Lovehoney Deluxe Sex Toy Case

September 30th, 2014

Lovehoney Lockable Toy Case Large
$42.99 from Lovehoney

Sex toy storage is a finicky thing. Good storage options seems to be few and far between, and even companies that everyone seems to love have gone out of business. It’s hard to keep up with which companies are in business and what items are available. Even when you find a company you like, its products are likely expensive.

And many of us toy lovers are fairly frugal. I’m more likely to spend money on an expensive sex toys than toy storage. In fact, it almost makes zero sense to invest in expensive boxes, bags and totes for storage of your sex toys at home when you can stop by Walmart or your local home improvement store and get a chest or cart for far less than any toy company would charge.

In fact, I think that’s another issue with sex toy storage: companies should focus on travel rather than home storage. With the deluxe sex toy case, I think Lovehoney has done a decent job in creating a travel-friendly storage option with the deluxe sex toy case.

This case is made of a firm plastic that has some give so it can bend if the items in it take up a height of more than 2.75 inches. It measures 13.5 inches by 6.5 inches (wider than the FYN toybox), and there is storage on either side of the case when you open it up. One side features an allover mesh pocket. The other is split with one open mesh pocket and two elastic straps.

This case looks rather small in the product photos for some reason. It may be because of the size of the rabbit vibrator shown in the product photos.  The case fits:

There is probably room for another full-length toy or two, and you could definitely cram more toys into the case if you’re good at Tetris. The base of the Ceramix No 6. is actually a little more than 2.75″ wide, so it causes the plastic case to bend outward a bit. However, this isn’t going to be a problem with usage.

Lovehoney Deluxe Sex Toy Case

Lovehoney Deluxe Sex Toy Case

I enjoy the variety of storage options. The zippered pouch keeps everything in place while the smaller pouch on the other side would be good for things that won’t move around and can safely touch (IE not jelly!). You’ll probably want to play around with the straps to see what fits best. Lovehoney actually send me the G-spot attachment for the Hitachi on accident, but you can see how well it works in the space.

And that half pocket on the one side? It actually two layers of mesh with a strip of Velcro keeping them together. I didn’t even notice at first, but it’s the perfect place to keep condom or lube and wipe packets without them moving. It’s great for the Wartenberg wheel, which I don’t want stabbing me when I reach into the case, and mobile tins of lube or oil.

Securing the case is easier with two zippers. There are small loops on either for you to slide the lock through. In Lovehoney fashion, it’s a red, heart-shaped combination lock. The default combination is 1-1-1-. We all know how tricky that can be. A heart-shaped button pops open the wired part of the lock, which just fits through the zipper holes. I haven’t reset the lock, but you’ll want to hold the button while you pick your combo.  I do find the lock to be a bit finicky to remove and get in place. I wouldn’t be able to do it in the dark and wouldn’t want to try in a hurry.

The loop to the lock creates a small handle that you can grasp with your fingers, but there’s no larger handle on the Lovehoney large sex toy case. This is the one thing I would change about it. I’d love a handle on the back of the “binding.” It would make this sex toy case truly fantastic.

The heart theme is repeated on the front/top of the case, which features the Lovehoney heart symbol. It’s also worked into the purple lining on the inside, which is cute and doesn’t really take up space. The lining seems to be a nylon blend, which you could wipe clean if you spilled lube.

The large sex toy case could certainly work for your overnight trip or play party, but it’s larger and less conspicuous. I think it would work better if you wanted to transport some BDSM items as paddles, floggers and such would work better in this case than a smaller one with plenty of room for a couple toys. I can fit both the 12″ fur paddle and the Bettie Page paddle in the strap side with about an inch to spare, the case is thin enough that the inside is almost the same dimension as the exterior.

If you want a smaller case or you’re not sure whether you’ll love this, Lovehoney offers two other sizes. The medium toy case costs less than $30 and the small is just 7″ by 5″ for $26.99. That one’s ideal for bullets, mini vibes, condoms and smaller bottles of lube. I think the medium would be the best option if you’re looking for an overnight case. You could easily fit a couple toys, lube and condoms with a pair of panties and maybe some wipes for cleanup.

I don’t think you could go wrong with any or all of these cases, really.

4 Comments

Categories: Reviews, Storage

Entice Emilia

September 23rd, 2014

Entice Emilia
$58.96 from Of Sex and Love Store

CEN’s Entice line is attractively designed. Sleek boxes and toys that come in purple or pink silicone with clean lines attracted my eye. I opted to try the Emilia. It’s a dual stimulator that’s almost-but-not-quite a rabbit. While I may have loved rabbits once upon a time, they’re not a favorite of mine anymore.

