Philips Sonicare Toothbrush - A Dentist's Daughter

Choosing a Philips Sonicare toothbrush is a rather tricky task, because there are so many different options available. While all Sonicare electric toothbrush models are excellent, some are better for your unique needs than others.

In this Philips Sonicare toothbrush review, we will look at features available in several models like DiamondClean, FlexCare, HealthyWhite, Essence and the Sonicare 2 and Sonicare 3 series. I’ll go into great detail about the features each model has, what makes it different from other models, and highlight the benefits and value of each for a particular type of user.

For in-depth information about specific models of Philips Sonicare toothbrushes, you can read our product specific reviews on the Electric Toothbrush Reviews page.

What models Philips Sonicare toothbrush are now available?

As listed on the official Sonicare website, the models of electric toothbrush now on sale include:

DiamondClean
FlexCare Platinum
FlexCare Plus
HealthyWhite
HealthyWhite Plus
Essence
Essence Plus
Sonicare 2 series
Sonicare 3 series
Sonicare for Kids
PowerUp

There’s a type of electric toothbrush that fits any kind of budget, with prices ranging from as little as $20 to over $200 for the top-of-the-line models. And you could find a good deal on your favorite model by shopping around online.

A word of caution: Some retailers hike up the sticker price just so that they can appear to offer a bigger discount. Don’t get carried away by that!

Features of a Philips Sonicare toothbrush

There are several unique features that set apart one model of Sonicare toothbrush from another. But at the same time, all of them share many common features.

1. Full-Power Brushing

The Philips Sonicare toothbrush trademark is a powerful 31,000 strokes per minute brushing option, a staple of almost every model (except the PowerUp). In my opinion, this is the feature that confers the single biggest advantage on the Philips Sonicare electric toothbrush over every other competing brand in the marketplace.

Also called the “Clean” mode of operation, full-power brushing ensures excellent cleaning of teeth through a direct primary action as well as a secondary effect through generation of a power-wave that cleans at a distance (even without direct contact with your teeth).

2. Long-lasting Battery

A rechargeable lithium ion battery is a standard feature of most Philips Sonicare toothbrush models. Being easier to charge, these batteries are smaller and so the toothbrush design is sleeker and lighter in weight. Exceptions that don’t come with a lithium-ion cell are the Essence and PowerUp models.

3. Universal Chargers

Battery chargers that ship with the Philips Sonicare toothbrush allow use with both 110 volt and 220 volt power supplies. This allows convenient use while traveling in different countries. Charging units are available with different kinds of pins to fit sockets of diverse design.

4. Smartimer for Kids

A practical and useful feature of all Philips Sonicare toothbrush models is the smartimer which lets you set a 2 minute timer to know if you’ve cleaned your teeth for long enough. An additional QuadPacer feature is provided in more expensive models, which lets you program for a more optimal brushing experience.

5. Easy-Start

Designed to get you used to the vibratory sensation of an electric toothbrush gradually, the easy start mode begins slowly and works up to maximum intensity of brushstrokes.

6. Replacement Brush Heads

A nice benefit for users of a Philips Sonicare toothbrush is the availability of a range of snap on brush heads. Not only is this design more convenient to change and clean, there is also a range of styles, sizes and types to select from. The Sonicare for Kids model has smaller brush heads to suit younger users.

As a potential buyer of an electric toothbrush, this feature also gives you some wriggle room as you no longer need to worry about whether the ideal kind of brush head is available with your preferred model. One size fits all, and you can swap and switch between heads. Replacing heads every 3 months is recommended for better efficiency.

The Different Models of Philips Sonicare Toothbrushes

Sonicare DiamondClean

Models: HX9362, HX9372, HX9352, HX9332
Price: around $200

Sonicare DiamondClean is the Philips company’s top product line – with a price point to match the extensive features. The Sonicare DiamondClean electric toothbrush comes in a range of colors – pink, white, black and amethyst.

There are five available brushing modes called:

* Clean (or power brushing)
* Gum care
* Polishing
* Sensitive teeth
* White

In my opinion, the choice of modes is redundant as most users will operate in Clean mode only, and that is the most effective at cleaning teeth. Practically speaking, the option of having two DiamondClean brush heads included in each package is a bigger advantage. You can also snap on any other brush head from the Sonicare line, such as Adaptive Clean, ProResults Gum Care, Sensitive or Simple Clean.

