![Philips Sonicare 1100 Series review 1](https://www.electricteeth.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Sonicare_1100_Series_Video_Thumbnail.jpg)
The best budget Sonicare electric toothbrush
Competitively priced, the 1100 Series is the best Sonicare toothbrush on a budget.
The slim handled brush cleans the teeth well. It boasts a 2 minute timer and pacer, which are essential features of any good electric toothbrush.
The biggest downside is that it lacks a pressure sensor, which is a useful feature for preventing you from brushing too hard.
![Philips Sonicare 1100 Series](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41QWA7EYyxL._SL500_.jpg)
Pros |
Cons |
---|---|
1 cleaning mode makes it nice & simple to use |
No pressure sensor to alert you when brushing too hard |
Slim handle design – stylish & easy to keep clean |
USB charger makes it less convenient for some |
USB charging stand makes it more convenient for some |
Sonic motor configured differently to premium models |
Affordable with few compromises
The $25 retail price is what youâre going to have to pay for the 1100. Discounts are unlikely. Itâs a very fair price for whatâs on offer and why itâs our top choice Sonicare electric toothbrush for those on a budget.
Replacement brush heads cost around $8 each. This makes the 3 year ownership total about $113.
Itâs not bad, but our top recommended electric toothbrush, the Oral-B Smart 1500 works out less than $10 more and has the pressure sensor the 1100 lacks.
Cheaper heads are available if you buy generic, off-brand bristles. They are not made by Philips but are compatible with the 1100 Series. You can save $3+ per head on average, positively impacting the ownership costs.
![Oral-B Smart 1500](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/515IFc82sPL._SL500_.jpg)
One button, one mode: itâs all you need to achieve clean teeth
Simple and less complicated is often better. The 1100 is just this.
A single press of the button on the handle is all that is needed to get brushing.
The concave rubber button is easily detected with the power icon embossed on it. Not too firm, each time it is pressed you get reassuring feedback including a clicking noise.
![Sonicare 1100 held in hand](https://www.electricteeth.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Philips_Sonicare_1100_Series_Electric_Toothbrush-15.jpg)
The âCleanâ mode is perfectly sufficient for the vast majority of users.
Lasting for 2 minutes the sonic brush head gives a good overall clean. I am perfectly satisfied with the results.
Different styles of Sonicare brush heads are available and compatible with the 1100 Series. Youâve got a choice if you desire such, but the ProResults/SimplyClean is one of our preferences. You donât need to worry about getting a specialized head to whiten the teeth for example.
BrushSync technology that alerts you when to replace your brush head is not available on the 1100. This is reserved for the 3100 Series and other premium brushes. Youâll need to remember to replace the head every 3 months.
If you have a small mouth, a sonic toothbrush might not be right for you. The oval heads tend to be larger than the oscillating-rotating counterparts from Oral-B.
![1100 Series held between the fingers](https://www.electricteeth.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Philips_Sonicare_1100_Series_Electric_Toothbrush-21.jpg)
Itâs less powerful than most sonic brushes but still cleans well
The motor that moves the bristles of the brush head is tuned differently to the motors found in premium Sonicare models. It doesnât achieve the 62,000 movements of some of Sonicare's more expensive brushes.
It means the 1100 doesnât offer quite the same intensity and deep clean feeling when in use. But, unless you have used a Sonicare toothbrush before, youâd have no reason to question it. The sonic vibrations give a thorough and clean feeling.
Cleaning results are not impacted. They are most definitely comparable.
It does appear to make the brush quieter in use. Itâs audible hum is just 57 decibels. Quieter than many other sonic brushes, great if you donât want to disturb others.
![Sonicare 1100 with brush head detached](https://www.electricteeth.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Philips_Sonicare_1100_Series_Electric_Toothbrush-11.jpg)
Itâs got a 2 minute timer and pacer to help you brush evenly
If you turn the 1100 Series off yourself, you havenât brushed for long enough. This is because it turns itself off automatically when the 2 minute cleaning cycle is complete.
With average brushing times being just 45-70 seconds per day, the timer is a great motivator to brush for longer for the benefit of your oral health.
Maximum benefit is gained when you brush all the tooth surfaces evenly. A pacer built into the 1100 will at 30 second intervals pause the bristle motion. Creating a change in sound and brushing sensation, this is your cue to move between the 4 sections of the mouth until all have been brushed.
The timer and pacer are 2 essential features of any good electric toothbrush.
![Back view of Sonicare 1100 Series](https://www.electricteeth.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Philips_Sonicare_1100_Series_Electric_Toothbrush-5.jpg)
It lacks the protection of a pressure sensor
The 1100 Series does not have a pressure sensor built in. This means that you are not alerted in any way should you scrub the teeth too hard as you brush. Forceful brushing will in the long term damage teeth and gums.
