With all of the many different electric toothbrushes that are currently on the market, it can be difficult deciding which series is right for your needs. For that reason, today we will be taking an up close, comparative look at the Philips Sonicare HealthyWhite+ and the Sonicare FlexCare family to see which of these impressive series might be right for you.
In terms of market segmentation, both the HealthyWhite+ and the FlexCare and are on mid to upper end of the spectrum in terms of technology, features, and price.
Products Overview
The HealthyWhite+ (HX8911/02) consists of quality brushes that, while not as sophisticated as a lot of the brushes that are currently on the market, still provide enough power, modes, and features to give their users the ability to get a good, comprehensive clean.
Ultimately, this handle is going to be a little bit different than the last. However, if you shop from the HealthyWhite+ series you can expect to encounter brushes that specialize in stain removal and plaque removal, and overall whitening (Whitens up to 2 shades in 2 weeks).
There are 2 colors of the Sonicare HealthyWhite+, including white and iridescent. It also offers a special edition called “Tonguecare Plus Kit” (HX8918/10) which allows you to clean the entire tongue and step away from the bad breath bacteria with the extra TongueCare+ brush head and BreathRx tongue spray.
The HealthyWhite+ lines are rich in features that benefit the overall application of the brush—incorporating useful attributes such as 2 multiple modes and 3 intensities settings of use, but unfortunately, they do fall short in terms of some of the technologies that have become prominent in the world of electric toothbrushes. For example, it is not utilizing the Bluetooth or App support.
Meanwhile, the FlexCare is one of the most famous series of Philips Sonicare and it has formed a complete subdivision of its product line (From middle to high-end). This family features many of the same attributes as that of the HealthyWhite+ series, but it incorporates a few new technologies in as well, such as more brushing modes and the advanced timer and that makes it a slightly more advanced option.
At present, it provides 4 models in the market.
- Sonicare FlexCare (HX6974/76)
- Sonicare FlexCare + (HX6921/04)
- Sonicare FlexCare Platinum (HX9111/12)
- Sonicare FlexCare Platinum Connected (HX9192/01)
The FlexCare (HX6974/76) is a family suite, it has 2 sets of brush handles, brush heads and deluxe travel cases respectively.
The FlexCare Platinum Connected (HX9192/01) is the most powerful brush in the FlexCare family, its handle even benefits from the Bluetooth and Sonicare App connectivity, placing it in the category of “Smart Handle”.
The FlexCare Platinum Connected also provides the UV sanitizer kit (HX9192/02), which helps kill up to 99% of bacteria on your toothbrush heads.
As a result of the increased features, the FlexCare family is a higher end line that generally falls under the higher end of the price spectrum.
Appearance and Designing
In terms of overall design concept you are getting fairly standard handles all across the board, Philips called it “Slim ergonomic design”.
The HealthyWhite+ features an all-white handle and brush head combo that contributes to a common though attractive design. The faceplate is as simple as the rest of the handle, featuring only 2 buttons: one to turn the brush on, and the other to sift through the various modes of use. The LED areas show you the brushing modes, intensities settings, and battery status.
The FlexCare series is ultimately fairly similar though it does distinguish itself in several ways.
The Sonicare FlexCare+ and FlexCare Platinum both feature the same white body and brush head, but their faceplate is slightly different—featuring a grayish blue tint that makes it stand out from the rest of the handle. Additionally, the faceplate also features the LED to present the names of the different modes, battery status and intensities settings of use on it.
The Flexcare handle represents the biggest departure from the typical designs that we have seen in the other models. It looks more suited to ergonomic design ideas in terms of size and shape; the handle comes in black rather than in all white. Like the other Flexcare brushes, the faceplate includes the names of the different modes and batter lights of use as well.
Common features of HealthyWhite Plus and Sonicare FlexCare Family
- High efficiency: Efficiency is the biggest selling point of an electric toothbrush, and every single handle in both lines excels at it. With any of these brushes, you are going to get enough power to remove up to 7 times more plaque/bacteria at 31,000 stroke per minute and significantly improve your gum health than a standard manual brush. With that sort of efficiency, you are going to enjoy a significant upgrade to your brushing habits regardless of which handle you choose.
- Useful pacer/timer: The timer/ pacer feature that is present in all of the handles in both product lines offer an excellent but very simple way to maximize the efficiency of your brushing. The timer serves to ensure that you brush your teeth for the dentist recommended 2 minutes while the pacer vibrates every 30 seconds to gently remind you to attend to every area of your mouth. These are ultimately fairly simple components of these handles that indeed feature many electric handles utilize, but they nevertheless will greatly improve your oral hygiene if you decide to utilize them.
Key Difference between HealthyWhite Plus and Sonicare FlexCare Family
As mentioned earlier, these two lines of brushes are in many ways similar. However, it is the ways in which they are different than you will ultimately look towards to make your final buying decision. That being the case, here are a few of the things that distinguishes these brushes from one another.
