Philips Sonicare 3100 Series Sonic Electric Toothbrush (Dual Pack) with Pressure Sensor and BrushSync Replacement Reminder, HX3675/13, White

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Sonicare brushes use high frequency vibrations for cleaning, which some prefer, but the performance is similar. Ultimately Oral-B takes the edge for its balance of proven cleaning technology, important features, and reasonable prices. Moving up to the ProtectiveClean range upgrades you to a better set of features, but without the smart app connectivity and premium accessories that make the ExpertClean and DiamondClean models more expensive. You still get the most important features, though, including a quad-pace timer, BrushSync tech and a pressure sensor – which alters the vibration to warn you if you’re brushing too hard. You also get a choice of Clean, White and Gum Care modes, plus three intensity settings per mode. One advantage of a limited set of features is that you can keep things really simple. The DailyClean has just the one button to turn it on and off along with a battery indicator, and that’s it. Put some toothpaste on the head, turn it on, brush your teeth and then switch it off. Job done.

The Philips Sonicare 3100 works using sonic pulses, meaning the brush head moves side to side. For comparison, Oral-B brushes use oscillation, so the head moves round and round. For best results, you tilt the brush head at a 45-degree angle to the teeth and move it along from one tooth to the next. We also have separate buying guides on Oral-B brush heads and Sonicare brush heads that explain the difference between the brushes. Therefore if you are on a budget, the 1100 proves itself to be best value. Over 3 years, however, the premium for the 4100 isn’t that significant.If you haven’t used an electric toothbrush before, the 3100 will still feel intense. But, existing electric brush users may notice the difference. The clean isn’t quite as invigorating. There is no whitening or gum care mode. Despite the common misconception that additional modes bring extra benefits, they rarely do. Minimal and clean design looks good and makes the brush easy to clean The 2 minute timer and pacer encourage even brushing of your teeth The Sonicare 3100 is one of Philips’ entry-level Sonicare brushes, but in actual use you’d struggle to notice; the core technology works brilliantly and it’s compatible with all the brush heads. Philips sells it with a ProResults head attached, along with a USB charger. Slim, light-weight, and ergonomic design makes the toothbrush easy to hold and use so that you can get an amazing clean without any strain.

As you can see, the 1100 is the most affordable. This isn’t too surprising given it has the least features. Within the power toothbrush market, it is quite common for the actual selling price to be a bit less than retail. Plus, while you don’t get all the extra brushes or charging glass of the flagship model, it does still come with a handy USB charging case, which makes this a fantastic toothbrush both for home and for travel. The base of the 3100 is slim and easy to hold, though there’s no rubber grip. That’s worth bearing in mind if hand dexterity or grip is an issue for you. Otherwise, we quite like the design, as it’s easy to man o euvre and not too chunky.

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This is clearly personal preference. Some people will want to feel the clean, whilst others may find it overbearing. Too often products are more complicated than they need to be, with extra modes and non-essential features. Thankfully the 3100 Series isn’t. 1 cleaning mode is more than sufficient BrushSync Replacement Reminder: Replacement reminder, Always know when to, replace brush heads, Reminder icon lights up, to always ensure best results The 3100’s battery life is a little below average, but this is potentially a trade-off for the slimmer handle. That said there are even slimmer handled brushes like SURI that outperform the 3100, whilst offering a comparable brushing experience.

The brush head on a sonic brush is a lot like a manual toothbrush in its size and shape. It covers several teeth at the same time, and is oval shaped. Despite claiming Sonicare win this category, Oral-B tends to offer more features on cheaper brush handles. More cleaning modes, a pressure sensor and Bluetooth connectivity on models that are cheaper than Sonicare, allowing those with a restricted budget to get more for their money. The differences between each model relate more to everyday use and helping you to get the best from your oral care routine. I do hope that this article has explained why some may favour Oral-B for reasons like budget, whilst Sonicare might be the best choice because of the battery life. Typically Sonicare brushes last for 2 or more weeks. 3 weeks is the average, with some lasting as long as 5 weeks between charges, and that is with twice daily use.weeks of use is now common for an electric brush. Whilst Philips don’t advertise such usage times, premium models including the 4300 ProtectiveClean achieve this.

For example, you also have to consider your technique – how you brush with an electric toothbrush. Both types of toothbrush need a different technique to manual toothbrushes. The Sonicare DiamondClean 9000, 9300, 9500 and 9750 are Philips's top-end electric toothbrushes with Bluetooth connectivity so you can link the handle to the Philips app on your phone. That might sound like overkill, but it's actually a very handy feature if you want to improve your brushing technique, giving you guidance to help you clean your mouth more thoroughly. Either way, the clean from the DailyClean is impressive. I’ve been using the Easyclean for months as my regular toothbrush, and the DailyClean doesn’t really feel any different. Gums are massaged nicely, with good cleaning between the teeth, and your gnashers are left feeling smooth and really clean, thanks to the high-speed vibrations of the head. Different versions of the 3100 are available. Technically they are all the same, the difference is the handle colour and the box contents. But the technique is different for the different technologies too. The correct way to use an Oral-B toothbrush is different to a Sonicare. So, whilst the studies may suggest Oral-B is better, if someone used a Sonicare with the correct technique, compared to an Oral-B user with the incorrect technique, the Sonicare would likely perform better for that user.

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Part of the problem is that studies require a large amount of funding. Inevitably, it is the larger organisations who can make the monies available, hence much of the data comes from research financed by the likes of Oral-B and Sonicare. The exact way that this happens is not fully understood, but it is thought that very high frequencies cause liquids to move and create “hydrodynamic forces” which damage the plaque layer in hard to reach areas ( 1). This intense vibration agitates fluids that surround the teeth and can loosen and remove dental plaque in locations that are beyond the physical touch of the toothbrush. To have this effect the waves actually need to be working at a much higher speed, in the ultrasonic range, greater than 20,000 Hz. To be honest, I had the DailyClean’s use of a NiMH battery down as a potential dealbreaker, particularly remembering the old CleanCare+ with its battery that couldn’t hold up for two weeks. Yet the DailyClean Plus went through its stated three weeks worth of brushing, then went on, and on, and on a little more. In fact, it went on for a rather tedious 147 minutes, which should keep you brushing for well over a month.