Our Verdict
The 150 is a basic electric toothbrush.
It does not compete in any significant way in my mind with other brushes that have a built-in battery.
However, rating it on its own merit and in comparison to other brushes of this ilk then its is to be well regarded.
Pros
- Removable batteries
- Built-in timer
- Slim and lightweight
- Price
Cons
- Lacks some desirable features
- No 30 second timer/pacer
- No travel cap/case
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
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Colgate ProClinical 150 Battery Toothbrush | 319 Reviews | £13.88 £12.99 | View on Amazon |
The 3 BIG questions about the Colgate ProClinical 150 Battery
If you are short of time, the answers to the following 3 questions should let you know all you need to about the ProClinical 150 from Colgate (view on Amazon). If I have missed something, let me know in the comments
If you want more detail, you can read the full Colgate ProClinical 150 review further down the page.
1. Is there anything drastically wrong with this toothbrush?
If you are considering only those toothbrushes with removable batteries then all told this is pretty spot on and does the job well. It is certainly on par with the equivalents.
However, in the broader spectrum of electric toothbrushes it is far from the best. Although cheap, it is basic.
For not much more, you can get yourself a better electric toothbrush that has a few more features and performance benefits.
2. Which other brushes should I consider?
Our recommendation is the Oral-B Pro 3 3500.
Although a little larger and more expensive, this is worth serious consideration. It is a brush with a built-in battery, with 2 weeks of battery life. It has a travel case, built-in timer, pacer and pressure sensor to help you achieve the best oral care routine.
If you definitely want a removable battery toothbrush rather than a fixed one, check out our roundup of the best battery powered toothbrushes, but the TempIR Sonic Wave deserves your consideration.
Below we have included the Amazon links for all three brushes, but for a more complete range of buying options see our electric toothbrush buyer’s guide.
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We are not sponsored by big brands or healthcare companies. Our site is funded by affiliate revenue and ads, but we only recommend products that we have tested and truly believe to be worth your money.
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And now for a bit more detail…
An electric toothbrush needs a power source. That is the job of the battery.
When it comes to electric toothbrushes you have 2 options, those brushes that accept removable batteries and those that have them built-in.
Removable battery brushes tend to be less common, but the ProClinical 150 reviewed here is an example of such.
The benefits are that replaceable batteries can be more convenient, the brushes often cost less too. The downside, however, is that the brush performance tends to be weaker and have less features built-in.
It is a case of deciding which you want.
Most opt for the fixed internal battery options as they offer long term better value in most instances.
However, if you do want a removable battery brush like this 150 from Colgate, allow me to explain what it is like to use on a day to day basis.
What’s in the box?
- Colgate ProClinical 150 battery toothbrush
- 1 x Triple clean brush head
- 2 x AAA batteries
Key Features
- Removable batteries
- 2 minute timer
- 1 cleaning mode
- Lightweight
- Interchangeable brush heads
Pro & Cons
Here are what I consider to be the pros and cons of the ProClincal 150.
The Positives
- Removable batteries – If you need a brush with removable batteries this has you covered.
- 20,000 movements – It offers more movements per minute than many of the other brushes within this category, cleaning the teeth fairly well.
- Timer – Built-in 2 minute timer with automatic power off.
- Price – It is a cheap electric toothbrush.
- Design – Slim in the hand and lightweight too.
The Negatives
- Features – More expensive electric toothbrushes offer more benefits and more powerful motors than this.
- No pacer – There is no built-in pacer which helps ensure an equal brushing time across the mouth.
- Battery status – No battery status icon or way of easily knowing how much battery power is remaining.
- Travel case – No travel case or cap even to use if putting this brush in a bag for a holiday or trip away. Potential for the bristles to be damaged and the brush activated when in transit.
Design, usability, clean & general use
Clinical looking the 150 battery electric toothbrush is.
Primarily white in colour it is not exactly the most attractive toothbrush I have ever seen or used, but I do quite like the simplicity of the brush.
It is small and lightweight and more compact than many of the other brushes within this category.
The handle is not perfectly round, but it is more rounded than it is square.
On the front, just above halfway down is a single Grey button that is the power on and off button.
