Philips Sonicare 4100 vs 4500 vs 5100 vs 6100

Detailed comparison: what’s the difference between the Sonicare ProtectiveClean brushes?

As differences go between these electric toothbrushes, the reality is that there are not that many, there are many more similarities.

However, the subtle differences that do exist can potentially make a big difference to you and your experience and 1 brush might better suit you and another.

Whilst there is a summary of the differences above, let me explain these in more detail.

The first thing to be aware of, if you are not already, is that the 6100 is the most premium and feature rich, with the 5100 and 4500 sitting in the middle of the range and the 4100 being the entry level model within the ProtectiveClean family.

However, despite being the base model the 4100 offers a lot of fantastic features and more than ticks the boxes for an everyday electric toothbrush.

Starting with the cleaning modes, the brushes offer as follows:

• 4100
  • Clean
• 4500
  • Clean
  • Gum Care
• 5100
  • Clean
  • White
  • Gum Care
• 6100
  • Clean
  • White
  • Gum Care

As you can see, the 4100 offers just 1 cleaning mode compared to the 2 modes of the 4500 and the 3 cleaning modes of the 5100 and 6100.

All the cleaning modes operate in the exact same way on the different models. They don’t have different running times or use more or less power. Of course, the if the handles doesn’t offer the mode then it can’t act in the same way, but you get the point.

The only difference between these modes is on the 6100 the intensity level can be set. I will explain this in more detail shortly.

Clean lasts for 2 minutes, White 2 minutes and 30 seconds and Gum Care 3 minutes.

The extra 30 seconds for the White mode are to spend focusing on the front teeth, whilst the extra minute on Gum Care mode is for cleaning and stimulating the gums.

We explain all of Sonicare’s cleaning modes in detail in this post.

The additional cleaning modes do influence the design of the brush handle slightly.

On the 4100, there is just a single power button, but no icon or LED to symbolize the 1 and only cleaning mode.

With the 4500, 5100 and 6100 the brush handles have an extra button below the power button to change the cleaning modes, but also the names of the modes, complete with an LED below that.

Running vertically down the handle, they read, Clean, White, Gum Care with an LED between each.

The 4500 does not have the ‘White’ mode labeled as it is not available of course.

That LED shines White when the cleaning mode button has been pressed to select that mode.

Around the power and cleaning mode button on the 5100 and 6100 is a plastic panel to accent the handle and add a design cue.

Setting the 6100 apart from both models is the fact that it has 3 different cleaning intensities.

Controlled by the cleaning mode button, you have 3 intensities, low, medium and high that changes the power and brushing sensation delivered from the brush through each cleaning mode.

Whilst this is by no means essential, it adds an extra dimension to the cleaning experience and allows you to tweak the power to be more appropriate and comfortable for you.

This works for a number of reasons.  You might have inflammation or sensitivity and want a more gentle clean or you may share the handle with older children who could benefit from less power delivery to be more gentle on their teeth and gums.

In the box with each brush handle comes a brush head, but each brush comes supplied with a different style of head.

They come with the following:

• 4100
  • 1 x C2 Optimal Plaque Control
• 4500
  • 1 x C2 Optimal Plaque Control
• 5100
  • 1 x G2 Optimal Gum Care & 1 x C2 Optimal Plaque Control
  • Or
  • 2 x W DiamondClean
• 6100
  • 1 x W DiamondClean

The cut and configuration of the bristles are different on each of these heads to achieve different results.

Whilst each can be used on any cleaning mode, each has a mode where it is considered by Sonicare to work best.

• C2 Optimal Plaque Control
  • Works best with ‘Clean’ mode
  • Removes up to 7x more plaque
• G2 Optimal Gum Care
  • Works best on ‘Gum Care’ mode
  • Improves gum health up to 100%
• W DiamondClean
  • Works best on ‘White’ mode
  • Up to 100% less stains in 7 days

Much more detail is provided in our ultimate Philips Sonicare brush head guide but, you can perhaps see why each brush head comes supplied with each brush and how using the Gum Care brush head is likely to deliver better results when used on the Gum Care mode than others.

Despite being better suited to particular modes all Sonicare brush head can be used on any cleaning mode.

All 4 models have a technology called BrushSync.

