Philips Sonicare Flexcare vs DiamondClean

Detailed comparison: what’s the difference between the Sonicare FlexCare Connected and DiamondClean Smart 9500?

Whilst I try to remain unbiased and present the facts, some bias inevitably creeps in, particularly when looking at and considering the design of these electric toothbrushes.

For me, the DiamondClean Smart is the better looking of the 2 brushes.

Classy, sophisticated and professional are all words that come to mind.

The FlexCare Platinum Connected with UV Sanitizer is much more functional and clinical looking.

White is the only color choice with the FlexCare Platinum Connected.

The front of the brush handle does have a long Silver panel that runs down it, that contains the main controls and cleaning mode icons.

This panel does give it a more premium and sophisticated look, but sadly, it does not compete with the White, Black, Pink and Silver color options of the DiamondClean Smart.

More of a matte color finish on both brushes, there is no abundance of glossy plastics that are quite common on some models.

A point to note here is that the DimaondClean Smart’s brush heads come in White or Black color options.  Most brush heads usually come in White color only. This is a nice touch in my opinion.

Overall form factor between these 2 brushes are inevitably similar, but buttons and notification lights are different.

The FlexCarePlatinum Connected has very clean and easy to use controls on the front of the brush handle.

A Silver power button stands proud on the front of the handle.  Clear and easy to see it gives a good response when pressed.

Below this are 3 LED’s that will light up when the relevant brushing intensity has been chosen using the + and – control button that exits below.

Looking like a volume control button from a remote control, it controls the 3 brushing intensities.  This too provides good feedback.

Sitting further down the handle are 3 LED’s stacked on top of each other with the name of a cleaning mode in between each.

Below this sits a smaller but obvious button that is used to change between the 3 cleaning modes.

A battery icon then sits beneath this.  3 LED’s lined up next to each other give detailed feedback on the battery status.

On the back of the handle are a series of raised dots that offer grip when in hand.

On the base of the brush is the recess for the charging stand.

In comparison, the DiamondClean Smart is much more minimalist.

No obvious grips on the handle, the plastic/paint finish in itself is surprisingly grippy.

Just 2 main buttons exist on the brush handle.

The upper powers the brush on and off, whilst the lower changes the brushing intensity and cleaning mode selected.

The concave design looks smart and acts as a natural place for the thumb to rest when in hand.

White light from inside the handle, lights up the relevant cleaning mode and brushing intensity when the brush is running.  When switched off you can’t even see these cleaning mode names, they disappear into the brush handle.

The intensity icons, 3 of, sit in between the 2 buttons horizontally, whilst the cleaning modes are listed vertically below the lower button.

There is too a battery icon but that is just 1 bar that lights up and gives some feedback.  It is not actually as good as the FlexCare Platinum Connected with UV Sanitizer in what info it provides. I feel like the 3 LEDs on the FlexCare gives more accurate status information.

Unlike the FlexCar Platinum Connected, that has a recess for the charging stand, the base of this brush is flat, as it has a different charging setup. More on that shortly.

Inside the brush handle on both models is the battery and motor that powers the brush and really allows it to do its thing.

Both come with Lithium-Ion batteries that last 14 days minimum (based on 1 user brushing for a total of 4 minutes a day), although you will usually get longer out of the DiamondClean Smart than the FlexCare Platinum Connected.

The FlexCare Platinum Connected has 3 cleaning modes (Clean, White and Deep Clean) compared to the 5 (Clean, White, Deep Clean, Gum Health and Sensitive) of the DiamondClean Smart 9500.

Different modes make use of the brush motor in different ways, delivering more or less power and different vibration patterns to the brush head to clean the teeth differently and achieve different results.

What mode you wish to use is up to you.   You can switch between modes at any time.

Naturally, a toothbrush comes with a brush head and the FlexCare Platinum Connected comes with 2, 1 x AdaptiveClean and 1 x InterCare.

