Philips DiamondClean 9000 – the high-tech toothbrush (review). Philips sonicare 9000

Philips Sonicare 9900 Prestige vs DiamondClean 9000 Comparison Review

The key difference between Philips Sonicare Prestige 9900 and 9000 DiamondClean is that the Sonicare 9900 Prestige has a new technology called SEnse IQ that allows for better brushing habits by detecting the cleaning motions and pressure used during brushing, as well as monitoring brushing duration and frequency.

These sessions can be tracked through the Sonicare app while the 9000 Diamondclean only uses Bluetooth connectivity to the Sonicare app that only logs in your brushing sessions but does not really coach you to improve your cleaning technique like the 9900 does.

Philips Sonicare 9900 Prestige vs DiamondClean 9000 Design Difference:

The Philips Sonicare DiamondClean 9000 has a contemporary and stylish design that is similar to the Sonicare Prestige 9900, but it is larger in size. This is due to the extra settings that are available on the handle.

Additionally, the 9000 has a button on the lower half of the handle that allows you to select a mode and intensity level, while the 9900 requires you to use the Sonicare mobile app to make changes.

The Sonicare 9000 also has an LED on the lower half of the handle that indicates the current mode and four small bars on top of the handle that indicates the current intensity level.

The difference in the number of brush heads you get:

The DiamondClean 9000 comes with a single Premium Plaque Defence head, but Philips offers a variety of four different brush heads to meet different needs. The Prestige 9900, on the other hand, uses all-in-one brush heads, so there is no need to combine and match for various purposes. However, you can configure the brush through the mobile app if you want a different type of cleaning experience.

Glass vs USB Charger differences:

The DiamondClean 9000 comes with a stylish charger glass that plugs into a regular shaver socket, while the Prestige 9900 comes with a USB leather-effect case that looks like a small umbrella and can keep your brush safe and charged while you’re travelling. The case can hold two brush heads, but it does not have a compartment to store the charging cable.

Performance differences:

In terms of cleaning performance, the Prestige 9900 is considered to be stronger and more effective in removing tough stains and plaque compared to the DiamondClean 9000.

Which is better, Philips Sonicare 9900 or 9000?

In conclusion, both the Philips Sonicare DiamondClean 9000 and Prestige 9900 are high-end electric toothbrushes that offer advanced features and superior cleaning performance. However, the DiamondClean 9900 has superior features like the Sense IQ that can help you improve your brushing technique and habits.

Philips DiamondClean 9000 – the high-tech toothbrush (review)

The Philips DiamondClean 9000 toothbrush offers superior cleaning, and the Philips Sonicare App provides a suite of tooth care indicators.

Now, this is not a cheap toothbrush – the deluxe kit with a USB charging travel case and charging glass is 379, although there are often specials and bundles that you should look for.

But, and remember, this is only a reviewer’s opinion; for my wife and my needs, this is better than the Oral-B equivalent iO series 8 or 9.

Why? We used Oral-B for years, believing the rotating head removed more plaque than regular brushing. Philips uses a traditional toothbrush-style head that moves up and down, more in tune with conventional side-to-side brushing. Regardless, any electric toothbrush will make give you a cleaner clean.

Australian Review: Philips DiamondClean 9000 and Sonicare App

Website Product range
Price 379 for the full kit in Black or Pink Replacement brushes 2-pack 42.95
Warranty 2-years
From Harvey Norman, David Jones, Shaver Shop, Bing Lee, and major CE retailers (shop around – seen as low as 279)
Made in China
Company Philips (Est 1891) is a Dutch multinational with interests in lighting, consumer lifestyle, consumer healthcare, and commercial health equipment.
CyberShack’s Philips news and reviews

We use Fail (below expectations), Passable (meets low expectations), Pass (meets expectations), Pass (near Exceed but not class-leading) and Exceed (surpasses expectations or is the class leader) against many of the items below. You can click on most images for an enlargement.

First Impression: Well-made – Pass

It is a rechargeable electric toothbrush, and you can use it just that way. It has a range of Bluetooth (BrushSync) pressure-sensitive heads:

  • C3 for deep cleaning and plaque control (the standard head).
  • G3 for Gum care.
  • W3 for stain removal with an appropriate paste.

There are two buttons. Power on/off and Mode/Intensity that cycles through

  • Clean – normal plaque removal, 2-minute clean
  • White – surface stain removal (with a paste), 2 minutes 40 second clean
  • Gum Health – Gum massage, 3 minutes and 20 seconds clean
  • Deep Clean (the mode most use) – 3-minute clean

Intensity can also be altered 1x, 2x, and 3x. The toothbrush vibrates every 30 seconds to remind you to move on to a new tooth area.

The kit comes with a glass, powerbase and USB-A travel case. The travel case is beautifully made but takes up a fair bit of space in your travel kit. When travelling, we take one handle and two brushes.

The App – Pass

Upfront, you need to know that the Android or iOS App is useful, but we stopped using it a week or so after the review. Why? A toothbrush is a toothbrush, and this is a great one with or without the App.

  • Daily brushing sessions
  • Time spent during each brushing session
  • Applied brushing pressure
  • Brush head replacement reminder (based on actual use)

The Brushing pressure is handy as it identifies where you are too heavy-handed.

