Oral-B Model S-200 Sonic Complete Rechargeable Power Toothbrush
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Customer Reviews of Oral-B Model S-200 Sonic Complete Rechargeable Power Toothbrush
Customer Review: Excellent value and performance
Summary: 5 Stars
I have previously used two Sonicare models, the Advance and the Elite, and while they worked fine they were both frustratingly hard to keep clean so I ended up buying a Braun Oral-B Sonic Complete S-200 kit at Target. I paid around $60 for it. I've had it for almost 3 years I think and can't say enough good things about the product. Its performance is similarly as good as the Sonicare models but it has them beat by far both in cost and ease of keeping clean. The design is so much better in that the small brushhead stalk easily removes/pops out from the body for easy rinsing and storage if need be, and the body can be gently rinsed under the tap and wiped down- it seems to be pretty well sealed and I've been rinsing it off every day for almost 3 years. Compare this to the Sonicare. Those models combine the brushhead and a plastic cap that screws into the handle/body and both brushhead and body aren't sealed well at all from water and gunk getting into crevices and such. Sure you can replace the heads every 3 months or so but in the meanwhile when (not if) gunk and moisture finds its way into the many hard to get at places in the unit (it's not designed to be taken apart) eventually mildew and rot starts building up inside. Yuck.
When I first bought the Sonic I emailed Braun asking if it was sealed from moisture (it sure appeared to be) because the manual recommended rinsing the brushhead but just wiping clean the handle/body. There appeared to be an o-ring at the top of the body where the small metal rod that the brushhead attaches to comes out of, and Braun support told me the unit was water-sealed. I just lightly rinse the top end of the body/handle and wipe the entire unit dry after each use. I certainly wouldn't take a chance and ever submerge the brush/body/motor unit under water but like I said I've been using the brush for a few years and it still works great.
The kit I bought at Target included a nice storage tower/charger base for 3 brushheads, and my model doesn't include the massage feature (big deal). Apparently others have said that now the storage tower isn't included with models other than the more expensive S-320. Anyway, the S-200 is a great value and performer and don't let a lack of a storage tower be a deal breaker. I've been extremely happy with this product. One reviewer mentioned it was built in Germany in case that would be an issue I guess- which had me scratching my head, who cares. If anything it's nice to see a product available from somewhere else besides China.
Customer Review: it's good, but...
Summary: 4 Stars
as far as electric toothbrushes go, this is a good deal. don't bother with those really cheap ones they have now (like the spinbrush, etc.)
i tried a friend's new sonicare (the kind that squeezes out crest liquid toothpaste through the brush) and i liked it better. it just seemed faster to me and possibly a better clean, though i didn't care for the liquid toothpaste thing. so i got this one to save money.
the good - it's simple. put the toothpaste on and go. only 2 settings - regular and sensitive. you shouldn't need sensitive unless you're brushing your tongue. the charger is simple and perfect. the brushes change color to indicate use. when the color is halfway gone, you buy new brushes. simple and perfect. i hate stupid gimmicks! which brings me to..
bad - i hate the stupid quadrant timer. i've been brushing since i was a child, you think i need my toothbrush telling me how long to brush????? there's no "off" button to turn this feature off. so every 30 seconds the toothbrush stops working for a second and vibrates. useless and annoying to me. then after 2 minutes it vibrates 4 times to tell me to stop brushing, because i'm too stupid to make my own decisions. look, if i want to brush for 2 1/2 or 3 minutes, is that a crime?? leave me alone, toothbrush! i know when i'm done!
good - cleans pretty well, though not as good as the radius toothbrush (this is an angled brush with a huge head and a lot of bristles). the head can reach around to those "hard to reach" places. it does not require much pressure to brush. it doesn't require using a lot of toothpaste.
bad - the head is too small, therefore it takes longer to brush than i care for.
summary - 3 stars. i prefer it to a normal-sized manual brush but not the radius toothbrush. just because something is electric doesn't make it better, just like electric razors are not necessarily any better, and often much worse, than a manual razor. the radius is a whole new world of brushing - it feels weird at first but you get used to it. it's fast and highly effective. just my opinion, i say go for a sonicare if you want an electric and can afford one, but if you want an electric and are looking to save money, this is a reliable product.
