can share the same space easily. It also has a "travel charger" which is just the main charger without the extra brush head spaces and also a cloth-like travel case. The battery life also claims to be longer than any of the previous versions, so taking this on longer trips without even worrying about the charger is more of a possibility.
So, in conclusion, I never had any problems with my Elite series brush and I don't expect to have any with the new FlexCare either. It also seems to work just as well if not better and I have had wonderful dentist check-ups for the past several years with no cavities and very little plaque despite the fact that I only brush once a day, so I'm pretty happy with the Sonicare brushes and plan to use them for a long time to come. If you are switching from a regular manual brush up to this it does have a little bit of a weird feeling at first, but other than that first week or so of getting used to it, I really have nothing negative to say about this product.
Top Gum! April 8, 2008
Maclen (Hawaii, USA)
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
I used the first generation Sonicare Advance for many years, because I thought it was a great improvement over a manual toothbrush. The FlexCare is the "advanced" Advance - there is just no comparison. Most importantly, my teeth felt cleaner with the FlexCare than with the Advance. But there are many other advantages of the Flexcare as well.
The FlexCare is much easier to hold because of its rounded shape, slimness and lighter weight. That makes a significant difference when you're holding and moving something around in your mouth for 2 minutes.
The only thing that's the same between the two models is the 30 second beeps which signal you to change the area being brushed. But now, instead of just one two-minute brushing mode, the FlexCare has several options which are easily selected by a push of a button. You can do a 1 minute "quick" brush when you're in a rush - and the brush will beep every 15 seconds instead of 30. Or you can do a 3 minute "maximum" brush which includes a 30 second brush plus a 15 second gum massage for each area. The gum massage is a nice feature - I liked the feeling of just a gentle massage. You can even opt for just the gum massage without any brushing. And for people with sensitive teeth, there's a sensitive mode (although I haven't tried it.)
Other seemingly minor features were actually very user-friendly details that really won me over. First was the brush head attachment, which unlike the Advance, is a single piece which is designed so that excess water that drips down the side of the brush can can be wiped off. Any of you Advance users out there know that excess water can easily collect between the two pieces of the Advance brush head and create yellowish-brownish gunk between the two pieces, unless you always take the two pieces apart and wipe them regularly.
Second was the charger base. It includes a cord wrap, which you can use to hide the excess cord within the charger so that you don't have a long cord snaking around your sink. Also, when the cord wrap is removed, the charger converts to a smaller travel size. And a travel case is included.
In trying to improve the Advance, Sonicare was thinking of not just the performance of the brush, but how to make it easier and more flexible for the user. And they certainly succeeded. I recommend the FlexCare for top gums and teeth.
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