Philips Sonicare FlexCare Rechargeable Sonic Toothbrush
Philips Sonicare FlexCare Rechargeable Sonic Toothbrush
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Product Description
FlexCare delivers the superior cleaning you are looking for with the flexibility that your oral health care demands. The new ProResults brush heads and personal care settings are all found in a brush design that is smaller, lighter and has less vibration that any other Sonicare toothbrush.
Details
- Rechargeable toothbrush uses sonic technology and new brush head design for outstanding plaque removal
- Three modes of cleaning: maximum cleaning, sensitive area cleaning, and massage
- Built-in timer lets you know when to move to a new brushing zone
- Lithium ion battery offers 2 weeks of brushing between charges
- Includes brush head, travel case, and recharger; 2-year warranty
Tags: electric toothbrush, FlexCare, Philips, power toothbrush, Rechargeable, Sonic, sonic toothbrushes, sonicare, toothbrush
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March 24th, 2008 at 6:29 am
Rating
I’ve been using a competitor’s electric toothbrush for years now; I swear by them. This is by far the best I’ve tried. It is full featured, easy to use, comfortable, and offers a great clean!
The toothbrush comes with the body, one head, deluxe charging station (which includes removable travel charger) and three color coded bands for identifying your brush head for multiple user households. There is also an attractive vinyl carrying case as well as a nice instruction booklet.
The tooth-brush has an easy-to-read display and controls. There is a battery indicator light that indicates how much battery power remains and blinks when the unit is charging, there is the on/off button as well as a selector button that lets you choose modes of operation.
The modes are as follows.
Three 2-minute timed modes:
Clean: Full power mode
Sensitive: A more gentle cleaning mode
Massage: A gentle pulsating mode for stimulating gum massage.
Additional Modes:
Go Care: Timed 1-minute cleaning mode for a quick mid-day or after meal clean.
Max-Care: 3-minute timed mode that alternates between Clean and Massaging modes.
During each of the modes there are short “bursts” every 30 seconds telling you to switch a quadrant in your mouth. After two minutes the unit automatically shuts off.
The unit also has an “Easy-Start” mode that starts at a lower power and slowly ramps up to full power over 14 uses, approximately 7 days of regular brushing. This can be deactivated or reactivated at any time.
The experience itself is very nice and invigorating. The sonic action stimulates gums and leaves teeth feeling clean, almost as if you just came from the dentist. The 30-second pulsing reminder is nice, as is the 2-minute and 3-minute timers.
For people used to electric toothbrushes, you will be amazed at the gentle power this unit has and you can probably go right into full power from the start. For those of you who are not used to electric toothbrushes, I recommend you utilize the easy-start to ease into the great experience.
I rarely give even great products 5 stars, but this toothbrush warrants a 5-star rating as it is perhaps the best oral care product I’ve tried.
March 26th, 2008 at 6:42 am
Rating
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.
March 26th, 2008 at 5:13 pm
Rating
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.
April 2nd, 2008 at 5:42 am
Rating
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.
April 3rd, 2008 at 11:21 am
Rating
Prior to acquiring this model, I had over a year’s experience with the Philips Sonicare Elite toothbrush, which I was using on my dentist’s recommendation (and, frankly, after a fair amount of dental work). I needed something that would provide good brushing and I found the basic principles of the Sonicare system to be helpful, so I understood the system and what it could do.
This FlexCare model, however, is a big step up over the Elite series. This is less cumbersome and has some very useful (and easy) choices in modes of operation: it even has a “Go Care” 1-minute quickie routine if you’re pressed for time. The charger, if reduced to its travel mode, is very small and it, and the brush/handle assembly, are very compact, much more so than the Elite. The “beep” that signals the time the user spends on each quadrant of his/her teeth is clever and means you will be spending the right amount of time on your teeth.
The toothbrush is cheaper to replace, is a lot simpler (the Elite toothbrush includes much of the mechanism) and, if more than one person uses Sonicare, means that you need have only one handle, a considerable savings as we’ve found the older Elite really needs one handle per user because of the clunky nature of the screw-on toothbrush. The FlexCare toothbrush is much smaller, has a nice series of colored rubber gaskets to distinguish one from another, and snaps on and off easily.
One point to stress that the manual does not: the Sonicare system really does need a light touch on the handle — like holding a flute — to save wear on the brushes. And a light touch is all that’s needed, a lot better than using a manual toothbrush with too much force. Given the fact that dental work is costly, this toothbrush may save far more than you’d think. Highly recommend.