Made from a soft rubber, it is a little spongy to the touch and not quite as resistive as many others. But, there is a click when pressed and it is clear when the brush is on and off.
This button also offers a slight gripping surface as the rest of the brush handle is perfectly smooth to the touch.
The bottom half of the brush handle actually unscrews to reveal the battery compartment/tray that the provided 2 x AAA batteries fit into.
Position the batteries so that the positive terminal of each are facing the base of the brush handle.
Place the cap that forms the base of the brush handle over the battery tray and screw shut to form a tight seal.
The shape of the brush handle is such that it will be clear if the cap is not securely fastened. When it is although there is a break in the handle it is minor and looks almost flush.
On this removable cap, are the Colgate and Omron logos. These are at the front of the handle, whilst on the rear is a small regulatory panel.
The Omron name may or may not be one you are familiar with, but they are a well established brand in the healthcare space. The two companies have worked together on the ProClinical range in an effort to become a reputable force, producing quality toothbrushes. Omron help more with the technical aspect of the parts of the brush and the science whilst Colgate brand, market and distribute.
In the box is a single brush head. That single, user replaceable head is the Triple Clean option.
This is one of 4 different heads available from Colgate. All are interchangeable and can be used on the 150.
You need only pull the head off and push on a new one.
The Triple Clean head is focused on cleaning the teeth in 3 ways to leave you with a fresh and clean feeling mouth throughout the day.
At the top there are Blue and White spiral bristles that help remove surface stains whilst inner bristles remove plaque from the tooth surfaces and tapered outer bristles, clean deep along the gumline.
I like the smaller size of this brush head, it makes it easy to position and manipulate the brush within the mouth, particularly in the harder to reach areas at the back of the mouth. It is not quite as big as Sonicare brush heads but a bit taller than the rounded heads offered by Oral-B.
It is all too easy to forget when the brush head on your handle was last changed.
Reminder or indicator bristles give you a guide to the usable life left.
Particular bristles on the head will start out Blue and will over a 3 month period fade to White. The lighter the bristles, the older and more worn the brush head is.
At first glance it may not be obvious, but brush heads lose stiffness and gradually wear down over months of normal use. For optimal results, replace your brush head every three months.
At the time of writing, my daily toothbrush is an Oral-B brush and in my opinion it provides me with what I feel to be the better overall clean compared to the 150.
The style of cleaning action does have a bearing, but as does the power of the motor too.
The 150 offers 20,000 strokes per minutes, which is 10,000 less than the more powerful brushes on offer from Colgate and Sonicare.
Given it is powered by AAA batteries this is pretty respectable as most others in this category are well under 10,000 movements per minute.
If you are not used to an electric toothbrush or you are thinking this could be your first, then I think it would be an option, but not the best one available to you.
More premium models need not be that much more expensive but they will normally deliver a better clean to your teeth and help improve your oral health quicker.
The brush has a single cleaning mode that lasts for 2 minutes.
In fact, a timer built into the handle automatically turns the brush off 120 seconds after it is powered on.
This is a nice feature which encourages you to brush for the right amount of time, but it does not have a pacer which encourages an even focus to areas of the mouth.
A pacer is something more commonly seen in more premium models.
When running, the clean mode delivers up to 20,000 sonic vibrations per minute to the brush head. Compared to a manual brush, you will notice the benefits of the extra power and likely feel that your mouth has been cleaned more deeply.
Make sure you use the right brushing technique though, with an electric toothbrush it is different to a manual brush.
A point I note with the Colgate range, particularly compared to Oral-B is the sound. The 150 produces an audible humming sound and a strong vibration through the brush handle. This is quieter than Oral-B brushes which produce more of a mechanical sound, but do not deliver as much vibration through the handle.
If you have used a Sonicare brush the sound of the motor and the vibration is very similar.
The 150 will stand upright, but the lack of weight to it means it can easily be knocked over.
The brush itself is water resistant rather than waterproof. This means it will survive life in a wet bathroom and exposed to moisture from the mouth but avoid having the brush reside in water and to prolonged exposure to water.
Whilst not essential, what I would like to see included is a brush head travel cap or something similar to protect the brush head should you travel with it, even if the brush ends up costing a couple of pounds more.