Having used this before, the Brush Head replacement notice happens at about 180 cleans or three months. This may be quite a few weeks before you need to change it. You can keep using it until you feel it is time to replace it.

Battery Life – Pass

With twice-a-day cleaning, I get about a month (Philips says 14 days). The recharge time is about four hours.

Consumer Advice: Lithium batteries have a set number of charging cycles. It is best to use this until it is ready to recharge instead of leaving it on the glass charger/base all the time.

CyberShack’s view – Philips DiamondClean 9000 is a premium toothbrush that makes a difference.

It cleans teeth very well. If that is all you want, this is for you.

Plaque is noticeably reduced, although there is no substitute for an annual clean at the Dentist.

The included USB travel charging case is a great accessory.

Rating Explanation

Features: 90 – regardless of whether you use the App, the toothbrush is fully featured, adjustable and has different heads.

Value: 80 – shop around because if you get it under 300, it gets an extra 10 points

Performance: 90 – it gives an appreciably cleaner tooth and mouth feel

Ease of Use: 90 – simple, although the App complicates that

Design: 95 – it is the Rolls Royce of electric toothbrushes

This is for an older model

Philips Sonicare Diamondclean 9000 review

Does Philips’ top-notch toothbrush warrant the hefty price tag?

A toothbrush touting some impressive cleaning performance but let down by a high price tag, which doesn’t reflect the limited feature set of the connected app.

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Philips might not be the world’s biggest and best electric toothbrush maker, but it comes close. The brand is second to Oral-B, who rules the roost, but has still managed to make a massive success of its toothbrush line through some innovative teeth-cleaning tech it calls Sonicare.

Instead of rotating and oscillating like its rival’s devices, Philips’ Sonicare toothbrushes make use of sonic technology to eliminate plaque from your gnashers by essentially vibrating brush heads that move bristles side-to-side at high speeds. This, the Dutch firm says, creates a fluid action that propels microbubbles between your teeth, giving you a deeper, clean feeling.

Coupling this with Bluetooth connectivity is the DiamondClean 9000, one of Philips’ top-of-the-range brushes that syncs with an app and gives guidance during brushing. But at just under £200, is it really worth the dosh? Let’s find out.

Philips Sonicare Diamondclean 9000: Price And Availability

The Philips DiamondClean 9000 was first released in May 2020 with an RRP of £339.99 / 475. Since that time it’s come down somewhat significantly in price, and can be picked up from Philips’ official site in black, white or pink colourways for £169.99 / 238.

The DiamondClean 9000 ships with one of Philips’ W3 Premium White brush heads, which features densely packed stain removal bristles to take away plaque and surface stains from food and drinks. These replacement brush heads, which are designed to last around three months, retail at about £29 for a pack of two (£14.50) a pop. If you like to buy in bulk, a pack of four should set you back no more than £36 (£4.50 each) if you shop around.

We should also note that the DiamondClean 9000 ships with a high-quality travel case bundled with a built-in USB charging cable and a wireless charging stand.

Philips Sonicare Diamondclean 9000: Design

The first thing that will strike you about the Sonicare DiamondClean 9000 is its super minimal and elegant design. While our pink review model does look a lot cheaper than its white or black counterparts, it still boasts a premium feel thanks to its matte finish. Conversely, this same finish won’t do you any favours if you’re a messy tooth scrubber as you might find any remnants of toothpaste can cause stains on the handle that can’t be cleaned off. This can be easily avoided, however, by simply giving the toothbrush a proper rinse after use.

There are two buttons on the DiamondClean 9000, which are fairly easy to use. The top button turns the toothbrush on as well as switches between brushing modes, of which there are four: Clean, White, Gum Health and Deep Clean. Philips says Clean mode is for everyday cleaning, White is for removing stains, Gum Health provides a gentle yet effective clean for gums and no prizes for guessing that Deep Clean is said to give you an “invigorating deep clean”. The second button acts as an intensity selector, allowing you to choose between a higher setting to boost your clean and a lower one for more sensitive mouths.

Overall, we’re big fans of the DiamondClean 9000’s design and suspect most will love to have it sitting on their bathroom sink or window sill.

Philips Sonicare Diamondclean 9000: App And Connectivity

The DiamondClean 9000 is Smart in that it’s connected to an app that you’re supposed to view on your smartphone while brushing your teeth to help you improve your teeth-cleaning experience. But unlike the apps that Oral-B’s connected toothbrushes use, which FOCUS on your technique, Philips’ app is more about organising your oral care. For example, when your toothbrush head will need replacing, setting up automatic head re-ordering, and your weekly brushing schedule and average brushing time.

It does, however, replicate what’s displayed on the toothbrush handle, too. such as battery life, mode and intensity selected. as well as displays you’ve got the time left during brushing. The latter is the most handy, as it’ll also guide you on which segments of the mouth you should be cleaning and when. and if you’re brushing too hard.

The big drawback here, especially when compared to the likes of the Oral-B Genius X or iO, is that there’s no real-time brushing feedback in Philips’ app to help you improve your technique. it acts more as a guide. Still, it proves very helpful if you’re fine with including a smartphone in yet another part of your daily routine.