April 7th, 2008 at 1:22 am
Rating
Not long ago, I asked my dentist about sonic toothbrushes. I half expected him to say that they were just a gimmick, or perhaps were more hype than reality. Instead, without a moment’s thought, he said, “I’m a big fan.” Then he proceeded to tell me just what a good job a good sonic toothbrush does – a good sonic toothbrush like the Philips Sonicare!
This is a great toothbrush, with three basic modes (clean, sensitive and massage), and two “advanced” modes (Go Care and Max-Care). I like the clean mode, of course, which give my teeth a great clean feeling (you won’t believe this until you actually try a sonic toothbrush!), and I like the massage mode which does a great job of massaging my guns (very important for protecting your teeth).
So, if you want to take proper care of your teeth, take your dentist’s advice and get a sonic toothbrush. And if you want to get a great sonic toothbrush, then get the Philips Sonicare FlexCare Rechargeable Sonic Toothbrush. My wife and I give it two thumbs up!
April 10th, 2008 at 5:08 pm
Rating
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.
June 26th, 2008 at 1:33 am
Rating
This is my second Sonicare product and I remain very impressed. I previously used the Elite for two years and my only annoyance was the design of the Elite brush head and handle. The Elite brush consisted of a screw-on dome that no matter how hard I tried to keep it dry and clean on the inside, it would always get dirty and gross and there was no way to clean it. Similarly on the Elite handle, a deep well that the magnet from the brush head would insert when brush and handle were joined would also collect dirt and was impossible to keep clean. This wasn’t a health issue but it was just gross to look at when you disassembled the brush after each use. I found that if I didnt disassemble, a black mold type substance would grow. Even taking it apart after every use would not deter this growth eventually.
The new Flexcare brush fixes all of these issues. Gone are the deep crevices and unreachable traps for dirt and moisture. The brush head simply inserts onto a pin on top of the handle. The handle on the Flexcare is smaller than the Elite. As for the reduction in sound and vibration, I can’t agree with the packaging because it sounds and feels the same as the Elite to me. There are many more cleaning modes however I just use the clean mode as I did before.
Both products clean my teeth nearly as good as the dentist. I always thought an electronic TB was a waste and was finally convinced by my dentist to try one. If you never have used one, you will be amazed at the difference from a manual brush. It takes some getting used to but you will see and feel the difference. See for yourself. After a couple of weeks try a manual brush and your mouth just doesnt feel clean at all. The package contains a charger, travel pouch, travel charger, UV brush sanitizer, 1 regular and one small brush head. My only gripe is that the travel pouch is soft where the Elite had a hard plastic case that held and cradled both the handle and brush. The new cloth pouch offers no protection from crushing or keeping the brush from hitting and possibly scratching the handle.
The instructions say you can put the handle in the dishwasher however at this price, I’m not brave enough to try that one. A Great product. If you are shopping for an electric TB, this is the one to get. Your teeth and gums will thank you. I also endure less scraping at the dentist since using this product so that alone is worth the price of this product.
March 23rd, 2009 at 9:16 am
Rating
I’ve been using an older Sonicare model, the “Essence 5300″ on which the switch was beginning to go out. I decided to upgrade to a Flexcare model and am very glad I did. The Flexcare has been a great improvement all around.
Pros:
-New Lighter, Slimmer Handle
This is probably the first thing you’ll notice if you’re coming from an older Sonicare handle, and it is a very welcome improvement. The FlexCare handle is small and feels much better in the hand than my old bulky 5300 handle. The unit is actually longer than my old brush, but that’s not a big deal at all.
-New ProResults Brush Head system
The new heads are great. Sonicare moved the tuning fork from the head to the handle, which means smaller brush heads than on the old models. A 3 pack of the new heads is the same price as a 2 pack of the old heads, making them actually a better deal for a superior product.
-No More Crud in the Handle!
The biggest problem with my old brush was that old toothpaste/drool/water tended to collected in the space where the handle connects to the brush head. It would get all moldy and gross if you didn’t clean it out regularly. Thankfully, this problem is completely gone with the Flexcare handles.
-Lithium Ion Batteries
I’ve waited a long time for Sonicare to upgrade from inferior NiCd batteries, and they finally have. With Lithium Ion, you don’t have to worry about battery capacity decreasing over time, or a memory effect. The new batteries charge faster, too.
-Quadpacer
This is basically a beep that goes off every 30 seconds while brushing, reminding you to switch to a new area of your mouth. It has appeared in previous models (not my 5300 though), and is nice if you’ll use it, but I tend to go at my own pace as I focus more on problem areas in my mouth and less on others.
