Oral-B Pro 1000 vs Philips Sonicare 4100
Over three years, with heads at each maker's own pack price, the Oral-B Pro 1000 costs about $100 to the Philips Sonicare 4100's $123. Both have pressure sensors, signalled differently: pressure sensor (signal not described) on the Oral-B Pro 1000, pressure sensor (vibration or sound) on the Philips Sonicare 4100. The Oral-B Pro 1000 has an ADA Seal listing; none was found for the Philips Sonicare 4100. They also move differently: see the oscillating-versus-sonic explainer for what the evidence does and doesn't say about that. Every other published figure for both is in the table, with the rows where they differ tinted.
Oral-B
Oral-B Pro 1000
~$50
Oral-B's long-running entry rechargeable is still on sale, now badged Gum Care and shipped with two heads.
Best for: A low running cost on a round-head brush
Philips Sonicare
Philips Sonicare 4100
~$50
Philips' long-selling 4100 pairs a pressure sensor with two intensity levels and a BrushSync reminder that lights up when the head is due.
Best for: The classic budget Sonicare with a replacement reminder
| Specification | Oral-B Pro 1000 | Philips Sonicare 4100 |
|---|---|---|
| Approx. price | ~$50 | ~$50 |
| 3-year cost | ~$100 ($50 handle + 10 heads at $5) | ~$123 ($50 handle + 11 heads at $6.66) |
| Type | Oscillating-rotating | Sonic |
| Motion | Oscillating-rotating (round head) | Sonic (vibrating head) |
| Motor | 3D cleaning action | not published |
| Pressure sensor | Pressure sensor (signal not described): Oral-B lists a pressure sensor among the features without describing how it signals | Pressure sensor (vibration or sound): Vibrates the handle and makes a pulsing sound as a reminder to ease off |
| ADA Seal | Listed: Oral-B Oscillating-Rotating-Pulsating (model list includes Oral-B Pro 1000) | No listing found |
| Timer | 2-minute timer | 2-minute timer |
| Quadrant pacer | Yes, every 30 seconds | Yes, every 30 seconds |
| Modes | 1 | 1: Clean |
| Intensities | not published | 2 |
| Screen | None | None |
| App | not published | No |
| Battery | not published | 14-day battery (Philips spec: operating time 14 days) |
| Charging | charging stand | not published |
| Travel case | No | No |
| Heads in the box | 2 | 1 |
| Head family | Oral-B round click-on (non-iO) | Sonicare click-on |
| Head compatibility | Takes every Oral-B rechargeable head except iO and Sonic (CrossAction, FlossAction, Precision Clean, 3D White, Sensitive Gum Care and others) | Any Philips Sonicare click-on head (C1 SimplyClean, C2, C3, G3, A3, W); not Philips One heads |
| Price per head | $5 (Oral-B Daily Clean 8-count, $39.99 on oralb.com) | $6.66 (Sonicare SimplyClean 6-pack (HX6016/77), $39.96 on usa.philips.com) |
| Replace heads every | 3 months (maker) | 3 months (maker) |
| Warranty | 2 years | 2 years |
| First listed | not published | 2021 |
Oral-B Pro 1000: what it gives up
- One mode only, where the $60 iO3 has three
- Oral-B does not say how the pressure sensor signals
- No travel case, app or battery figure on Oral-B's page; the $65 iO2 at least publishes four weeks
Philips Sonicare 4100: what it gives up
- One mode, no travel case and no app, the same bare kit as the $40 3100
- No speed figure published for this CTN
- Two different handles are sold under the 4100 name, which makes spares shopping confusing
Full pages: Oral-B Pro 1000 · Philips Sonicare 4100