Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 4500 review

How the Sonicare ProtectiveClean 4500 looks, feels and works

If you have seen or used any of the other ProtectiveClean electric toothbrushes, the 4500 is essentially the same. There are just minor differences in the overall functionality.

All of the features and technology on the 4500 are not new, but the ProtectiveClean family brings these together in a slightly different package. This is a good thing, as tried and tested features work, which means the 4500 has solid foundations.

It most certainly looks and feels the part and perhaps better quality than you might have expected for the price.

For those that have not used a Sonicare toothbrush before, may not understand me when I say it has a very ‘Sonicare’ feel to it.

There is just something about a Sonicare product.  I am not sure if it is the materials, the look and feel or more likely a combination of all of these that give a sense of satisfaction and reassurance.

I mentioned it in my review of the ProtectiveClean 4300, but I feel it is worth mentioning in this review too; Sonicare does a pretty decent job on their packaging.

Let’s be honest an electric toothbrush is not the best for the environment, so it's great to see that cardboard box and inner tray are recyclable, unlike the polystyrene packaging that comes with Oral-B products.

I am not sure the little plastic bags the brush handle and charger come in are really necessary, but I guess Sonicare have their reasons.

Out of the box and in the hand, the ProtectiveClean 4500 feels great. Solid and well balanced.

At the time of review, it comes in just 1 colour option. That is light blue and is model number HX6823/16. You get more choices of colour with some other Sonicare models.

The brush head and charging stand are white in colour, not light blue, but they pair nicely with the handle.

2 primary parts make up the electric toothbrush, they are the brush handle and the detachable and interchangeable brush head.

Let’s take a look at the brush handle design in detail followed by the brush head and some of the features the pair offer.

So, like most other electric toothbrushes, the 4500 is rounded in its shape and feel in the hand.

It is has a slightly chunky feel to it but can be gripped nicely in the hand.

The colours of the handle are a matt finish and not the typical gloss of many dental products. This plus the soft blue is a nice touch and makes it feel quite classy.

The finish on the plastic is such that it actually feels quite grippy, despite not having additional rubber grips and contours to the handle like some others do.

I think for some people, older children and maybe the elderly, a few rubber grips might have helped just give that extra feeling of security and grip in hand, but the ProtectiveClean does not feel all that slippy in hand.

On the front of the handle, at the top, is the Philips Sonicare logo.

Placed somewhere between a third of the way and half way down the brush handle are 2 buttons.

The upper button is the power button, this turns the brush on and off.

The lower button is the cleaning mode/function button that switches between the 2 cleaning modes available on this brush handle.

A power symbol is embossed onto the concave rubber button and makes for a natural place to rest the thumb.

The cleaning mode/function button has no icon on it and is smooth to the touch.

The buttons are relatively easy to press with a bit of feedback.

Surrounding these buttons is a plastic panel that gives a slight colour accent to the brush handle. The glossy blue as opposed to the matt blue makes it stand out.

Sitting below these buttons are the LEDs and names of the cleaning modes.

You have 'Clean', and 'Gum Care', with the LED sat above the cleaning mode name.

The LED for the cleaning mode lights up as it is selected.  Press the cleaning mode button to cycle through the modes, until you get to the mode you want.

The mode can be changed before the brush is switched on.

The brush will remember the last cleaning mode used and begin in that mode the next time the brush is powered on.

The LEDs should not be underestimated in their importance.  Oral-B models like the 2000 and 4000 offer multiple cleaning modes, but no easy way to actually know what mode you have selected.  The LEDs do this job nicely.

Right towards the bottom of the brush handle are a further 2 LEDs and icons.

First sits the BrushSync LED and symbol, below that battery LED and symbol

The LED for the battery lights up and flashes in a few different ways.  Check out the ‘Battery Life’ section of this review for more information on that.

The back of the handle is smooth to the touch.  No ridges or extra grips, with the exception of a little protrusion at the bottom of the handle.

It seems a bit out of place and not immediately obvious what it is for.  But, lay the brush on a flat surface, and this raised molding stops the brush rolling about.  Genius!

On the base of the brush handle is a recess into which the prong on the charging stand fits.

The brush will sit upright on a flat surface and does too sit upright on the charging stand.

At the top of the brush handle is the metal shaft that the brush head connects to.  This metal shaft feeds into the motor sealed inside the handle.

Analyze the brush side on and you will see how the brush head fits on at a very slight angle.

Slight it might well be, but it helps angle the brush head for a better reach towards the back of the mouth. A subtle, but important design feature that enhances the overall usability.

Either variant comes with 1 x G2 Optimal Gum Care brush head in the box.

