Oral-B Pro 600 vs 650

Detailed comparison: what’s the difference between the Oral-B Pro 600 and 650?

In writing this comparison I almost feel that I am cheating you into believing there is more between these two brushes than there really is, but the fact of the matter is that the 3 bullet points above summarise the key differences between these two brushes.

There is a bit more context that can be added around these differences to better understand why the two models exist and how one might be better suited to you, so please find the more detailed explanation of this below.

Starting with the naming of the brushes, the Pro 650, is often known as or referred to as the Pro 650 Black. This is because the primary colour is the black rubber gripped variant.

The Black refers to nothing other than the rubber grip colour there are no other special features, it just seems to be a marketing thing that Oral-B do.

Since first launching, the 650 now comes in the same blue colour as the Pro 600 as well as pink also.

The Pro 600 is generally only available in the baby blue colour.

As far as cleaning modes go, both brushes offer exactly the same cleaning mode, that is the ‘Daily Clean’ mode which is found on every Oral-B brush.

The more premium brushes offer additional cleaning modes which are suitable if you have more advanced oral healthcare needs or are looking for a particular programme such as whitening.

If however you are looking for a simple, get the job done electric toothbrush either of these models will suit you nicely.

When it comes to good oral health, the most important thing over and above anything else is to brush your teeth at least twice a day for 2 minutes at each time. With this you want to ensure you have the correct technique.  Why not check out our guide on how to brush your teeth properly with an electric toothbrush

However, what is great about an electric toothbrush over a manual brush is the increased consistency in cleaning motion that it can offer and this is why you will often see toothbrush manufacturers claiming up to 100% more plaque removal.

Plaque is a harmful substance that builds up on teeth and around the gumline and you want to remove this as effectively as possible.

With either of the Pro brushes shown here, the daily clean cycle lasts for 2 minutes (120 seconds) and sees 8,800 oscillations and 20,000 pulsations through that cycle, a number of movements not humanly possible.

It is this paired with the consistent power from the motor and the scientifically engineered brush heads that ensure a clean that surpasses that of a manual brush.

Both brushes are available with a different number of brush heads.  1 brush head comes supplied in the box, but the most common heads are the CrossAction, Sensi UltraThin, 3D White and FlossAction.

Both toothbrushes will clean the teeth well. My recommendation is either the CrossAction or Sensi UltraThin brush head.

Whether the supplied head you find suitable or not will be a personal decision. The good news however is that these brushes accept a range of different brush heads that are engineered to achieve different things or may suit your preferences better.

There are 6 main types of brush head, these are:

• TriZone
• Precision Clean
• CrossAction
• 3D White
• FlossAction
• Sensi UltraThin

2 other specialist heads also compatible include the Ortho and Interspace/Power Tip.

Whilst technically any of the Oral-B brush heads can be fitted and used on any of the cleaning modes, some are better suited to particular cleaning modes. We discuss this and include diagrams in our Oral-B brush head comparison post.

Remember to change your brush head every 3 months and do not share with others. You can share the brush handle, but swap the heads. Original Oral-B heads have bristles that fade in colour as time passes giving you a guide when it is time to swap.

With either the Pro 600 or 650 during a cleaning cycle at 30 second intervals, you will get an audible and visible notification to change quadrant via a slight pause in the brush head movement. When this happens it is time to change quadrants.

With 4 quadrants in the mouth, (bottom right and left, along with upper right and left) you should spend 30 seconds on each during the 2 minute cycle.

Box contents in either of these brushes is fairly limited in comparison to more premium brushes like the Pro 6000, but included is what you need.

Where the Pro 650 may appeal to some a little more is the inclusion of a travel case or tube of toothpaste.  The actual contents depends on the retailer.  Most common now is the tube of paste.

If you are always on the move with overnight stays or travelling from place to place the hard plastic case provides a home for the brush and the brush heads (up to 2) and stops either coming to harm.

Whether you want or need this is personal. Some will just throw the brush into a wash bag or you can always pick up a travel case at a later date, although it will be more expensive.

It is important to try and protect the brush head a little from damage as these are what do the cleaning and damaged bristles can actually cause more damage than you think.

The paste provided does vary depending on the variant you pick up.  Buy the variant with the 3D White brush head and you get a whitening toothpaste.  Buy the option with a sensitive brush head and you get an enamel repairing toothpaste.

Where these two brushes also vary is cost. If you share the brush handle with others such as family members it can bring the cost of ownership down.

At the time of writing and based on one user, the cost of the Pro 600 is 5p per day over 3 years compared to the 6p of the Pro 650.

Prices are always changing so this is only a guide. Generally speaking you can pick the Pro 650 up for £35 and the Pro 600 from £25-35.

There are of course many similarities between these two brushes and both have some design and features I have not touched upon yet, but I believe are worth noting.

The physical size and weight of the two brushes are the same. Both measure in at (with brush head) 23 x 2.5 x 3 cm and weighs 130g.

Both have the coloured rubber grip that runs down the front of the brush handle and a power button that is accented in white. Grips above and below the button are present and the rear of the brush handle is a gloss white plastic with hard plastic grips.

The lower third of the brush handle is where you will find the battery status and charging icon. The battery icon will run from green to orange to red as the battery depletes and when charging the battery and charger icon will slowly flash green.

When purchased brand new, both come in the box with a charging stand that has a 2 pin connector that attaches to a shaver socket in a bathroom. If you do not have one, you can purchase an adapter to allow you to connect it to a conventional 3 pin UK mains socket.

The built in battery is rechargeable and will last for approximately 28 minutes or 7 days, based on one user.

To charge the brush, pop it on the stand and leave it typically 8-12 hours for a full charge. The brush can be left on the charger even if the battery is not depleted, it will not do any damage; although it is recommended to discharge the battery fully every 6 months.

As standard both come with a 2 year warranty, this can be extended to 3 years, if you register the brush online.

A feature that is not really marketed, but exists, is something called sound connectivity. You may see this more with the Pro 650 marketing than any other.

By no means the most reliable option is works on the basis of an app on your iOS or Android smartphone using the built in mics to listen for the sound of the brush running.

When it hears this it will provide an onscreen timer and log your cleaning schedule.

All this based on you getting your phone out when cleaning your teeth, launching the app etc and then assuming the sound pickup will be reliable, which it is often not.

It is a novel feature if you can see your cleaning records, but the Bluetooth option found on the Pro 5000, 6000 or 6500 is more reliable.

Does one clean better than the other?

No. Both have the same cleaning mode and technology and do a great job of cleaning.  Different brush heads may have some small benefits and improvements for different users, but there is no difference between the actual brush handles and the clean they deliver.

Is one better priced than the other?

Generally speaking, the Pro 600 is the cheaper of the two, but it depends on what deals are running at the time. When you come to buy, check the price of the Pro 650 as well -- if one is much cheaper than the other then go for that one.

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.