VIOlight VS100 Toothbrush Sanitizer and Storage System

Other products by Violight

Product Features

• Eliminates up to 99.9% of the germs on your toothbrush
• Uses proven germicidal UV technology
• Holds 4 toothbrushes, including children's and electric toothbrush heads
• Translucent safety cap lets you see the glow so you know it's working
• Easy, one-button activation with auto shut off in just 10 minutes

Product Description

Amazon.com Review
No matter how often you scrub and clean, microscopic critters will thrive in the warm, moist environment of the average bathroom. In fact, a single toothbrush can harbor millions of microorganisms-- millions! That means it's a good idea to sanitize something you stick in your mouth everyday, thus reducing your chances of infection.

The Violight's nifty design, mixed with the peace of mind it offers, make it a great addition to the bathroom.

Fortunately, the Violight VS100 Toothbrush Sanitizer offers an effective way to protect yourself and your family in a quick and easy-to-use package. Toothbrushers everywhere will like this trusty little gadget.

When we removed the sanitizer from its box, we were impressed with the stylish design. It is simple and sleek, with a silver matte-finished body and an opaque, light blue cap. While it looks like an ordinary toothbrush holder, it's actually furnished with a powerful UV germicidal light bulb. After plugging in the sanitizer, we inserted our brushes and pressed the "VIO" button on the front of the device. The bulb switched on, producing a soothing blue glow. In only ten short minutes the bulb switched off and our toothbrushes were left clean and safely stored in the sanitizer.

According to independent studies, the Violight is able to kill 99.9 percent of bacteria living on your toothbrush. Plus, it's ultra-safe to use, and you don't have to mess with dangerous, hot steam or boiling water. We used the Violight over and over again for a week, sanitizing our brushes after each use-- up three times a day. The device consistently did its job and, according to the manufacturer, one bulb should last over 2000 hours. This means you could clean four brushes over two hundred times.

The Violight has some other practical features that deserve mention. First, the bulb is very easy to access and replace when the time comes. Also, the cap snaps in and out of place with ease, revealing a removable drip tray. Although the UV light eliminates the germs and bacteria, it was still nice to have access to the drip tray to clean toothpaste residue and water marks. The Violight also features a non-slip base so you don't have to worry about it slipping off a wet countertop.

The real benefit of the Violight, though, is that it provides peace of mind and good protection from all kinds of nastiness that might be lurking on your trusty bristles. Although toothbrushes don't feel any different after being sanitized by the Violight, it's nice to know that your brushes are clean and germ free. After finding out that the Centers for Disease Control has even stated that toothbrushes can be a significant source of "potentially pathogenic organisms," we were glad the Violight was around. We recommend it for those who want the ultimate in brushing safety. Without a doubt, the Violight sanitizer puts the "clean" back in oral hygiene.
What's in the Box
Violight VS100 Toothbrush Sanitizer, removable drip tray and one UV germicidal light bulb.

Product Description
The VIOlight Toothbrush Sanitizer and Storage System, designed by Philippe Starck, uses safe, clean ultraviolet light to kill up to 99.9% of the germs it comes into contact with on your toothbrush. The unit holds up to four toothbrushes, including children's and electric toothbrush heads. Using Violight requires no extra steps; simply brush, store, and sanitize!

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 4 x 4 x 6 inches ; 3.2 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B0006VGZFC
• Item model number: VS100
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (36 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #9,353 in Health & Personal Care (See Bestsellers in Health & Personal Care)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

222 of 240 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars What a waste, November 9, 2005

By	R. Yun - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I've had this for a year now, and have fully developed my opinions on it. It's a waste of money. Violight's website quotes a Wall St. Journal article supposedly praising the product, but fails to give the whole picture: the article said that there is a general consensus among medical experts that toothbrush sanitizers do NOT prevent diseases any more effectively than simply letting toothbrushes air dry (thus killing bacteria). NEXT, the toothbrush stands on its head, and the combination of the heat of the bulb and the pressure of its being on its head leads to misshapen bristles that can tear your gums or at least result in a less effective cleaning. NEXT, it's hard to clean, and even after rinsing a toothbrush thoroughly, there's toothpaste residue left over. This stuff falls into the cup, which is hard to clean. Also, if you try to rigorously clean the cup, even with a soft cloth, the shiny coat inside the cup (which helps the UV rays better bounce around) rubs off - the cup is merely painted plastic, not polished metal. BOTTOM LINE: the VIOLIGHT IS A WASTE. Air dry your toothbrushes and keep them away from the toilet. Perhaps buy 2 toothbrushes and rotate. For 50 dollars, at 3 months per $2 toothbrush, that's three years' worth of toothbrushing - longer than the VIOlight bulb likely lasts with regular use (and add onto this the cost of the toothbrushes themselves).

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Good Idea / Poor Design, January 25, 2007

By	Ron Gonzalez (Boston) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Wow, what a waste. Not only are the other negative reviews correct, the poor design on this product had me immersing my toothbrush head into a pool of collected water at the bottom of this "sanitizer". This seems to be a well put together product because of its sleek and cool looking design. However, as the saying goes, "appearances can be decieving". Aside from this, the disinfective qualities of this product are probably just as effective as letting a toothbrush naturally air dry.

29 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars We Really Like having this around, December 21, 2005

By	R. Anderson (Petoskey, MI USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I can't scientifically prove this works, but, keeping in mind that barbers have been using ultaviolet light to sterilize tools they use for decades, and it's also used in the
food service industry.
I noticed one review where the reviewer mentioned that there were germs remaining
after being removed from the unit. That reviewer may not be aware of the fact that you
don't necessarilly have to wipe out the germs, just lower the count to the point that they can't colonize a host. Thereby giving you the result you want---illness are not passed on.
We've had this unit a year now, and we have not had any instances of a cold or fever producing illness lingering longer then the usual coarse for an illness.
This saves us having to throw out tooth brushes after an illness, and in fact allows us to keep brushing during and after the illness without worrying or wasting money.
My wifes a physician, and I'm an ER RN and we both love having this unit.