Oral-B Pro 6000 vs Pro 7000

Detailed comparison: what’s the difference between the Oral-B SmartSeries 6000 and Pro 7000?

I count 8 key differences between these two brushes, but these are 8 differences which are really small in the scheme of things and picking a best one between these two is difficult.

So, the Pro 6000 is actually a newer model than the 7000 but sits below it in the range.

There is a Genius 8000 that sits at the top of the range and truthfully if you are looking at the 6000 or 7000 I would seriously consider the 8000.  It probably just has the edge out of them all, when you are looking at these types of brushes.  Yes, it is a few $ more, but in the scheme of things, it is not too much more for what you get.

Right, so the first and biggest difference is battery life.

The Pro 6000 actually has the better battery life thanks to a new Lithium-Ion battery that lasts up to 12 days compared to the 10 days of the Pro 7000.

In actual usage time, this gives the Pro 6000 48 minutes of use compared to the 40 minutes on the 7000.

The 7000 uses an older battery technology.  The Nickel Hydride battery is perfectly fine, but the knock on effect is that the 7000 is actually larger and heavier in its profile despite offering less battery life.

The Pro 6000 measures in at:

• Height (without head) - 20.5cm
• Height (with head) - 24cm
• Width - 2.7cm
• Thickness - 3.2cm
• Weight (without head) - 134g
• Weight (with head) - 140g

The Pro 7000 measures in at:

• Height (without head) – 20.5cm
• Height (with head) – 24cm
• Width – 3cm
• Thickness – 4cm
• Weight (without head) – 163g
• Weight (with head) – 168g

The two brushes look different.  The Pro 6000 looks more modern with that slimmer profile and a series of icons that illuminate on the front panel to show you which cleaning mode you are using.

Where the 7000 has more rubber grips on the front and rear, the Pro 6000 has rubber primarily just on the rear of the handle with only the power and function button being coated in it on the front.

In hand both feel comfortable, the 7000 has a reassuring chunkiness to it, whereas the 6000 is a more uniform design.

The 6000 comes in white, black, orchid purple and rose gold color options only, whereas the 7000 is available in black or white.  With the 7000 the Black colored model is flanked with 2 silver strips on the right and left hand side, where the white is just that, all white.

Both brushes have what is known as a pressure sensor, that illuminated red when too much pressure is applied to the teeth during brushing.  However, on the Pro 6000, this rear mounted pressure sensor has evolved into the LED Smart Ring.

This ring illuminated 1 of 12 different colors based on the user's preference.

Light up all the time the brush is on, it will turn red if too much pressure is applied,

This gives a degree of personality to the brush and makes it look a bit more trendy.

This trendy design brief did not quite make it to the travel case that comes included with the Pro 6000.  It is more robust, better shaped and looks more appealing than the most basic of travel cases Oral-B have been known to offer, but the 7000’s is much smarter and more appealing.  It is finished in a  soft touch material and looks considerably more premium.

In truth both do the job of protecting the brush handle and holding up to 2 brush heads, the 7000 travel case just looks the part.

Looking the part is great, but at the end of the day, you buy a toothbrush to clean your teeth with.

Either model is going to do a fantastic job of this.  The consistent power delivery will remove more plaque and clean the teeth better than a manual toothbrush.

The Pro 6000 has 5 cleaning modes, but the SmartSeries 7000 has 6.

Both have Daily Clean, Gum Care, Sensitive and Whitening.

The 7000 has Deep Clean, whereas the 6000 has Pro-Clean, which replaces Deep Clean in many respects.

The 7000 also has a tongue cleaning mode.

Tongue cleaning is more important than you might think and can really help if you want to reduce the chance of having bad breath.  It is a mode that runs at a lower power and only for 20 seconds.

You could however just use the standard daily clean mode or the sensitive mode and run it for 20 seconds whilst brushing your tongue.  The act of doing this is more important than the number of movements.

For each cleaning mode, there are recommended brush heads.  Now the interchangeable nature of the heads means you can use any brush head on any cleaning mode, but some are better suited than others.

The Pro 6000 comes with 1 x CrossAction brush head in the box compared to the 1 x CrossAction, 1 x Sensitive and 1 x 3D White) with the 7000.  Given that the 6000 offers a Sensitive and a Whitening mode it seems a shame that additional heads could not be included.

Having said that many find the CrossAction to be the best as it has a universal design focused on cleaning, rather than being soft or good at polishing first for example.

Any of the brush heads can be purchased separately if you desire.

Bluetooth connectivity is a feature that both of these brushes share and Oral-B are looking to get more users to embrace it, so this is likely why the 6000 and 8000 do not include the Smart Wireless Guide that is available with the 7000.

Now, I am not here to discuss the Bluetooth connection in detail, but it is not always practical and I feel that the Smart Wireless Guide is a handy accessory.  The Pro 7000 wins points in my book here for this.

A small clock it kicks into life when the brush is switched on encouraging brushing for the right amount of time, where to brush and encouragement on how well you are doing, as well as easily seeing which mode you are on.

You can read more about what I think of the Smart Wireless Guide in the Pro 7000 review.

Now whilst this last difference should not be the overriding factor in selecting the right brush for you, the 7000 tends to be the cheaper.

Whilst sitting higher in the range than the Pro 6000 the new features of the 6000 draw a premium price.

There is not all that much in it, about $15 at the time of writing.

That there are all the key differences explained.

There are many ways in which these brushes are similar.

Both have a 2 year warranty, which covers you against mechanical faults.

A 2 minute timer and quadpacer are built into both models.  At 30 second and 2 minute intervals you will hear a change in the sound emitted by the brush as a result in a pause in the brush motor.  This is your signal to change quadrant or stop brushing.

Both are water resistant so whilst they should not be immersed in water they can withstand a rinse under the tap and under the shower.  Remember to clean your brush regularly and change the brush heads every 3 months to ensure to prolong the life of your brush and not to do damage to your teeth.

A pressure sensor as previously discussed is present on both as is Bluetooth connectivity, which allows you to track and monitor your cleans, with advice provided for better oral health.

Both brushes do to ship with a brush head storage compartment that holds up to 4 brush heads when not in use.  Complete with a lid, it is a smart and convenient brush head storage tool.  A cutout in this also provides a home for the brush’s charging stand.

Does one clean better than the other?

If you want to get very technical, the Pro 6000 can deliver fractionally more power on select cleaning modes, but the ability to notice this in an everyday scenario is not possible really and only under scientific conditions, might you see the benefits.

From my perspective, the day to day cleaning is equivalent on both brushes and far more effective than a manual brush.

Yes, the 7000 does offer an extra cleaning mode, but we are splitting hairs here, when you can brush your tongue with any of the other cleaning modes.

The SmartGuide is a great tool with the 7000 and whilst it does not directly impact the clean, it does encourage you to brush better and for the right length of time.

Both brushes have the app and Bluetooth functionality that can help achieve a better clean too, but this is more about you and I as users doing a better job than the brush itself.

Is one better priced than the other?

Despite the 7000 being the more premium model by the model number, the SmartSeries 6000 is the more expensive by about $15 at the time of writing.

This premium is because it is new and some of the better technology, most notably the battery.

Both are subject to deals and on a different day, the pricing may well be reversed.

Pay a price you are happy with for the brush you feel suits you best.

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.