Philips Sonicare Diamondclean 9000: Cleaning And Performance

In our experience, the DiamondClean 9000 boasts some really powerful cleaning. The sonic vibrations do a wonderful job cleaning your gnashers and leaving you with a fresh-feeling mouth for hours afterwards.

If you’re not using the app, you’ll appreciate that the DiamondClean 9000 has a built-in timer that will pulse every 30 seconds to encourage you to move onto the next quadrant of your teeth and turn off after two minutes.

In terms of battery life, you can expect to get 2-3 weeks of use between charges, which we think is more than decent.

Philips Sonicare Diamondclean 9000: Verdict

One of the best electric toothbrushes that will leave you with a super clean-feeling mouth, but let down by its price, which. even with app connectivity. isn’t quite justified. The connectivity doesn’t add enough to the brushing experience, in our opinion, and so it just ends up being a rather pricey electric toothbrush.

Philips has other non-connected Sonicare offerings (such as the Protectiveclean 6100 at around £100) that are cheaper and do a very similar job, but, if you want the most stylish and top-of-the-range toothbrush from Philips – this is it.

Philips Sonicare DiamondClean 9000 Review

The DiamondClean 9000 is a premium toothbrush packed with more features than you need, but able to help you take your oral care to the next level, if committed.

Use it correctly and it cleans the teeth very well.

Despite advanced technology, other brushes offer more Smart features, notably real-time tracking for similar or less money.

Pros

  • Premium design materials
  • Reminds you when to replace your brush head
  • Travel case included

Cons

  • Not a visible pressure sensor
  • No real-time brushing feedback
  • Bluetooth connectivity isn’t essential and adds to the cost

tech for less money?

The top of the line 9900 Prestige is the ultimate choice with real-time tracking to help you take corrective action immediately, but it will cost more.

If you are not brand conscious, Oral-B’s iO6 delivers top end performance and real-time tracking. But further pounds can be saved by opting for the slightly older, but still perfectly capable Genius X.

You could also consider some of the more affordable brushes ranked in our best Sonicare electric toothbrush article.

Design, usability, clean general use

The DiamondClean 9000 is very much a Sonicare product.

I know that might seem an odd comment, but what I mean is that the design, performance and approach here is as you would expect and it has everything we have seen before on other models.

The box is a typical Sonicare design with the brush featured and the key benefits called out.

Internal packaging is card, and although some plastic exits it is LDPE type 4 which is theoretically recyclable.

Whilst there is something to be said for a lack of accessories/extra value out of the box, there isn’t a great deal of waste. You get the essentials you need or could benefit from.

For the purpose of this review I have the black coloured handle, but it is available in pink as well as white and rose gold. It’s a nice array of colour options.

The brush handle itself is rounded, although not completely circular. It is a little deeper than it is wide.

Smooth to the touch, although the DiamondClean lacks any raised rubber grips, it feels premium and comfortable in hand. It is chunky enough to get a good grip on it, but not so large it feels overbearing.

Clearly of a plastic construction, the body has a matt look to it. Although smooth, the finish is not all that slippery.

It feels more design over function. If you struggle to grip onto the likes of an electric toothbrush, those brushes with more grips, like an Oral-B toothbrush are likely a better fit for you.

At the very top of the brush handle is where you attach the brush head.

1 x brush head is supplied in the box. This slides onto and off of the metal shaft that extends from inside the brush handle.

The supplied brush head is the G3 Premium Gum Care brush head, and in this instance is black in colour to match the brush handle. Although the head is a gloss black plastic compared to the matt black of the handle. All other colours come with a white brush head.

From a side-on view, you will see the head is angled slightly. This is to help with reach to the back teeth.

On the front of the brush handle itself is the Philips Sonicare logo. It sits centrally in the upper third of the handle.

Below this is the first of 2 buttons. It is the power button.

A round button with a concave design, a power icon is printed on it.

The design and placement means that the thumb does naturally fall to it but you don’t get the added texture and resistance of the rubber power button on the likes of the ExpertClean for example.

When pressed it turns the toothbrush on or off. It provides a reasonable feedback to the fingertip.

Beneath the power button are 3 vertical bars. The bars are lined up horizontally and increase in height from left to right. They are not obvious until the white backlight shines through.

These bars indicate the intensity setting for the cleaning mode being used by the toothbrush.

This intensity setting is controlled via the second and final button on the handle. That button is positioned below the intensity icons.

It too has a concave design. Marginally smaller than the power button there is no icon on it, but it offers a similar feedback to the power button.

This button serves 2 functions.

When the brush is turned off, it changes between the 4 different cleaning modes available.

You can continue to press the button to cycle through the cleaning modes.

The 4 modes are displayed below the mode/intensity button. The modes are backlight with white light.

Press this button when the brush has been powered on and the intensity of the brushing mode will be changed.

As the intensity is changed, the number of vertical bars lit above it changes also.

There are 3 settings, low, medium and high.

  • 1 white vertical bar = Low intensity setting
  • 2 white vertical bars = Medium intensity setting
  • 3 white vertical bars = High intensity setting

The more lights, the more powerful and intense the brushing sensation offered by the brush is.

You can continue to cycle through these intensities as much as you like.

Combine 3 intensities with the 4 brushing modes and you essentially have 12 different cleaning configurations.

