Oral-B Pro 1500 vs Smart 1500

Detailed comparison: what’s the difference between the Oral-B Smart 1500 and Pro 1500?

It is somewhat surprising that these 2 models exist.  Not only are they very similarly named and price, the differences between these 2 models are really relatively subtle.

Perhaps the most striking difference between each is the way they look.

Ok, so they have the typical electric toothbrush form factor, tall cylindrical handle and replaceable brush head.

But, there is a slight difference in the actual shape of the handle.  It is minimal and is best summarised as the Smart 1500 being fractionally more rounded in hand.

The Pro 1500 has a rubber grip that runs down the length of the brush handle, this is white in color.

It adds a design accent to the handle, but aids with keeping a firm grip of the brush too.

The Smart 1500 does not have a grip that runs the length of the handle.  It is a much smaller amount, in an oval panel in the upper half of the brush handle.

As a consequence, the Smart 1500 exposes more of the gloss white plastic body than the Pro 1500.

The power button sits within this grippy oval panel and it is this area too that provides the color accent to the handle.

The Smart 1500 is available with 4 color options, navy, light rose, jet white and black compared to just the 1 white color of the Pro 1500.

The black variaint of the Smart 1500 actually has a black gloss plastic handle, as opposed to the more standard white.

On the back of the brush handle of the Pro 1500 are a series of raised plastic ridges or notches.  They are rougher to the touch than the dimpled circular pattern found on the back of the Smart 1500’s handle.

Whilst the Smart 1500 looks more subtle, the Pro perhaps to the fingertips at least feels the slightly more practical.

Neither feel slippery in hand and for most people, the gripping points are more than sufficient, but the Pro 1500 perhaps takes the edge here slightly.

Around the neck of the brush handle, both models have a visible pressure sensor, however their design is a little different.

The Pro 1500 has a standard visible pressure sensor seen on many Oral-B models.  It is a red colored plastic panel that is mounted on the rear and sweeps onto the side of the handle, wrapping about half of the circumference.

With the Smart 1500 however, this has been upgraded to a full 360 pressure sensor, meaning it wraps all around the handle.

Although a full LED ring, it is not customizable like it is with premium models from Oral-B like the Genius X.

Technically both pressure sensors work in the same way. The extra benefit with the Smart is that the larger visible sensor may potentially allow for you and me as users to detect that it has been activated a bit quicker, because there is more red light to catch the eye.

Whilst 1 cleaning mode is perfectly sufficient for most, many desire additional modes.  Both 1500 models offer extra modes. 

The Pro 1500 has 2 modes in total, daily clean and sensitive.

The Smart 1500 on the other hand has a third mode, whitening.

If I had to suggest an additional mode over the standard daily clean , it would always be the more gentle sensitive mode.  Both have this.

The whitening mode may, for some, be a reason to buy the Smart, but I certainly don’t think it is a deal breaker for most.

A more detailed description of the differences between these modes is available in our Oral-B brushing mode article, but ultimately the extra modes give more choice to find the cleaning power and effect you prefer most.

Another difference, albeit subtle is the amount of cleaning power the motor inside the brush handle delivers.

The Pro 1500 has a motor that offers up to 9,900 oscillations and 45,000 pulsations, whereas the Smart 1500s motor is configured to offer 8,800 oscillations and 40,000 pulsations.

What this means is that the Pro 1500 can potentially clean the teeth a little better, but the actual difference would still be relatively limited.  It is not possible to say from this alone that 1 brush would clean the teeth significantly better.  Add into this that different modes use a different amount of power from the motor and it complicates things a little further.

Does one clean better than the other?

The short answer is no, one brush does not clean better than the other.

However, the increased power of the Pro 1500s motor could potentially mean that the teeth are cleaned more effectively than if the Smart 1500 was used.

This issue is that there are many variables and proving this is quite difficult.

My hands-on testing has not been conducted in any scientific way that would be able to determine this.  I suspect even if it was, the differences would be minimal and not clinically significant.

The additional ‘whitening’ cleaning mode available on the Smart 1500 may also have a beneficial effect for some users. 

The likelihood is that for most Americans, perfecting their brushing routine and the regularity with which they brush will have the most significant benefits over selecting between either of these particular brushes.

Is one better priced than the other?

No, not really.

There might be a few dollars between them when you actually come to purchase the brush, but both models appear to have the same recommended retail price of $79.99.

The typical selling prices tend to be a bit lower at around $65-70.

Prices can vary from one seller to another, but based over a 3 year period of ownership, based on 1 user, I calculate them to both work out at around 11 cents per day.

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.