Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 4100 Plaque Control

Was recommended by my dentist for best cleaning. It does a good job as she hasn't complained of any tartar buildup since I've started using it! It has handy timing built in to let you know you're done with each quadrant of your teeth. It also let's you know if you're brushing (pressing) too hard. However, I will say, the little vibrations the thing emits are barely noticeable, but overall, the brush is still very nice. Also, you can use a generic brush head replacement on this just fine. Don't use the Phillips brand - way too expensive. The generic brand is not a perfect fit (the hole is not the same shape as the Phillips brush holder) however, the friction/tension still holds the brush in place just fine and works perfectly for a fraction of the cost. **** Update!! ****** I just had the strangest experience with this toothbrush that I think could explain some things to other people. After about a year and a half, my toothbrush just suddenly stopped working! I thought it was the charger, maybe the battery, maybe water got inside? I was just about to give up when my husband said he had the same thing happen to his (he has the same brush) and when he put a new brush head on it started working again. Believe it or not, that actually WORKED! I did a little research and found out that this brush has some kind of RFID sync with the smart brush head to be able to tell you when to replace it. However, I assume that my after market cheapie brush heads that I use don't offer that and somehow it messes up the brush handle and instead of an indicator light turning on, it just shuts off. But the second I got a new brush head on, it came back on, just as strong as ever! I know it was the new brush head, because I had taken the old one off and back on while I was trying to troubleshoot the brush and nothing changed. It only started working again when I put a new one on. Hope that helps someone else!

I’ve always been a big fan of Sonicare toothbrushes, my dental cleanings went from you’ve got to do better to you’re doing a great job. My last Sonicare was an Elite model with all of the features, it’s demise came from a loose brush head shaft that wouldn’t stay tightened even after repair, that’s what also what killed the one before that so the verdict is out on how this one will hold up in that regard but they usually last a couple of years before giving out. I found that I never used any of the settings on the Elite except for basic clean with full power. In the past if you wanted a basic no-frills Sonicare with one button you have to forgo the slim handle design and lithium ion battery, two features I never wanted to get up so I would always spring for the more expensive model. Enter this Protectiveclean 4100 Sonicare, a basic one button, one speed no-frills machine that has all the features that I want and nothing that I don’t with the same slim handle and battery as the higher end models in this line. It even borrowed some of the features from the top of the Sonicare line like a brush head pressure sensor to remind you of proper brushing technique and a smart head brush replacement reminder that I hope doesn’t tell me to replace it before I want to but we’ll see (you can turn the feature off). The area around the metal brush head shaft (between the motor handle and brush head) has been flattened out and the little plastic cap that used to sit on the bottom of the shaft is gone making the area easier to clean, if you have a Sonicare you’ll know what I mean. The sonic action of this toothbrush seems more refined than my old Elite model but perhaps that’s due to wear and tear on the old one, anyway this brush works quite well and I’m happy.

I've used Sonicare brushes for 10 years, and this one is the best of the lot for a budget price. You can pay 4 times as much and get the bells and whistles, but if your main aim is to clean your teeth, this brush does it well. It has a brisk action (which can be started out at a lower intensity for newcomers), a two minute timer with a quad pacer that beeps every 30 seconds, a "smart brush" detection system that alerts you when the brush head needs to be replaced, and an alert when you're pressing too hard with the brush head. If you want your teeth clean and don't need whitening mode, bluetooth, and a lot of other luxury features, this brush will do the job. NOTE: When you buy replacement brush heads (this unit comes with only one), buy Phillips brush heads. Do NOT purchase the economy ones. They are poor quality, wear our quickly, and can actually damage your teeth and/or gums. Always buy the Phillips brand.