As a consequence of the button configuration, you cannot change the cleaning mode whilst you are brushing the teeth. You need to turn the brush off or wait for the cleaning cycle to end.

When turned off the names of the cleaning modes that are on the front of the handle are almost invisible. It is only when backlit can you see them.

The same can be said for the next icon, the brush head replacement reminder.

It is a picture of a toothbrush head, with arrows on either side.

This will be lit when it is time to replace the brush head. This is part of the BrushSync technology, which I will explain shortly.

Underneath this is the battery icon.

A single bar, it’s generally lit a white colour.

The sides along with the back of the brush handle are free of any extra controls. It is all smooth touch plastic.

The DiamondClean does not have the small raised plastic nodule you sometimes see on the back of a handle. If present it would stop the brush rolling when laid flat on a countertop.

Now the DiamondClean is not so rounded that it rolls a lot. It will lay flat on a countertop, but it could easily end up leaning on the right or left side.

The base of the brush is flat. There is no recess for a prong from a charging stand to fit, because the charging stand configuration is different here.

Printed on the base is some regulatory information including model numbers.

I ultimately like the look of the handle. It feels solid, it is not that heavy and the fit and finish appear to be very good. It does lack some extra grip, whip could be useful, but for most, you can still retain a good hold on the brush, even when wet.

Built and sealed inside the brush handle is the rechargeable battery, the brush motor and the other electronic components needed to make this brush function.

Whilst the handle is water resistant, able to withstand a rinse under the tap, exposure to toothpaste, and saliva etc. The manual specifically states not to bathe or shower with it.

Sonicare produces ‘sonic’ toothbrushes. This is a type of cleaning action whereby the bristles of the brush head sweep back and forth very quickly.

At full power, the bristles achieve 31,000 brush strokes, or as Sonicare often quotes, 62,000 movements per minute.

The number of strokes and movements do vary from one cleaning mode to another and they are affected by the intensity level set.

The DiamondClean 9000 I am reviewing here has 4 cleaning modes. They are:

The different modes and the ability to change the intensity setting on any mode means you can find the perfect cleaning action and power level for you.

It is nice to have this very granular level of control.

The different modes can help achieve different oral health goals. Deep Clean helps with plaque removal. Gum health helps improve the condition of the gums.

Each mode lasts a different amount of time, in order to achieve the best results. They are not all programmed to last the standard 2 minutes.

These modes are not necessarily a make or break factor though. Don’t stretch yourself to afford this brush, just because it has a Deep Clean mode.

Have a read of my Sonicare cleaning modes post if you would like to learn more about each cleaning mode and what it is designed to do.

The DiamondClean does clean the teeth really well. I have little in the way of complaints here. After each use, my mouth felt clean and fresh. I felt like I achieved good coverage with the brush head. At no point was I disappointed.

I do personally prefer the Oral-B cleaning action and brush head size. The smaller round head feels like I can move it around the mouth with a touch more ease. The cleaning sensation feels more intense and deeper, which I prefer. That said, I know many who would take the Sonicare cleaning action over and above Oral-B.

Let me now cover some of the other essential or not so essential tech built into this brush.

An essential feature is the timer and pacer.

These help you and me brush for 2 minutes and brush the teeth evenly.

Dentists recommend, as a general rule, brushing for 2 minutes twice a day.

This is all well and good, but there is little benefit if the 2 minutes is spent brushing just the front teeth. You need to clean all surfaces of the teeth, front, back and tops, in both the upper and lower jaw.

This is where the timer and pacer come in.

Both are activated the moment the brush is turned on. The pacer kicks in via a slight pause in the motor movements, at set intervals. This pause causes a change of sound and variation in the brushing sensation. This is your cue to move from one area of the mouth to another.

Typically, it is advised to break the mouth up into 4 sections, upper right, upper left, lower right and lower left. The idea is 30 seconds are spent on each section of the mouth. After 2 minutes the result will be a fairly even clean across all teeth.

However, Sonicare has implemented this slightly differently. When using the DiamondClean 9000 the pacer has been set to 20 second intervals.

This results in 6 sections of the mouth to brush.

  • 1 – Upper right back teeth
  • 2 – Upper front teeth
  • 3 – Upper left back teeth
  • 4 – Lower left back teeth
  • 5 – Lower front teeth
  • 6 – Lower right back teeth

The 6 sections and 20 seconds intervals still result in the same brushing time, it is just a slightly different approach.

As you clean each section, you need to make sure you brush the front, back and top surfaces of the teeth.

Doing this should help ensure all teeth get an even clean and you help maintain your smile.

The timer ensures the pacer kicks in at the right points and is tied into another near feature, the automatic power off.

At the end of a cleaning mode the DiamondClean will automatically power itself off at the end of the cleaning cycle. Should you wish to brush for longer you will need to turn the brush back on again.

Because the 9000 has multiple cleaning modes and some, notably the Gum Health and Deep Clean modes you need to understand how to work with the pacer in these circumstances to achieve the best results.

The image below gives more information on the approach to use.

The DiamondClean has another handy feature built-in, a pressure sensor.

Applying too much pressure can be damaging to the teeth and gums so the sensor is there to help prevent this.

