Oral-B Pro 2 2500 vs Pro 3 3000

Detailed comparison: what’s the difference between the Oral-B Pro 2 2500 and Pro 3 – 3000? ?

If you hadn’t already grasped, the Oral-B range of electric toothbrushes is more confusing than they need to be.

Let me explain the differences between the Pro 2 2500 and the 3 3000 and how they impact you.

The number of differences between these models are quite small.

The Pro 3 – 3000 is technically the more premium and superior brush to the Pro 2 2500.

However, that doesn’t necessarily make it better.  The Pro 2 2500 has all you and I need to achieve clean teeth.

The most striking difference between these 2 models is the brush handle design.

With the 3000 you have a much cleaner and more minimal look compared to the 2500.  

It is designed this way to mimic their top of the line iO Series and does away with the large rubber grip on the front of the handle that you find on the 2500.

The power button on the Pro 3 does provide some texture and grip for the finger.  And although the 3000 is now all smooth touch plastic, it isn’t as slippy as you might expect.

The 2500 does feel marginally more secure in hand, but the benefit is that the Pro 3 is easier to keep clean.  Toothpaste residue doesn’t build up on the handle in quite the same way as the 2500 and a quick rinse or wipe rides the handle of this.

Looking at the back of the handle, the grip and texture has changed too.  

On the Pro 2 2500, there are a series of raised ridges on the backside that offer a rougher but effective method for in hand resistance.

With the Pro 3, the rear of the handle has a series of dimples running from top to bottom.  It is far more subtle, but does provide texture onto which the fingertips grip.

As part of the design alterations, the colour options for the handle have changed too.

With the 2500 it was the rubber grip in black or pink that contrasted against the white plastic of the main body of the brush. Although there is too a white gripped version.

With the Pro 3 the plastic body of the handle is 1 solid colour be that alabaster white, pink, electric blue or black onyx.

An additional design change with the Pro 3, is the introduction of a LED light ring around the neck of the brush handle.  It wraps a full 360 degrees.

This is similar to the premium Genius and iO series brushes that Oral-B offers.

The light colour is not customisable, nor does it stay lit the whole time.  But, when the built-in pressure sensor is activated, the light ring is lit red.

The Pro 2 2500 has a visible pressure sensor, but unlike the Pro 3, this is positioned primarily on the back of the handle.  It has a red plastic panel compared to the white of the Pro 3.  Both light up and are visible, but the extra surface area of the Pro 3’s sensor makes it a slightly more practical implementation.  

Design aside, they do the same job.  When the sensor is activated they both light up red to alert you that you are brushing too hard.  Reduce the pressure and the lights go out.

The penultimate difference between these 2 brushes is the cleaning modes available.

Both offer the standard daily clean mode and a more gentle sensitive mode.  But, the Pro 3 offers a third brushing mode, known as whitening.

Whitening is designed to assist with polishing the tooth surface and achieving a brighter and whiter smile, by more effectively cleaning away external surface stains on the teeth.

Whilst it may provide some benefit, particularly if used with a 3D White brush head, the differences are going to be extremely subtle, if not impossible to notice.  

Your brushing technique, routine and diet will have a bigger impact on your teeth and making them whiter than the brushing mode alone.

It should be noted, that the brush heads supplied with either the Pro 2 2500 or 3 3000 can differ.  Typically they are either CrossAction or 3D White with both models. That said, there are a few exceptions.

Here is the Pro 2 2500 range:

• Black gripped handle – CrossAction brush head (white plastic shaft)
• Pink gripped handle – 3D White brush head  (white plastic shaft)
• White gripped handle – Sensi UltraThin brush head (white plastic shaft)
• Black gripped handle Midnight Black edition – CrossAction brush head (black plastic shaft)

And the Pro 3 3000 range:

• Alabaster white handle – CrossAction brush head (white plastic shaft)
• Alabaster white handle – Sensi UltraThin brush head (white plastic shaft)
• Prink brush handle – 3D White brush head (white plastic shaft)
• Electric blue handle – CrossAction brush head (white plastic shaft)
• Black onyx handle – CrossAction brush head (black plastic shaft)
• Black onyx handle – Charcoal brush head (white plastic shaft)

Lastly then, the Pro 2 2500 comes with a travel case included in the box.  The Pro 3 does not.

This travel case holds the handle and up to 2 brush heads.  It is a transparent case and is fairly basic in its overall design, but most importantly, it is functional.

There is a variant of the Pro 3 – 3000 with a travel case, it is called the Pro 3 – 3500.

Those then are the key differences.  

In reality, there is more similarity between these models than differences.

Does one clean better than the other?

No.

Assuming you use either brush handle with the same style of brush head then there is no difference between the way in which these two brushes clean.

Use the Pro 2 2500 or the 3000 and you will achieve thorough cleaning results.

It can be argued that the additional whitening cleaning mode, offered on the Pro 3 can bring extra benefits. Potentially, it can do, particularly when paired with a 3D White brush head. However, in reality, any differences are going to be extremely small, if at all noticeable. 

Is one better priced than the other?

Yes, the Pro 3 3000 is the better value toothbrush.

Previously it was the Pro 2 2500. It has however been discontinued resulting in the sales price of the remaining stock being increased.

Officially, there is a £10 difference in the retail price of these products.  

The Pro 3 – 3000 has a suggested price of £90 compared to the £80 of the Pro 2 2500.

As you may already know, as a general rule, electric toothbrushes from Oral-B actually sell for far less than their retail price.

Therefore you can expect to pay around £45 for the Pro 3, and around £40 for the Pro 2 2500.  

When factoring in this 50% discount in the retail price, there is just £5 to be saved.  But, the reality is that the Pro 2 2500 could more often than not be found for £35, making that saving £10 again.

It is not a significant price difference, but it is reasonable given the price range these brushes find themselves in.  

Thus the Pro 2 2500 was better value, as a general rule, until it was discontinued.

Generally speaking now, the Pro 2 2500 commands a premium over the 3000 which I can’t justify paying.