Review (5/5): Excellent value and performance
I have previously used two Sonicare models, the Advance and the Elite, and while they worked fine they were both frustratingly hard to keep clean so I ended up buying a Braun Oral-B Sonic Complete S-200 kit at Target. I paid around $60 for it. I've had it for almost 3 years I think and can't say enough good things about the product. Its performance is similarly as good as the Sonicare models but it has them beat by far both in cost and ease of keeping clean. The design is so much better in that the small brushhead stalk easily removes/pops out from the body for easy rinsing and storage if need be, and the body can be gently rinsed under the tap and wiped down- it seems to be pretty well sealed and I've been rinsing it off every day for almost 3 years. Compare this to the Sonicare. Those models combine the brushhead and a plastic cap that screws into the handle/body and both brushhead and body aren't sealed well at all from water and gunk getting into crevices and such. Sure you can replace the heads every 3 months or so but in the meanwhile when (not if) gunk and moisture finds its way into the many hard to get at places in the unit (it's not designed to be taken apart) eventually mildew and rot starts building up inside. Yuck.
When I first bought the Sonic I emailed Braun asking if it was sealed from moisture (it sure appeared to be) because the manual recommended rinsing the brushhead but just wiping clean the handle/body. There appeared to be an o-ring at the top of the body where the small metal rod that the brushhead attaches to comes out of, and Braun support told me the unit was water-sealed. I just lightly rinse the top end of the body/handle and wipe the entire unit dry after each use. I certainly wouldn't take a chance and ever submerge the brush/body/motor unit under water but like I said I've been using the brush for a few years and it still works great.
The kit I bought at Target included a nice storage tower/charger base for 3 brushheads, and my model doesn't include the massage feature (big deal). Apparently others have said that now the storage tower isn't included with models other than the more expensive S-320. Anyway, the S-200 is a great value and performer and don't let a lack of a storage tower be a deal breaker. I've been extremely happy with this product. One reviewer mentioned it was built in Germany in case that would be an issue I guess- which had me scratching my head, who cares. If anything it's nice to see a product available from somewhere else besides China.