If you are looking for your first power toothbrush or you simply are a frugal person who wants to pay only for toothbrush features you are going to use every day, the entry-level power toothbrushes from Oral B – the Oral B 1000, 1500, or 3000 – look like a very attractive choice.
OralB 1000 and OralB 1500 seem to be very similar models. What sets them apart and is it worth to pay even more for the 3000th model?
Let’s find out and begin by checking the comparison table.
| Price | Modes | Battery Life | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low | 1 - Daily Clean | 10 days | |
| Higher | 2 - Daily Clean, Sensitive | 14 days | |
| Highest | 3 - Daily Clean, Sensitive, Gum Care | 10 days |
Quick Links
- 1 Oral B Pro 1500 vs 1000 vs 3000 Comparison Table
- 2 Oral B Pro 1000 Overview
- 3 Oral B Pro 1500 Review
- 4 OralB Pro 3000 Overview
- 5 Cleaning Modes
- 6 Brush Movements
- 7 Pressure Sensor
- 8 Connectivity
- 9 Design
- 10 Battery Type
- 11 Price
- 12 Replacement Brush Heads
- 13 Package contents
- 14 Oral B 1000 vs 3000
- 15 Oral B 1000 vs 1500
- 16 Comparison vs 500 / 2000 / 2500
- 17 Frequently Asked Questions
Oral B Pro 1500 vs 1000 vs 3000 Comparison Table
It is important to mention that I will review the models designed for the United States market.
The Oral B model range for Europe is slightly different. For example, Oral B 3000 is called Oral B 3 3000 and has different specs.
Oral B Pro 1000 Overview
This is an affordable toothbrush with a minimum set of features.
Quick Specs:
- Modes – 1 (Daily Clean)
- Movements – 20,000 pulsations/min; +8,800 oscillations/min
- Pressure Sensor – Yes
- Battery – Standard NiMH
- Colors – Black, White
You can learn more about it in my Oral B Pro 1000 review.
Oral B Pro 1500 Review
The Oral-B Pro 1500 is a next-level version of Oral-B 1000 with added second brushing mode (Sensitive mode), new Lithium-Ion battery, and faster and more powerful motor.
Quick Specs:
- Modes – 2 (Daily Clean, and Sensitive)
- Movements – 45,000 pulsations/min; +9,900 oscillations/min
- Pressure Sensor – Yes, visible
- Battery – New Lithium-Ion
- Colors – White only
It is worth mentioning that with 45,000 pulsations per minute the Oral B Pro 1500 currently is the most powerful toothbrush in the OralB product range.
Thanks to the new Lithium-Ion battery technology, the Oral B Pro 1500 battery life is almost an hour. That means you can use it 2 weeks before charging it again. It is a noticeable increase from the 11-day battery life of the Pro 1000 model.
The toothbrush features a visual pressure sensor that blinks right in front of your eyes if you press too hard.
If you are looking for an outstanding brushing performance without useless ‘features’, this model offers exceptional value for money.
TIP: The Oral-B Kids Electric Sparkle & Shine (and Star Wars) toothbrush is, in fact, the Oral B Pro 1500 model sold in a different box. Some buyers have noticed that the kid’s version is cheaper! Click here to see the Oral-B Kids electric toothbrush on Amazon!
OralB Pro 3000 Overview
This is a recently refreshed affordable model with a few extra features.
You can learn more about it in my Oral B Pro 3000 review. It is worth mentioning that this toothbrush features 3 cleaning modes and Bluetooth connectivity, but it is not as powerful as Oral B Pro 1500 reviewed above.
Quick Specs:
- Modes – 3 (Daily Clean, Sensitive, and Gum Care)
- Movements – 40,000 pulsations/min; +8,800 oscillations/min
- Pressure Sensor – Yes, visible
- Battery – Standard NiMH
- Colors – Black, White
- Connectivity – Bluetooth
Cleaning Modes
Now let’s try to understand why would you want to get a toothbrush with multiple cleaning modes.
Oral-B 1000 features only one brushing mode – the Daily Clean mode. This is the basic cleaning mode built-in all Oral B models. I am pretty sure many users of more advanced toothbrush models have in fact never used other modes except this one.
When I was researching the newer Oral B 1500 model, the specs page on the manufacturer’s website claimed that it has only one brushing mode – the Daily Clean Mode. It looks appropriate because the model name 1xxx means 1 mode.
