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Last Updated on February 17, 2023

Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 4100 vs 5100 vs 6100 Rechargeable Toothbrush : Ultimate Comparison

Let’s face it: it’s difficult to get your teeth completely clean when you brush it the traditional way. You really need to pay attention to how you’re brushing—something you don’t need to do as much when you use an electric toothbrush like a Sonicare.

Philips Sonicare is the number one recommended electric toothbrush brand by dentists. The challenge though is that they have 3 very popular models, each with its own unique features that will help you keep your teeth healthy.

With these three toothbrushs options, you might struggle with which one to choose. Read on to find out the winner of them all as we pit them against each other.

Sonicare 4100 vs 5100 vs 6100 At A Glance

  • The Philips sonicare protective clean 4100 model only has one cleaning mode, while the other two brushes have 3 brushing modes
  • Each Philips sonicare protective clean is made to help with different dental problems: the 4100 gives you cleaner teeth, sonicare protectiveclean 5100, gum health is great, and the sonicare protectiveclean 6100 rechargeable electric toothbrush helps you sport whiter teeth
  • All have one type of brush head. They also come with long-lasting brush heads. These brushing modes include (Clean, white and gum care mode pairing). However, when it comes to the brushing mode, the clean mode and white mode works great.
  • All three includes features such as a smartimer which is set to 2 minutes, to take the guesswork out of keeping your teeth clean, a total of 2 weeks of battery life, and a brushing pacer so that you get all the nooks and crannies
  • You will receive a charger with all three toothbrushes, but you will not receive a travel case with the Philips sonicare protectiveclean 4100—this means that of course, all three are rechargeable
  • All vibrate at an acceptable level so that they don’t feel too jarring when they’re in your mouth, and they’re also all lighter and smaller than potential counterparts
  • The 5100 and 6100 offers a better gum care and whitening focussed cleanse over the 4100.
  • The sonic technology in all three of them will make sure that they’re able to perform up to 62,000 brush strokes per minute, and with the sweeping motion, makes any one of these brushes perfect for people with veneers, braces, and implants. We feel these are on par with Oral-b electric toothbrushes.

Philips sonicare protective clean 4100 Advantages

  • Pressure Sensors

Sometimes when you brush your teeth, you have to brush hard to feel like you’re really getting a deep clean. This can cause swelling in your gums. That’s why you’ll love the pressure sensors in the Philips sonicare protectiveclean 4100, which protect your gums by preventing you from applying too much pressure. The 4100 comes with an easy start technology and comes with 3 different modes and intensity settings.

If you use too much pressure, the toothbrush will change the vibration to let you know to stop. You can turn off this feature too if you feel like it’s not useful.

  • Reminders

You might forget to change your brush head, or maybe you have no idea when you should. That’s why you might benefit from the BrushSync replacement reminder, which will let you know when you should switch up the head so that you can get the best possible cleaning experience. It comes with a smarttime which is set to two minutes and the battery life can run up to 2 weeks or 14 days.

  • Plaque Removal

The Philips sonicare protectiveclean 4100 is made to give you cleaner teeth. It does this by removing 7 times more plaque than comparable options with the sonic technology, so if you want to get your teeth cleaner, this really is one of the best options for you. They also come with long-lasting brush heads. The 4100 models come with a C2 optimal plaque control brush head.

Philips sonicare protectiveclean 4100 Disadvantages

  • Noise

Admittedly, this Sonicare was a little intense. The vibrations were loud, and due to the pressure were sometimes painful for the gums. If you have gums that are a little more sensitive, you may not want to use this toothbrush.

  • Durability

The issue with the Philips sonicare protectiveclean 4100 is that it may be an electric toothbrush, but it doesn’t last all that much longer than a manual toothbrush. This means that you will need to buy another one at about the same time when you would normally buy another manual option even though you’re paying for that powerful lithium-ion battery. It does not come with a travel case.