-5 Total Brushing Modes/Routines
There are 3 selectable “modes”: clean mode: (2 minutes broken into 30 second segments), sensitive (a “gentler” clean mode) and massage (the brush pulsates for gum stimulation). Go Care Routine shortines the standard 2 minute clean mode to 1 minute, while Max Care is a longer, 3 minute cycle that includes both clean and massage mode. I set the brush on clean mode and tend not to use the other options, but some may find them useful.
-More Environmentally Friendly
Although buying a new product of any sort will always have a negative environmental footprint, these new brushes are better than the old models due to their Li-Ion batteries, reduced bulk, and lower waste in the smaller replacement brush heads.
Cons:
-Price
Let’s be clear on this: a Sonicare toothbrush is a luxury product. You’re paying a lot more up front, and you get to keep paying more every time you buy replacement heads. Surprisingly, heads for Flexcare units are actually a cheaper than the older models; you get 3 Flexcare heads for the same price as 2 of the old heads. The per head price is still several times what it would cost to buy a new manual brush; but for me the superior cleaning is worth it.
Noise
-Flexcare models are louder than older models. I’m not sure why this is, and supposedly vibration has been reduced in exchange, but the noise can be too much for some. The UV sanitizer also makes a quiet electric “hum” when plugged in with the door closed, even if the UV bulb isn’t run.
-Buttons can be depressed while brushing
A couple of people have complained about accidentally hitting 1 of the 2 buttons on the handle while brushing. It hasn’t happened to me, but for completeness I’ll include this as a possible con.
Overall:
This brush is a vast improvement over my previous brush, and has fixed most of the problems I had without introducing any significant new ones. The fact that replacement brush heads are actually cheaper than on my old brush is a big plus. I highly recommend the Flexcare brushes as a great upgrade to any toothbrush, electric or manual, that you’re currently using.
September 26th, 2009 at 8:25 pm
Rating
I read over many of the reviews for both this version of the Sonicare, as well as the version that comes with the UV sanitizer.. My hygienist strongly recommend either the FlexCare or an Oral-B Complete.. Most helpful with this recommendation was the fact that my dentist’s office does not sell any of these products, so I felt I was getting an unbiased recommendation. Unfortunately for me, that left me to deciding between the two. I opted for the Sonicare, since I have had two Oral-B products in the past, and neither one impressed me. Also, I decided for the version without the UV sanitizer. The specific model I purchased was the FlexCare+ HX6922/03, which I believe is the most current version of this.
The toothbrush does a fantastic job of cleaning your teeth. After you are done, your teeth really do feel much cleaner, and the Sonicare does a very thorough job. One thing I should note — I did not purchase mine from Amazon — instead, I went with a discount online toothbrush retailer, which sold it for $95. Therefore, the contents of my box may differ from what is offered here…The model I purchased says ‘Professional’ at the bottom of the box, and from what I understand, this may be the version that is sold in dental offices. It comes with the toothbrush, 2 ProResults brush heads (1 compact & 1 standard), 1 Deluxe charger with cord wrap and brush head storage, 2 travel caps, and 1 hard travel case. Additionally, the model I purchased has 5 cleaning modes: Clean (standard 2 minute clean), Gum Care (2 minute clean, followed by 1 minute for getting back to problem areas), Refresh (1 minute ‘quick’ clean), Sensitive (2 minutes, reduced speed for sensitive teeth/gums), and Massage (for stimulating gums). I use the ‘Clean’ mode exclusively, and it works quite well.
As others have mentioned, it is important that you do not power on the toothbrush until it is in your mouth. Failing to do so will result in toothpaste all over. BUT, if youve used electric toothbrushes before, you should already know this.. Also, don’t remove it from your mouth while its on, or you’ll experience the same issue. One of the things that bothers me slightly is that occasionally I will hit the shaft of the brush head against one of my teeth, and its not the most pleasant experience — it doesnt hurt, its just annoying when it happens.
I wanted to post this review to bring up two things that have been mentioned in many of the reviews I have read that Philips seems to have fixed:
1) Changing the mode while brushing — many people posted that it was possible (and very easy) to inadvertently change the mode while brushing due to the fact that the mode button is right near where your hand would be holding the brush. On the model that I purchased, you cannot change the mode while the brush is on — you must power it off first, fixing that first problem.
2) Remembering the previous mode used — while I use the ‘Clean’ mode exclusively, other reviewers complained that the unit should remember the last mode used. Some people prefer to use the ‘Sensitive’ mode all the time, and found it annoying to have to change to their preferred mode everytime they used the toothbrush. This problem appears to be corrected also. Each time I have started the toothbrush, it has been in the mode that was last used — not ‘Clean’.
Overall, the product is excellent and is a good investment for anyone that is aiming to improve their dental health. I will update this review in a few months to let people know how it works out in the long run.