I actually first tried the Emilia externally. This was where I found myself curious about the flexible neck of the shaft. It’s not exactly floppy, but it’s not good for pressure that I like externally. This also isn’t going to make it a good thrusting toy internally, and while it’s not as difficult to use as the Dorcel vibe, I would prefer a more rigid shaft.

The shaft is also pretty small, so this might be a good toy if you’re not into gigantic insertables. I do tend to like something larger, however. The specs measure it as 1.25 inches in diameter. This is actually the max with at the toy closer to the edge of the shaft. It’s gradually thinner toward the neck, where it’s flexible.  I don’t typically need a pronounced head to get G-spot stimulation and the curve of the shaft was almost perfect.  This might not be the vibe for you if you do like a ridged head that you can’t possibly ignore.

Similarly, the tiny clit protrusion is just a fraction of the length of your typical rabbit. Unless your clit basically dances right at the edge of your vaginal opening, it’s not going to provide direction stimulation. This might be okay if you like general stimulation. The curve of the toy did seem to hug me almost perfectly.

It seems like CEN had some trouble with the two motors. Perhaps My Emilia is defective, but there’s a distinct rattle as though the housing isn’t tight enough around the inner workings.  While I’m use to the first settings being steady vibration, this isn’t the case with Emilia. The first setting is both motors, the second is just the clit stim motor and the third is just the shaft vibration.

This is followed by a fast pulse in both motors, a surprisingly deep escalation pattern and a back-and-forth escalation between the two motors. The last setting is both motors going steady. It seems to be stronger than the initial mode in the cycle. Fortunately, it returns to this first mode when you turn it off. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to describe the settings at all. They’re in some crazy order that makes no sense. The two modes where both motors are vibrating continuously should be right next to one another. And there’s no helpful material. The included instructions are generic for any sex toy and not the Entice line or the Emilia specifically.

All of this might you think that I dislike the toy. But to be honest, it was effective enough when used as anticipated to get my to squirt. I actually quite like the weird escalation setting, and some of the other settings seem to produce vibrations that are deeper than the steady vibes. There’s definitely some quality control issues, but this isn’t a terrible toy by a long shot. It even survived a silicone lube incident. My bad.

The shaft vibrations are fairly deep, but there’s a rattling of the housing that makes them seem buzzier than they are. The clitoral vibrations a deep, but any setting that uses both motors makes this less noticeable.

This is especially true when you consider the price. It’s less than $60 fro Sextoy.com. In fact, you can save 15% with code EMILIA15 when you buy it now.

Caveat: this toy is toy is touted as USB rechargeable. It comes with the cable and no AC adapter. You can find adapters for at cheap as a dollar at places like Walgreens, though. The real nit I have to pick is the charging port access through the silicone at the base of the toy. Other companies have tried that shrinking-hole style. It’s especially frustrating with  Emilia because the hole seems slightly misaligned with the port beneath it. I have to find the right angle to get it to go in. With frequent use, I’ll be a pro, but I’m not sure how frequently I’ll use this.

CEN Sexpert

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Categories: Reviews, Vibrators

It’s That Time Again

September 14th, 2014

The last time I went through a big toy overhaul was before I moved into my current apartment. Last month, I signed the lease for the next year, meaning I’ve already been here two.

That’s two years to review a lot of toys, and not all of them suited my tastes or anatomy. I’ve got at least a drawer full of toys that I have no need for.

This is good news for you. If there’s something that’s sterilizable — silicone, plastic, metal or glass — or can be safely transported — books and lube — that I didn’t love, it can be yours. Some stuff on this list may still be available. The general list is as follows:

I’ll pack it up for the cost of shipping via PayPal.  Generally, this will be between $5 and $10 per item.  If you’re interested, please take a look at my sex toy reviews. Anything that isn’t tagged as a 5-star item is likely up for grabs.

I am generally not interested in swaps; although, I may make exceptions for Vixen items. You can check out my wishlist here.

To inquire about a toy that might be available, please use the form below.

I’ll try to get back to you in as timely a manner as possible!

 

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Categories: Everything Else

Svakom Echo

September 5th, 2014

Echo
$110 from Svakom

Who loves to discover and try toys from new companies? This reviewer! And the newest company on my radar is Svakom, an American company with a European office. The company makes toys that are, at first glance, similar to Lelo. However, Svakom has some original designs that really make this brand worth looking at a second time… and I totally plan to write about those toys. For this post, however, I’ll focus on the Echo.