  • Modes

You only have one cleaning mode with the Philips sonicare protectiveclean 4100. It will work with all of the features, but you will not have as much flexibility to adjust the toothbrush to suit your needs.

What’s The Difference Between Them?

Phillips has always had high-quality electronic toothbrushes, especially with their series of Sonicare toothbrushes. One of the main overall differences between the Philips sonicare protectiveclean 4100, 5100, and philips sonicare protectiveclean 6100 is the key features they provide, including the modes of cleaning.

We will be comparing that, as well as many other distinguishing factors between the three Sonicare models.

 Modes of Cleaning

When we compare the sonicare 4100 vs 5100 vs 6100, the Sonicare 4100 has one single cleaning mode for the purpose of controlling plaque buildup. Since it is capable of removing seven times more plaque than a regular toothbrush, dental professionals highly recommend it. They also come with long-lasting brush heads. These include (Clean, white and gum care).

This rechargeable elctric toothbrush even has pressure sensors that will prevent you from using too much pressure while brushing your teeth. This will protect your  gums and teeth from excessive damage. They also feature a G2 optimal gum care brush head. The 5100 also comes with a travel case.

When we compare the sonicare 4100 vs 5100 vs 6100, the Philips sonicare protectiveclean 5100 has 3 different cleaning modes, 1 cleaning mode  for the purposes of teeth cleaning, whitening, and gum protection. Its main focus, however, is gum protection and the 100% oral health improvement in comparison to manual toothbrushes.

This rechargeable elctric toothbrush also has a pressure sensor that will protect your gums and teeth from getting damaged from exerting too much pressure, and it will simultaneously work wonders for improving the overall health of your gums.

When we compare the sonicare protectiveclean 4100 vs 5100 vs 6100, the Sonicare 6100 also has three different high quality modes of cleaning: clean mode, white teeth mode, and gum care mode. It specializes in teeth whitening, and can help your teeth become much whiter within a week of use. The 6100 comes with mode of 3 intensities.

All three modes of this electric toothbrush can be adjusted between low, medium, and high intensities so you can have your own personal level of cleaning. Like the other two toothbrushes, this one also has a pressure sensor to help you know when you are putting too much pressure onto your gums and teeth.

When we compare the sonicare protectiveclean 4100 vs 5100 vs 6100, the cleaning modes of all three products are useful for all of the different purposes they serve, and all three also have pressure sensors. The 4100 provides protection against plaque, the Philips sonicare protectiveclean 5100 improves your gum health, and the 6100 specializes in teeth whitening. The 6100 comes with a travel case, unlike the 4100 sonicare which does not come with a travel case.

Verdict: If you are looking for a toothbrush with more advanced cleaning modes, you may want to go with the 6100. Not only does it have three high quality cleaning modes, it also has different intensity levels to choose from to adjust based on how sensitive your gums and teeth are.

Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 6100 Rechargeable Electric Power Toothbrush, Pink, HX6876/21

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Battery Life

When we compare the sonicare protectiveclean 4100 vs 5100 vs 6100, the Philips sonicare protectiveclean 4100, 5100, and 6100 all have lithium ion batteries that provide all three toothbrushes with impressive battery performance. All three toothbrushes have two weeks of battery life, with an LED indicator that shows you how much battery life you have left.

A long battery life and a portable charger will be excellent for vacations or long trips since you will not have to worry about constantly recharging your toothbrush’s battery. All three models also have a dual charging battery that can be charged anywhere in the world with a proper plug adapter.

Verdict: All three Sonicare electric toothbrush models are equal when it comes to battery life and the overall quality of their batteries.

The lithium ion batteries that are fitted into them are capable of holding up to two weeks of uninterrupted battery life, which is shown by their LED indicator that tells you when you need to charge them.

With a plug adapter that fits each model, you will be able to charge your toothbrush anywhere you go.

Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 5100 Gum Health, Rechargeable Electric Power Toothbrush, Black,...

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Sensitivity

Not every electronic toothbrush will be able to accommodate how sensitive your gums and teeth are. Toothbrushes that vibrate too strongly or have bristles that are too rough can cause damage to sensitive teeth and gums, which will cause you a lot of unnecessary pain.

You want to make sure that your toothbrush will not cause you more harm than good if you have to deal with constant sensitivity. All three models have a pressure sensor that will prevent you from exerting too much pressure on your toothbrush while brushing your teeth, which will prevent your teeth and gums from becoming more sensitive. The 5100 model also comes with a gum care brush head.

When we compare the sonicare protectiveclean 4100 vs 5100 vs 6100, the Sonicare 5100’s main focus is gum related problems, the vibrations that it produces can be too strong for sensitive gums to handle most of the time. If you want a toothbrush that works best for sensitive gums and teeth, invest in the Sonicare 6100.

It has different levels of intensity that will allow you to adjust to the vibration power you need, and the low intensity level will be perfect for a more sensitive mouth.

Verdict: The Sonicare 6100 is the best option out of all three models for sensitive gums and teeth. Since it has three cleaning modes and three different intensity levels, it will be a perfect fit for everyone with any level of sensitivity. The low level intensity setting will be especially good for the most sensitive users.

Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 6100 Rechargeable Electric Power Toothbrush, Pink, HX6876/21

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Design

Electronic toothbrushes should have an ergonomic design that allows you to have a nice and firm grip on the toothbrush without causing you discomfort to hold or use it.

An ergonomic design will make the toothbrushes more comfortable to use, which will be an excellent addition to your teeth cleaning experience. It also helps if the toothbrushes come in a range of your favorite colors like navy blue, black, white silver, pastel pink, etc, so you can have your own personal touch to it.

When we compare the sonicare protectiveclean 4100 vs 5100 vs 6100, all three models are designed to be sleek and smooth with a matte finish, and allows you to have a slip-free grip.

Verdict: All three models are equal when it comes to design choice. They are all slip-free, made with an ergonomic design that will enhance your teeth cleaning experience.

They also come in an exciting variety of colors; the only real difference is that the Sonicare 5100 has four color options whereas the 4100 and 6100 have five color options.

Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 4100 Rechargeable Electric Toothbrush Packaging May Vary, White, 1...

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BrushSynch Mode Pairing

BrushSynch mode pairing is a feature that tells you how long you have been using your brush head, how hard you have been using the brush, and when you will need to replace your brush head.

The light on the handle of the toothbrush will let you know when to replace your brush head. This feature will allow you to have a more effective teeth cleaning experience, which will consequently lead to healthier teeth and gums.

When we compare the sonicare 4100 vs 5100 vs 6100, the Brush-Sync feature is unique to the Sonicare 6100, which makes it a more viable option against the 4100 and 5100 if you need a clearer indication of when you need to replace your brush head.

This feature will allow your toothbrush to uphold its performance level so you can continue to be satisfied with its effectiveness. The green, yellow, and red lights will help you figure out what kind of condition your brush head is in and when you will need to replace it.

Verdict: BrushSynch mode is exclusive to the Sonicare 6100, so you may want to consider buying this toothbrush if you want this feature. You will have an easier time figuring out when you need to replace your toothbrush head in order to keep your toothbrush working effectively.

Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 6100 Rechargeable Electric Power Toothbrush, Pink, HX6876/21

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Conclusion

You have a lot of great options when it comes to choosing a Sonicare: the 4100, 5100, or 6100. Each of them are decent options on the market with their own range of features.

When we compare the sonicare protectiveclean 4100 vs 5100 vs 6100, the 4100 and 5100 have adequate features but the winner is the 6100 as it has the ultimate flexibility in modes and intensities. If you struggle with sensitive teeth, the lower intensities in the 6100 will serve you well.

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