It is not a visible pressure sensor that you see on many Oral-B models. This is a shame as the light can often catch the eye, particularly if brushing in front of a mirror, like many people do.

Instead, if the handle detects too much force being used, it will reduce the power of the brush motor. This avoids doing unnecessary damage to the teeth. The brush will also change the vibrating motion felt in the hand to help alert you.

Once the pressure is relieved, the motor will return to full power and any changes in handle vibration stopped.

It is particularly useful for new electric toothbrush users who are less familiar with the pressure required when brushing.

The bristles need only really skim the surfaces of the teeth and gums, there is no need to scrub.

This pressure sensor will kick in as many times as is necessary during use. You will quite quickly learn how much pressure to apply when brushing.

Moving onto less essential but very useful tech built into the DiamondClean, we have BrushSync technology.

I have created a comprehensive guide to BrushSync, that explains in detail how it works.

In short, there are 2 key parts to the technology, both of which are enabled on the 9000.

On average you should replace a brush head every 3 months (90 days).

This is where the brush head replacement reminder comes in. The LED on the brush handle is lit when it is time to replace the head. A bold visual reminder.

However, if you frequently use excessive pressure, or use longer brushing sessions, the bristles will wear sooner. This will, in turn, mean you are alerted to replace the head sooner. The brush will intelligently alert you based on the feedback it gets.

Each head is tracked by the handle, via an radio-frequency identification (RFID) chip that is built into each brush head. So, even if you use multiple heads it alerts you only when it needs to for that specific head.

Mode pairing also uses the RFID chip to select the most appropriate mode based on the head fitted.

For example, the C3 Premium Plaque Defence brush will select the clean mode when fitted. Attach the G3 Premium Gum Care brush head and the gum health mode will be selected. This helps give the optimum clean. You can override these settings if you wish.

The final and a fairly significant piece of technology left to speak about is the Bluetooth technology that allows the brush to connect to a smartphone.

The Sonicare application required is free to use and available for Android and iOS mobile devices.

You do not have to use this technology if you don’t want to.

But, do be considerate that you are paying for such premium tech in the price. So, if you really don’t want Bluetooth, you are better off opting for a different brush.

The principle behind this connection is that the brush will share key data with the app which is then logged.

The app then provides feedback based on the data it obtains.

For example, if you brushed infrequently, with too much pressure, the app would let you know this along with helpful tips on how to achieve better standards.

The main progress screen shows the average time per session and per day. It also shows the pressure levels used.

Green icons are good. Orange icons highlight areas you need to work on.

This information is helpful for sure, particularly for new electric toothbrush users.

You are given data for the last 7 days only. It would be preferred if this data went back further, for as long as you have been using the brush. Sadly it does not. Sonicare used to offer this feature.

Within the app, it gives you details about the brush heads you have been using. It will log each one and show how many brushing sessions you have left.

You can within your profile set details about yourself. You can also get more information about your particular brush handle, as well as update the software that your brush handle is using.

A ‘tools’ section of the app allows you to shop for new products such as brush heads and add in dental information such as your next dental appointment.

You don’t have to use the app with the brush each time. The handle will retain some data and sync with the app next time you open it.

Sonicare I think have done an ok job with the app. Initial setup and configuration are straightforward and I had no issues pairing the app with the brush. That said there is room for improvement. Configurations of the app available for other models (DiamondClean Smart) offer more data. I think there is more scope for better education within the app.

An important point to note is how the implementation of this Bluetooth connection is different with the DiamondClean 9000 compared to the DiamondClean Smart or brushes from other brands like the Oral-B Genius X or iO.

Unlike these other modes, the DiamondClean 9000 does not offer real-time brushing feedback.

You can get an on-screen timer as you brush. It shows you how long you have left to brush and what area of the mouth you should be focusing on. This will alert you if brushing too hard. But this timer isn’t actually tracking the position of the brush in the mouth as you brush.

The DiamondClean essentially only transfers brushing data to the smartphone app, after the brushing is complete.

With brushes that do offer real-time tracking, sensors in the brush handle transmit data to the smartphone instantly, so you can correct brushing errors as they happen. This is usually shown on screen via clear visuals of the mouth, using colour to highlight clean and unclean areas of the mouth.

Whilst neither approach is essential, the real-time option can potentially be more useful to some. It gives a more accurate visualization of faults in the cleaning and more meaningful data on how and what to improve. There is also less delay (in theory) between detecting and resolving the issue.

What is on offer here is still useful. But, when you have used the other models as I have, you realize what you are missing.

I am being picky. But at this price point, I believe I should be. Particularly when, although marketing materials might not explicitly state real-time tracking, buyers may be led to believe this is what you get.

I suspect Sonicare could update the app and handle firmware to allow this, but I am not 100% sure.

That is all the tech in the DiamondClean covered.

As for the accessories you get in the box…

1 x G3 Premium Gum Care brush head is supplied.

This is just 1 of a range of brush heads available and compatible with the DiamondClean 9000.

My comprehensive guide to Sonicare brush heads, explains a lot of what you would want to know about the varying styles you can get.

The G3 brush head is very nice, but you might want to consider the G2 Optimal Gum Care. It lacks the rubber coating on the back of the head, but cleans just as well. It might also be a bit cheaper.

philips, diamondclean, 9000, high-tech

A charging stand is provided, more on that in the battery life section of this review.

