The video shows the UK version of the Pro 700, known as the Pro 650. The provided charging stand is different, as is the price. However, the general message is the same.
A great toothbrush, but it lacks at least one preferred feature
The Pro 700 is a cracking electric toothbrush. It does what you need it to at a reasonable price point.
Whilst it has 2 of the dentist recommended features, it lacks the desirable pressure sensor.
Slim handled brush with good grip |
Battery life is just 7 days |
|
1 cleaning mode |
No pressure sensor to alert you when brushing too hard |
You should take a look at these brushes
The Pro 700 is essentially identical to the Pro 500 from Oral-B, they are just a different colour.
In all honesty, for the price, it is hard to really criticise the 700, but it is the Pro 2 2000 that is our ultimate choice and winner of best overall electric toothbrush.
This is because it offers twice the battery life, a visible pressure sensor, more powerful motor and additional cleaning modes for just a bit more money.
Over years of use, the extra spend is likely worth it for the benefits you get during everyday brushing.
If you have a lower budget, but want electric, take a look at the Pro 100, it's our top pick for a cheap toothbrush.
How the Oral-B Pro 700 looks, feels and works
The Pro 700 really grabs my attention, perhaps it is the strong black coloured grip, that contrasts with the white plastic body of the handle. I am a fan of black and this is a classic colour combination.
Unfortunately the 700 does not come in any other colour options, so if you want a little softer colours, you will need to look at the likes of the Pro 500, which is identical to the 700.
The handle weighs in at approx. 130g and is no more than 3cm thick. It feels durable and well built and the design allows for easy retention of the brush even when wet.
This is thanks in part to the strategically placed grips. The most notable being the large grip on the front.
Compare this to the rear of the handle which has raised plastic contours in the brush body. They do a similar job but feel a little harsher to the touch.
Above and below the power button are a number of raised grips which your thumb naturally catches on.
The single power button sits in a slight recess, but itself is pronounced and gives a tactile feedback. You know when it has been pressed.
Take a look at the lower third of the brush find the battery power icon, above which is a small amount of branding, which is barely noticeable, embossed into the rubber.
Unlike the slightly more premium Pro 2 2000 the Pro 700 does not have a visible pressure sensor built-in.
A common mistake particularly when using a manual brush is applying too much pressure.
The bristles of the brush should virtually skim the surfaces of the teeth. Some brushes have a pressure sensor built-in. The Pro 700 does, but it is not a visible sensor.
When applying too much pressure the speed of the brush head is automatically adjusted to ensure that minimal damage is done.
You should be able to hear the brush motor sound change if you are applying too much pressure. It will sound like it is staining.
When relieved, the motor will increase the brushing speed again.
This is where the likes of the Pro 2 2000 come into their own. It has this pressure sensor, that will not only slow the motor, but alert you to via a red warning light on the back of the brush handle. It is just a bit more user friendly in my opinion. Red often equals a warning and the red light catches te eye.
On the very bottom of the brush is a recess into which the charging stations prong will sit into to transfer power without a physical connection to the brush and in turn keeps the brush stable on the stand.
The rechargeable battery within this brush is built-in and is not designed to be user removable.
Such a design allows the Pro 700 to be classed as water resistant. So, whilst you don't want it to act like a submarine at the bottom of the sink or bath, a rinse under the tap or in the shower should be fine.
No brush would be complete without a brush head and with the Pro 700 you get a single CrossAction head included.
Subject to the colour option you have chosen that will either be white or black in colour. Either colour option can be purchased seperately.
This small round brush head cleans the teeth really well. The head moved back and forth in a circular motion. The bristles are angled at 16 degrees to help deliver an effective clean.
As you may be aware, the benefit with Braun electric toothbrushes is that you can actually opt for different brush heads to suit your needs. From FlossAction to Gum Care there are a variety of options. You need not be stuck with one.
All of the heads are interchangeable with the Pro 700, just slide one off and push the replacement on.
Each brush head should be replaced after 3 months to ensure you get the most effective clean.
The blue bristles on the head will fade to a pale blue/white colour acting as a visual indicator to you that it is time to replace the head.
