Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I've been using the Oral-B series of mechanical toothbrushes since the early 2000s. I'm a fan of the system because it is very cost effective, especially compared to the sonic variety. I've got my family and friends to use them to great results. Their advantage over standard toothbrushes cannot be overemphasized, provided you use both correctly.
This is apparently a tier above the most basic model, by adding "3D" feature--which is really a vibrating brush head in addition to rotation--to the basic rotation model. Based on usage and observations of various users and previous models, and after testing the unit out myself for the claims, let me try to break it down:
Pros/Improvements:
- it's still impeccably made; not that the origin (Germany) necessarily have anything to do with it, but I'd be hard pressed to find anything more consistently well made, or feels more solid, including the much more expensive Sonicare lines, or almost any other consumer products I've owned.
- the inductive charging base is much improved over previous models. I'm not talking about the lack of brushhead holder which isn't meant to be on this low end model anyway, but that the charging area next to the inductive notch is completely open. It makes a huge difference as the older designs have difficult to reach corners/crevices that may trap dirt and water deposits that can be hard to clean. It also looks better with symmetrical lines and smaller footprint (that's only slightly bigger than the brush's), adding to the clean, minimalist appeal. It's also much easier to carry if needed for travel.
- Furthermore, the charging notch is compatible with any Braun mechanical units sold after 2006, so for some people you may be able to use the old charging base or find one at your friend's for stay-overs, etc. A minor point, probably, but I had found it a convenience for travels.
-It uses any of the mechanical Oral-B brush head designs: Other than Oral-B's own sonic line that has incompatible replacement heads, it has a great selection of mechanical heads to choose from: Precision Clean (included), Floss Action (rubber flaps), Pro White (rubber disc), and Dual Clean (larger, two part brush head that doesn't "hug" the tooth as well in my opinion). I think there's also a sensitive variety with softer bristles for each of these designs. It's unmatched in terms of brush options.
-the classic head design may look small, but is designed to very effectively hug the entire tooth and cut into gaps and corners, provided you do not over pressure the brush and only rotate the brush angle to cover all areas. It may take some patience for a two minute brushing, but it's proven to be very effective at removing plaque.
- rubberized area to the front (thumb) rather than the back (fingers) of the brush handle-- it may sound trivial, but this proved to be important. The smoother plastic area may be more "slippery", but it is also mildew and stain resistant and very easy to clean. By contrast, with the previous "Vitality" lines, the rubberized area covered most of the body with creases to aid handling, but over time dirt, hard water deposits and even mildew developed, requiring a soak in bleach to remove. Older models with a similar minimally-rubberized design fared much better. I'm glad this model carried the more traditional layout.
- being a better-than-basic model, thankfully it has two indicator lights, telling you charging states(charging/full) and when battery is nearly depleted. Some of us may never need it (and oral-B basic models started removing lights all together to cut cost), but for the average user this can be useful especially for the sake of battery maintenance routines.
- the use of NiMH battery: these brushes are powered by a single rechargeable AA sized battery. Braun has used NiCd since the introduction of these designs, and this is the first time I see NiMH being used. There are pros and cons to this change (will also cover in the Cons section). NiMH is certainly more environmentally friendly with low/no toxicity, that almost certainly prompted this change as NiCd is now banned in Europe. NiMH also has no discernible memory effects. The instruction still tells you to completely discharge at least every 6 months, a recommendation which is shared with NiCd for longer service life. The discharging pattern for NiMH is also more linear, meaning that it will feel relatively powerful from full charge to depletion (proved to be true on this model), where with NiCd you can feel the power wane very quickly as the battery discharged through use. The capacity is also generally higher with NiMH, meaning fewer charges required between uses. The combination of longer battery life and even discharge pattern making it more feasible to use the brush without leaving it on the charging stand. (though one can also leave it on the charging stand, Braun seems to have reservations based on "environmental" reasons; it's also useful if you are packing the brush to travel for a few days without having to take the charger).Cons:
- the "pressure sensor" isn't anything much. In fact when you press too hard the head would stop vibrating just out of physical impossibility, not that anything got "turned off" (it will keep on rotating, see video). I was hoping the sensor would give out a warning or turn off brushing, because over-pressuring the brush head is a serious problem for people using these power brushes with smaller heads, especially if they just switched from manual brushes. I have had people who ruin brush heads prematurely because they pressed too hard, a tendency that's fairly common as people think it'll give a better cleaning, but really achieves the opposite effects. I tried to correct this with some users by tutoring and instruction, but it was a real and recurring problem with them, as it is probably anti-intuitive to clean well just by gliding brushes and angling them lightly over teeth and gums. I was hoping the "sensor" would do the trick, but there's nothing indicative of any "sensing", much less in responses. The more observant users may be able to tell by a difference in vibration, but there's not much else to signal this crucial error.
- Non-Replaceable NiMH battery: Braun had no option but to switch to NiMH due to the banning of NiCd's. Besides the mentioned advantages in the previous section, NiMH nevertheless has far fewer charging cycles as NiCd does. I am still using a Braun brush I purchased in 2002, a unit that used NiCd, which I regularly discharged completely for maintenance, and it is still going very strong 8 years later. While I haven't used a NiMH Braun model until now, I imagine the life cycle should be significantly shorter, if my experiences with NiMH/NiCd AA batteries and their chemically inherent characteristics are any indication. I had also wondered why Braun can't make these batteries replaceable--especially because they do make replaceable battery powered models; but the latter simply don't have the same performance--i.e. they're much weaker despite the two AA batteries required, for some reason. However, for most people, I imagine the life cycle of a standard NiMH battery is probably long enough to last until the next desirable upgrade.
- the quadrant timers: Braun started using timers on higher end models early on, which gave indication by two stuttering short stops in the operation at 30 seconds intervals, and also a series of longer stutters at 2 minutes to indicate sufficient brushing time. I found it useful when they had only two minute timers (no 30 sec quadrant timers), indicating the minimal length needed for proper brushing without turning off (a good brushing can take longer); It was something I could easily have people comprehend and use practically as a gauge of how well they are brushing. However, the quadrant timers are just making it a bit confusing for some people, not to mention more intrusive. It's especially true because nobody brushes the four quadrants the same way, or it being really practical to divide brushing area evenly into four parts (try it you will see). To me those 30 seconds pulses seems rather redundant, if not confusing. There's also no way to turn them off.
-The charging base only takes 110-130v AC, unlike some previous lower end Braun models, meaning that you can't use it in countries with 220v outlets without adapters. It's probably not going to matter for most people, but if you travel that may be important.
- It's noisier than Sonic brushes (from both Philips and Braun), but this is a minor point. It's not any noisier than earlier generations of Braun mechanical brushes, nor the noise excessive, but I thought it should probably be mentioned.I like this brush very much, just like all the other Braun mechanical brushes I've purchased over the years. Its 3D action really works in attacking plaque and gaps not only with lateral rotating action of the brush, but also vertical attacks to the teeth surface and crevices. The motor is powerful and really works wonders at cleaning.
The 1000 series is a practical choice, being one tier above the basic model, adding the effective 3D brushing function, yet without the various brushing modes (sensitive and whitening, available one tier up in 3000) and fancy timers and displays in higher end models (4000 and 5000). It's well positioned for those who want the most crucial functions without the bells and whistles.
These Braun mechanical brushes we have purchased are all well designed, well made, and proved effective at improving our family's oral hygiene. We have our dentists remarking on the differences between semi-annual check-ups after getting the brushes, and even...Read more›
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