The 150 serves a purpose. There is not a great deal to fault if you are looking for a basic electric toothbrush with removable batteries, but as an electric toothbrush goes there are better options.
Summary of design, usability, clean & general use
- Slim and light brush to hold
- Lacks grips on the handle
- Takes 2 x AAA batteries
- Screw cap
- 1 cleaning mode
- 1 brush head included
- Alternative brush heads available
- Built-in 2 minute timer
- Automatically powers off at the end of the 2 minute cycle
- Cleans fairly well considering
- No travel case or cap
- Water resistant
- Great if you want removable batteries in a toothbrush
- Better electric toothbrushes available
Battery life
When you buy the Colgate 150, 2 x AAA batteries made by Energizer are provided in the box.
My own hands-on testing suggests that these will last in excess of 3 month’s.
The quality and runtime of batteries varies considerably, so you may achieve better or worse performance from the brush.
The fact that the brush powers off automatically after the 2 minute cleaning mode avoids unnecessary power wastage and gives an extra level of consistency to the performance of the brush.
The 2 x AAA batteries are placed inside the brush handle by removing the screw cap at the end of the handle.
They sit inside a plastic frame with the + end of the battery positioned towards the base of the brush.
Of course, the benefit of the removable batteries is that you need not be by a power source regularly to recharge the brush. You have the flexibility to replace the batteries as and when you need.
The downside here is you need to remember roughly when they are likely to need replacing as there is no battery status indicator.
Also as the batteries are used they get weaker and the brush motor will gradually slow and eventually stop as a result. You may notice a fall in the performance of the brush as the batteries wear out.
Summary of battery life
- Batteries lasted in excess of 3 months
- Requires 2 x AAA batteries
- Batteries supplied in the box
Price & where to buy
I have included links to buying options here at the start of the review.
In the section below, I discuss the price more generally and in relation to similar products.
Price and what a product is worth is always subjective.
Colgate does not specify on their website what the exact recommended selling price is of this brush, but given that the highest price it is retailed for is £25 from Boots (correct at the time of review), this suggests to me this is what price they value it at.
However, you need not, nor should not pay this price.
Removable battery brushes like this tend not to be any more than about £15 in price.
Whilst the prices vary between retailers the average price is pretty much the £15 target.
I purchased this for just £12.50 from Amazon, which is well within the normal price range for this type of product in my opinion. That price is half that of Boots. Quite a saving. Ocado offered this £12.50 price too.
The 150 like any other electric toothbrush requires replacement brush heads for each user every 3 months. Replacement heads can be purchased in packs of 2 or 4 and are priced on average between £10-£18.
Generally speaking, the 4 pack is more cost effective and many retailers sell the Triple Clean brush head that comes with the 150 for £10. This gives a per head cost of just £2.50.
Working out the average cost as I typically do is made more difficult because the cost of replacement batteries need to be factored in. Battery quality and price varies considerably, but having made some approximate calculations, the batteries will cost £1 per time (50p each) they need replacing. 2 are included in the box to get you going.
Using the average cost (based on one user) and ownership over 3 years, the Pro Clinical 150 will cost £51 or 5p per day to own.
This price does exclude the cost of water, toothpaste and electric to charge it, but you get a rough idea and is one of if not the cheapest decent electric toothbrushes available at the moment.
A more advanced brush like the ProClinical 250R will likely cost around 6p per day to own and some of Oral-B’s models nearer 6 or 7p per day, but there are other benefits too.
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.
Summary of price & where to buy
- Recommended retail price of £25
- Generally available from £15 but purchased for as little as £12.50
- Works out at around 5p per day over 3 years
- Brushes with built-in batteries are more expensive, but offer better features. Only 1-3p more per day.
Reliability & long term use
Where possible I like to make comment on the reliability of brushes that are reviewed here at Electric Teeth.
Whilst I test them for a few weeks, in reality, only long term testing will highlight and deficiencies in the brush.
That said, having handled so many brushes over the years possible faults or weaknesses are easier to spot.
None of the brushes, the ProClinical 150 included go through any special stress or endurance testing. I do not have the equipment and I trust a certain level of testing has been completed by the manufacturer.
