Oral-B Pro 1500 Review

Design, usability, clean & general use

Make no mistakes, the Pro 1500 has been designed to give you what you need at a relatively affordable price, but be one step up from the entry level models.

I would go as far to say it is pretty much perfect.

It comes in a fairly slim box, that calls out some of the key features.  It is very on brand for Oral-B.

The one extra you get in the box, a travel case is a welcomed extra I will touch upon more shortly.

The 1500 has a fairly typical look to the brush handle.  

A slim and grippy handle with a detachable brush head at the top.

The handle is a sealed unit with all the important electronics and battery inside. This makes it water resistant so you can rinse it under a tap and use it in the shower if you so desire.  I would always advise avoiding submerging the brush entirely though.

The front of the brush is dominated by a rubber grip that runs the length of the handle.  This is a dark blue colour.

Providing an element of style as well as practical grip, this contrasts the rest of the high gloss white plastic body.

Positioned almost at the top of the handle is a power button that is white in colour with a blue power icon on it.  It stands out against the blue rubber grip and has a nice resistance when pressed.  Not too soft that it can be accidentally activated, but not too firm that it is difficult to press.

Above and below this power button are contours in the rubber that drive the eye and the finger and thumb to it.

The lower third of the brush handle has the Oral-B and Braun logo in white and then a battery and charging LED below them.

The rear of the handle has a series of raised plastic ridges that run from the top to about halfway down the handle.  These act as gripping points for the hand and fingers when in use, these are particularly good if your hands are wet. Arguably a bit harsher than the soft rubber, but they do the job well.

The brush will stand upright on a flat surface. The base of the brush has a recess in it into which the prong on the charging stand fits, to replenish the battery.

Right at the top of the brush handle is a metal shaft. This is what the brush head connects to and feeds the power from the brush motor.

Just beneath this, around the neck of the handle is a red plastic panel that sweeps around the back half of the handle before tapering to a point on the side of the handle.

Behind this plastic panel is an LED that lights up to produce a bright red light when too much pressure is detected during the brushing, this is the very useful visible pressure sensor.

The 1500 is very similar to other models in the Pro series, such as the 500 and 2000.  There is even a similarity to the Smart 4 4000.

Unfortunately, the Pro 1500 doesn’t quite have the premium handle design of the iO range, but then again it is a fraction of the price.

I can’t really fault the overall styling.  Yes, it might not be quite as minimalistic and clean looking as some other brushes such as those from Sonicare. That said the large rubber grip that makes it feel more secure in hand.

A noteworthy downside to the rubber grip is that toothpaste residue and grime can build up with more ease than on some of the all plastic, smooth touch handle designs.

A single press of the power button launches you into Daily Clean mode.  This is the first of 2 brushing modes on the 1500.  The other mode is Sensitive.

You need to press the power button a second time to access this mode.  A third press will turn the brush off.

Our guide to Oral-B cleaning modes explains the difference between these in a bit more detail, but essentially the sensitive mode is a slower and more gentle mode that doesn’t use the full power of the brush motor.  It is ideal for those with sensitive teeth and gums.

It is worth noting that you can’t change the cleaning mode prior to turning the brush on and it will always default to the daily clean mode.  You will always have to press the power button a second time if you want to use the sensitive mode.

Even when selected, you have no confirmation of what mode you have chosen as there are no LEDs or icons on the handle to confirm this.  But, you normally quite quickly learn which you have selected as you can easily detect the power difference.

Supplied in the box with the Pro 1500 is a Gentle Care brush head.  This is a very thin and soft bristled head that is designed to be very gentle on the tooth and gum surface.  

I really like this head and it is a good everyday option whether you have sensitive teeth or not.  

Bristles need not be firm, in fact, many dentists recommend soft bristled heads over the medium options that exist.

The head is interchangeable, so you can change it if you so desire.  Therefore if you prefer the Cross or FlossAction from Oral-B there is nothing stopping you from using it.

You can find out how the brush heads differ by reading our Oral-B brush head comparison article.

Just remember to try and replace the head every 3 months to avoid doing damage to the teeth and for hygiene reasons.  It can be difficult to remember when you last changed or replaced the heads.

Thankfully the blue bristles you see on the head will fade over time.  When they are a very pale blue or white, you need to replace it.

To replace simply pull the head off the shaft and push the new one on.  There is no need to twist etc. 

As you might expect as a dentist approved brand, Oral-B has made sure the Pro 1500 cleans well.  I have no complaints.

To get the best cleaning results make sure you are brushing twice a day for 2 minutes with the correct toothbrushing technique.  And be sure to clean between the teeth too!

Once activated, the Pro 1500 is far from quiet.  It is one of the noisier toothbrushes.  Well, it is comparable to most Oral-B models producing around 76 decibels when in use.

Sonicare and other sonic toothbrushes are quieter, generally by about 10-15 decibels than the oscillating and rotating cleaning action Oral-B offers.  

Having been powered on, either of the 2 cleaning modes last for 2 minutes.

Hopefully, you know that the recommended brushing time is 2 minutes, 2 times a day.

If you didn’t or are guilty of not brushing for as long as you should, the Pro 1500 can help.

Built-in as standard is a 2 minute timer and quadpacer.

Imagine your mouth broken up into 4 sections. Upper right, upper left, lower right and lower left.

You should spend 30 seconds cleaning each section.  The pacer helps you keep an even brushing time on these 4 sections.

At 30 second intervals, the brush will provide an audible warning via a slight pause in the brush motor to tell you to change quadrant. Once the 2 minutes are up 3 brief pauses in the brush motor will be heard and felt.

Unlike some other brands of toothbrush, Oral-B models such as the 1500 don’t turn themselves off automatically at the end of the session.

I mentioned the pressure sensor earlier. This operates in 2 ways.

When the brush detects too much force is being used, it slows the movements in the head and illuminates the LED behind the red panel.  You may too hear the motor straining a little.  It is most likely the LED that will catch your attention.

Applying too much pressure when brushing can cause more damage than you might think.  A brush need only skim the surface of the teeth and gums.

The pressure sensor is designed to try and avoid this.

When you notice it has been activated, reduce the force and the light should go out.  The motor will too speed up again. 

The sensor will activate as many times as is necessary during a cleaning cycle. Don’t worry if you activate it often, over time you will learn and avoid doing lasting damage to your teeth.

I mentioned how a travel case comes included in the box.  This isn’t essential, but it is more useful than you might think, even if you are not regularly away from home.  

Even for that 1 night trip it gives you a way of protecting the handle and the bristles and avoids any accidental activations of the motor.

It is simple in its design and function. It is made from a relatively thin clear plastic.  The case itself is a bit longer than the brush handle and about 2.5 times as wide.  It has a bulbous shape to it which adds to the overall size, but gives more strength to the case.

It holds the 1500 brush handle and up to 2 brush heads. 

Oral-B offers an impressive 180 day money back guarantee.

Whether you are a new electric toothbrush user or not, this is a great way to test out a product and decide whether it is right for you. Should you not like it you can return it for a refund.  Just be sure to familiarise yourself with the conditions of this guarantee before purchase.

In the unlikely event something goes wrong, there is as standard a 24 month warranty is provided with the Pro 1500.