Then I checked the product page on Amazon.com here, and noticed that several Oral B Pro 1500 users say that it has 2 modes – Daily Clean and Sensitive.
I emailed Oral B to clarify this matter. A couple of days later the customer support representative replied that the users are actually right. This brush indeed has two brushing modes. You may ask – what does the Sensitive mode do? In this mode, the motor power is reduced to 7,400 oscillations and 33,000 pulsations per minute to provide a more gentle brushing experience if you have sensitive teeth.
OralB 3000 has 3 modes – Daily Clean, Sensitive for gentle cleaning of sensitive teeth and gums, and Gum Care (replaced Whitening mode from an older version) for extra care. You have already learned about Sensitive mode from the chapter above. So what is the Gum Care mode? I was not able to find a satisfying explanation. The manufacturer says it is a massage mode to stimulate gums.
I noticed that the manufacturer has replaced the Whitening mode but the brush is still supplied with a 3D White brush head that is specifically designed to provide a whitening effect. Does the 3D White brush head work equally well with the Daily Clean mode? That’s something worth investigating if you are planning to make your teeth a couple of shades brighter.
Brush Movements
The Oral-B Pro 1500 provides more brushing power than any other Oral-B toothbrush, including Genius models. 9,900 oscillations and 45,000 pulsations per minute in the Daily Clean mode – that is the output of this model. There is no wonder that sensitive teeth can not take so much power, so the manufacturer added the Sensitive mode described above.
The Oral B 3000 provides a bit less movement at 8,800 oscillations and 40,000 pulsations per minute, and the OralB 1000 cuts the pulsation power in half providing 8,800 oscillations and 20,000 pulsations per minute.
Pressure Sensor
All 3 models have a pressure sensor built-in but it works differently.
The 1000th model has a basic pressure sensor that has been around for years. If you press too hard, the brush stops working.
The Pro 1500 and 3000 have visible pressure sensor – the red LED that blinks when you brush too hard – while the brush keeps working.
Connectivity
Only one brush from compared 3 models features Bluetooth connectivity and smartphone app. It is the OralB 3000 toothbrush.
Design
All brushes share similar designs. In fact, they are so alike that they used to share the same Quick User Manual at some point.
Battery Type
Two older models reviewed in this article, the Oral B 1000 and 3000, have the tried and tested standard NiMH batteries that last up to 10 days with a single charge. The complete charging process takes around 22 hours.
The newer Oral B Pro 1500 brush has a Lithium-Ion battery that will last 2 full weeks. It is 4 days longer than the NiMH battery. When the battery is close to empty, the motor slows down and the LED light reminds you to charge it. You will be able to use the brush a couple more times. In comparison, the brushes with NiMH keep running until the battery is dry, then the motor stops and warning flashes.
It can be a game-changer when you travel. If you use your toothbrush at home and keep it on the charger at all times, the difference is questionable.
Price
Discussing prices can be tricky as different retailers offer different prices, promotions, and delivery options.
It is safe to say that Oral B Pro 3000 is twice the price of Oral B 1000, and Oral B 1500 is somewhere in the middle.
Replacement Brush Heads
The three toothbrushes are cross-compatible with the same wide range of replacement brush heads – CrossAction, FlossAction, Precision Clean, 3D White, Sensitive Gum Care, Deep Sweep, Dual Clean to name a few.
Package contents
All packages have 1 toothbrush handle, 1 charging station, and 1 brush head – PrecisionClean for 1000 and CrossAction for 1500 model.
Oral B 3000 features more advanced corded charging station with a brush head storage box for 4 brushes
Oral B 1000 vs 3000
If you are in a hurry and want a quick update about the two Oral B’s most popular affordable toothbrushes, here are the essential differences of Oral B Pro 1000 vs 3000.
Basically, there are 3 major differences:
- 1 brushing mode vs 3 modes,
- no app vs Bluetooth connectivity and app,
- no box vs bundled brush head storage box.
As you have already realized, the OralB 1000 is the cheaper model with 1 mode and no smartphone application and Bluetooth feature.
Oral B 3000 becomes the viable option if you have sensitive teeth or gums and having Sensitive brushing mode is a must. The included brush head storage also is a nice perk, especially if more than one person will use the toothbrush.
Let’s take a look at other differences between 1000 and 3000 models.
Brush Movements
Both brushes use advanced OralB technology that is generating 8800 oscillations per minute. The difference is in a number of pulsations per minute.
