Oral-B Pro 1 vs Pro 3

Detailed comparison: what’s the difference between the Oral-B Pro 3 and Pro 1?

As differences go there are very few things that set these 2 toothbrushes apart.

If you had a look at both, I wouldn’t blame you for thinking that they were the same brush.

From a design point of view, they are nigh on identical. The most obvious difference is the light ring at the top or neck of the brush handle, which is used for the visible pressure sensor the Pro 3 has.

The 2 models both come in black, pink and blue colour options, but the Pro 3 is available in a white colour, which somewhat unusually isn’t available for the Pro 1 at the time of writing.

Like the Pro 3, the Pro 1 has a pressure sensor built into the handle. This means, that if it detects I am brushing with too much force, it will slow the number of movements in the brush head.

Forceful brushing can, over time, be damaging to the teeth and gums. When I relieve the pressure, the number of movements in the head is increased.

However, even to myself as a long time electric toothbrush user, it is almost impossible to tell that the sensor is activated. There is a small sound change and nothing else.

This is where the Pro 3 differs. 

The light ring around the neck of the brush handle will be lit red when the sensor is activated.

If I see a red light, I know I need to reduce the amount of force.

It is far more obvious, therefore I can take corrective action much more quickly.

It still can be missed, but given I and I am sure many others brush in front of a mirror it is far more user friendly than the Pro 1’s implementation.

Another key difference is the battery sealed inside the handle of each brush.

The Pro 1 uses a Nickel Metal Hydride battery, whereas the Pro 3 has a Lithium-Ion.

Claimed usage time is 10 and 14 plus days respectively. I managed 12 from the Pro 1 and up to 20 from the Pro 3.

It’s not a deal breaker, but I think the extra usage time benefits many. It also means that should I travel I have less need to worry about taking the charging stand with me, if I use the Pro 3.

Both models use the same charging stand and are nigh on identical in size, weight and noise produced. They use the same brush heads and come with a 2 year warranty.

Does one clean better than the other?

Yes, the Pro 3 can clean the teeth better than the Pro 1.

However, don’t expect significant differences.

I’ve used each brush side by side and I can honestly say the noticeable difference is negligible, if at all noticeable.

However, with repeated use over weeks and months, the added cleaning power of the Pro 3 could have a small, but beneficial impact in removing more plaque to keep your mouth healthy.

Both brushes have a 3D cleaning action with 8,800 oscillations and rotations. However, the difference exists with the pulsations movement. The Pro 1 offers 20,000, half that of the 40,000 on offer from the Pro 3.

Is one better priced than the other?

The Pro 1 is the cheaper and more affordable toothbrush all things considered.

Based on the retail prices, it is £20 cheaper, with a suggested selling price of £70 compared to the £90 of the Pro 3.

As is common with Oral-B brushes, they are often sold for significantly less.

The average selling price is in the region of £30 for the Pro 1 and £45 for the Pro 3, reducing the difference to around £15.

Both brushes use the same style of brush head, thus the ongoing ownership costs are the same.

Over 3 years the Pro 1 costs around £66 compared to the £78 of the Pro 3.