Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 6100 Rechargeable Electric Toothbrush, Whitening, Pink

Product Information

The remaining minute uses a slower and less powerful sensitive/massage mode to stimulate and massage the gums, to improve their health. Brush performance from the Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 6100 was excellent. To test, I loaded up my test teeth with beetroot and spinach, pushing bits of food between the gaps in the teeth. Triple tone of low-med-high means the brush head replacement reminder feature has been activated. The brush head replacement light and battery light will also blink green 3 times in unison to confirm activation.

Typically, it is advised to break the mouth up into 4 sections, upper right, upper left, lower right and lower left. The idea is 30 seconds are spent on each section of the mouth. After 2 minutes the result will be a fairly even clean across all teeth.

During the first 2 minutes, the brush alternates the speed of the motor from a low to high power as you complete regular brushing. You should be aware that if you are using a Sonicare toothbrush that has BrushSync technology depending on which brush head is fitted, the brush will automatically select the ‘best’ mode unless overridden by you as the user. Sonicare brushes are labelled with the cleaning modes they have There are several ProtectiveClean brushes, but all have similar specifications. Unlike the DiamondClean, toothbrushes in the ProtectiveClean range have a pressure sensor, and will warn you if you're applying too much force when you brush. This is great for anyone who tends to be a bit heavy-handed, and has been warned that they're at risk of damaging their enamel.

Some models refer to this mode as just Gum Health, whilst on others, it is labelled as Gum Care. It is the same cleaning action, just with a different name. Philips Sonicare themselves seem to alter the description and explanation behind each cleaning mode, depending on what documentation or user manual you are reading. Out of all the other modes available, it is the gum health and/or sensitive mode that in my opinion will be the most beneficial. The 4300 comes with 1 x C2 Optimal Plaque Defence brush head compared to the 2 x W2 Optimal White brush heads with the 6100. Keep the power on/off button pressed until you hear a series of two short beeps (after 4-5 seconds).

What I call ‘power’ is actually made up of 2 different variables. They are amplitude and frequency.

To start with, the toothbrush begins in EasyStart mode, which slowly increases power over 14 initial uses, to help you get used to it.Some models refer to this mode as just White, whilst on others, it is labelled as White+. It is the same cleaning action, just with a different name. I was therefore keen to know if the clean mode makes use of all the power from the brush motor (31,000 brush strokes per minute/62,000 movements), how much power do all of the other cleaning modes use? Triple tone of high-med-low means the pressure sensor feature has been deactivated. The brush head replacement light and battery light will also blink amber 3 times in unison to confirm deactivation.

However, I have gained some useful insights to better understand how the ‘power’ differs with each mode. The brush head replacement light and battery light will also blink green 3 times in unison to confirm activation. There's also a pressure sensor to warn you if you're pressing too hard with the brush, plus three brushing intensity levels and four modes.But, irrespective of the reason behind this, it makes sense only to compare the 6100 on the price that it will typically sell at, rather than the price is was upon launch. The explanation of the mode can be quite brief or not particularly clear on what it does, how it works and why you would want to use it. Slightly disappointing accessories aside, particularly the bog-standard travel case, the Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 6100 is a top electric toothbrush. Yes, it’s comparatively expensive, but it’s smart brush-head technology and excellent cleaning ability make it a winner. If you want clean teeth with the minimum of fuss, this is the best sonic toothbrush that I’ve tested. Verdict Unless you need or want the extra cleaning modes that come with the 5100 and 6100, the 4300 is the brush you should opt for. This is one of the most essential features of an electric toothbrush. Brushing for the right amount of time and using the correct technique will improve your oral health.