Philips Sonicare Optimal Clean review

Design, usability, clean & general use

Sonicare has a long history of electric toothbrushes and I've never been truly disappointed by one of their products.  Some are of course better than others, but all do a pretty decent job and the Optimal Clean really should be no exception.

Although named Optimal Clean the handle design and features are most similar to a more widely stocked range called ‘ProtectiveClean’ which I am a fan of.

It is worth a quick mention here that Sonicare does a pretty decent job on their packaging.  Let’s be honest, an electric toothbrush is not the best for the environment, so it's great to see that cardboard box and inner trays are recyclable.

Out of the box the Optimal Clean looks and feels good in the hand and I think it is fair to say that the handles actually give a sense of quality that exceeds the price asked of them and what you might expect.

Taking a closer look at the Optimal Clean brush handle then.

Primarily all white in color the handle has a matt finish, so although a little clinical looking it is not as harsh as the gloss white colors seen on some other toothbrushes.

The main color accent is around the power and mode button on the front of the handle.  

An ovalish panel, it is  light blue in color with a slight gloss finish to the plastic.  It contrasts nicely with the white of the handle.

The 2 buttons placed a little above the halfway point on the handle, both have a concave design to them.

Embossed into the top power button is a power icon, while the lower button is smooth to the touch.  Both are coated in a silicon material so softer to the touch and a bit grippy.  Both buttons provide a reassuring feedback and are not too soft or firm to the touch.

Above these buttons is the Philips Sonicare logo printed on the handle in a grey color.

Below are 2 LED’s stacked on top of each other, with the name of the cleaning modes in between.

Each LED is lit when the cleaning mode is selected.  

The brushing mode can be changed via the lower mode button on the handle.

It is of course the power button that turns the brush on and off. 

Right towards the bottom of the brush handle are a further 2 LEDs and icons.

First sits the BrushSync LED and symbol, more on this shortly, and below that, the battery LED and symbol

The LED for the rechargeable battery, that lasts 2+ weeks, lights up and flashes in a few different ways.  Check out the ‘Battery Life’ section of this review for more information on that.

Rounded in its design the handle is not too large or too small.

The back of the handle is smooth to the touch.  No ridges or extra grips, with the exception of a little protrusion at the bottom of the handle.

It seems a bit out of place and not immediately obvious what it is for.  But, lay the brush on a flat surface, and this raised molding stops the brush rolling about.  Genius!

The base of the brush is flat with the exception of a recess into which the prong on the charging stand fits.  The brush will sit upright on a flat surface and does too sit upright on the charging stand.

At the top of the brush handle is the metal shaft that the brush head connects to.  This metal shaft feeds into the motor sealed inside the handle.

Analyze the brush side on and you will see how the brush head fits on at a very slight angle.

Slight it might well be, but it helps angle the brush head for a better reach towards the back of the mouth. A subtle, but important design feature that enhances the overall usability.

In the box with the Optimal Clean you get 3 brush heads.  3 seems like a strange number given you have 2 handles.  Surely 2 or 4 would make more sense?!

Irrespective, all 3 are the W DiamondClean (also known as W2 Optimal White) brush heads. 

This is just 1 style, from a range of interchangeable brush heads that Sonicare offer. We cover brush heads in more detail in our guide to Sonicare brush heads.

Fitting the brush head is a simple process

Each brush head simply pushes on and pulls off of the brush handle.  The heads fit over the metal shaft at the top. You can usually feel it clip into place.

Almost all brush heads are interchangeable and work on almost all Sonicare brush handles, so you can find the brush head that works for you or that you prefer and use it on your brush handle.

But, with the Optimal Clean handles there is something you need to be aware of.

They have a feature called ‘BrushSync’.  What this does is tells you, via an LED on the brush handle (the one I mentioned earlier - picture of a brush head)) when it is time to change or replace your brush head.

You see, inside the brush head supplied is a small 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, the brush is cleverer still.

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.

By the same token, it will 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 an equivalent to 4 minutes a day for 3 months.

Hard not to be impressed!

Using a brush head for longer than 3 months can potentially have negative effects on the teeth and gums, so such an alert helps reduce the chances of this.

Technology such as Bluetooth connectivity found on some brushes is not for everyone.  Not all that many see the point, but I think most people see the point here.

The sensors are smart, unobtrusive and are only trying to help you take better care of your teeth and gums.

There is something you need to be aware of.  

Whilst the vast majority do, not all the brush heads Sonicare make have the microchip built-in.

So for it to work, both the brush head and brush handle have to have the ‘BrushSync’ feature.  Those heads without the chip inside will work with the Optimal Clean 5000 series, but you won’t get the reminder when it is time to replace them.  Just be aware of this when buying replacements.  Our guide to Sonicare brush heads goes into more detail about this.

But for a little extra peace of mind, all Sonicare brush heads have fading indicator bristles.

As the heads are used, the Blue bristles fade to a very pale almost white/translucent color.  When they are this color, it is time to change the head.

It is like a simplified alternative to BrushSync.

The brush heads are not the only clever part of this electric toothbrush.