More details on all the brush heads available can be found in our comprehensive brush head guide for Oral-B.
When you power on the brush with a single press on the power button, you launch straight into the only cleaning option on the brush, the daily clean mode.
This lasts for two minutes in total, the dentist recommended brushing time.
Another area in which the Pro 2 2000 is potentially a bit better is with the cleaning action.
Both offer a 3D motion from the small round brush head. However, the brush motor in the 2000 is a bit more powerful.
Now in truth, the differences are not massive and it is not a case that the Pro 2 will clean the teeth radically better. However, if you were ever to use the two side by side you would likely notice the difference.
Those extra few movements can potentially give that extra boost to the cleaning performance. It does come at a cost, but given that you are generally investing in the brush to last a good few years, the premium could well be worth it.
Built into the Pro 700 and connected to the press of the button is the timer.
At 30 second intervals, the brush head will pause twice briefly causing a change in brushing sensation and the noise the brush produces. This is the quadpacer or 30 second timer kicking in.
It is a notification for you to change from one quadrant to another.
The idea is that to ensure you clean your teeth effectively you spend 30 seconds cleaning the 3 surfaces of each tooth in each section of the mouth.
The 4 sections or quadrants are the upper right, upper left, lower right and lower left.
Follow the pacer and you will get an even clean. At the end of the 2 minute cycle, the head will again change its oscillation to give 3 brief pauses to confirm the cycle has ended.
The brush does not automatically power off, you will need to press the button to turn it off.
The built-in timer in this brush is, in my opinion, a highly underrated feature. It is all too easy to think we have been brushing for longer than we have, as many of us get bored when completing a mundane task like cleaning the teeth. This built-in timer makes it simple. There is no excuse not to achieve the full 2 minutes.
A good oral hygiene routine will include at least 2 of these cleans each day.
Whilst you have the charging stand, included in the box, this edition of the Pro 700 also comes with a travel case.
A fiarly basic but functional case it holds the handle and up to 2 brush ehads.
It protects both from damage when in a bag and also stops the brush handle from being activated by mistake.
This is a great accessory if you travel frequently be that for a few days or longer time periods.
Just do be aware that the 7 days of battery life is a bit of a limitation for more regular travellers, so you might want to be aware of this and the impact it might have.
Whilst I have no reason to believe the Pro 700 is unreliable, as standard, a 24 month warranty is provided with the Pro 700, giving you a bit of peace of mind, should anything go wrong.
Summary of design, usability, clean & general use
Battery life
What you expect in terms of battery life from a toothbrush may different from what someone else expects. Generally speaking, most rechargeable toothbrushes offer at least a couple of weeks, if not a bit more.
This 2 week plus time frame is based on one user, making use of the brush twice a day for a total of four minutes.
The Pro 700 falls a bit below par, with just 1 week or 7 days of use from the built-in rechargeable battery.
That is equivalent to 14 cleans or 28 minutes of usage time.
If you clean your teeth more than twice a day or for longer than 2 minutes, expect the number of days usage time to be less.
For many, this will be perfectly sufficient. However, you couldn't go away for a couple of weeks without taking the charger.
You may be inlcined to think that the slim handle has a bearing on the battery life. If it was thiker, maybe the battery could be bigger and last longer. But, no, this is not the case.
The Pro 2 2000 I have mentioned has the same size handle and has double the battery life. This is because it uses different battery technology.
Inside the 700 is a Nickel Metal Hydride battery, whereas the 2000 series and above use a Lithium-Ion battery.
When power is low the battery status icon will flash red and you will likely feel the decrease in brush power.
It can feel like you don't get much warning. You can usually eek out about 2 cleaning sessions from when the battery says it is low.
In the box when you buy the brush is a fairly basic but functional charging station. The small prong on the top marries up with a recess in the bottom of the brush handle and will charge the brush fully in about 8-12 hours. I tend to leave it on charge overnight.
When charging the battery charging icon flashes green.
The charger does work on 220-240v and the power cable is hardwired into the stand.
Should you travel with it, subject to your destination you may require a voltage and plug adapter.
Summary of battery life
Price & where to buy
The Pro 700 has a recommended retail price of $99.99.
