Philips Sonicare HX6932/10 FlexCare RS930 Rechargeable Electric Toothbrush
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Customer Reviews of Philips Sonicare HX6932/10 FlexCare RS930 Rechargeable Electric Toothbrush
Customer Review: easy and effective
Summary: 5 Stars
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
I'll admit it. I'm lazy when it comes to my teeth. Sure, I brush regularly but not for very long, and certainly not following the suggested charts of up and down and side to side for two minutes or more.
That fact has sometimes bothered me, I suppose. I wonder about how much whiter my teeth could be. I wonder if maybe I'm inadvertently allowing problems to begin. But that laziness thing. It overpowers the worry and so I've gone my life with only the basics.
But something bit me, and I decided to sink my teeth into something a little bit more helpful. I love gadgets and I was hoping that just that fact might be enough to get me to pay more attention.
So I ordered the FlexCare. And I love it.
A couple of key things are important.
Is it easy to use? Absolutely. There are about five different settings but it's pretty clear which each do and why a person would use them. Also the most standard setting is default. So just turn it on and start.
Even better it reminds you how to brush. Thirty seconds in each quadrant--top front/back, bottom front/back. The brush pauses when the thirty seconds are over to remind you to move along. After two minutes it turns off. Couldn't be easier to use or to use exactly right.
This is my first electric toothbrush so I wondered how my teeth and gums would respond. No worries there. The brush has a 14 use warm-up to get to full power.
The second factor is whether it works. It absolutely does. My teeth are whiter after a week. Of course it doesn't matter if it works if it's not handy. Not only is it easy to use and works great, it comes with a handy travel pouch, and is a breeze to use regularly. I actually (embarrassed to admit this) got a little giddy this week when I remembered, "I get to brush my teeth." I want to use it. The laziness has been vanquished.
The included UV light completes the package, helping make this toothbrush consistently clean and healthy.
Not noisy at all. Easy on the mouth. Not even a little bit of splatter.
Very much worth buying. My teeth haven't been this happy with me for a long time.
Customer Review: Must be a mechanical design flaw - yet they keep replacing!
Summary: 2 Stars
Like others, I have been a Sonicare user for years and years. After owning the FlexCare for about a year, the vibration and noise got increasingly worse, and then the metal post encased in a rubber sleeve finally broke, rendering the brush head inoperable. Philips sent another. Approximately 8 months later, same thing. They shipped another. I am now about to experience the exact same thing -- the head is vibrating wildly and making horrible noise. I can tell the metal post is about to give way again. I guess I will make another support plea and see if they keep sending a new unit. My husband and I use the unit twice a day, meaning at least 4 brush head changes per day. Apparently the toothbrush cannot handle this. It's a shame, because it really is a great toothbrush when new. When I needed a new toothbrush for our cabin, I decided against the FlexCare and just purchased an Elite. Much cheaper and none of the headaches.
UPDATE: July 2, 2010 -- yes, Phillips/Sonicare did, yet again, replace the failing FlexCare that I spoke of in my initial review. Now, the 3rd (or is the 4th) unit is experiencing the exact same problem yet again -- the metal shaft seeming to come apart inside the rubber sleeve. When you go to remove the brush head, the rubber sleeve turns into Gumby and s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-s out until the head finally comes loose.
So, I go to the Phillips/Sonicare website and log in and report another failed unit; however, now there is no email support; you must call in. No problem. So today I call, and they tell me that the problem is MY fault -- that this toothbrush is not built to withstand frequent head changing. HUH? He said it's my fault, because my husband and I change out the heads each twice a day so that we can both use the toothbrush. Why, then, do they provide different colored rings for the brush heads? I thought this was so that Mom, Dad, SuzieQ and Little Johnny could all use it? Nope. He said he could send me a $15 rebate coupon if I could send him the original purchase receipt. Wow. His solution was that we each need our own FlexCare toothbrushes and not remove the heads so frequently. Great. Not a viable option when they are so expensive to begin with.
Bottom line: great toothbrush; nothing beats it, but be prepared to replace it frequently, as its lifespan is less than one year, if you intend to use it between/among more than one family member.
Customer Review: Easy to use and outstanding results!
Summary: 5 Stars
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
I have to admit that I was quite a bit skeptical about the Philips Sonicare Toothbrush. I've used electronic toothbrushes (all battery operated) in the past, and never saw a compelling difference between using them versus the traditional 'manual' toothbrush.
So, trepiditiously, I tried the Sonicare....
The device itself was easy to install (you'll have to wait two hours after initially charging the unit before you can use it). The toothbrush comes with a handy gauge that indicates its charge. Using the Sonicare was extremely easy - there's a button on the back of the toothbrush unit that you have to press in order to activate the brush. One thing I quickly learned is to not turn the toothbrush 'on' with toothpaste before putting it in your mouth - doing so will result in your toothpaste lining the base of your sink instead of your mouth.
