Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 6100 Review
Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 6100
A high-performing and smart sonic electric toothbrush
Verdict
Pros
- Excellent cleaning
- Smart brush heads set toothbrush settings automatically
- Very quiet
Cons
- Cheap accessories
Key Specifications
- Review Price: £149.99
- Hard travel case
- Up to two weeks battery life
- Two-minute timer with 30-second pulses
- Three cleaning modes
- Three intensity settings
What is the Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 6100?
The Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 6100 is a high-spec, high-technology toothbrush. With three cleaning modes, a pressure sensor and the ability to automatically set the right mode for the attached brush head, this model can help keep your teeth in tip-top condition. But, despite the high price, the extras are a little disappointing.
Related: Best electric toothbrushes
Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 6100 – Design and features
The Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 6100 is a toothbrush that looks like it means business. Available in six colours (black, blue, pink, white, blue and purple), it’s easy to find one that suits your tastes. I got the black model, which looks great thanks to the matte finish.
On the front are two controls. The first turns the toothbrush on. The second is a mode selector button. With the brush on, it adjusts the power, with three settings available. With the brush off, this button lets you choose the mode: clean, white or gum care.
To start with, the toothbrush begins in EasyStart mode, which slowly increases power over 14 initial uses, to help you get used to it.
The Sonicare ProtectiveClean 6100 ships with two W2 Optimal White brush heads, which have bristles around the outside for getting between teeth, and a pad inside for whitening and polishing.
Each one has an RFID (radio-frequency identification) tag in it, which the brush body records when you attach the brush head for the first time. You then get a warning when it’s time to change the head. Each one should last up to three months, with a set of eight costing around £44.
The brush head also tells the toothbrush which mode to select: using a gum care brush head will select the optimal mode, although you can always override the setting.
Although this is one of Philips’ most expensive brushes, its accessories are a little disappointing. The charging dock is a bog-standard one, and the travel case feels rather cheap and doesn’t have an integrated charger. The older Philips Sonicare DiamondClean comes with far better accessories, including a charging travel case. A single charge should last for up to two weeks, depending on use.
The toothbrush has a pressure sensor. Press too hard while brushing and you get a pulse through the brush handle warning you to loosen up. It’s a neat way of keeping you brushing properly. As with other models, there’s a two-minute timer, with a pulse every 30 seconds encouraging you to move onto the next quadrant.
Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 6100 – Brush performance
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.
On full power clean mode (up to 62,000 brush movements per minute), it quickly and efficiently pulled out the bits of spinach and beetroot from between the test teeth, polishing out the stains as it went. This required very little effort and left me with completely clean teeth.
Testing on myself, the lightweight brush was easy to manoeuvre, and the sonic vibrations did a good job cleaning my teeth and leaving me with a fresh mouth. On inspection, my teeth were impeccably cleaned. The intensity setting is great to have, letting you to adjust the power for more sensitive areas.
As with most sonic toothbrushes, this model is very quiet, at just 71.2dB. That’s loud enough that you can hear it, but the high-pitched buzz isn’t distracting or annoying.
Why buy the Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 6100?
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
Excellent cleaning and smart brush head technology make this toothbrush a winner.
Trusted Score
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Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
