82 of 82 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Works great for about a year...not built to last., December 20, 2007
This review is from: Germ Terminator Toothbrush Sanitizer (Health and Beauty)
I really like the premise behind these units, and I have already owned 4 of them. The problem is, though, they are not built to withstand the high heat generated. The plastic toothbrush holders will actually melt off and crack over time from the heat. The bottom of the unit will develop leaks. Also, regardless of how well you clean your toothbrush, there is still toothpaste residue on it, and this will cause a powdery build up in the unit that is difficult and time consuming to remove.
We use only distilled water in ours and clean regularly but still can't seem to get more than a year out of it. One lasted around eight months. The warranty is only 90 days, so it's essentially useless. We keep buying, though, because until its inevitable demise it does sterilize the brushes and keep them dry and covered, and there's nothing better out there. Consider the money spent on it an annual expense. The UV ones have their own issues, and the ozone generating ones are usually built cheaply as well.
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50 of 52 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Love my Germ Terminator, July 16, 2006
This review is from: Germ Terminator Toothbrush Sanitizer (Health and Beauty)
I have had my Germ Terminator for 2 years and I can't imagin life without it. I am in the health care field and know the importance of preventing microbial contamination whenever possible. Even though it is not considered portable, I travel a great deal and never leave home without it tucked away in my suitcase. It does require a small effort to clean, but small is the operative word. Anyone who cares about keeping themselves and their families healthy would do well to keep a Germ Terminator in every bathroom. Also, you can sterilize other items that will fit in the basket and are not harmed by steam. I routinely sterilize the end of my Water Pik and other assorted dental hygine items before each use. Also, pierced earring that are all metal. I find it indispensable.
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68 of 75 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
For clean toothbrushes and a healthier mouth..., May 17, 2007
This review is from: Germ Terminator Toothbrush Sanitizer (Health and Beauty)
This one really works. I used to get sore throats when using a non-sterilized toothbrush. Used to re-infect myself with colds and bacterial infections. For longest time, had multiple (20-30) toothbrushes and sterilized in top rack basket in dishwasher with water heater on high temp. That worked but time consuming.
Now use Germ Terminator -- just as effective but takes less time and less water and less energy. For best results, use distilled water, but you can use tap too. If you use tap regularly you will need to watch for calcium build up like in coffee maker and run vinegar through it to get rid of calcium build up. I am able to sterilize my Braun electric toothbrush heads (which cost $10 each!) in this unit too besides regular toothbrushes. They fit in the little baskets.
This unit is very light so it will be good for traveling even though footprint not as small as UV travel sanitizers.
I love my steam sterilizer. I am going to buy a second one for traveling.
Why should you buy this unit instead of UV light sterilizer/sanitizer?
Most toothbrush sterilizers are UV light based. I did research on steam versus UV sterilization:
UV light is non-ionizing radiation. Good for destroying airborne organisms and organisms on exposed surfaces that UV light makes contact with. UV light has low penetrating power. Dust, soil, anything that shields organism from UV light will protect micro organism from sterilization. Must keep UV light bulb very clean (dust/soil on UV light will reduce effectiveness). Must regularly test UV light because they lose power to sterilize over time. Sterilization percentage for UV light: 99.95%. Sterilization percentage for Germ Terminator (tested results): 99.999999%
UV light causes sunburns. Think about how a hat or shirt or glass window will protect you from sunburns. UV cannot penetrate these.
For medical/dental tools, doctors use autoclaves which are steam based.
Don't leave home without your Germ Terminator!
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