Pressure sensors often donât feature in the cheapest of toothbrushes. You donât need it to brush your teeth well, but it's a dentist recommended feature. More brushes now do include them than in times past. If you know you like to brush hard and fast you should seriously consider the 3100 Series, which has a pressure sensor.
Slim and stylish
Iâve handled brushes more expensive than this that look and feel worse.
Durable and quality feeling in the hand
It isnât a perfect cylinder, instead, there is slight squaring to the edges that makes it feel more secure in hand. Given the lack of different textured surfaces, this is welcomed.
Slimmer and lighter (3.45oz) in the palm than previous cheap Sonicare brushes itâs pleasant to use and doesnât result in the same arm fatigue you might get with other heavier handles.
Available as a white colored handle only the matt finish to the plastic is resistive and more pleasing to the eye than the glossy finish of many competitor's products.
The 1100âs handle is easy to keep clean and because it is water resistant, can be rinsed under the tap or used in the shower if you prefer.
A firm squeeze of the handle doesnât result in any dubious sounding creaks or groans from the plastic. It feels well made and looks good.
Daily usability is improved as the toothbrush can stand upright on a countertop and has been designed not to roll too much when laid flat.
![Sonicare 1100 stood on a countertop](https://www.electricteeth.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Philips_Sonicare_1100_Series_Electric_Toothbrush-2.jpg)
The 2 week battery life is adequate but not amazing
A rechargeable Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion) battery is sealed inside the 1100âs handle.
Philips claims 14 days of use on a single charge, but Iâve been able to achieve a respectable average of 17.
Premium Sonicare models often deliver even better usage times, more in line with the 3-4 week average. The poorer performance here isnât a deal breaker unless you travel or are away from power regularly.
The benefit is a slim handle and a battery charge notification LED. Not always available on affordable toothbrushes it gives you an alert when the brush needs charging.
![Philips Sonicare 1100 Series review 2](https://www.electricteeth.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Philips_Sonicare_1100_Series_Electric_Toothbrush-12.jpg)
USB charging has some advantages
Recharging takes a maximum of 24 hours on the supplied stand.
A new slimmer, circular design, there is a 43 inch (110cm) USB cable hardwired into the stand. It doesnât have nor come supplied with a 2 pin power adapter.
Excluded for environmental reasons, I know some will be frustrated you donât get one included.
Many of us now have 2 pin USB adapters such we can use to connect the 1100 to a power outlet. You probably have one you use for your smartphone or powering other gadgets.
Increased versatility is enabled though as being allows the brush to be charged from a computer, battery bank or USB wall socket if you choose.
![Sonicare 1100 USB charging stand](https://www.electricteeth.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Philips_Sonicare_1100_Series_Electric_Toothbrush-39.jpg)
2 year warranty included as standard
An industry average 2 year warranty against defects and workmanship is provided.
Budget brushes like the 1100 can often come with compromises. Thankfully reliability doesnât appear to be one that applies. It seems well built with no reason to suggest it wouldnât last a good few years.
Disappointingly, in an era where environmental impact is important, the 1100 has no serviceable parts. There is no ability to undertake a repair without rendering it useless.
![Philips 1100 toothbrush with retail box](https://www.electricteeth.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Philips_Sonicare_1100_Series_Electric_Toothbrush-1.jpg)
Environmental impact
Electric toothbrushes have an impact 11 times greater than a manual brush on average.
The 1100âs impact is likely to be similar to the average electric brush, as it doesnât boast lots of extra resource hungry features such as RFID enabled brush heads and smart technology. Impact is further reduced by excluding a 2 pin power adapter. But at odds with this is the lack of repairability and the fact that the handle and stand come wrapped in plastic.
Where some manufacturers now use plant based plastics, Philips heads primarily use petroleum based, thus using more of the finite resources,
Philips has partnered with schemes such as TerraCycle in some countries, but doesnât have its own scheme.
Conclusion: affordable simplicity
If you are on a tight budget and want a toothbrush from a leading brand, the 1100 Series is a good choice. The main downside is the lack of a pressure sensor.
It looks good, cleans the teeth well, and has 2 of the 3 dentist recommended features. It is our budget choice from the Sonicare range.
Size guide
- Toothbrush height with head - 23.5cm / 9.4 inches
- Toothbrush height without head - 17.5cm / 6.9 inches
- Width - 2.6cm / 1 inches
- Depth/thickness - 2.6cm / 1 inches
- Weight with head - 98g / 3.4oz
- Weight without head - 92g / 3.3oz
- Package weight - 255g / 9oz
Noise
- 57dB
Country of manufacture
- China