My dentist told me to get a Sonicare, and said it didn't matter which one as long as it had some basic features. I looked at the more expensive ones, but eventually decided on this one, and it was the right choice. This has exactly the features I needed: beeps at 30 second intervals to know when to move to the next area, and pressure sensor. It also tells you when you need to replace the brush head. I like the Easy Start feature, where it starts out a lower intensity and slowly builds up to 'normal' after 14 uses. I'd never used one of these before, so it was nice to be able to 'walk up' to full intensity. Now I'm past that 14 day cycle, and even at full intensity it's very comfortable to use, no pain or discomfort of any kind. I actually really like it a lot better than a manual brush. (if you don't want that feature, tho, you can turn it off). The brush does shut off at two minutes. But if you want to brush longer, just tap the power button and it runs for another two minutes. If you don't need another full two minutes, tap the power button again to shut it off whenever you want. It holds a charge quite awhile. When I first got it I followed the instructions, which said it had enough charge for one use, then to charge for 24 hours. I tried it the first night, then put it on the charger, and it did take 24 hours before the light went out, indicating a full charge. But I use it twice a day for four minutes each time (I think normal is two minutes total, but my dentist told me to do 4 - so I'm using it twice as long as a normal user) and it was over a week before the light only first began to blink indicating that it would need charged soon. I went ahead and charged it that night, and it did not take 24 hours the second time, by morning it was fully charged. Sorry for the long review but I was trying to answer all the questions that I had when I was basically agonizing over which one to get. I love it, I feel like I'm really getting a deep clean. I'm very happy with this one and glad I made this choice.

I love this toothbrush. It has 2 different settings: one is faster and the other is a slower vibration. It's pretty easy to switch between the 2 modes even though there is only 1 button. The brush head that comes in the package has soft bristles, but is smaller than a standard brush head in my opinion. This keeps my teeth clean (dentists tend to be happy with my teeth) and the slower, gentler setting is good to help prevent gum recession. I love that it's rechargeable and the charge lasts a LONG time - probably about 2 weeks of daily use. I removed 1 star due to its longevity. I bought this toothbrush to replace my other toothbrush that was this same exact model. I had my previous toothbrush for about 2.5 years before the button just stopped working. The silicone that covers the button had slowly dissolved with regular use, which was fine since it still worked. But eventually, it got so bad that I couldn't turn the brush on at all, and then sometimes it would just turn on randomly and would not turn off, no matter what I did. I literally had to put my old brush outside in my backyard at night until the battery died, otherwise the sound of the vibration would have kept me up (I'm a light sleeper and my bathroom is right next to my room). This would be a 5-star product if it lasted longer.

I had one of these prior to this one. I went to change the brush head and twisted the head off instead of just pulling it straight off, and I ruined it. Bought this one as a replacement, and I'm just as satisfied as before. This tooth care system is fantastic! I can't get my teeth as clean with a normal tooth brush, no matter how long I brush. It stands well on my vanity and the charge holds for weeks before I have to recharge it. The replacement heads are a bit speedy, but they last a long time if you take care of them and keep the cover on when not in use, so they are worth it. Highly recommend if you're picky about your teeth as I am!

This toothbrush does what it is supposed to do and does it well. Unfortunately all 3 of mine have broken within one year of using where the metal prong at the tip of the handle comes loose and renders the brush essentially inoperable. HOWEVER Philips backs each toothbrush for 2 years. They have great customer service ( I just called on a Sunday after 5:30 and got a live customer service rep). They are sending out a whole new charger and handle and want me to ship my old product back for testing. The product is excellent but it's reliability was lacking. Philips surpassed my expectations with great customer service and a good warranty which they easily honor. KUDO's Philips! Thanks for standing by your product and providing GREAT customer service. Hopefully you can fix the issue.

I’m not kidding when I say this is the absolute best tooth brush I’ve ever had and gives the best clean ever. My teeth are squeaky clean. I’ve had one of those $30 oral-b electric toothbrushes forever, went through two of them and was just over it when I bought this. They would drip toothpaste down my hand and chin to the point there was no option but to hold over the sink the entire time while brushing and definitely couldn’t risk already being dressed for the day. Needless to say my pjs were almost always covered in toothpaste. I also didn’t feel I was getting the best clean. Finally I decided to treat myself to the Sonicare 4100. I had resisted thinking it would be an expensive purchase and not much different than what I already had. Wrong. It was actually very reasonably priced with all of the features you really need in a toothbrush. And the quality is really amazing. The brush heads are small enough to really get every tooth and my teeth feel so clean once I’m done brushing. I love the prompts every 30 seconds to brush a different area of your teeth. And hardly any drips! I cannot express how much this thing is worth it. If you’re thinking about it just get it, your teeth and your dentist will thank you!