Aside from the documentation the only other accessory is the travel case.

Travel cases are not essential, but even for the infrequent travellers, they make it nice and easy to store, transport and protect the handle and up to 2 heads.

It does not offer in the case charging. Not with the variant sold in Canada at least.

The case is either white or black in colour and is hinged on 1 side.

It is not the slimmest case, but it isn’t the most bulky either. The edges are curved to make it slightly more stylish looking and more comfortable to hold in the hand.

An extra brush head or 3 would not have gone amiss, nor would some sort of brush head storage compartment. But, I guess if these were offered these would be even less point in the DiamondClean Smart.

As standard, the brush comes with a 2 year warranty that covers faults as a result of faulty parts or workmanship, not user damage.

Summary of design, usability, clean general use

  • Stylish looking and comfortable to brush handle to use
  • Available in a variety of colours
  • No real gripping points on the handle
  • 4 cleaning modes built-in (clean, white, gum health and deep clean)
  • 3 brushing intensities
  • Dedicated cleaning mode/intensity button
  • 1 x G3 Premium Gum Care brush head provided
  • Travel case included
  • No brush head storage compartment
  • Built-in timer and pacer for an even clean
  • Brush sync technology reminds when to replace the brush head and sets the correct mode for the attached head
  • Pressure sensor built-in
  • No visual indicator to the pressure sensor
  • Cleans the teeth really well
  • Automatically powers off at the end of a cleaning cycle
  • Built-in rechargeable battery
  • Bluetooth enabled to pair with a smartphone
  • The app logs data for the last 7 days only
  • The app gives guidance on how to achieve better standards of oral health
  • No real-time brush tracking in the app
  • 2 year warranty

Battery life

As is the case with the majority of electric toothbrushes, the DiamondClean 9000 has a rechargeable battery sealed inside.

It is a Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion) battery as is the case with the vast majority of rechargeable toothbrushes today.

Sonicare have a fantastic track record of battery life on their brushes and the 9000 DiamondClean is no exception to this rule.

Personally, I feel Sonicare sell themselves short in terms of how well they perform.

The advertised battery life is 14 days.

This is the absolute minimum you would get from the brush.

In my hands-on testing, I achieved 22 days.

This is equivalent to 44 brushing sessions.

This was using ‘Deep Clean’ which is 3 minutes long. I had the intensity set to high. As I understand it, this is the most power intensive mode.

This is 8 days longer than advertised by Sonicare!

The different cleaning modes and the ability to change the cleaning intensity can all have a bearing on the total usable time you will get from the battery.

When I completed the same test using the standard ‘Clean’ mode that lasts for 2 minutes I achieved an even more impressive 33 days (4.7 weeks) from the brush. That is equivalent to 66 brushing sessions.

Had the intensity been set to low, I am sure I would have gotten a few extra sessions.

As a general rule, I expect a toothbrush to last at least 2 weeks. I see this as a bit of a benchmark as this is a common time period to go on vacation for etc. So, with the 9000 you are going to be absolutely fine.

On the handle of the DiamondClean is a battery icon. This gives some feedback on the status of the battery when in use and when being recharged.

This is one place where I think the cheaper ExpertClean is better. It has a battery icon broken into 3 sections, which gives a bit more of a gauge about the remaining battery life than the DiamondClean does, in my opinion.

When the battery power is getting low, approximately 10% or less, the battery indicator lights up an amber/yellow colour rather than the default white. You also get 3 beeps from the handle.

When the battery is completely flat the brush will beep 6 times and will not power on.

Pop the brush into the charging stand and the battery icon pulses white until the DiamondClean 9000 toothbrush is fully charged. At this point the light stops pulsing.

It takes up to 24 hours to fully charge.

This charging time is longer than most other brushes, but then the battery life is quite a bit longer. Given that you don’t always need to access it, no big deal in my mind.

Provided in the box is a charging stand.

The stand is not like most stands you get with electric brushes and is in part where the DiamondClean stands out as a more premium option.

It is made up of 2 parts, a charging base and what Sonicare calls a charging glass.

The ‘glass’ is very similar to the tumbler style glass you might have a slow/stiff drink from.

It is made from glass and sits on top of the charging base to create a unique and classy looking charger.

The brush essentially leans in the glass and does not stand perfectly upright like it would with most toothbrush chargers.

The brush is charging wirelessly and there is not physical connection to the brush.

A downside to this setup is that the countertop space it takes up is a little more than a traditional small plastic charging stand.

The colour of the base does depend on the colour of the handle you buy.

Hardwired into the base is a 100-240v power adapter. It has a 2 pin configuration, this is to be connected to the power supply.

For those who are interested, the power cable to the charging base is about 1.2 meters (4 feet) in length. And because it supports 100-240V if travelling you will require only a plug adapter and not a voltage adapter.

When placed on the charging stand, the handle will vibrate twice with 2 audible beeps to act as confirmation that the brush is now being recharged.

The accompanying smartphone application does provide some feedback on the battery status, but is hidden away in a menu. What is displayed is not a helpful percentage (%) that I hoped for. Instead, the words high, good and low. It is better than nothing for sure.

