Others say...

"best hygeine product out there"
if you're going to splurge on a oral hygeine product, this is the one!

my dentist reminded me that with this, you are not supposed to "brush", you simply let the brush head do it for you. many people make the mistake of brushing while using this and sometimes they do it so hard, it causes gum damage.

you will feel results after one use--your teeth will feel slicker! conversely, if you travel and forget to bring it, you will notice the fuzz growing on your teeth.

I have a fear of dentists and I didn't go for 4 years. I finally went and NO CAVITIES! Use this and floss regularly, you're set!

"You get your monies worth with this one. "
I must have tried at least six or seven different brands of electric brushers of teeth and this one beats the others hands down. I was quite unhappy with the Oral-B as it just did not have the zip and zoom as this Sonicare Elite e9500 has. The battery last for just about forever. I feel my teeth are in much better condition since I started using this product. I have to admit that I have four of them, one in each of my bathrooms and they are worth ever penny.

"Daughter delighted with her Sonicare Elite birthday gift"
My wife and I have been using the Sonicare system and really believe in their effectiveness. It was a no brainer gift idea when my daughter hinted she would love to get one someday. Her birthday was coming up and I usually like to give gifts that can be used frequently. Pricing on Amazon was great and so was the free shipping. My daughter is estatic with the Sonicare Elite e9500 and is now a believer. Best dental care investment you can make.

" Great toothbrush with some minor flaws"
My gum health has improved and my teeth are cleaner after using this toothbrush. I have owned it for just over a year now, using it twice a day.

I use the 2-minute Smartimer (actually, I use the 2 minute 30 second timer option so that I can brush the top of my molars) and the 30-second Quadpacer interval timer.

The charge last for many days, which is handy for taking it on vacations if you don't want to take the charger along (although it is very small).

I like the way the toothbrush puts you through a start-up procedure when you start using the toothbrush. It will slowly increase the speed of the vibration over the first few days until it reaches full vibration power. Full power right at the start would be too much. Consequently, my teeth didn't really feel clean until it finally got to the final full power stage - just a warning for you.

The flaws that I found, which will probably still not prevent me from buying the same unit when this one breaks, are as follows:

- Replacement brush heads are expensive. I know, they are supposed to last three months, but still paying a total of $56 for a set of two regular heads and two compact heads every six months puts a dent in my wallet.

- The first button (the one you use to turn it on and off) partially caved in after a few months, as another reviewer noted. This hasn't caused me a problem but makes me a little worried when I periodically go to clean the gunk out in holder under the faucet.

- The heads last three months because I believe they would be classified as "medium" or "hard". I was told in the past to use only soft brushes, which is why my manual toothbrushes wouldn't last very long - at least they were cheap to replace. Since my periodontist hygienist recommended this product and my gums have not been damaged, I suppose the stiffer bristles are okay.

- After using the brush head a month or so it will take firmer tightening to put it on the holder without having it make a vibrating loose sound. This may only be a problem for me because I use the standard head for the main brushing, and then switch to the compact head to brush behind my rear molars. So, I change heads a lot.

"What a pleasant difference!"
My dentist recommended a Sonicare toothbrush to me as a way to keep my teeth as clean as possible between 6 month checkups. What a difference this toothbrush makes! I used to spend at least 10 minutes meticulously brushing my teeth with a regular toothbrush, but still had plaque build-up in certain areas. With the Sonicare, I've been able to reduce my brushing time to 2 minutes (using the built-in timing program of the Elite e9500), and yet have a much cleaner mouth than before. Even my wife has commented on how quickly I'm finished with my night-time routine. I initially tried to use the Sonicare in a similar fashion to a regular brush, but ended up with some abrasions on my gum - yes, you CAN get too much of a good thing. :) At that point, I decided to trust the built-in timing program, and use it as a guide. I'm still amazed at how well it works. I've also found I use much less toothpaste due to the smaller 'regular' head. I haven't tried the compact head, since the regular head is smallish, but the regular head provides just enough coverage.

After having read others complain about battery life and keeping the Sonicare clean, I've made sure to only put the unit in the charger when needed (about every 2-3 weeks or so), and I keep it angled up slightly so I don't get toothpaste down the handle (easily prevented). I only use it once a day (using my regular brush in the morning), and find that's more than enough to keep that 'fresh from the dentist' feeling.