This Philips Sonicare toothbrush comes with a Smartimer and Quadpacer functionality, to let you know when to switch from one quadrant to the next. In addition to a battery charger, the DiamondClean comes with a travel case for convenience on tour.

Sonicare FlexCare Platinum

Models: HX9172, HX9112, HX9110
Price: around $175

The Sonicare FlexCare line of electric toothbrushes come in platinum gray and slate gray colors and a UV brush head sanitizer is included in the package. FlexCare operates in 3 modes – Clean, Deep Clean and White – and each one runs in 3 intensities – Low, Medium and High.

As I’ve already mentioned, most users will only use their toothbrush in standard (“Clean”) mode, but the availability of 3 speed settings may be useful in special circumstances such as sensitive teeth or elderly users with gum problems.

A special feature of the FlexCare line is the pressure sensor that tells you if the force applied is excessive. Automatically, the vibration pattern of your brush head changes. Some users think this is useful.

Two brush heads are provided – an AdaptiveClean and an InterCare. As with the DiamondClean, other brush heads can be interchanged with the Sonicare FlexCare line of toothbrushes, snapping on easily for convenience. The Smartimer and Quadpacer features are included. The UV brush head sanitizer is built into the charger stand. A travel case and battery charger round off the package.

Philips Sonicare FlexCare+

Models: HX6921/04, HX6921/02
Price: $150

Sonicare FlexCare Plus comes in sky blue, Cooper frost and white colors, with the 5 modes of operation like DiamondClean including the popular power-brushing “Clean” mode which operates at 31,000 brush strokes per minute. The package includes a ProResults Gum Health standard brush head, but like other Philips Sonicare toothbrush models, other heads are interchangeable.

Smartimer and Quadpacer features are available. The toothbrush is recharged on a traditional stand, and a smaller travel charger is included. In other respects, this model resembles the Philips Sonicare FlexCare range.

Sonicare HealthyWhite Plus

Models: HX8911, HX8918
Price: around $125

The Sonicare HealthyWhite Plus line is unique in having a tongue-cleaner brush head attachment in addition to the standard issue in other models. A bacteria-killing tongue spray is also provided as part of the package. This isn’t anything special, though, since you can order the cleaning spray separately and use it with any of the other Philips Sonicare toothbrush models.

HealthyWhite Plus is, as the name implies, frost white in color. There are two brushing modes – Clean and White. Intensity can be adjusted to low, medium or high. A DiamondClean standard brush head is in the pack, with any of the other brush heads being compatible with an easy snap-on adaptation. Smartimer and QuadPacer functionality are available, as are a conventional charging stand and travel case.

Sonicare HealthyWhite

Model: HD6731
Price: $120

Produced in frost white color with a rubber grip, the Sonicare HealthyWhite electric toothbrush offers clean, sensitive and white brushing modes. The popular power-brushing mode delivers 31,000 brush strokes per minute.

A ProResults brush head is included in the package, but like other models, you can snap-on other replacement brush heads easily to extend the range and utility of your toothbrush.

Smartimer and QuadPacer functions are included. A conventional charging stand allows batteries to be recharged at 110 to 200 volts. On a full charge, you can operate the Sonicare HealthyWhite electric toothbrush for up to 3 weeks.

Other Philips Sonicare Toothbrush Models

The other models like Sonicare 3 and 2 series are basic versions with fewer extra features beyond what’s available with all models. While this might make it appear as if they are less effective models, the truth is that often the limited functionality lowers the price to a point where they are good value for money!

Some of these models are designed to address specific needs. For example, the Philips Sonicare Kids toothbrush line of models has smaller brush heads that are more suitable to younger users and bluetooth connectivity to interact with a mobile app that monitors and reports brushing behavior to parents.

If you’d like more detailed reviews of individual Philips Sonicare Toothbrush models, then check out the information on our Electric Toothbrush Reviews page.

Highly Recommended:

See our ULTIMATE Electric Toothbrush Buyer's Guide - and make an informed and smart choice.