How long does the Philips Sonicare 9000 last? The story of how two units used by a couple broke in different ways. The reality of its lifespan after 4 years of use

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“How long does an electric toothbrush actually last?”

Since it's an expensive purchase, you're bound to be curious.

In our home, my spouse and I both used Philips Sonicare 9000 units, and recently, both finally reached the end of their lifespan.

What's more, the way they broke was completely different for each unit.

The navy one (for my husband) stopped charging, while the white one (for me) started making a rattling noise from the head, and eventually, both had to be replaced.

In a previous article, I shared how satisfied we were after four years of use, but this time, I want to honestly record how they actually broke.

For those considering purchasing a high-end model, knowing the estimated lifespan and patterns of failure will surely be helpful.

By reading this article, I think you'll be mentally prepared before purchasing and gain some tips on maintenance for long-term use.

The conclusion in 30 seconds

For those who are busy, I'll give you the conclusion first.

• Both of our units reached the end of their lifespan in 4 to 4.5 years

• The way they broke was completely different for both units (inability to charge and damage to the head)

• It seems likely that the way they break depends on usage frequency and handling methods

This doesn't mean the high-end models are bad; I hope you read this as a realistic estimate of 'about how long they last'.

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How we ended up with two units

We bought the navy one (for my husband) first, and then purchased the white one (for me) six months later.

In short, the navy one lasted for 4 years, and since the white one started six months later, it lasted for about 4 and a half years.

As I wrote in a previous article, you can actually share one unit between a couple just by changing the brush heads, but at the time, we didn't know that and ended up buying two.

As a result, having two units allowed us to clearly compare the different ways they broke, which I think was a bit of an unexpected benefit.

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Navy (for husband): Stopped charging and stopped working

The navy one broke first.

One day, it suddenly stopped responding when placed on the charging base.

At first, I thought it might be a poor connection with the charging base, but no matter how many times I tried, the charging light wouldn't turn on.

It's not that I have no idea why; as I mentioned in a previous article, there was some black grime in the gap at the base of the brush head, and I had tried to scrub it off.

Honestly, I think there is a possibility that water seeped in through that gap at that time.

To be honest, I don't know for sure whether the battery itself broke and couldn't charge, or if it was simply the end of the battery's life.

However, since it has a structure where water can easily get into the gaps, I feel that neglecting maintenance can be a factor in shortening its lifespan.

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White (for wife): The head broke and started making a rattling noise

Six months after the navy one, the white one reached the end of its life in a different way.

The first sign was when it suddenly stopped vibrating and started making a loud rattling noise when I applied it to my teeth, and I knew something was clearly wrong.

The charging itself worked fine until the end, so it didn't seem to be a problem with the battery or the main unit.

There were no visible abnormalities from the outside, but when I checked closely, I found that the hidden inner part where the head attaches had broken.

It was in a place that was hard to notice by looking, so I was a bit confused at first as to what the cause was.

Below is a reference video👇️

The sound had become very loud, but it wasn't brushing my teeth effectively anymore, so I decided that it was finally time to replace it.

By the way, the white one wasn't dropped particularly often.

I felt like I had been taking good care of it, so my honest impression is that this is just how it can break due to aging.

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How we used it

For reference, I'll also share how often we used it in our home.

We brushed our teeth every night without fail, and used it occasionally in the morning.

Furthermore, there were times when we would eat something after brushing at night and have to brush again.

In other words, there were days we used it 2-3 times, and days we only used it once, so I think our usage frequency was fairly standard.

We weren't using it in an especially hard way, but even so, 4 to 4.5 years became the benchmark for the lifespan of these high-end models in our home.

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What I learned by comparing how the two units broke

Looking back, it's an interesting point that the navy and white units, which were the same model and used with similar frequency, broke in completely different ways.

The navy one broke in a way that suggests 'insufficient cleaning around the water-exposed areas' as a factor, while the white one broke due to 'part failure caused by aging,' meaning the nature of the causes was different.

What this tells me is that the factors shortening the lifespan aren't just one thing, but may be determined by a combination of several elements, such as how you clean it and individual unit variations.

At the very least, it seems there is no harm in regularly and gently rinsing the gap at the base to help extend its lifespan.

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To those buying a high-end model from now on

Based on the result that both units reached the end of their lifespan in 4 to 4.5 years, it seems reasonable to consider 'around 4 years' as a benchmark for the lifespan of high-end models.

It is by no means a short period, and since I was able to feel the effects of cavity prevention throughout that time, I feel that the cost-performance was not bad.

In the end, our household replaced the navy unit with the lower-priced ProtectiveClean 5300 instead of a higher-end model after the navy one broke.

I have summarized the experience of using it in a separate article.

\ Click here for the experience after switching to the lower-priced version /

If you are particular about having a high-end model, choosing the 9000 series again is also an option.

\ Click here for the high-end model /

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I continue to use compatible brush heads

Although I replaced the main unit, I continue to use Dealswin compatible brush heads.

The fact that the black and white colors allow a married couple to distinguish their units remains a convenient point even after changing the main unit.

I have summarized a detailed review in this article.

\ The compatible brush heads I am still using /

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Summary

I will summarize the record of how two Sonicare 9000 units used by a married couple broke in different ways.

Good points

• Able to use it for 4 to 4.5 years while feeling the effects of cavity prevention

• It lasted a long time even without particularly hard use

Points to be aware of

• The way they broke was completely different for the two units: the navy one could not be charged, and the white one had a broken head

• Neglecting to clean the gap at the base can be a cause of failure

• Even for high-end models, it is best to consider around 4 years as a guideline for its lifespan

I hope this serves as a helpful reference for those considering purchasing a high-end model.

\ This is what our family is currently using /

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