DO NOT pay this. The brush is not worth it.
In fact, I don't recommend paying anything over $60. That is the maximum I would suggest you pay for it.
If any retailer is asking more than $60, either shop around for a better deal or opt for a different model.
You can get premium models like the Pro 2 2000 and Smart 4 for under $100, so the Pro 700 would be overpriced if sold at this price.
Arguably it could be sold for $100, but the reality of the situation is that Oral-B brushes sell for the majority of time at up to 50% off most of the time.
Therefore the retail price is a bit artificial.
An acceptable price for the 700 is around $50.
As competitive as retailers often are, it can be as ridiculous that one variant is more expensive than another at different retailers.
The standard black model might be cheaper at Harvey Norman, but twice the price at Shaver Shop, whilst the midnight black model might be cheaper at Shaver Shop but more expensive at Harvey Norman.
Prices and offers are always changing, but my recommendation of paying around $50 remains.
Here at Elective Teeth we like to try and give a bit of a benchmark on the cost of ownership and for comparison to other models.
The Pro 700 comes with just 1 brush head in the box.
Over 3 years you will need to purchase a further 11 heads, which on average cost around $7 each.
Add this onto the purchase price and you get the cost.
At a fair $50 for the Pro 700, plus the $77 for replacement brush heads, you are looking at a total cost of $127 or $0.12 per day.
If it was sold for full retail price this would change to $176 or $0.16 per day.
The Pro 2 2000 I have mentioned several times comes in at just $0.14 per day. You can see, how it is not really much more expensive given the extra benefits.
With any model, these prices only act as a rough guideline. The price does exclude the cost of water, toothpaste and electric to charge it, but you get a rough idea.
Of course, the vast majority will last a lot longer than 5 years, reducing the ownership cost as time goes on.
Please note that all prices quoted are approximates and should be used only as a guide during your decision process.
Summary of price & where to buy
My thoughts on reliability and repairability
All brushes be those the cheap or expensive models, will at some point fail. It is a fact of life. The question is, just how long will it last?
The Pro 700 has a design and form factor that exists on millions of Oral-B brushes. It is tried and tested many times over.
Whilst this does not guarantee a fault free experience, you can be assured that the likelihood of anything going wrong is much lower.
And should the worst happen, with Oral-B products, you get a 2 year warranty, covering those issues not caused as a result of user damage.
Sustainability
Dr. Gemma Wheeler has looked in detail at the environmental impact of electric toothbrushes. Our guide to eco-friendly dental health offers advice on steps you can take to reduce your own impact.
With regards to the Pro 700 specifically; it has limited box contents which reduces its weight during transportation compared to others that come with more items in the box.
It is not a smart brush, which reduces the total number of components used and means not as much waste is created when the brush no longer works.
It has not been designed to be easily repaired by yourself. Trying to replace parts like the battery will likely break the brush. This makes it more likely to be discarded rather than repaired if broken.
While Oral-B has partnered with schemes such as TerraCycle in some countries, it does not yet have its own recycling scheme for used brush heads or faulty products.
Its brush heads are made from petroleum-based plastic, which uses up the planet’s finite resources compared to using plant-based plastics.
Summary of reliability, long term use & sustainability
Conclusion
It is good value and functional, what is not to like?!
I am sure if you were to pick the Professional Care 700 you would be very pleased with what you received and it would serve you well.
For circa $50 you could do a lot worse.
Slim, comfortable and stylish, this brush has perhaps a fraction more appeal to the male audience, but do not let that put you off.
However, as good as it is, the Oral-B Pro 2 2000 is, in my opinion, a better buy.
With the 2000 you get twice the battery life, a more powerful brush motor, an extra cleaning mode and pressure sensor, for less than twice the price.
Size guide
- Toothbrush height with head - 23.5cm / 9.25 inches
- Toothbrush height without head - 19.5cm / 7.68 inches
- Width - 2.5cm / 0.98 inches
- Depth/thickness - 3cm / 1.18 inches
- Weight with head - 127g / 4.5 ounces
- Weight without head - 122g / 4.3 ounces
Noise
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Country of manufacture
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