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Home > Philips Sonicare Essence Power Toothbrush
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews:
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 BETTER than FLEXCARE, October 01, 2011
By toothfairy
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I"ve used Sonicare for years and I would not be without one. What a difference it makes! I've been through 3 models since and IMHO the Essence has been the best. IF you are trying to decide to buy the Essence over the newer Flexcare model read this review.
Six months ago I purchased a Flexcare believing that it would get my teeth cleaner and whiter. Here is what I found out:
1. The Essence cleans better, deeper. It has more vibration and power than my Flexcare. For this reason alone I am going back to the Essence. It takes my twice as long to get my teeth clean with the Flexcare. The Flexcare does NOT get my teeth cleaner.
2. The Flexcare is overpriced. It has a lot of bells and whistles most people will not use on a day to day basis. I never use the "gum care", "refresh" "sensitive" or "massage" functions. One reviewer said it best: Buy the more economical Essence and with the money you save buy extra brush heads.
3. The Flexcare's brush head are cheap, cheap, cheap and they keep coming off my handle while I'm brushing my teeth. The brush heads on the Flexcare slip over a flat post and with the slightest pressure the brush heads slips off. I've yet to find out if the problem is several faulty brush heads or the pin on my handle that the brush heads slip over. BTW, I never apply a lot of pressure when I brush my teeth either. I'm curious if anyone else has this problem.
4. The Flexcare is handle is slimmer, lighter and aesthetically looks nicer than the plain white heavier, chunkier handle of the Essence but, I LIKE the chunkier, more solid handle. The Flexcare is light weight and feels cheap but this is my individual preference.
5. Battery life seems to be comparable in both models. I've only had the Flexcare for 6 months though and I never leave the handle on the charger except to charge. This has allowed me to get 4 plus years from the battery.
Summary: The Essence is much more economical than the Flexcare. The Flexcare does NOT clean your teeth better than the other Sonicare models. You are paying more for the extra bells and whistles functions the average person will never use. I've never had a problem with the Essence being messy and getting "mold" in it like another reviewer mentioned BUT for some reason I've found the Flexcare messier when brushing my teeth but then when the brush head keeps falling off while I'm brushing my teeth this doesn't help.
62 of 65 people found the above review helpful.
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 mold develops inside head, September 09, 2011
By C. Baum
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I have owned the Phillips Sonicare Essence for approximately 6 months now. The toothbrush is fantastic for the way in which it cleans my teeth and makes my mouth feel like I just walked out of the dental office. The brush is powerful and provides a pleasant massage for my gum line. The recharging last for an adequate time and I've never had an issue with having the toothbrush run out of electricity.
Unfortunately, there is a problem with the design of this toothbrush. At first you won't notice, but when you do have to replace the head don't be surprised to find mold on the interior of the brush head as well as in the unit. The first time I found this problem I thought that maybe it was me. Perhaps I got too much water in the head when I was rinsing my brush off or perhaps toothpaste seeped through the edges. I did a web search on sonicare mold and got quite a few hits. It seems like this is a problem with the brush design. I decided to clean out the unit and try with a new head. For two months I have been very careful, to not get the unit too wet (the brush does get wet when I brush my teeth ). I always rinse the head off with water and dry it with a towel after usage. So I was shocked to find after using the brush for a month that it again had mold on the interior. This is quite the problem with the unit design. I am presently in touch with Philips to try to return this product and replace it with something that has a better head to unit seal. Will update on how responsive the company is to this problem. I am not hopeful after our first conversation when the representative said he would investigate this issue.. and most of the time its due to improper usage... Its a toothbrush.. I used it properly,, cleaned it and wiped it off after each usage... Perhaps its a poor design... Will update later.
42 of 45 people found the above review helpful.
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Planned Obsolescence, September 27, 2008
By Dram Buie
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Here are two things Phillips will not tell you about their Sonicare toothbrushes and heads.
1) The collar that holds the toothbrush to the handle will disintegrate in a couple of months. That's what prompted this review, because they would not replace mine after it fell apart two weeks after purchasing a replacement.
They manufacturer these things to disintegrate so you will continue to buy replacements - planned obsolescence. However, I suspect their China supplier is skimping on the plastic specifications and they fall apart in weeks instead of months. (Do you think China would really do that?)
2) UNPLUG your base until you need to charge the toothbrush. If you charge it up overnight, then unplug the base, the toothbrush will work for four brushings per day for about a month. Then, when it signals or stops, plug the base in to charge it.
This method will allow your toothbrush to work for five years or longer. If you keep the base plugged in all the time, these NiCad batteries develop memory and will stop functioning after 18 to 24 months.
A bonus, if you travel a lot as I do, you don't have to pack the charger. Just make sure it's topped off and you're good for a month's vacation.
127 of 127 people found the above review helpful.
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 Pay more for the better design., July 08, 2008
By College Jane
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Do yourself a favor and buy the Sonicare Flex Care. The newer Flex Care models are an upgrade without the screw-on design flaw of this Sonicare model. This model has a hideous design where the saliva and other brushing liquids seep down into the inner mechanisms of the hand piece and pool up in a really disgusting way and requires you to take it apart and clean off inner crevices made up of metal and plastic parts. The new design eliminates all that slew of slime. This brushing action is fantastic, just like the new one, but this design stinks...literally.
127 of 127 people found the above review helpful.
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My dental hygenist is finally happy with me., June 09, 2007
By maniacmedia
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For years I've gotten that disapproving look from my dental hygenist. You know the one. Usually follwed by "How much are you flossing?" That would usually be followed up by a dissertation about receeding gums. Well, no more. I invested in the Sonicare Essence 5300 and noticed the difference in the health of my gums in just a couple of weeks.
Yes, you'll still have to floss. But this makes general teeth care so much easier. Including the fact that it has a two minute self-timer for the optimal brushing time recommended by the American Dental Association.
I've never been one to spend too much on a toothbrush. After all, what difference does it make. Right? Well, it makes a big difference. No more of the dentist freebie brushes for me. No more of the battery powered specials either.
It holds a charge for a couple of weeks without a problem. The brush is easily replaceable.
41 of 43 people found the above review helpful.
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Make your mouth happy with gentle & deep cleaning everyday at home!, May 18, 2006
By Kristina Diy
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After our $30 Oral-B AdvancePower 950 TX, Model D9535 died (after only 2 months of use!), we wanted to make sure that our next powered toothbrush would be of higher quality. So my husband heavily researched all current powered toothbrush models and brands and the end result was our purchasing the Sonicare Essence 5300.
This toothbrush is absolutely AMAZING! It deeply cleans your teeth & stimulates your gums so very gently and leaves your mouth feeling like it was just professionally cleaned everytime!! It is such a pleasure to use, that my husband and I have both found that we brush twice as long! The 2 minute timer will shut off the toothbrush, but we will turn it back on and end up brushing until it goes off again.
We opted to get a model without the Quad timer, but I can see how it would be useful, as it would notify you when to go to a new section of your mouth! It is also fairly quiet when operating compared to the Oral-B model we were using.
The overall design of the toothbrush, base and brushhead holder is simple, minimal and clean and does not clutter up your counter too much. The brushhead holder holds 2 replacement heads and works perfectly for couples. Sonicare also color codes their replacement heads, so that when you buy a pack, one will have a grey ring and one a blue ring, so they can be used by 2 different people. Very convenient and helpful!
This toothbrush will leave your mouth very happy and healthy and is definitely worth the money!
121 of 127 people found the above review helpful.
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