Echo is a tiny clitoral vibrator that is remarkably similar to Lelo’s Lily. Lily was one of those toys that I lusted over for months, but I was rather disappointed by the time I actually got to try it.

In fact, Echo even comes in similar shades, and buttons placed on the underside of the toy is one of the issues Echo shares with Lily that have made this experience more lackluster than I had hoped for.

Echo gentle curves so cup your pubic mound. The under side has less of a nub than Siri or the Layaspot, however, so I found myself having to press it against myself with some force to get the pressure and contact I enjoy. This makes it less than luxurious and more of a workout. It might work better during missionary sex where your bodies press it against you, but I haven’t been able to try it.

Because the buttons are on the underside, you need to lift it up or completely remove the clit to change the settings. I’m more apt to do the latter because it’s easier, but it also means you’re interrupting stimulation.

There are two buttons to control the toy, but they run vertically along the toy rather than Lily’s horizontal buttons.  Echo is much more narrow, too. This doesn’t make it any better – or worse. I’d prefer if it had a bigger nub rather than a more narrow body.

One button turns on the button. It’s not labeled, but it’s in the upper position. The lower button cycles through several steady vibration modes when you press it once. A quick double-click moves through two modes each of pulsation and escalation. Pressing for several seconds turns off the vibrator. Obviously, one button has a single function while the other button bears responsibility for all other functions. And the buttons are swapped with their roles from what you’re normally expect.

This wouldn’t be a huge issue if I loved the vibes, but I don’t. Echo has shallow vibes that aren’t super strong. I can get off with a lot  of effort,  but I’m not sure it’s worth it. According to the vibe, you’ll get 5 hours of use out of a single 1-hour charge. I haven’t used it that long to test, however. It’s fairly quiet, so you needn’t worry about noise.

I do like the finish, which is silky smooth and soft,  made of ABS plastic. It’s not silicone, but it’s one of the safer materials.

There is an open charging port on the end, so I’d be careful of that when washing, and this one isn’t waterproof so don’t take it in the shower or bath.

Echo retails for $110. that’s well over the price of some similar toys, like the Siri, which I am more likely to recommend. However, my other experiences with Svakom products have been pretty awesome so stay tuned!

1 Comment

Categories: Reviews, Vibrators

Sex Store Profiles: OJT Sex Toys

September 4th, 2014

With the recent closing of a popular affiliate program that catered yo my Canadian readers, I am on the lookout for a new Canadian superstore to fill the void. I’m certainly not settled on any one Canadian sex toy store — feel free to leave a suggestion in the comments or on Twitter — but one of the sites I’ve recently discovered is OJT Sex Toys.

Selection is always one of the things that I check out when looking for a new store/affiliate program. Do they have toys I would recommend to my readers in addition to those that I want to try? OJT Sex Toyscarries some of my favorites, including:

  • Lelo Siri
  • Layaspot
  • Stronic Eins
  • Big Boss G4
  • Fun Factory Yooo — unavailable from most other retailers because it’s been discontinued
  • Mona 2
  • Lelo Siri

Most popular brands are available; although some boutique brands aren’t carried. I’d love to see Vixen dildos, for example.

I also like to take a look at price. One of the things this retailer does is to provide daily deals. For example, you can purchase Sports Cuffs for $4.99 at the time of writing this post. You’ll also get free shipping on orders over $49, which is pretty standard.

The site has a low price guarantee, too. According to the site, they’ll match any price minus 5% from an authorized Canadian retailer, which can certainly help you save money.

Like other retailers,  this one offers a rewards program. Every dollar you spend earns you a point, and you can eventually trade those points in for discounts on future orders. This is a good deal if you’re a frequent shopper. Of course, there’s a wishlist option, too, if there are simply too many items for you to decide on.

I would like to see a few improvements to the site, however.  Aside from a few more brands, I’d love to see a more transparent security policy that explains exactly how safe the site is and what measures they use to protect out sensitive information.

The staff is pretty active about sales and events on Twitter, but their Facebook looks a little more lonely. I know how difficult it can be to attract and maintain followers for an adult Facebook page, especially when someone of my peers have had theirs deleted, but it is also a good marketing strategy to at least try.

So have you ever shopped at OJT sex toys? Would you in the future? Let me know!

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Categories: Canada, Sex Store Profiles

Labor Day Sales

September 1st, 2014

It’s a rainy Labor Day. Not so good for grillin’ out. Just fine for staying inside and playing, whether you’re alone or not. Perhaps shopping. Lucky thing I’ve compiled this handy list of Labor Day Sales.

I’ll add a couple more sales over the course of the day, so keep your eyes open!

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Categories: Shopping

Image © MisterUnlucky; used with permission.