What this does is tell you, via an LED on the brush handle when it is time to change or replace your brush head.

Inside the brush head supplied is a small RFID 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, it goes further than that.

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.

It will also 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 the equivalent to 4 minutes a day for 3 months.

This is just 1 part of the BrushSync feature. The 6100 is the only brush handle in the ProtectiveClean range to offer the BrushSync mode pairing.

Mode pairing matches the brush head and the cleaning mode.

Each head has a mode it works best with, so the handle of the 6100 automatically sets this mode as you fit the brush head.

So, if you were using a C2 Optimum Plaque Control brush head on the clean mode and you fit the W DiamondClean, the brush will automatically switch the cleaning mode to White, so it is already set up for the best results when you switch the brush on.

I don’t believe it is a feature we are all crying out for, but as things go, it is a nice addition and makes further use of the microchip in the brush head.

There are just a couple of difference left to explain.

Both the 4500 and 6100 come supplied with a travel case, the 4100 does not.

The 5100 does come with 2 travel cases if you purchase the HX6877/73 variant that includes 2 brush handles. The HX6857/43 variant with just 1 brush handle does not offer a travel case.

Plastic in construction, it is hinged on the left side with a clip on the right to securely fasten it closed.

Inside it holds the brush handle and up to 2 brush heads.

It protects the handle and the heads from accidental damage and activation.

The final major difference between these 4 models is the color of the brush handles.

All 4 models can be purchased in different color choices.  Technically their features and performance are the same, just the color of the handle that differs.

Those choices and the official Sonicare part codes are listed below:

• 4100
  • Turquoise – HX6812/01
  • Pastel Pink – HX6816/01
  • White & Mint – HX6817/01
  • Deep Pink – HX6815/01
  • Black & White – HX6810/50
• 4500
  • Black Gray – HX6820/60
  • White & Mint – HX6827/11
• 5100
  • White & Mint – HX6857/43
  • White Grey – HX6877/73
• 6100
  • White Silver – HX6877/21
  • Pastel Pink- HX6876/21
  • Navy Blue – HX6871/49
  • Black Silver – HX6870/41

With the main differences between each now explained, I think it is worth highlighting some of the ways in which they are similar that I have not already mentioned.

The design of the brush handles are very similar.  Yes, the 4500, 5100 and 6100 have a bit more going on because of the additional cleaning modes and brushing intensities, but they are of a rounded design, with a smooth to the touch paint finish.

Not too slippery in hand, none have extra rubber grips like some other brushes do.

All have a motor built-in that can deliver up to 62,000 movements (31,000 brush strokes) per minute that is powered from a Lithium-Ion battery built into the handle.

The non-removable battery gives at least 2 weeks usage or so Sonicare claim.  The reality of the situation is things are much more positive.

Some variance in the battery life will come as a result of the different cleaning modes that run for longer and brushing intensities, but I achieved 20 days on the 3 minute long Gum Care mode and 37 with the 2 minute long Clean mode.  That is quite a bit longer than 2 weeks.

All models come with a charging stand, that has a prong on the top that fits into the base of the brush handle.  Sitting upright on the stand, the power adapter connects to a Canadian power socket and the brush can take up to 24 hours to charge fully.

The HX6877/73 variant of the 5100 comes with a UV sanitizer also. This has a charging stand built-in.

The stand (and UV sanitizer) itself supports voltages of 100-240v, meaning if you travel with the charging stand you need only a plug adapter rather than a voltage adapter.

When in need of a charge, all give feedback through the LED mounted on the front of the brush handle.

A solid Green LED means a full battery.

A flashing Green LED means a medium battery.

A flashing Amber LED and three beeps means a low battery.

A flashing Amber LED and five beeps means no brushing sessions left, you need to charge the toothbrush.

Additional features built into the handle include a pressure sensor, that vibrates through the handle and changes the brushing sensation to alert you to the fact you are brushing too hard.

A timer and quadpacer are present to encourage you to brush for the right amount of time and evenly.

Providing you allow the brush to come to the end of the cleaning cycle, the brushes will turn themselves off to signal the end of the clean and conserve battery life.

An EasyStart feature is built-in and switched on from the moment you unbox the brush.

