Oral-B SmartSeries 6500

Our verdict

If you own a SmartSeries 6500 and it still holds a charge, keep using it. It has a round oscillating-rotating head, the type of brush with the most trial evidence, plus a pressure sensor and timer, and replacement heads cost about £10 for four on offer.

Do not go looking for one to buy. It is around a decade old, the remaining listings are scattered, and an Oral-B iO2 or a basic Pro model costs little more and comes with a new battery and a guarantee.

Is it still sold?

Amazon UK lists the SmartSeries 6500 as currently unavailable, with no restock date, and points buyers to the newer iO3. Oral-B's UK site no longer features it, and Oral-B describes Smart brushes as earlier models. Any you find now is likely to be old stock from a small seller or second hand.

Bundles also varied. The version in the original 2021 review came with four different heads, the SmartGuide display and a travel case. Some later Amazon listings describe three CrossAction heads, a standard travel case and a "smart timer". If you are buying, check exactly what is included.

What it does

From Oral-B's manual for the SmartSeries 6000 to 7000 brushes (handle type 3764) and UK retail listings:

• Five modes. Daily Clean, Pro Clean (also called Deep Clean), Sensitive, Gum Care and Whitening.
• Pressure sensor. A red light comes on if you press too hard, and in Daily Clean or Pro Clean the brush drops to Sensitive mode until you ease off.
• Two-minute timer that signals every 30 seconds to move to the next quarter of your mouth.
• SmartGuide display. A small wireless screen that mounts on the wall or stands by the sink. It shows the mode, the timer, a pressure warning and the time of day. It runs on AAA batteries, which are not rechargeable and need replacing when the low battery symbol appears.
• Bluetooth. The handle can connect to the Oral-B app, and you can use the app and SmartGuide at the same time.

The SmartGuide and the handle's own lights do everything most people need. The app adds a brushing history and coaching. Position detection, which shows which areas of your mouth you have covered, arrived later with the Genius range and is not described in this model's manual.

App support now

The Oral-B app listing still names Smart Series brushes as compatible as of October 2026, and the brush needs a phone with Bluetooth 4.0 or later. The manual says Oral-B does not guarantee a connection with any particular phone.

So if a phone or app update stops the connection, there may be no fix. The brush, the timer, the pressure light and the SmartGuide still work without it.

Charging and battery

This is the 6500's main practical drawback. Oral-B's manual says a full charge can take up to 24 hours and gives up to 10 days of brushing twice a day for two minutes. Some retail listings say up to two weeks; we have used the manual figure. When the battery is empty, it needs a 40-minute charge for one clean.

The manual also says you can leave it on the charger without overcharging it, but to unplug the charger and run the battery down fully at least every 6 months to keep its capacity.

The charger has a two-pin plug for a bathroom shaver socket, so you need a shaver adaptor for an ordinary three-pin socket. The battery cannot be replaced, so a handle that no longer holds a charge needs replacing.

Brush heads and running costs

The SmartSeries 6500 takes Oral-B's Pro range of round heads, such as CrossAction, Sensitive Clean, Precision Clean and 3D White. Older listings say it fits "all genuine Oral-B heads", but that was written before the iO range: iO heads do not fit. Oral-B advises a new head every 3 months, or sooner if worn.

On 29 October 2026, a 4-pack of Pro CrossAction heads was £10.49 at Superdrug for collection in store and £19.50 at Argos. Twelve heads over three years means buying three 4-packs, about £31 to £59 in cash before delivery charges, even if your bundle included a head or two.

The manual advises against the 3D White head with braces and suggests Oral-B's Ortho head instead. That is about fixed braces; with removable aligners you take the trays out to brush, so any of the standard heads is fine.

Alternatives worth comparing

Prices are sale prices on the date shown and change often. Staying with a Pro-head brush keeps head costs down; moving to iO means heads at about £25 for four on offer.

Who should choose what

• Keep it if it lasts at least several days per charge. Buy genuine Pro heads, and replace the SmartGuide batteries when it warns you.
• Replace it with a Pro 1 if the battery has faded and you mainly used the timer. If the pressure light mattered to you, look for an iO2 instead, because the Pro 1 has none.
• Move to an iO if you want app guidance on a current platform. See our Oral-B iO9 review for what the more expensive iO models add.

During aligner treatment

Any of these brushes does the job of cleaning your teeth before your aligners go back in. The 6500's long charge time matters more if you travel, so charge it fully before you go. Keep the brush for your teeth, and clean your trays separately as described in our guide to cleaning aligners.

How this review was put together

This review first appeared on Aligners.co in January 2021, and the photo is from that review. This update is based on Oral-B's manual for the SmartSeries 6000 to 7000 range, Oral-B's guidance pages, the Oral-B app listing and UK retailer listings checked on 28 and 29 October 2026. We did not retest the brush for this update. See more electric toothbrush reviews.