Summary of battery life

  • Built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery
  • Claimed minimum of 14 days (28 brushing sessions) of battery life
  • Achieved 22 days (44 brushing sessions) of battery life on the most intense setting
  • Achieved 33 days (66 brushing sessions) of battery life on the standard clean mode
  • Actual battery life will depend on brushing mode and intensity level
  • Can take 24 hours to fully charge
  • Charging stand/glass provided in the box
  • Charging stand made up of 2 parts
  • Charging stand supports 100-240v
  • 2 pin power adapter on charging stand.
  • Brush beeps when placed in the charging glass
  • Battery status is reported in smartphone app, but not as a percentage.

Price where to buy

I have included links to buying options here at the start of the review.

In the section below, I discuss the price more generally and in relation to similar products.

Price and what a product is worth is of course subjective.

We each have a different perception of what we might consider cheap, good value or expensive.

It is perfectly possible to get a functional electric toothbrush for under CDN 50.

Increase that budget to around CDN 80 and you will be able to get yourself a very strong performing, good quality toothbrush. At this price, it will likely have what I deem to be the essential features you need.

In essence for 50 or less anybody can acquire a more than satisfactory toothbrush, that when used correctly will if not improve, help maintain a good standard of oral health.

With this in mind, the retail price tag of CDN 249.99 for the DiamondClean 9000 seems expensive.

Is it worth the 3x premium over a regular brush? No.

Simply put, unless you really want the extra features, and can justify these to yourself, I do not advise anyone to pay this price.

With that said, if you really want a premium model, do consider the 9900 Prestige. This sits above the 9000 in the Sonicare range.

Things tend to get a little more complicated as the actual selling price of electric toothbrushes tends to be approximately 20% less than the suggested retail price.

Although it would be argued otherwise, the are over-inflated intentionally.

With this in mind, the price drops to CDN 200 with 20% knocked off the retail price. Although still a premium price, it feels a little more reasonable.

It is not impossible that there might even be a few extra dollars saved on top of this, it is subject to the retailer and the time you are purchasing. are always subject to change.

In the box, you get a single brush head, but over the lifetime of the brush, you will need to purchase more.

Whilst are always subject to change a standard toothbrush head will cost around 10 and requires replacement every 3 months.

However, the DiamondClean 9000 doesn’t use standard brush heads. It makes use of BrushSync enabled heads, which average around 13 per head.

The use of the standard heads does make ownership more cost effective, but the brush head replacement tracking and mode pairing benefits would be lost.

Assuming 1 user, replacing their brush heads every 3 months, over a 3 year period will result in an additional cost of CDN 143.

When you then add on the cost of the brush handle too, you are looking at a total cost of CDN 343 or 0.31 per day.

Pay the full retail price of 250 for the handle and the price increases to 393 or 0.36 per day.

Sonicare’s DiamondClean Smart 9700 works out on average at 0.39 per day over 3 years, whilst the 9900 Prestige comes in at 0.50 per day.

These brushes do offer more bells and whistles. But if you want something in the mid-range I encourage you to pay particular attention to the Sonicare ExpertClean 7300.

The ownership cost is a lot less and you retain the majority of benefits you get with the DiamondClean. The daily cost is approximately 0.25.

Or you have Oral-B’s Genius X or iO6 as options too.

Please note that all quoted are approximates and will vary based on location, supplier and time of purchase. These figures were correct at the time of writing and should not be relied upon as hard fact, but used as a guide during your decision process.

Summary of price where to buy

  • List of buying options included here
  • A retail price of CDN 249.99
  • The typical selling price is usually 20% less than retail.
  • An average sale price expected to be around CDN 200
  • Replacement brush heads cost approximately 13 each.
  • Ownership works out at 0.31 per day over 3 years.

Reliability long term use

Whilst the reliability of Sonicare toothbrushes, on the whole, is very good, the original DiamondClean did appear to have some reliability issues.

I don’t have the data to conclusively say one way or the other, but anecdotal evidence from my own research, Комментарии и мнения владельцев and feedback I have gotten has suggested this.

For whatever reason, a number of brushes failed relatively early on within their life. And whilst the majority were replaced by Sonicare under the warranty terms, some customers even had replacement units fail.

Ultimately only long and extended periods of use by multiple users will really indicate whether there are any inherent problems. My couple of weeks of testing has not turned up any hardware faults.

No doubt Sonicare will have learnt from past experience and the handle design is now used widely across the Sonicare range. With so many models using the same chassis I do believe the likely risk of failure remains extremely low.

The good news is that should the worse case happen, you have the 2 year manufacturer warranty that you can take advantage of

Conclusion

The DiamondClean 9000 is a truly superb electric toothbrush.

Introduced to replace the DiamondClean models that came before it, the improvements are sensible and appropriate.

It is a lovely brush to use, not just because you can achieve a great clean of the teeth. There are other parts to the overall package that make the whole user experience feel more enjoyable.

For me, there are 2 overarching issues that make it difficult to really recommend this toothbrush as an absolute must buy.

The first is the lack of real-time tracking available in the smartphone app when brushing the teeth. No, you don’t need this. But, similar products offer such and it would be easy to believe the DiamondClean might offer such, even if it is not actually advertised in this way.

For real-time tracking, you need the Sonicare 9900 Prestige or iO models.