The DiamondClean Smart 9500, on the other hand, comes with 4. 1 x C3 Premium Plaque Control, 1 x G3 Premium Gum, Care, 1 x W3 Premium White and 1 x TongueCare+ tongue brush.

Each brush head is engineered differently. Bristles are cut to differing lengths and profiles with the aim of achieving different cleaning results.

Some heads have softer bristles whilst others are longer for deeper interdental cleaning.

The brush heads are interchangeable.  They can be used on any Sonicare brush handle on any cleaning mode.

It is about finding the head that you find works well for you and your hygiene goals.

That said, the W3 Premium White brush head works best with the White mode on the DiamondClean Smart for example.

More details on the heads and which modes they work best with can be found in the written reviews available for each of these 2 models (links at the end of this comparison).

Setting the DiamondClean Smart brush heads apart slightly, is the smart technology they have built-in.

Inside the brush head is a microchip that communicates with the brush handle.

This communication is known as ‘BrushSync’ and works in 2 ways.

The first is that it tracks how long a brush head has actually been used for.

A head should be used on average for 3 months, based on 2 cleans per day at 2 minutes in length.

When the brush detects the head has been used for this long, on the DiamondClean Smart only, a notification will light up to alert you that it is recommended to change the brush head.

It would not alert you until 6 months after first use,  if you used that head only once a day for 2 minutes.

A neat feature this is.

Another, small but powerful BrushSync feature found on the 9500 is the cleaning mode selection.

Fit the Premium White brush head to the handle and it will select the White cleaning mode automatically.

Fit the Plaque Control brush head and it will change the mode to Clean.

You can use standard Sonicare brush heads (cheaper) on the DiamondClean Smart, but the brush will not automatically change cleaning modes, it will also not tell you when it is time to change brush head.

Smart brush heads like those provided with the DiamondClean Smart will also not offer any smart functionality on any other brush handle other than the DiamondClean Smart.

When brushing it is important not to brush too hard, doing so can damage the teeth and gums.

Both come with a pressure sensor built in that vibrates the brush handle when it is activated.  Release the pressure to deactivate the sensor.

The 9500 goes one stage further though.  It has a visible pressure sensor.

What this means is that a Purple light from the bottom of the brush handle is emitted when the sensor is activated.  This gives that extra visual clue and stimulus to reduce the pressure.

Despite a pretty reasonable battery life in both models, they will require charging at some point.

Both come with charging stands, but there is a significant difference between them.

The FlexCare Platinum Connected comes with a basic charging stand.

A White plastic unit, it has a prong on the top that fits into the base of the brush handle.  The handle then sits on top of the stand in an upright fashion.

A 2 pin US power adapter is attached and needs to be plugged into the socket for charging.

The DiamondClean comes with a more premium charging glass.

It looks very stylish.  Although it takes up more space, which can be a negative.

The brush sits within the glass at an angle and not upright.

The glass sits on a base plate that has a 2 pin US power adapter that must be connected to charge the brush.

The DiamondClean can also be charged within its travel case.

More robust and stylish than the travel case with the FlexCare Platinum Connected, the brush handle and up to 2 brush heads can be stored and protected within the case.

Pull out the USB cable that is hardwired into the base of the case and the brush can be plugged into a USB socket for charging, rather than being sat in the charging glass.

This solution is great for regular travelers.

Something the FlexCare Platinum Connected comes with, that the DiamondClean Smart 9500 does not, is a UV Sanitizer.

The fairly compact sanitizer can accommodate up to 2 Philips brush heads.

2 little prongs allow the heads to be placed inside and stood upright.

Position so that the bristles face the internal lamp, close the door and press the Green button on the top to begin the cleaning cycle.

Lasting 10 minutes the UV bulb produces rays that kills any lingering bacteria trapped on the brush head.

It seems logical and could help long term to reduce the chance of oral health issues.