- One of the first things that you will probably notice is the difference in brushing models and settings that are available. While each individual handle in either line has its own unique attributes, you will, in general, find that the Flexcare brushes have more settings than the HealthyWhite+ line. For example, the Flexcare+ features 5 settings, (Clean, Gum Care, Refresh, Sensitive, and Massage), while the HealthyWhite+ features only 3 settings (Clean, Sensitive, and White). The user that likes to experiment with features is sure to appreciate the extra settings, though more casual users may be perfectly happy with a more basic set of modes.
- The second biggest difference between these two lines, however, is the inclusion of App support and Bluetooth technology in the FlexCare Platinum Connected. At this point in time, Bluetooth support is something of a staple in the world of high-end electric toothbrushes, so it is nice to see that at least one of these handles is utilizing it.
Bluetooth connectivity and App support, if properly utilized, provide users with lots of data on their brushing habits to help ensure that they get the most out of their teeth cleanings. In the specific case of the Platinum Connected, the App support will provide you with a detailed look at your mouth to help ensure that you are brushing everywhere that you need to. It also features a location sensor that will highlight the areas of the mouth that you miss as you brush so that you can give them a touch-up. In this case, the app support is going to provide you with essentially a 3D mouth map of your mouth that informs when there are areas you have missed your brushing.
Additionally, the App also tracks the efficiency of your brush head via the scrubbing sensor, so that you know when it is time to sway it out for a fresh one.
For the user that is willing to actually commit to using the app technology, it really can make a big difference in the overall health of their mouth.If you are a smartphone user, you can definitely benefit a great deal from using the App, the information and support provided by the app make improving your oral hygiene regiment easy and fun.
- Furthur more, the Flexcare Platinum Connected also benefits from an advanced pressure sensor that will light up when you brush too hard. You will also see the alarm in the App interface. It is a great feature that will help ensure you harness the power of your electric handle in a way that is only beneficial to your oral hygiene. The same impressive power that makes electric toothbrushes so powerful also can make them dangerous to your gums. That being the case, it is nice to see a feature built in that helps ensure you brush safely. When you brush too had with the Platinum brush, it will gently notify you to scale back a little bit by lighting up.
- The last important difference comes in the form of the travel case. While every brush in either line comes with a traveling case, the FlexCare features what the manufacturers describe as a “deluxe carrying case” (The same latest model offers in DiamondClean series). The distinction between the deluxe case and their standard travel carrier is fairly insubstantial in terms of application: both cases function the same way, allowing you to carry everything you need with you on the road. The deluxe case, however, is also designed with style in mind (For example, you can leave the traditional charger at home and charging you brush handle via the USB port in the carrying case during your travelling), so if it’s important to you that your electric toothbrush looks good as you take it on the road, the Flexcare may be something to consider.
Fancy accessories are no reason to buy a toothbrush, but they certainly do sweeten the pot a little bit when they are included with a unit that you were already interested in. While the deluxe carrying case should not make you buy the brush, it is definitely a nice little bonus for if you decide that is the handle for you. While the case functions the same way as any other travel case, it will help make sure that you are stylish as you travel.
Conclusions and Suggestions
Which of these series is right for you? Naturally, the answer to that question is ultimately going to depend on a lot of factors, but it really comes down to identifying what is important to you. In the ways that matter the most, both of these lines of brushes share a lot in common. They are powerful, versatile, and highly efficient. They even happen to be pretty similar in price.
Because of the fact that the FlexCare family features a few more bells and whistles, you may often find that it is priced a little bit higher than the HealthyWhite+ line. If the extra tech is important to you, you might not mind paying a little bit more money to get it. In this case, I will recommend the FlexCare (HX6974/76), This model has a novel design and rich in accessories, and has a high price ratio for family users.
On the other hand, many toothbrush manufacturers have integrated Bluetooth connectivity as a more standard component of their brushes, which is convenient for the fact that it allows you to choose from a number of different handles even if you want Bluetooth and App support. In the instance of these handles, you are going to have to settle on the Flexcare Platinum Connected (HX9192/01) if you want to enjoy Bluetooth connectivity, which is going to be a big turn off for shoppers that don’t want to spend that much money on their toothbrush.
In other words, if you want to enjoy a completion Sonicare App support, and also willing to pay a little bit more budget for it, you may be able to find the latest flagship option – Sonicare DimondClean Smart series.
If on the other hand, all you are looking for is a simple electric toothbrush that increases your ability to remove stains and plaque, you might find that the HealthyWhite+ (HX8911/02) is a more affordable way to get exactly what you are looking for.
Ultimately, no matter what you choose, you are still going to get a great handle that vastly improves the capabilities of your standard manual toothbrush. In order to make your ultimate decision, simply do your research, inventory your needs, and identify the handle that most meets them. You will be glad you did when your next trip to the Dentist’s office is free of stress!