The unit isn't overly noisy, at least to me. Brushing was easy, unobtrusive, and fairly comfortable overall. The smaller toothbrush head makes it easy to clean those hard-to-reach places - leaving my teeth and gums shiny and my breath fresh. One thing I like in particular with the Sonicare is that you do not have to apply any force while brushing. (The common cause for gums to recede is usually due to over-brushing). You simply move the toothbrush around, and the brush vibrations take care of the rest.
There are 5 brushing modes you can choose from, including one for sensitive teeth. The package also includes a travel charger and a UV sanitizer, which kills any germs which may live on your toothbrush.
For most people, this unit is overkill - but it is well thought out and works well for its intended function. I personally enjoy using mine and would recommend it without reservation.
Update: my Philips Sonicare died last week. I called Customer Service up. They sent a new one out in 3 days (with no cost to me) and provided return shipping to send the old unit back. Excellent customer service!
Customer Review: Good Improvements over Sonicare Advance (Older Model)
Summary: 4 Stars
I had been using the Sonicare Advance for the past 4 years. I see some nice improvements over that model.
- Gunk doesn't build up anymore. The Sonicare Advance toothbrush heads had a plastic skirt that was twisted on. That and the gap between the toothbrush head and the backing was a major repository of smelly toothpaste remnants. I often had to use hydrogen peroxide to dissolve the stuff. This is no longer the case with this model since there is no plastic skirt and no plastic plate behind the toothbrush head.
- Thin, long toothbrush allows for better reach. The difference here is also very noticeable. Better maneuverability in your mouth means better cleaning.
- Shaped/Curved bristles allow for better cleaning. I feel that the curved bristles here also give me better coverage on my teeth. The old Sonicare Advance one had all of the bristles lined up. The Flexcare bristles are like a modern toothbrush with contours to match my teeth.
I am very happy with the 3 improvements above. Had I known about this sooner, I would have upgraded sooner.
My only gripe (for which I am deducting a star) is the placement of the power on/off button. This is the green button that you see on the toothbrush. It's positioned to easily turn on the tooth brush since it's where your thumb would naturally rest. But this also makes it very easy to accidentally turn off when you are moving the toothbrush around and twisting your wrist. If tend to do other things when you brush your teeth, you might not notice the toothbrush turning off and will be depriving yourself of the recommended 2 minutes of brushing.
UPDATE (3/11/09): I would deduct an additional star if this were possible here. I had a nasty case of mold on the base. I hadn't used the UV sanitizer in a while, so the sanitizer door was closed for a few weeks. You really need to use a towel to dry off the toothbrush before placing it back on the base. If you don't water from the toothbrush seeps under the sanitizer door giving you a nasty mold growth that's as wide as the door. Philips should have designed the base of below where the toothbrush stands with a slope so water won't creep under the sanitizer door. Very nasty.
Customer Review: Dentist recommended this to me - I bought 2 for my house
Summary: 5 Stars
My dentist recommended this system over all others, and I can see why after using it. It feels like you just had your teeth cleaned every time you brush! Up until amazon started carrying the product you had no option but to buy it at the dentist office with their marked up price. Now, with the price cut in half, I could afford 2 of these for everyone in the house.
The sterilization chamber holds 2 brusheads of either size and angles them towards a sanitation UV lamp (254 nm) - the cycle runs 15 minutes which is sufficient to kill anything on the bristles after use. I've had my brushes over a year now and still am using the origianl lamp. You get two indications that it is working, a flashing led above which goes steady once the process is finished and the chamber has not been opened (then it goes out) - plus the philips logo lights up from the UV inside but blocks the harmful rays from escaping by flourescing in the UV glow of the lamp.
This is a good system for children, as it has reminder buzzes on when to move on to the next set of teeth, and has 5 different cycles from gentile to vigorous. My dentist recommended it to me, and I recommend it to anyone who doesnt't want to see their dentist as often!
Positives: It charges using an induction charger - meaning there are no exposed wires. A coil hides behind the charging station and a second coil is inside the toothbrush. When they are in close proximity (2") they couple energy from the AC line to the brush under charge. This is a safe method of charging and does not require cords to plug into the brush.
Negatives: The system has one li-ion battery. Once it expires, philips provides a mechanism to use a screwdriver to remove the battery before throwing away the toothbrush, thus guaranteeing you will buy another one. It would have been as easy to put a cap on the bottom allowing you to replace the expired battery at that time and then continue to use the brush electronics, which are very robust.
Of all power toothbrushes, this is the most efficient and professional. It's like comparing the new front load washing machines to yesteryear's top load models in efficiency and economics.