Whilst fairly compact it does take up space on the countertop, more than a normal charging stand.  However, it does too provide a home for the brush heads when not in use.

The brush handle of the FlexCare Platinum Connected can also be sat and charged on this unit.

How frequently you run the cycle is up to you.

It does need to be connected to power for it to run and opening the door mid cycle will stop the process.  You can also press the power button again to end this

It quite possibly comes as no surprise that the FlexCare Platinum Connected with UV Sanitizer is the cheaper of the 2 brushes.  Typically there is about $4-50 or so between them.

The brush heads are cheaper too.  More detail on the differing price is given later in the article.

Quite a few differences there are, but there are too a few similarities that I believe are worth listing out.

Those similarities and features they both have are:

• Water resistant design – Can be rinsed under a tap and washed off
• 2 year warranty – Covers manufacturing faults and defects
• 2 minute timer and 30 second pacer built-in – Keeps you brushing for longer and evenly
• Automatic power off – Brush turns off at the end of the cleaning cycle
• Interchangeable brush heads – A series of different head styles
• Bluetooth connectivity – Connect with a smartphone app for real-time tracking and logging of cleaning habits.
• Easy-Start – Increases the power of the brush motor over 14 cleans
• Intensity settings – Choose between 3 different power intensities
• 14 day battery life  – Use for at least 2 weeks between charges

If you need more information on either brush, do take a look at the detailed hands-on reviews we have for both.

Does one clean better than the other?

The short answer is no.

It could potentially be argued that the extra cleaning modes on the DiamondClean Smart could allow different cleaning habbits and standards to be achieved, but in reality, determining such differences would be virtually impossible.

Both are going to be help remove more plaque and debris than a manual brush due to the movements they offer, but there are so many variables.

The way the brush is used, how often the mouth is cleaned and the diet all have a bearing to some degree.

Too few brush for the right amount of time.  Just brushing twice a day for 2 minutes can have a massive improvement, far greater than any one toothbrush.

Studies have shown how electric toothbrushes can remove more plaque than a manual brush.

Both of these go above and beyond typical electric toothbrushes in that they offer variable intensity settings and cleaning modes.

These 2 brushes do have Bluetooth connectivity, which if made use of can allow the app to better educate you on the brushing technique and routine.

The information the app provides is data those with non-connected models would not know or have and puts those using either of these brushes at an advantage.

Quite quickly, brushing approaches can be improved for the best result.

An additional argument is that the DiamondClean Smarts brush head reminder system and automatic cleaning mode selection could also help maintain and achieve a fantastic routine.

Ultimately though, there is no real-world difference between these models.

Is one better priced than the other?

Yes.  There is a reasonable price difference between these 2 models.

This is somewhat to be expected given what the DiamondClean offers.

$220 is the suggested retail price of the FlexCare Platinum Connected with UV Sanitizer, whilst the DiamondClean Smart has a suggested sale price is $270.

That gives a difference of $50 on what really are already, quite expensive brushes.

A good budget/entry level electric toothbrush will cost $40-80.

There are a fair few differences between these models and over a typical 3 year ownership period, the $50 difference is not all that great.

Just an extra $16 each year to own the DiamondClean Smart.

This does exclude the cost of brush heads, which tend to work out for the DiamondClean Smart an extra $2-4 more expensive per head ($12-14 each) than the regular Sonicare heads at $8-10 each, so each year that could be another $16 or so difference for the benefits it brings.

Both models actually sell for a bit less than the suggested retail price.

The FlexCare Platinum Connected with UV Sanitizer sells for about $20 less whilst the DiamondClean sells for about $30 less.

This lower selling price means that the difference between the 2 is now down to just $40 on average.

This makes the DiamondClean Smart justifiable for me.

You are actually getting quite a bit more brush in my opinion, even if you don’t get the UV sanitizer and brush heads will be more expensive.

Don’t stretch yourself.  Buy what you can afford.

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.