The second issue is the price. It is expensive.

Yes, the price is appropriate given the other products in the Sonicare range. But for the vast majority, there is little justifiable reason to spend as much as is asked for here.

Oral-B’s Genius X or iO Series 6 delivers better value for money.

The best electric toothbrush? Philips Sonicare DiamondClean 9000 Review

Philips Sonicare DiamondClean 9000 Review – Philips Sonicare DiamondClean 9000 is Philips’ latest and greatest sonic, electronic toothbrush. I was completely happy with their DiamondClean Black Edition that I’ve been using since 2014. Yes, it was that good. I recently changed it because I had to review the Waterpik Sonic-Fusion (brushing and water-flossing in one).

But after I was given the latest DiamondClean 9000 from Philips Sonicare, it didn’t take me long to decide that this is now my primary, electric toothbrush and will be for months to come. Yes, its performance is that good.

Packaging Unboxing

What I like about the DiamondClean series is the Glass Charger that you can use to charge the toothbrush. Not only it looks good on the bathroom bench, it is just cool and convenient.

A travelling case is included and can be charged via USB. It comes with 2 brush heads: a C3 Premium Plaque Control and a W2 Optimal White.

Design Features

Design-wise, it is pretty much similar with the other DiamondClean family of toothbrushes. It looks quite slim, elegant, and modern. Unlike the previous DiamondClean I used, it now has an extra button to switch between different modes. It was easier to accidentally switch to a different mode when I wanted to turn the brush on and off in the previous model.

It has four modes of brushing (Clean, Deep Clean, Gum Health, and White) and intensity (High, Medium, and Low). I’m always on the High intensity, Clean brushing mode using the C3 Premium Plaque Control brush head.

The C3 Premium Plaque Control brush head has soft, flexible bristles that are designed to curve around your teeth, giving you more surface contact for better plaque removals and reaching harder-to-reach areas around your gums and teeth.

I love the feel of the bristles so far, giving a good scrub without making my gums bleed (I have a gum disease) and the built-in alerts certainly help in letting me know to move between the different mouth quadrants, when to replace my brush head, and whether I’m brushing too hard (which I normally don’t have a problem with, but apparently 7 out of 10 people found this feature useful, according to Philips).

The cool things is (though I don’t find it necessary), you can connect to a smartphone app via Bluetooth where you can analyse your brushing habits and even a report. You can also find out how long will your brush head wear out based on how you brush, which is quite useful.

Considering the brush head costs 20 each, you probably want to make sure that it can last for a while before grabbing the DiamondClean 9000. In my experience after using it for the first time, the app told me that I can do 178 more brushing sessions – which means 178 / 2 (if you brush twice a day) = 89 days (or around 3 months of use). That’s pretty alright considering how good the toothbrush and brush head are to clean the teeth.

With up to 31,000 brush strokes per minute, your gum and teeth will definitely get the best treatment and oral care. It definitely feels refreshing after every brushing session with my Colgate Total toothpaste, and really happy with the results. Note however, flossing is still a must despite how good the toothbrush is. While I’ve used and reviewed the Philips AirFloss Ultra AirFlosser, I still prefer waterflossing than airflossing (using Waterpik Whitening at the moment).

Philips Sonicare DiamondClean vs Oral B Genius 9000

Make sure to read my review on the Oral B Genius 9000 as well to compare it with the Philips Sonicare DiamondClean 9000. My wife is using my Oral B Genius 9000 review unit until today (since 2016) but I somehow like the feel of the DiamondClean better.

Sonicare DiamondClean 9000 looks much more better, slimmer on the hand, and have better accessories. In terms of cleaning effectiveness though, I think they are about the same, but I’m no dentist!

Philips Sonicare DiamondClean 9000 Review Conclusion

The latest DiamondClean 9000 sonic electric toothbrush is not cheap for sure. For AU379, you are paying a premium price, but in return, you will get a premium oral care in return premium accessories like the charging glass and case.

philips, diamondclean, 9000, high-tech

The brush cleans the teeth exceedingly well (and you can feel the bristles making its way to your teeth and gums) and amazingly doesn’t make my gums bleed.

While it’s cool that you can connect to an app to see how good your brushing sessions are, I highly recommend the DiamondClean 9000 because of how good it cleans, and how good it feels after each brushing session. The additional charging case and glass are definitely where the premium price comes from as well, but you will love these for sure.

The C3 Premium Plaque Control brush head is 20 each but you get a really well-designed brush head. The bristles are designed give you the deepest clean in all areas around your mouth. Plus, it lasts a few months which is not a bad offer. Trust me, what you have pay to go to dentist is far more worse than paying for a good toothbrush, and a good brush head.

Philips Sonicare DiamondClean 9000 is a great investment to having great, healthy teeth and gum. And you will be grateful for not having to pay thousands of dollars for the dentist in years to come. Please note, this is assuming you are flossing diligently as well because no perfect toothbrush can replace flossing, ever.

Philips Sonicare DiamondClean 9000 retails for AU379 and available at retailers around Australia like ShaverShop.com.au. Also available at Amazon.

Disclosure: Philips Sonicare DiamondClean 9000 review sample was supplied for reviewing but all opinions are mine and not paid.