Review of the oral-B pro-1000 Electic Toothbrush – Lasting impression

[KeepItSimpleStupid]

Product: http://oralb.com/en-us/products/professional-care-1000-toothbrush

Look at the pictures of the product.

On your thumb. Attached is a picture of my thumb after pushing the power button.

I measured it as 157 ounces or about 1/3 of a pound direct force. I do have a peak hold on the spring scale I used, but not sure if I got a good reading of the force, but the “thumb knows”.

The depression surrounding the power button is smaller than a thumb. The diameter of that depression is 10.68 mm. My thumb is like 18 mm diameter. You would think the smart engineers would have at least allowed for the thumb.

On a good note, the toothbrush turns off when you place it on the charger. The button is molded into the product case – no extra pieces.

Other than that, it's not a bad brush. In my opinion, it's not suited for someone with arthritis of the hands.

Maybe they should do an inductive power switch: http://www.zettlex.com/articles/a-comparison-of-inductive-and-capacitive-position-sensors/

http://ww1.microchip.com/downloads/en/DeviceDoc/41407A.pdf

 

[jpanhalt]

Welcome to the disposable generation. It seems like more and more things are being designed so older folks can't work them -- or is that just the effect of getting older.

It could be worse, though. The button could have been on the left side so lefties couldn't use it at all. While that may not affect you, it would affect me. I have a portable power saw that has the safety interlock built like that. It no longer has that interlock.

 

[KeepItSimpleStupid]

It seems like more and more things are being designed so older folks can't work them -- or is that just the effect of getting older.

It probably has to look like a phone?

I'm a Lefty converted to a Righty when I was a kid. Mom would always change the hand I used to pick up stuff. In reality, you just have to practice with the other hand. I can write with my left, right normal and mirror image. Now, I just use whatever hand is convenient or necessary. e.g. Right-handed scissors.

Sitting next to a lefty at a restaurant, I become a lefty to avoid hitting elbows.

 

[jpanhalt]

Like most lefties I know, I use my right hand for a lot of things, including scissors. Even learned to golf right handed.

It's just when using a power saw, I'd rather have it in my left -- the fingers on my right hand are more dispensible.

 

[JimB]

I measured it as 157 ounces or about 1/3 of a pound direct force.

???

There are 16 ounces in one pound*, something is not right there.

* As defined in the UK, in the USA it is 14oz to the pound, yes/no?

JimB

 

[jpanhalt]

If its gold, then it is 12 oz to the pound (troy); otherwise, Americans adopted 16 oz/pound a long time ago.

Maybe the slash is just a typo, and it is made of gold, which is about 13# troy.

 

[KeepItSimpleStupid]

OK, I did 157 oz / 454 g / lb which isn't gonna work. The 157 was directly measured.

UNITS!!!!! See what happens when you forget them?

157 oz / 16 oz/lb = 9.81 lbs. Sill a lot of force.

Now without any heroics, just trying to pull the spring scale with my thumb, I got to 333 Oz. before it stared to hurt.

Thanks guys!

 

[JimB]

Americans adopted 16 oz/pound a long time ago.

OK.

How come there is a difference between US gallons and Imperial gallons?
I was under the impression that it was something to do with (fluid) ounces.

My own opinion is that the Metric (SI) system has much to commend it.

Getting back on topic, I have a similar (previous model?) electric toothbrush which is a couple of years old now.
The on/off switch is firm but nothing like as stiff as the one which KISS is trying to use.

JimB

 

[jpanhalt]

Going back to the first post, I would wire or glue the button permanently on and just use the charger for on/off functions.

 

[atferrari]

This awful set (mobile phone/radio) for Nextel service built by Motorola is probably the worst of the so many I ever had. Needing to push to talk, you quickly realize how bad is the design of the buttons and how much force you need to apply.

And then the remote PTT of my 260 Vertex Standard VHF handy. While it saves you carrying it in your hand, pushing the buttons, after 6 to 10 hours of continuous operation, it is painful. Thanks God, I issue short instructions so mostly no dialog.

I think that age has little or nothing to do with this. Simply imagine keyboards built with switches equivalent to this. They would be thrown overboard in minutes.

 

[KeepItSimpleStupid]

So now, I won't buy a laptop because the left and right click buttons are designed for King Kong and of course the force isn't a specification.

The integrated click buttons (the trackpad depresses in the corners) just move where you think your going to click at.

 

[KeepItSimpleStupid]

I re-did the measurements using a much better system and got around 4 lbs of force. The spring scale was AWS PK-110 which has peak/hold and a resolution of 0.05 lbs in the 44 lb range.

I took a light (weight wise) and cut it into about a 3" x 8" piece. I made two cuts in the end centered about 1/2" apart and 3/4" deep. Placed some soft wire you get at the hardware store and made a hanging flat piece of wood. I placed a machine nut on the board and centered the power button on it and pushed until the toothbrush turned on. Got around 4 lbs using multiple trials.

So, it;s currently about 4 lbs of force to push the power button.

It feels less than the initial presses and the thumb indentation seems less.