This increases the power of the brush mode over the first 14 brushing sessions to ease new users into the increased power the brush delivers.

Solid and well constructed the handles are, they are designed to resist water, so a rinse under the tap to wash off toothpaste and saliva is absolutely fine.

Whilst high standards of manufacturing are achieved by Sonicare, the nature of the product does mean that there is the potential for things to go wrong.

A 2 year warranty is provided as standard, but this can be extended by 6 months if you register the rush online.

Does one clean better than the other?

Potentially yes, but for the most part, there is no difference between how these 3 clean.

Ok, so the answer to this question is a bit more difficult to answer and I will explain why.

All 3 models have an internal motor that can offer up to 31,000 brush strokes per minute.

The 4100 offers just 1 cleaning mode (Clean) and the 4500 2 cleaning modes (Clean and Gum Care), compared to the 3 modes (Clean, White and Gum Care) available on the 5100 and 6100.

Each cleaning mode has a different running time and uses the power of the motor in different ways to achieve the final result.

Clean lasts for 2 minutes, White for 2 minutes and 30 seconds, whilst Gum Care lasts for 3 minutes.

The 6100 is the only brush to have the ability to change the power of each cleaning mode between 3 intensity settings, Low, Medium and High.  This, therefore, changes the way in which the brush cleans and its effectiveness, but does allow you to change the power to something you are comfortable with.

Therefore, in theory, if you used the ‘Clean’ mode on all 3 brushes, making no change to the default intensity on the 6100, then the cleaning experience they deliver would be identical.

It can be argued that the 4500, 5100 and 6100 can offer a better Gum Care and Whitening focused cleans over and above the 4100 because of the extra modes they have.

So if you want whiter teeth, you might not get quite such good results with the 4100 or 4500, as you would with the 5100 and 6100, but this is harder to prove in the real world.

All 3 brushes accept different brush heads.  Different styles of brush heads can achieve different results. We cover brush heads in more detail in our post on Sonicare brush heads.

A W DiamondClean head used on the cleaning mode might not be as effective as when used on the ‘White’ mode.

To achieve the best possible results, using the most appropriate brush head for the cleaning mode and sticking to the default cleaning settings and power is the best course of action.

No clinical studies or comparisons have been made and I would believe the possible differences or improvements between each to be clinically insignificant.

The reality is, there are many other variables that come into play and affect how well the brushes clean more than the cleaning modes or brushing intensity.

Those cleaning modes and intensities are in part about your cleaning experience, the sensation and comfort of brushing more than how well it cleans.

Whilst technically there might be some difference between the models only possible to observe under a clinical trial, bigger factors that influence how well a brush cleans is the way in which the brush is used and how frequently.

If you brush twice a day for 2 minutes everyday and use the right technique with any of the electric toothbrush models discussed here, the results are likely to be significantly better than someone who only brushes once a day or with the wrong technique.

You may get better or worse results than a friend, as your teeth and previous oral health is different.

So, with all this said, whilst there might be the potential for a better clean from 1 brush over another if you are trying to achieve a particular result, for the average user, the clean offered by the standard ‘clean’ mode is identical.

Is one better priced than the other?

Yes, the ProtectiveClean 4100 is the cheapest.

The prices then increase with the 6100 being the most expensive.

The suggested sale prices are $80, $100, $120 and $155.

The exception somewhat to this rule is that the dual handle variant of the 5100 (HX6877/73) is $250 because of the extra box contents. And, despite the single handled variant (HX6857/43) of the 5100, in theory, being cheaper, the availability often means that the more widely stocked 6100 can actually be priced better.

However, actual selling prices are a little cheaper at around $50 (4100), $85 (4500) and $110 (6100).

Given that each brush offers more features as you climb up through the range it is not unsurprising that the cost increases too.

Influencing my verdict slightly is the price.  The 4100 and 4500 represent good value, the 6100 is not overpriced, but slightly harder to justify given what it offers and how many want such features. The 5100, in theory, sits in the middle, but as I mentioned prices and availability vary so there is a lack fo consistency here.

Please note that all prices quoted are approximates and will vary based on location, supplier and time of purchase.  These figures were correct at the time of writing and should not be relied upon as hard fact, but used as a guide during your decision process.