This is just one style of many available in the Sonicare brush head range. We cover brush heads in more detail in our guide to Sonicare brush heads.

Fitting the brush head is a simple process

Each brush head simply pushes on and pulls off of the brush handle.  The heads fit over the metal shaft at the top. You can usually feel it clip into place.

Almost all brush heads are interchangeable and work on almost all Sonicare brush handles, so you can find the brush head that works for you or that you prefer and use it on your brush handle.

But, with the 4500 there is something you need to be aware of.

The ProtectiveClean has a feature called ‘BrushSync’.  What this does is tells you, via an LED on the brush handle when it is time to change or replace your brush head.

You see, inside the brush head supplied is a small microchip.

When the brush head is fitted to the brush handle, the chip is detected and the warning light will flash 3 times. This acts as confirmation that the handle has detected the head and that the electronics inside the handle will now keep track of it.

As you use the brush head, the handle continues to track how often it has been used.

The handle knows that the brush head should be replaced every 3 months, so once the handle detects that the brush head has been used for this amount of time, the ‘BrushSync’ LED on the brush handle will light up an amber/orange color.  It is at this point you should fit a new head.

But, the brush is cleverer still.

If it detects you have brushed 3 times a day every day or brushed with more pressure, it will activate the BrushSync alert system sooner, as the bristles will have worn out sooner than the typical 3 month time period.

By the same token, it will delay alerting you to replace the brush head.  If you used that head just once a day over 3 months, it would not tell you to replace it until it had been used for an equivalent to 4 minutes a day for 3 months.

Hard not to be impressed!

Using a brush head for longer than 3 months can potentially have negative effects on the teeth and gums, so such an alert helps reduce the chances of this.

Technology such as Bluetooth connectivity found on some brushes is not for everyone.  Not all that many see the point, but I think most people see the point here.

The sensors are smart, unobtrusive and are only trying to help you take better care of your teeth and gums.

Now here perhaps is the kicker when it comes to this tech.

Not all the brush heads Sonicare make have the microchip built-in.

So for it to work, both the brush head and brush handle have to have the ‘BrushSync’ feature. Our guide to Sonicare brush heads explains which heads are enabled with this technology.

It is perfectly possible to use a non-smart (standard) brush head on the 4500 as it is perfectly fine to use a smart brush head on a handle that does not offer BrushSync technology.  But, do be aware, the BrushSync will only work when a compatible head is used on a compatible handle.

In line with the electronic brush head replacement reminder that the ProtectiveClean 4500 offers, there is actually a reminder system built into ALL Sonicare brush heads.

Each head has fading indicator bristles.

As the heads are used, the Blue bristles fade to a very pale almost white/translucent color.  When they are this color, it is time to change the head.

It is like a simplified alternative to BrushSync.

The brush heads are not the only clever part of this electric toothbrush.

Essential to any good brush is a timer and quadpacer, in my opinion.  You will then be pleased to read that the 4500 has both.

A simple press on the power button will turn the brush on.  As the motor is kicked into life, the timer is too.

Using the standard ‘Clean’ mode the timer runs for 2 minutes, which is the dentist recommended cleaning time.

At the end of the 2 minutes, the brush actually turns itself off.

The 'Gum Care' mode lasts for 3 minutes.

The brush does turn itself off at the end of these cleaning modes too.

At the same time, the timer begins working, as does the 30 second timer or quadpacer as it is known.

During the standard cleaning cycle, at 30 second intervals, the brush motor pauses briefly.

This stops the cleaning action and pauses the humming sound and vibration from the handle.

It is this pause that alerts you to the fact that it is time to change quadrant.

Whilst dentists recommend 2 minutes of cleaning twice a day, what this does not help with is ensuring you and I brush our teeth evenly.  This is where the pacer comes in.

The idea is that you break the mouth up into 4 sections.  Upper right, upper left, lower right, and lower left.

You spend 30 seconds cleaning each section, that way over the 120 seconds (2 minutes) of brushing time, you will give a relatively even clean to the teeth and gums.

As you get the pacer alert, you change quadrant to in turn achieve the even clean.

Of course, you don’t have to follow it, but it is good practice.

Spending 2 minutes cleaning just the front teeth or just your top teeth is better than nothing but isn’t great for your oral health.

Therefore the 2 minute timer and 30 second pacer are 2 excellent additions to this handle.

If you use the 'Gum Care' mode, the pacer still functions for the first 2 minutes of cleaning only. The remaining 30 seconds are for focusing on the front teeth and gums respectively.

Electric toothbrushes bring multiple benefits over and above regular toothbrushing.

However, the superior clean they can offer is only achieved when you use the electric brush correctly.

You should not move the brush head back and forth in a rapid manner as you might with a manual brush.  You move the head from tooth to tooth, the motor and bristles do the work.

