One review by itself is good information, but for it to bear efficacy, the same reviewer should review multiple products. To this end, I have decided to review all electric toothbrushes that I own, some for roughly 5 years. Please see all other reviews on DentalCompare.com for the Ultreo, Phillips Sonicare Intelliclean, and the Oral B Sonic Complete.
The Sonicare Elite Pro has been my standby since before I entered Dental School. I have owned this brush for roughly 5 years and besides the brush heads becoming louder with age; I feel it has weathered the storm nicely. The design is simple and straightforward, the heft gives it some stability, and I feel that it does a wonderful job on my teeth.
The Brush Head
I adore the Sonicare Elite brush head. Many makers kept a large brush head similar to a manual toothbrush. The makers of the Sonicare Elite decided to design a brush head that enables the owner to do what the brush was meant to do. Sit in one spot and give a gentle circular motion! The head has a small tuft of bristles in the middle of the brush that will “sit” in the embrasures between teeth. All that is needed of the owner is to hold it there with light finger pressure, then move it to the next embrasure. The brush head is again quite stiff, though not as stiff as others. This may be a design issue with sonic toothbrushes requiring a certain stiffness to withstand abuse and many brushings.
The Handle
The handle is basic, very comfortable for someone with large hands such as mine. Not near as large as its counterpart the Intelliclean (see Sonicare Intellliclean review), the Sonicare Elite is a great traveler, breaking down into two smaller components with a hardsided case. A single button operates the toothbrush, while green LED’s remind the owner of battery status.
The Battery and Charger Plate
The battery is Nickel Cadmium (NiCd) and is meant to provide many years of service. A full charge lasts roughly two weeks, or around 28 uses. One last yellow LED will light when the brush is down to its last 6 minutes of brushing time remaining reminding you to charge it soon. I have not seen a decrease in service life, merely by guessing. I have run the battery down to zero on many occasions. One thing to note is the NiCd battery is not user replaceable. It is user removable, not replaceable. The battery is meant to last as long as the product does. I have never seen batteries last 10 years, so we’ll see if I’m halfway from throwing my beloved Sonicare Elite away. I think this is a major oversight and should be noted as I do not want to have to tell patients they will have to throw it away if the battery dies, even if it is ten years from now. The charger plate is a very simplistic induction charger that keeps a very clean bathroom countertop.
Comfort
Easy Start is a necessity and an excellent tool that Sonicare has included. This was the first toothbrush that I owned of the sort and I couldn’t hold it in my mouth for more than 30 seconds before sneezing or coughing or wanting to vomit, even with the Easy Start on. I did have to turn it on for a second round of “warming up” to the brush, but I love all electric brushes today. I do typically brush for 4 minutes morning and evening, with 2 minutes at lunch. The handle is a bit heavy and similar to the Ultreo for obvious reasons (same original designers). There is also a two stage power setting, in case it is needed. It is not recommended to brush long-term in this setting, but it is there for the use if needed.
The Conclusion
The Phillips Sonicare Elite Pro has been my standby toothbrush for just about 5 years now. I dread the day that the battery dies as I do not want to shell out $149.99 if I have to replace it. Dental School is wonderful as these companies will always give you one to try, which is why I own 5 electric toothbrushes. There are so many things that Phillips has done wonderfully right with the Sonicare: brush head design, simplistic body, varying modes, varying timer settings, and power to cut through dirty plaque and stains. I love my Sonicare and recommend it to my patients who have dexterity problems due to arthritis and other such diseases. The replacement heads do get a bit spendy, but they do not need to be replaced as often as they mention in my experience. The Phillips Sonicare Elite is a wonderful toothbrush that has stood the test of time in this dentists’ hands. The basics have not changed in over five years, so things are obviously in sync.
Review Synopsis
Product
Sonicare Elite Pro Power Toothbrush
The Good
Effective cleaning, comfortable against teeth and gums.
The Bad
Bristles a bit stiff, cost.
The Bottom Line
An excellent addition to the time tested lineup of Sonicare brushes.