The 1000th model makes 20,000 pulsations per minute, and the 3000th model makes 40,000 pulsation movements per minute.
Pressure Sensor
Both models feature a pressure sensor that prevents from brushing too hard and damaging the tooth enamel and gums. This feature works differently in both brushes.
In OralB 1000 the sensor stops the toothbrush as soon as it detects excessive pressure, so you physically can not damage the enamel. Dental health professionals should be happy!
In OralB 3000 the sensor will not stop the pulsations but only reduct the brushing speed. You will see (hopefully!) the bright red warning light flashing the toothbrush handle. If you are using the smartphone app, it will also alert you about the excessive use of force.
The long-time Oral B toothbrush owners claim that it may take a couple of weeks to get used to the brush and find the pressure balance. Then the sensor rarely gets activated.
The manufacturer suggests testing the pressure sensor regularly by applying excessive pressure for a short moment.
Connectivity
The latest generation Oral B 3000 features Bluetooth connectivity that lets it connect to your smartphone and provide assistance using Oral B app.
Design
Both brushes share similar designs but Oral B 1000 features a space-saving charger without a brush storage box.
Price
Usually, the Oral B 3000 is significantly more expensive, but Philips may offer surprise discounts to Black Friday shoppers.
Common Features
Here is a list of features both models share:
- Compatibility with all Oral B brush heads – CrossAction, FlossAction, Precision Clean, 3D White, Sensitive Gum Care, Deep Sweep, Dual Clean
- The two-minute timer lets you keep track of the brushing time, and the brush stutters every 30 seconds informing the user that is time to move to other quadrants of the mouth. These systems make sure you are brushing for 2 minutes just like all dentists recommend and spend equal time cleaning 4 zones of your mouth.
Package Contents
OralB 1000
- 1 toothbrush handle
- 1 charging station with cord
- 1 Precision Clean brush head
OralB 3000
- 1 toothbrush handle
- 1 corded charging station with a brush head storage box for 4 brushes
- 1 3D White brush head
Is it really all? Yes, it seems to me.
Which model should I get?
It depends if I want to pay a premium for the 2 extra brushing modes, brush-head box, and an application that will be fun to play with (for a while). That is really it.
If you have sensitive teeth and you need this Sensitive brushing mode, you will most probably choose the 3000 model.
If you think that you can live with only one brushing mode and have not intentions to play around with Bluetooth and smartphone app, save some money and get the OralB 1000.
If you think you need information about other toothbrushes, go to the best electric toothbrush reviews page for more details!
Oral B 1000 vs 1500
Now it is time to find the differences between OralB 1000 and its younger but more powerful cousin Oral B 1500.
So what is the difference between Oral B Pro 1000 vs 1500?
The Oral-B Pro 1500 is a more superior in all departments – it has additional Sensitive mode, it has a more powerful motor, and it features a Li-Ion battery that lasts 14 days.
Brushing Modes
In addition to the basic Daily Clean mode, the Oral B Pro 1500 has a second mode – the Sensitive mode with reduced motor power to provide more comfortable brushing.
Brush Movements
As I have already mentioned above, the Oral B 1000 generates 8800 oscillations and 20000 pulsations per minute.
The newer and more powerful motor of the 1500 model makes 9900 oscillations and 45000 pulsations per minute.
Battery Type
The newer Oral B 1500 features a Lithium-Ion battery that offers more uses between charging sessions and shorter charging time.
Conclusion
Is the extra Sensitive mode and more powerful motor sufficient arguments to pay extra? My answer – it depends on how much extra.
Comparison vs 500 / 2000 / 2500
These models I discussed in this review are often compared with other entry-level Oral B toothbrushes e.g. Oral B Pro 500, 2000, and 2500 models. I am working on an article explaining the differences between these brushes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which model is the Oral-B Kids electric toothbrush based on?
It is based on the Oral B Pro 1500 model but sold in a different box and bundled with Sensitive brush head.
How do these electric toothbrushes compare to Philips Sonicare’s cheapest models?
That is something I should investigate!
What about the Oral B Pro 2000?
This is a European model with 2 brushing modes.
I have seen the model Oral B Pro 2500 on Amazon. How does it compare with toothbrushes reviewed above?
Oral-B Pro 2 2500 also is a European model based on Oral B 2000. Basically, it is the Oral B 2000 with colored handle grip and travel case.
Both Oral-B Pro 2000 and 2500 have not been officially released in the US, but you can sometimes find them on Amazon or eBay.