You should hold the brush head at a 45 degree angle to the teeth and gumline.

Refer to the instruction booklet that comes in the box with the ProtectiveClean and spend time learning how to brush your teeth correctly.  Get this right and you are really helping yourself achieve better oral health.

Irrespective of the cleaning mode used, I have been very impressed with the results and overall performance of this brush.

At no point have I felt the clean to be bad and certainly comparable to Oral-B.

There is clinical evidence that sides with both brands, but the reality of the situation is either are very good.

Personally I prefer the smaller, round brush heads that Oral-B offer compared to the larger more rectangular/ovalish heads of Sonicare.  I find them easier to move around the back teeth.

'Clean' is, of course, the standard go to mode, which runs for 2 minutes, but you have the more gentle 'Gum Care' too.

You need to press that function button to select the appropriate mode.

Sonicare explain the modes as follows:

• Clean mode
  • A 2-minute mode. It gives you a thorough and complete clean and is recommended to be used with the C2 Optimal Plaque Control brush head.
• Gum Care
  • A 3-minute mode.  2 minutes of normal cleaning and 1 minute to clean and stimulate the gums.  Recommended to be used with the G2 Optimal Gum Care brush head.

We cover all of Sonicare's cleaning modes in more detail in this post in this post

You can see where the different styles of brush heads mentioned previously can come in use and be helpful in achieving optimum results.

The motor in the brush handle offers up to 62,000 movements per minute.

The 'Gum Care' mode is more gentle and does not make use of the full power like the 'Clean' mode does.

This is where the 4300 also stands out as being potentially reuqivilant to the 4500. It has 1 cleaning mode but 2 brushing intensities.

Given that Gum Care is a lower speed mode, albeit lasting for 3 minutes, it is comparable to the lower intensity clean mode available on the cheaper 4300.

Gum disease sufferers or those with generally sensitive teeth will be thankful for the lower powered, less intense clean that the 4500 offers.

As bristles need only skim the surface of the teeth to dislodge bacteria, plaque, and food debris, lots of force is not required to brush the teeth clean.

Brushing too hard over long periods of time can wear out brush heads but also cause gum recession and damage to the tooth enamel.

This is why the 4500 has a pressure sensor built-in.

The handle vibrates to alert you when too much pressure is being applied, the brushing sensation and sound changes too.

The BrushSync replacement reminder LED flashes amber when the sensor is activated.  Given its position, it is not the easiest to see.

It does not have the large visible pressure sensor like the Oral-B Pro 2 2000 and Sonicare’s own DiamondClean Smart.

Personally, I do think the light it more obvious, particularly when most of us tend to brush in front of a mirror. Sadly, the flashing amber light is on the wrong side of the handle for you to really notice,  but you should feel the change in brushing sensation.

However, the vibration is strong enough to make you aware it has been activated.

Reduce the pressure applied to stop the pressure sensor from being activated.  The sensor will kick in every time too much pressure is applied.

Seasoned electric toothbrush users may know how much pressure is appropriate.  I believe it is more useful to first time or new users, but I am sure there are some electric toothbrush uses that brush too hard.

Within a few days, you will get used to how much pressure is appropriate.

Another great feature is something known as EasyStart.

This is a system that gently increases the power over the first 14 brushings to help you get used to brushing with the ProtectiveClean 4500.

A simple, but innovative touch that shows an extra level of attention and care for first time electric toothbrush users.  The full 62,000 movements per minute can seem quite intense on first use. EasyStart eases you in and makes the transition from manual to electric brushing easier.

If you want to go straight in with full power you can turn the EasyStart off.  How you do this is explained in the FAQ’s at the end of this review. It is possible to turn off the pressure sensor and brush head replacement reminder system too.

Fixed inside the handle of the 4500 is the rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery that offers about 2 weeks usage between charges, Sonicare suggest.  I actually achieved 20 days just shy of 3 weeks on the longest mode, 'Gum Care'.

Thankfully, the battery charge LED provides feedback on the remaining power, so you know when a charge is necessary.  More information is available in the ‘battery life’ section of this review.

Designed to resist water, toothpaste, and saliva, the handle of the 4500 is not designed to be used in the shower or the bath.  A quick rinse of the handle is fine, but don’t go immersing it in water if you can help it.

The handle feels robust and will generally take a few knocks in its life and I have no immediate concerns about the handles reliability.

Sonicare do offer a 2 year warranty that covers any mechanical or workmanship faults, but not user damage.  

All things considered, the 4500 is a very solid brush.

There is little I dislike about the product itself.

The big question is whether it is right for you.

I struggle to justify the differences over the 4300.