Customer Review: better hope it never goes wrong!
Summary: 2 Stars
I purchased 3 of these toothbrushes for my family in June 2006. The toothbrush does a very thorough cleaning and leaves your mouth with a 'fresh-from-the-dentist' feel. Also the two minute timer is very useful for children as a way to encourage longer brushing. Dentist commented at 6 month check up that our teeth all looked well cared for! BUT one toothbrush simply stopped working in Jan 2007 - this was certainly annoying for a product only in use for 7 months but it was still under guarantee so I packaged it off to a service centre per Braun 1-800 number instructions. Never heard anything for weeks and finally called the service centre. They had been unable to repair - (thanks for the follow up call, not!) - and had advised Braun. Called Braun and they said they would send out a replacement shortly. Well, this became the longest journey from NJ warehouse to my DC address ever! Took 3 months and 5 phone calls on my part. On one occasion, I explained to customer service people that I was still waiting for the toothbrush. I had followed the Federal Express tracking number but Federal Express had been unable to deliver as the address was incomplete. They had returned the toothbrush to Braun. The Braun customer service agent asked me curtly "why do you blame Braun for that?" Not once in any of the 5 phone calls to Braun did anyone offer an apology for the situation and the ridiculously long amount of time I was without a toothbrush. Customer service - zero stars. toothbrush - 4 stars. I went down the middle and awarded it 2 stars/.Customer Review: Not idiot proof...
Summary: 3 Stars
I used it for 3 days, and the battery's charge depleted. I examined the base of the brush and the recharging stand, but both were plastic. I didn't see how plastic would conduct electricity and allow for any sort of charge to occurr. So I examined the charger, and at the bottom of it, there was an illustration.
The illustration shows how to remove the base and the inner parts/battery.
DO NOT DO THIS.
I quickly realized that I could not put the parts back into the brush. The manual states, "removing the base DESTROYS THE APPLIANCE, and VOIDS THE WARRANTY".
...So why have an illustration of this readily seen on the charger? Furthermore, this procedure is only used years in the future when the battery finally dies, and if you are inclined to dispose of the battery at a recycling center. Is it really necessary then to provide instructions for this on the charger, when it renders the appliance useless? And honestly, who reads manuals, especially for a toothbrush? How is a person supposed to know that following the illustration would destroy their toothbrush? Leave the illustration in the manual, where you have the space to include the appropriate warning.
This is just another example of a clever and ambiguous attempt to exploit the ignorance of people, to make more money. Now I have to buy another. I suppose I could try my luck with another brand, but as the saying goes, it's better to go with "the devil you know".
Customer Review: Great Toothbrush For The Blind
Summary: 5 Stars
So you've read the reviews about how this is a great toothbrush that does the job and your teeth will be clean. This review chooses to focus on the color scheme of this Oral-B unit. I chose to rate this product with five stars. If I had the option, I would specifically rate this a 4.9, less than a perfect score, solely because of the questionable color plastics chosen for this toothbrush. To start it off, the front of the handle was made aquamarine. This hideous color should not match any sane person's bathroom decor. But if that wasn't bad enough, the back of the handle is a repugnant seafoam green color. Between these varying shades of hideousness, a strip of cerulean blue flake plastic accents the toothbrush. The brush head itself has a ring of royal blue around the neck, and the back of the brush head is cornflower blue. Of course, the bristles themselves are yet another random shade of blue. In conclusion, this is a very solid product that is held back by the fact that it looks like a hodgepodge of different color plastics, none of which come anywhere near matching or aethsetically pleasing. Why can't they just make this toothbrush a simple black, white, or any solid color? I recommend this product to anyone who wants clean teeth and can't decide between the color green or blue.