Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Hey folks, it’s a $20 Sonicare toothbrush - what a deal! I checked the price at Sam’s and it was $130 for two, or $65 each. This might be an older style but very similar to the one I have been happily using for years. What I received was the Essence, model #HX5611/01 which came with a standard brush head and a charger base. It is made in China and has a NiMH battery. It does have a two minute timer only. It comes with a two year warranty that can be extended by by six months if you register online. There is the problem of the gunkiness that develops between the brush head and the handle. It is alarming when you change the brush head, but I’ve always cleaned it with a Qtip and moved on. However, now that I have a new unit I wanted to see if there was a better solution. I read and tried the tip about cutting a finger off a latex glove and slipping it over the bottom of the head to cover the gap at the screw on connection joint (I call this the condom approach). Well, it is cheap, but difficult to do successfully (I tried three times) and it looks a bit tacky. It works until the severed glove finger (aka condom) starts creeping up on the brush head. However, I believe I have a better option. Like any type of water-related connection (think garden hose), some type of washer or gasket is needed to seal the connected parts. I have no idea why the Sonicare people don’t provide one, but give this a try. For about $3 you can buy 10 “O” rings at the hardware store. I chose the #30 size which seems to give a snug fit. Unscrew the toothbrush, slip the “O” ring on the handle part to the bottom of the screw threads. Then screw the brush head back on and viola!...a watertight seal. Problem solved and you have enough “O” rings to last a lifetime! I’ve attached a photo showing the different techniques. The Sonicare on the right is my old unit. The new one is the left, still with its severed glove finger condom (green gloves were all I had on hand). I’ve installed the “O” on the older unit for illustration purposes, you should be able to see the black “O” ring installed between the head and the handle. Another “O” ring is displayed on the old toothbrush so you can see what it looks like out of the package. Good luck!