The 150 has only one power button limiting the failure points.
However, its biggest weakness is one that plagues all brushes with removable batteries and that is the seal around the battery compartment. This is often where water finds its way into and can wear the seal or get into the internal electronics.
On the plus side for the 150, rather than being just a basic clip on and off compartment with a seal, you need to screw the compartment closed which makes for a tighter and more effective barrier to this water ingression.
I suspect with generally good care the brush will last a couple of years and by that point you will have gotten good value from it.
The packaging nor Colgate’s website specifies the warranty period. It is likely 2 years. But, as mentioned earlier, the likelihood of return for repair under warranty being viable is extremely low.
Conclusion
The 150 is a basic electric toothbrush.
It does not compete in any significant way in my mind with other brushes that have a built-in battery.
However, rating it on its own merit and in comparison to other brushes of this ilk then its is to be well regarded and as such I give it 5 stars.
But please be clear, if comparing to other brushes that do have a built-in battery, with few exceptions I would rate those over and above this brush. They provide a better clean thanks to more powerful motors and generally offer other benefits too. The Oral-B Pro 3 3500 is the brush to consider.
Electric Teeth Rating
Size Guide
- Height (without head) – 17cm
- Height (with head) – 20cm
- Width – 2.2cm
- Thickness – 2.2cm
- Weight (without head) – 55g
- Weight (with head) – 59g
All are approximates
FAQ
- Is the ProClinical 150 an oscillating brush?
- No, it is a sonic toothbrush.
- What is clean mode?
- This is the one and only cleaning mode on this brush that makes use of 20,000 strokes per minute to brush the teeth and gums clean. The brushing cycle lasts for 2 minutes.
- Does it have any other cleaning modes?
- No, tit has just the one cleaning mode. Consider the ProClinical 350 and above for additional modes.
- What brush head does it come with and what alternative ones can be used?
- The 150 battery comes supplied with Colgate’s Triple Clean brush head. This is 1 of 4 different brush heads the brand offers, all of which are interchangeable with this handle. Purchase the brush head you desire most, be that the 360 Deep Clean, 360 White, Sensitive or the Triple Clean head.
- Does the ProClinical 150 have a pressure sensor?
- No, it does not.
- Does the ProClinical 150 have Bluetooth?
- No, it does not.
- Does the ProClinical 150 come with a warranty & how long is it?
- The packaging makes no mention of a warranty, nor does the Colgate website. I suspect it would be covered under a 2 year warranty like other products. However, given the cost it is unlikely worth sending for repair or making use of it should it go wrong.
- Does the ProClinical 150 have a built in timer?
- Yes. The brush has a 2 minute timer built in that begins functioning the moment the power button is turned on. It counts up to 2 minutes/120 seconds. Once this time is reached, the brush is automatically powered off.
- How long does the battery last?
- The batteries lasted in excess of 3 month’s.
- Does it come with a charger?
- No. The brush is powered by 2 x AAA batteries, which are supplied. When they run out, replacements will need to be purchased.
- Can I use the Colgate ProClinical 150 Battery in the shower?
- Yes and no. The 150 is water resistant, meaning it should survive trips in the shower, but it is not waterproof and the continued exposure to water in a shower may have an effect. Ultimately it is not advised.
- Does it come with a travel case?
- No, a travel case is not included in the box.
Your Opinions
Do you own or have you used the Colgate ProClinical 150 Battery?
Are there certain features that you really like or dislike?
Let us know what you think about this brush and let others who may well be considering purchasing one know your opinions before they do.
Well not quite a question, but tip, as the battery’s are removable, take 1 battery out, when not in use, if battery left in???
WILL last a month, if battery’s left in, and if taken 1 out, when not in use, it’ll last 2 months.
So I leave the choice in your pocket.
Need to look for more heads now.
Hi, I bought a Colgate Proclinical 150 battery Toothbrush this year from Boots. Am very pleased with it, but am finding it very difficult to get replacement heads!! Mine has a red on/off switch and doesn’t have the word Omron on it. Can you advise please?
Hi Michelle.
Whilst I have not handled this version myself, as far as I am aware, any of the brush heads listed within this article should fit and work without issue.