Philips Sonicare 4100 Series vs 4500 vs 6100 ProtectiveClean

Detailed comparison: what’s the difference between the Sonicare ProtectiveClean 4500, 6100 and 4100 Series?

I can confidently say from my time using all three of these brushes, that what differences exist are in the scheme of things relatively subtle. Picking one brush over the other isn’t going to radically improve your toothbrushing or general dental health. Both clean the teeth well and make for nice brushes to use daily.

The 4100 Series is technically the newer of the 3 brushes, launching in 2023. Whereas the ProtectiveClean 6100 and 4500 were first introduced in 2017.

The 4100 is noticeably slimmer and lighter. There’s a difference of 35g or 1.3 ounces. A positive for most users as your hand and arm are less likely to tire during use. 

Being slimmer might make it slightly more difficult to hold if you or the intended user are unable to form a tight grip on the brush handle. But, we are talking about a few millimetres or points of inches difference.

If the colour of the brush handle is very important to you, then you have a little extra choice with the 6100. At the time of comparison, you have 5 options (white, black, blue, purple & pink) vs 3 of the 4100 (white, black & pink). The 4500 is available in just 2 colours, white and black.

One of the more meaningful differences between these brushes for me is the LEDs and cleaning mode labels available on the 4500 and 6100. You can very clearly see which of the brushing modes you have selected.

There are no LEDs or labels on the 4100 Series. You can hear and feel the difference between the high and low intensities the 4100 offers. Therefore it’s not a huge inconvenience. But, you don’t get the reassurance that you’ve selected the mode you want, like you do with the ProtectiveClean models. I feel like you have to pay more attention when using the 4100.

A small added benefit of the 45 and 6100 is that you can change modes before turning the brush on. You can’t with the 4100. That’s because the others have an additional mode button.

Although all brushes can use the same brush heads, the 6100 has Brush-Sync mode pairing. This means the handle automatically selects the most appropriate cleaning mode based on the brush head attached. It’s not a must have feature. There is little reason to regularly swap between brush head styles. If you do, it saves 1 or 2 button presses. 

It is the supplied travel case that is the most beneficial extra of the 4500 and 6100 in my opinion. The plastic case holds the handle and up to 2 brush heads. It’s basic, but functional and will benefit regular travellers.

You can get a travel case for the 4100 Series, they are sold separately, or you need to buy the 4900 Series, which comes with one in the box.

It’s not clear whether all brushes use the same battery, but I can confirm both use a rechargeable Lithium-Ion cell. Philips claims 14 days of use on a full charge. I achieved an impressive 5 weeks on the standard clean mode of the ProtectiveClean modes, vs the 17 days of the 4100 Series. This is a fair difference in daily use.

The 4100 has a newer style of charging stand. It has a USB type A cable hardwired into it, compared to the 2 pin power adapter on the 4500 and  6100’s stand.

No USB to 2 pin adapter comes included with the 4100. So to charge from the power outlet you need to buy an adapter or use one you may already own. It’s a bit of an inconvenience for some and might make the 6100 more appealing. It’s not a huge issue and makes the 4100 a better option if you travel, particularly internationally.

Does one clean better than the other?

The short answer is no.

The cleaning results from the 4100 Series or the ProtectiveClean models are comparable, I have no complaints having used them all.

However, there is the potential that the 4500 and 6100 might deliver marginally better results long term. Although I have no clinical evidence to confirm this. This is because the motors of the ProtectiveClean models are configured slightly differently

They deliver up to 62,000 movements per minute, whereas the 4100 Series does not. The 4100 feels slightly less powerful during use. 

I’ve not found this difference immediately obvious during my testing, because the 4100 has been tuned in such a way it feels very similar.

If you have used a premium Sonicare brush before, you might notice the difference. New sonic toothbrush users have nothing to compare to.

What difference might exist, is very small and will have minimal impact on your overall oral health.

This difference alone is not a reason to opt for the 45 or 6100 in my opinion. 

Is one better priced than the other?

Yes, the 4100 Series is the cheaper and more affordable toothbrush.

It has a retail price of $80, almost half that of the $155 of the ProtectiveClean 6100 Series. The 4500 is $100.

I couldn’t justify the $75 premium for the 6100 over the 4100. From my time using both, I don’t feel the 6100 cleans the teeth any better. The extras you are getting and paying for enhance daily usability slightly.

But, a $20 premium for the 4500 is acceptable, given the more powerful motor and the included travel case.

Based on typical selling prices, rather than suggested retailed prices the premium reduces to around $45 for the 6100 over the 4100. 

Ongoing costs are comparable as all models use the same brush heads, which typically cost $13 each.

Over 3 years of ownership, you are likely to be about $50 better off by opting for the 4100 Series compared to the 6100 ProtectiveClean.

The 4500 is only about $20 more than the 4100.