Essential to any good brush in my opinion, is a timer and quadpacer.  Both are included as standard with the Optimal Clean.

A simple press on the power button will turn the brush on.  As the motor is kicked into life, the timer is too.

Using the standard ‘Clean’ mode the timer runs for 2 minutes, which is the dentist recommended cleaning time.

The 'White' mode runs for 2 minutes and 30 seconds.

At the end of either mode the brush actually turns itself off.

At the same time, the timer begins working, as does the 30 second timer or quadpacer as it is known.

During the standard cleaning cycle, at 30 second intervals, the brush motor pauses briefly.

This stops the cleaning action and pauses the humming sound and vibration from the handle.

It is this pause that alerts you to the fact that it is time to change quadrant.

Whilst dentists recommend 2 minutes of cleaning twice a day, what this does not help with is ensuring you and I brush our teeth evenly.  This is where the pacer comes in.

The idea is that you break the mouth up into 4 sections.  Upper right, upper left, lower right, and lower left.

You spend 30 seconds cleaning each section, that way over the 120 seconds (2 minutes) of brushing time, you will give a relatively even clean to the teeth and gums.

As you get the pacer alert, you change quadrant to in turn achieve the even clean.

Of course, you don’t have to follow it, but it is good practice.

Spending 2 minutes cleaning just the front teeth or just your top teeth is better than nothing but isn’t great for your oral health.

Therefore the 2 minute timer and 30 second pacer are 2 excellent additions to this handle.

If you use the 'White' mode, the pacer still functions for the first 2 minutes of cleaning only. The remaining 30 seconds are for focusing on the front teeth only, to help buff them to a nice shine.

If it was not already clear, the 2 brushing modes provided on the Optimal Clean handles are:

• Clean mode
  • A 2-minute mode. It gives you a thorough and complete clean.
• White mode
  • A 2-minute 30-seconds mode.  2 minutes for normal cleaning and 30 seconds to polish the front teeth.

Press the cleaning mode button to cycle through the modes, until you get to the mode you want.

The LED for the cleaning mode lights up as it is selected.  

The mode can be changed before the brush is switched on.

The brush will remember the last cleaning mode used and begin in that mode the next time the brush is powered on.

With any mode, it is important to use the toothbrush correctly to get the maximum benefits.

You should not move the brush head back and forth in a rapid manner as you might with a manual brush, the motor in the Optimal Clean does this.  You move the head from tooth to tooth, the motor and bristles does the majority of the work.

You should hold the brush head at a 45 degree angle to the teeth and gumline.

Our in house dentist recommends then moving the brush in small circular motions to get the maximum cleaning effect.

Irrespective of the cleaning mode used, I have been very impressed with the results and overall performance of this brush.

At no point have I felt the clean to be bad and certainly comparable to Oral-B.

There is clinical evidence that sides with both brands, but the reality of the situation is either are very good.

Personally I prefer the smaller, round brush heads that Oral-B offer compared to the larger, more rectangular/ovalish heads of Sonicare.  I find them easier to move around the back teeth.

Another point to note, is that when brushing the teeth, the bristles need only skim the surface of the teeth to dislodge bacteria, plaque, and food debris, lots of force is not required to brush the teeth clean.

Brushing too hard over long periods of time can wear out brush heads but also cause gum recession and damage to the tooth enamel.

To help prevent this, the Optimal Clean has a pressure sensor built-in.

The handle vibrates to alert you when too much pressure is being applied, the brushing sensation and sound changes too.

The BrushSync replacement reminder LED flashes amber when the sensor is activated.  Given its position, it is not the easiest to see.

It does not have the large visible pressure sensors as found on many Oral-B models.

Reduce the pressure applied to stop the pressure sensor from being activated.  The sensor will kick in every time too much pressure is applied.

Seasoned electric toothbrush users may know how much pressure is appropriate.  I believe it is more useful to first time or new users, but I am sure there are some electric toothbrush uses that brush too hard.

Within a few days, you will get used to how much pressure is appropriate.

Another great feature is something known as EasyStart.

This is a system that gently increases the power over the first 14 brushings to help you get used to brushing with the Optimal Clean brush.

A simple, but innovative touch that shows an extra level of attention and care for first time electric toothbrush users.  The full 62,000 movements per minute can seem quite intense on first use. EasyStart eases you in and makes the transition from manual to electric brushing easier.

Of course a toothbrush will come into contact with water and the Optimal Clean handles are water resistant.  They are not waterproof and it is advised not to use when bathing.

The handle feels robust and will generally take a few knocks in its life and I have no immediate concerns about the handle's reliability.

Sonicare does offer a 2 year warranty that covers any mechanical or workmanship faults, but not user damage.

And then rounding off the package that is on offer here is a travel case. Or should I say 2 travel cases, 1 for each handle.

Made from a thick plastic, each case is hinged on the left side with a clip on the right to securely fasten it shut.

The case holds a single Optimal Clean lbrush handle and up to 2 brush heads.

Not only will it stop the handle or heads getting damaged, it also stops any accidental activation of the brush.

Sonicare has done a great job here.  Whether you are a new or existing electric toothbrush user you will be impressed.