Mouth Vibrations (Philips Sonicare HX6431/46 HydroClean)

Member Name: jupiter28

Product:	Philips Sonicare HX6431/46 HydroClean
Date:	02/02/09 (908 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Exceptionally clean brushing

Disadvantages: Battery Operation

My beloved rechargeable Sonicare, died a slow death recently. It would not charge on its station and then would discharge immediately during use. The sonicare I had was of the variety where the lithium battery was internal and could not be removed or repaired, at least unless you have the patience and tools.

Which is where I decided to purchase this battery-powered model.


~~~ WHY THIS SONICARE? ~~~

Sonicare's range of electric toothbrushes are considered the Rolls Royce of toothbrushes as said by my own dentist nonetheless so after that endorsement, I was not going to try anything else. I have had 2 toothbrushes previously and have found the toothbrushing experience very pleasant and easy.

Disappointingly both of my previous toothbrushes have met a similar fate and also outside of the warranty period. But having lasted an average of 3 years each I was quite happy to stay with the Sonicare range.

I bought this particular model for a variety of reasons. The Sonicare I really want is £100-plus currently and there was no way I could justify such spend right now. So this model was half-price and only £25 so I figured it was a reasonable price to spend whilst I waited for the model I wanted to come down in price.

I also get the Sonicare experience which provides the easy timed brushing and the best brushed mouth you can get.


~~~ USING HYDROCLEAN ~~~

Arguably, this is Philips cheapest electric toothbrush and compromises on a lot of the features that you get with the higher models. For those of you that have not seen the Sonicare, this model is 9.5 inches in height. The brush head is 3.5 inches in height and is removable, held on by thick metal spoke of about 3/4 inch. The base unit (also the handle), has a rubbery blue back which extends slightly to the front with a couple of rubber dots on the rear that act as a stand when you place the brush horizontally. The bottom 2/3 at the front of the handle is white plastic and has a green round rubber button mid-way on the handle. The button also has a power symbol which you use to turn the brush on/off and a light which is green when on and flashes in use.

At the base of the handle, you are given information about the product, which tells you the product is powered at 2 watts. There is a symbol of a bin crossed out. This "shows that a product can be recycled separately from other household waste under the WEEE directive"

This model is battery-powered only, which means no need for a separate charging station and it makes this model truly portable as you only need to take the brush with you. The model uses two AA batteries. The batteries are inserted in series and is hiiden within the handle. The cap at the bottom that holds them in is a blue colour.

However, unless you use rechargeable batteries, this model will go through batteries as if they are going out of fashion. I would have thought I would get about 6 weeks brushing from one setof batteries, but I don't even get 3 weeks. I brush morning and night, so that is only 42 brushings. This is very disappointing as the cost can run high if you have to keep replacing the batteries. If you do buy this brush it would be wise to consider rechargeablesto reduce the running cost.

As the batteries start to run low, the unit will beep a couple of times at the end of the 2-minute cycle and this indicates there is less than 4 2-minutes brushes to go. I have found there can be more brushes but when the batteries do run low and inertia has prevented me replacing them, you will have to start the brush a few times before the proper cycle begins. This can be a bit annoying unless the new batteries are close by.

With the batteries in place, the unit is quite light and probably about 250grams.

The hydroclean comes with the timed brushing which provides the recommended brushing time. However unlike other Sonicare models, this runs for a solid 2-minutes without a break. The other models provide 30-second interval beeps which tell you to move the brush to the next quarter of your mouth. However 2 minutes is better than no beeping but it can make for very lazy brushing. You only realise the value of this feature when you have to use an ordinary toothbrush and have to ensure you manage to brush your teeth for the recommended time. A feature I wouldn't want to be without.

The hydroclean provides the same brushing sensation as the other models and from my perspective the same strength cleaning. You are supposed to hold the brush gently between the gum and teeth and you should not use a brushing motion. This can be quite hard as we are used to moving a normal toothbrush through the mouth so you do have to concentrate to get the full benefit out of the product.

The brush head is a conventional shape for toothbrush heads and has white filaments around the edge of the head. In the centre of the head there are something called fins in a blue colour which are inset and lower than the filaments. These fins are designed to remove more plaque and give teeth a better clean.

The brush head is removable and replaceable so easy to keep clean and replace with a new brush head as you should do every few months. The brush head comes with a clear plastic cap to keep the brush protected and away from dirt. Don't even think of using the brush head to clean - you would be foolish lol. Replacement brush heads are available in a pack of 3 for £15.65 in Boots.


~~~ CONCLUSION ~~~

I think this is a well-priced product. For £25 you get the sonicare experience at a quarter of the price and I personally think you cannot beat the Sonicare product for the high quality of brushing and the hydroclean is claimed to remove more plaque than a manual brush and also Oral-B brushes! I cannot comment as I have only every use the Sonicare electric toothbrushes. At full-price this brush is £50, and I do not believe it is worth this price tag.

The battery power is disappointing and is a pain to have to change batteries, though if you take this away you do not have to take any charging station or adapters with you. This is definitely a compromise due to the price, and for me it is one that I am prepared to make in the short-term and I will look to use rechargeable batteries for this unit to provide a bit more efficiency.

All in all I would give this unit 4 stars, purely for the ease of brushing with 1 star deducted for the battery operation.


Product Website http://www.homeandbody.philips.com/sonicare/ gb_en/brushes/HydroClean/HydroClean_overview.asp

Thank you for reading. This review might be posted on other sites by me.

© jupiter28 2008

Summary: 2 Minutes Twice A Day!

Processing/Quality:
Reliability:
Ease of use:
Cleaning/Maintenance:
Quality: