Renegade Curve G-Spot Vibrator

December 12th, 2024

Funzze
$42.99 from Funzze

Out of all the Funzze vibrators I’ve tried, Renegade is probably the most frustrating. The shape isn’t one that works well with my anatomy, and I suspect that will be true for many people.

To explain my issues with Renegade, let’s compare it to some similar toys, including the Inside Out and the We-Vibe. Like those toys, the Renegade is intended to offer dual clitoral and vaginal/G-spot stimulation. The shape of this vibrator is sort of halfway between those. Renegade is more like We-Vibe, where the internal and outer arms run parallel with a base, which is more like that of Inside Out. However, the external portion is much shorter than you’d find with the We-Vibe and the G-spot arm much more drastically curved than the Inside Out.

The result is a toy that doesn’t offer a lot of flexibility for clitoral stimulation, especially because there’s barely nub for it! If your clitoris doesn’t align perfectly with where the toy lands, you’re likely to be disappointed. And mine doesn’t. I think the clitoral stimulator should extend much further, more like the We-Vibe. As short as it is (there’s not even a measurement on the product page), I almost feel like the vibrations should point outward in the same direction as the bottom rather than toward the internal arm. But if your clitoris is pretty close to your vaginal opening, the shape of this toy might serve you just fine.

Even if the shape does work for you, the flexibility in the neck of this toy makes positioning a bit frustrating. If that weren’t the case, I suspect many might like Renegade’s more bulbous and mostly rigid shaft as many similar toys aren’t especially filling or are flatter, as with the We-Vibe. But I found it challenging to maneuver and never really managed to find someplace where Renegade felt good. I think a gentler curve would have been my friend.

I’m not sure if any of this was impacted by the overall weight of the base, which is rather hefty. I don’t mind in use, but it’s definitely not a balanced toy. Still, the perpendicular base (kind of like the Cup n Cradle) makes the toy easier to use because I can wrap my fingers around the back and keep my thumb in front to press the buttons. It would also work well if using the Renegade on someone else, although your hand would be in the opposite position. Most internal toys are awkward for me, so I appreciate the attempt.

The buttons are also easy to use by feel. There are three buttons in a row. The outer two buttons are raised while the center power button is inset. All three make a great audible click when you press them, and you’ll be rewarded with vibrations from both motors when you turn it on. The initial vibrators offer some depth, although I think the vibrations in the clitoral stimulator are deeper than those created by the other motor.

There are four levels of steady vibration, each becoming increasingly buzzier before five levels of pulsation and escalation. Of note, the light around the buttons stops flashing when you reach the first or last settings, which is a helpful indicator (if you’re looking at it). It’s easy to spend a couple of extra clicks making sure you’re at the highest or lowest setting on vibes without LEDs.

Because the clitoral vibes are also stronger, the buzziness becomes noticeable when you’re holding Renegade. In fact, just holding it to write this review has left my hand uncomfortably tingly. If the vibrations remained deeper while increasing in strength, they’d be awesome. I also think that some people might want the internal vibrations to be stronger, which I don’t necessarily need, but the internal motor is overshadowed by its partner.

There’s no way to control the motors separately, either, which I would prefer. Instead, you can cycle up or down using the two buttons. They perform the same steady, pulsing, or escalating functions, but some people might wish for separate sensations internally and externally. Renegade is designed to ultimately overwhelm the users with the same type of stimulation from multiple angles to create a more intense experience.

Renegade’s sound output is acceptable based on its vibrations, a nod to its overall quality build. I’m a fan of the silky silicone, which has a tiny hole in the back to plug in the charging cable. It’s snug, so consider Renegade splashproof and okay to use in the shower and wash without worry. I wouldn’t submerge it, though. I haven’t even had to charge it since I got it because the charge out of the box was enough to test.

I wish I liked the shape better because the build is decent, and Renegade is under $50, which is great for a rechargeable vibrator. If your clitoris is close to your vagina, this vibrator might work well for you, making it worth the cost.

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Categories: Reviews, Vibrators

The One Wand

December 4th, 2024

The One Wand
$79.95 from Babeland

I wasn’t expecting The One Wand to be quite so small. I mean, it’s not tiny, but some wands are behemoths (I’m looking at you, Magic Wand Original). In comparison, this wand is sleeker. That’s due in part to it being coated in a layer of silky silicone. It’s not a lint magnet and won’t have as much drag as some silicone toys. The appearance is sleek because of this. I don’t know if it’s just me, but the curves on this wand remind me of a person with the angles next to the neck, something like a purple 80s blazer.

You’ll also notice a distinct lack of cord because this is a rechargeable vibrator, unlike most of the wands I’ve tried. And that silicone coating? Makes it waterproof, so you can take it in the shower. Super easy to clean, too. The Hitachi can’t compete with that.

This vibrator is also smaller and less cumbersome than its competition. Overall, The One Wand is less than 9 inches long. The head is around 1.7″ wide, and it’s relatively light to wield. It feels more like an internal vibrator than a massager.

What you can’t see is the flexibility of the neck. This wand isn’t as floppy as the double-headed wand I just reviewed, but the head is probably too flexible for my tastes. At least I don’t want to worry about it breaking. I also find the shape of the head leaves a little to be desired. I like my wands to have more of a flat-top head than a round one, and while The One Wand veers toward flat-ish, it lacks the edge I prefer, like the Miracle Massager.

I do like the design of the three buttons, which are easy to find and press and know you’ve pressed them. That isn’t always the case with controls. They’re easy to use, too. The center button turns the wand on and off, and the + cycles through the ten settings, or you can press – to cycle the other way. This means you don’t have to go through every mode if you press the button one too many times.

As for those settings, three are steady vibration. While the product description calls them rumbly, I think they’re more middle of the road The highest steady vibration setting is definitely edging toward buzzier. That wouldn’t necessarily be a dealbreaker, but the vibrations just aren’t that strong.

After trying the first setting, I hoped there would be more than three continuous modes. I worried I would be disappointed otherwise. I was correct. After trying them all, I thought, “This is it?” They’re more like what you’d expect from an internal vibrator. And for a wand-type vibrator, you expect strong.

The vibrations do have enough power to make the seven pulsation and escalation modes that follow quite punchy, if you’re the type who likes them. I’ve always been about continuous vibrations myself.

I can’t say that I agree it is the one “and only” wand you’ll ever need. It’s just not strong enough for everything, and people like me will benefit from a different size and shape. With that said, it’s a nice vibe. If you want something for clitoral stimulation and aren’t picky, The One Wand could be a good option.

Currently, The One Wand is less than $50 with Babeland’s Cyber Week sale and you can get double rewards until the 19th! So why not, pick one up?

And if you don’t think The One Wand will work for you, Babeland is still offering up to 70% off sidewide.

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Categories: Reviews, Vibrators

Bijoux Indiscrets cosmetics for better sex

Funzze Double-headed Wand Vibrator

November 22nd, 2024

Funzze Double-headed Wand Vibrator
$31.99 from Funzze

The second of four Funzz toys I’ve been able to try is the double-headed wand vibrator, which is certainly an unwieldy name. A single-word name would be so convenient, wouldn’t it? Regardless, a toy is more than just its name.

Let’s start with the positive: I really like the G-spot portion of this vibrator. I think the way the curve seems to be carved into it looks unique while creating a contoured head to stimulate the G-spot. The head is the widest part of the insertable shaft at just over 1.5 inches wide (roughly the same as the widest part of the handle and the massager head), but the rest of the shaft is significantly thinner and won’t feel filling if that’s what you’re after.

Now, I don’t need anything particularly fancy or special when it comes to G-spot vibrators. I just need them to have a good enough shape and vibrations that aren’t so buzzy that I’ll give up before any payoff because they tickle my hand. This vibrator succeeds at that. I prefer it on the low or medium setting which offer deeper vibrations than the highest setting. Interestingly, the G-spot portion of this vibrator has deeper albeit weaker vibrations than the wand side, which almost immediately tickle my hand uncomfortably. I wouldn’t complain if both ends were even deeper, however.

Now, on to the really disappointing. I just do not like this as a wand-style vibrator. The neck of the head is so very flexible that it’s impossible to get any pressure. I mean, it bends more than 90 degrees back toward the handle, at which point it sort of rolls to the side rather than staying in place.

Of course, if you’re the type to hold a vibrator against your body, this might not be a deal breaker for you. I’m just not sure why it needs to be that flexible. As soon as I realized how flexible the neck was, however, I knew I would never use it on myself again after completing testing. I guess that means I can’t accidentally break it, not like I’ve done that before.

Even if you don’t mind or actively enjoy the flexibility of the wand side, you might find yourself disappointed with the vibrations. On the lowest setting, they’re not weak, but they are rather buzzy, and that doesn’t improve when you turn them up. You could do worse, but a lot of people want something incredibly powerful from a massager, and this one sacrifices power for duality. After all, the whole thing is less than nine inches long, which is smaller than pretty much any massager without “mini” in the name, including the Magic Wand Original.

The functions are controlled by three buttons: an overall power button and one button for each side. The button “pointing” to the motor you’re using is the one you want to use, which is intuitive enough. They’re completely flat without a lot of tactile feedback about the position of the buttons other than the slightly raised label of each button. As a result, you could potentially have difficulty finding the right button, especially if your fingers are coated in lube, which I recommend using due to the drag of the silicone. Fortunately, I didn’t run into this problem, and I was rewarded with a satisfying click when I pushed the buttons.

Nevertheless, I found myself a bit frustrated with the actual function of the buttons. With only a single button, you must either cycle through all of them to move “down” a setting if you accidentally press the button one too many times. Alternatively, you can turn it off and start all over, which may actually be faster in some instances. This needing to cycle seems to be common with Funnze toys, and I expressed my disappointment with the Finger Vibe. With this toy, you’ll also need to use a motor’s button to turn it back off if you want to switch which function you’re using. The three buttons do let you control the motors independently–and I can’t see why you’d want them both on at once–but they definitely could be better.

The buttons also stand out because the double-sided vibrator is the only one with these particular backlit flat buttons. Other Funzze toys have bubble buttons that are are surrounded by a circle of light or not lit at all. As a whole, the offerings from this brand lack cohesion. While I received a black vibrator, product photos indicate that a purple one existed at some point, even if it’s unavailable now. That purple better matches some of Funzze’s other toys. There are two other toys with the same aesthetic of black silicone and the metallic-looking band. One is another double-ended vibrator with a rabbit instead of a G-spotter. Some sort of metallic decoration is common on Funzze toys, but it’s not necessarily the same color. Many are silver, but I’d say this one is closer to a pale rose gold.

The double-headed wand vibrator is fully covered in silicone, aside from the band, making it waterproof and, as a result, easy to clean and able to join you in the shower. There’s a port on the back of the vibrator for charging, and the website says it will charge fully in two hours, but I haven’t had to charge it at all. There’s no hint as to how long the charge will last, likely because this depends on whether you’re using one or both motors.

My final thoughts are conflicted. While this vibrator didn’t deliver on all of its promises to me, it is a decent G-spot toy, and you can also use that end for clitoral stimulation if you need more pressure, as I do. And at $32, you’re really not going to find a ton of rechargeable silicone vibrators. Some battery-powered vibrators cost more. So even if you absolutely hate one of the functions, it’s still kind of a steal.

And, if you want to save even more, Funzze, is currently running their Black Friday sale until December 2nd.

  • Save 40% off orders $80+ with code: BF40
  • Save 30% off orders $50+ with code: BF30
  • Save 20% off orders $30+ with code: BF20

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Categories: Reviews, Vibrators

Dame Pom

November 11th, 2024

Pom
$99 from Dame

Before I can get on with my review, I need to apologize to Dame. The company sent me this toy years ago, and I completely dropped the ball when it came to writing about it. That was unprofessional of me, and I need to do better.

But even though Pom is no longer new, it’s still worth talking about. That’s because some really thoughtful design decisions went into it. It’s obvious.

This is no white-label toy on Amazon. This is no stolen product design copied cheaply in a Chinese factory to make a quick buck. This vibrator, even though it won’t work perfectly for everyone, stands apart from the rest. It’s the type of product someone should be proud to put their name on–or associate with their face.

And that’s because Dame has quickly become one of the most reputable companies in the sex toy industry. I don’t need to hunt to find information that I can trust. Dame’s website clearly shows the trajectory of the company, which was founded by Alexandra Fine Janet Lieberman, and leveraged crowdfunding to get off the ground.

There’s a lot to like about Dame, just like there’s a lot to like about Pom.

So, let’s get down to it, starting with the strength.

Pom is waterproof.

Thanks to its magnetic charging connections. This is pretty common these days, even with cheaper toys, so Pom doesn’t stand out quite as much as, say, Fun Factory’s first magnetically-charging toys. But it’s nice.

Pom is quiet.

It’s not silent, but the lowest setting makes almost a barely-there hum. Would I use it in a dorm with a roommate? Nah. Would I use it behind closed doors, knowing something else was home? Sure!

Pom’s internal battery will hold a charge for literal years.

I know because I forgot about mine for that long.

Pom is covered in a layer of plush silicone.

It’s quite squishy, really, and it’s what put the flexibility in this flexible vibe. The silicone has a lot of give when you squeeze it, and you can bend the tip a bit. Some people may prefer a rigid toy, but plush silicone means I can grind it into my body without and discomfort. Not like I’ve ever done that before…

Pom is wider than most.

Many clitoral vibrators are narrower. They’re also usually horizontally and vertically symmetrical. Pom is wider at the base than the tip, which promotes comfort. The base sits perfect in my palm while my middle and index fingers slip around the narrower front.

Pom finds your clitoris.

Typically, I like clit stimulators with a large nub than Pom has, so I wasn’t expecting much. But the vibrator surprised me because it’s not so much the size of the bump but the shape. You see, it forms a vertical ridge that easily slips between your lips to target your clitoris. Mind blown.

And my favorite thing of all..

Pom has deep vibrations.

I mean, it’s no wand, but they’re surprisingly rumbly for such a small package. I was beginning to think that I had been out of the game for so long that I was misremembering clitoral stimulators with deep vibes. The ones I’ve tried recently, even wands, have been disappointing.

But Pom reminded me that depth is possible. And in my opinion? It’s non-negotiable.

These strengths aren’t without limitations, however.

That thick, plush silicone? Mine is now ~customized~ with cat chew marks. It’s exactly the type of material that attracts cats–and their fur. Alas. At least I have a purr-manent moment to remember my late kitty by.

It will also attract your fur. Consider yourself warned.

Pom’s width is accompanied by flatness. It’s closer to, say, Lily than Laya Spot. I wish it were wide and tall.

I’m also not super enthused with their buttons. Dame has placed the power button, which is inset, directly on top of the toy. Hold to turn on. This same button cycles through settings.

There are two more buttons on the bottom of the toy, essentially a plus and minus. The “plus” sticks out from the toy and increases strength. I find it a bit small and sometimes hard to find during use. On the other hand, the “minus” is flush with the dimple where the toys sit. It’s visually a bit confusing but more intuitive in use.

The problem with this “minus” button is that if you press the Pom to your body hard enough, you will turn down the strength. Talk about killing the vibes. (For those paying attention, it means holding the Pom fully against your body means you can’t access the plus button, either).

And I did it multiple times in one session. I still got off, but, man, that’s a bummer. I think it would actually be harder to do with a raised button like the other one because the pressing area seems so wide.

Similarly, I sometimes found myself accidentally pressing the top button while using it. This isn’t exactly Dame’s fault. I have almost also struggled to find a place to apply pressure with my fingers without hitting the buttons or making them inaccessible.

Ultimately, Pom’s flatness led to a lot of strain on my fingers, which are now sore as I type this review. Again, not their fault, but I do think there’s something that could be done.. if toy makers wanted to. Like a wider, more rounded top of the toy. Y’all know I liked the Tuyo.

With that said, I mostly forgive Pom its trespasses against me because the vibrations are so high quality. They just feel.. nice. good, even. Not tickly, not annoying, not frustrating.

And that makes me hopeful for the rest of Dame’s toys.

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Categories: Reviews, Vibrators

Funzze Finger Vibe

October 19th, 2024

Funzze Finger Vibe
$29.99 from Funzze

My first impressions of the Finger Vibe came when I saw the box. It was small. Really small. Surely I hadn’t been looking at something that small, had I? But I was. Apparently, I wasn’t looking that closely.

My second impression was that the dark blue-green of the Finger Vibe in matte silicone is gorgeous. I don’t think I’ve ever owned a toy in this specific shade. There’s also a shiny heart shape that, as far as I can tell, exists only to be pretty and make this toy difficult to photograph lol. Overall, the entire design is pleasing to look at, and I think it is easily one of Funzze’s most attractive toys.

But how does it perform?

The Finger Vibe fits easily between two fingers thanks to the contoured “wings.” Unlike the Mini Marvels line, which had painfully small and rigid finger slots, these are flexible, so they will fit a variety of fingers. They fit well over mine, and I can hold the vibe up without even pinching the center of the wings with my fingers. There’s a potential that the wings won’t offer coverage for someone with really big fingers, but you can still pinch the center to hold it.

The gentle curve naturally fits within your fingers, allowing you to position it wherever you’d like and move it naturally like you’d move your fingers. I think the size probably helps here– less than 3 inches long and only 1.3 inches wide. Ideally, this means placing the bulbous bottom over your clitoris (or other sensitive spot). I really appreciate how far this protrudes because clitoral stimulators that are too flat on the bottom almost universally fail at stimulating the clitoris!

The biggest drawback of the Funzze Finger Vibe might be the small size. While that bulb offers clitoral stimulation and the wings keep it in place between your fingers, the small size requires a small motor. And the vibrations of this toy are rather weak and buzzy, the type that you know will only be less impressive as you increase them. They’re barely there, honestly, especially after using it for a while. The additional vibration patterns offer little because of this. However, if you’re more sensitive to vibrations, you might not mind, but anyone who needs depth and power should look elsewhere.

The size ultimately fails to provide the pressure I need and prefer to get off. If you like to simply hold vibrators against your body, it might work for you–if the weaker, buzzier vibrations aren’t an issue. But a larger toy is better for relieving discomfort on the fingers when you need pressure, as I do. In fact, if this toy was closer to the size of a full hand–something closer to the Playboy Palm, perhaps–it would be far more comfortable to use. As it stands, my fingers became incredibly sore and cramped while trying to achieve the pressure I needed, and there was no payoff to show for it.

You could potentially use it to stimulate a penis by using a healthy dollop of lube, which is necessary for movement because the silicone has a fair bit of drag, and running the toy along the shaft on one side and using your thumb on the other side. Or you could hold it against the base of a penis while you go down on it. Either way, the small size and finger holders that allow you to use your hand naturally could work for this.

The small size might work for people who want to use this during partnered sex. Holding the toy won’t take up much more room than using your fingers alone. Plus, the soft wings will press down under pressure, and I think you could comfortably place this vibrator between your bodies as long as your entire weight isn’t pressing down on your partner’s body. However, I haven’t tried this.

I wouldn’t call it whisper quiet, either. There’s a whistle/whine on all but the lowest setting. Add some white noise or music, and you could get away with using it while someone’s in the other room through a closed door. But there are stronger and quieter clitoral vibrators out there.

One of the biggest cons of this toy is the single button. There’s just not a lot of room for buttons, so I understand the choice not to use more than one. Yet, I cannot forgive the placement choice. Putting it toward the front/nose of the toy doesn’t give you the leverage to press the button while your fingers are under the wings, so I find myself having to remove my fingers and stop using the toy to push the button. This is a great opportunity to place the button on the side where your thumb could press it or to employ some sort of pressure mechanism instead. Pressing the toy harder to your body would increase the vibrations. That would solve the issue of pressure!

When pushing the button, there’s an audible click, which I appreciate. However, the button slightly recesses into the toy when pushed, which could be an issue for those with long nails or large fingers. I think most buttons would be better raised from the toy to make them easier to use for everyone. But this is far from the worst physical button function I’ve ever used. On the other hand, the single button means you need to cycle through the nine modes every time. I’ve found this is the case with all the Funzze toys I’ve tried. If you want to get back to a setting, you need to go through all the vibration settings, and sometimes, turning it off to start from the base setting is faster! Frustrating.

On the opposite end of the toy from the button, are two magnetic contact points for the charger, similar to Fun Factory’s chargers. Thanks to this, it’s completely waterproof. However, I can’t imagine that you’d want to use it in the shower because the water hitting your body would compete with the weaker vibrations. But you can easily clean the Finger Vibe with soap and water without having to protect any ports. Once clean, Funzze includes a silky storage pouch for your Finger Vibe. That pouch can then go in your nightstand, sock drawer, or maybe even in your bedframe or between your mattress and box spring! It would also be a great option for travel because it’s so small and light.

Funzze includes a USB charging cable that requires an adapter or USB port to charge. It’s fairly short, around two feet. I think most of us would want something longer. The light around the button blinks while charging, and although it’s a pretty green, I didn’t even notice it during use.

The last thing included with the vibrator is a single page of instructions, which is fairly easy to miss, lose, or toss. It almost feels like an afterthought. I didn’t even look at it before trying the Finger Vibe and have since misplaced it, so I’m unsure about the time it takes to fully charge the toy or how long the toy will work while fully charged. These are often just guesses that aren’t super close in practice, so I’m not super concerned. This vibrator comes charged, anyway.

Where does this leave us? Unfortunately, with a gorgeous and affordable vibrator that does some things really well but mostly failed to impress me. At $30, it’s not the end of the world if you try it and don’t like it, but I’d rather push people toward more expensive items that perform better.

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Categories: Reviews, Vibrators

Why Do I Keep Breaking Vibrators? (a review of the Febos Wand)

August 7th, 2024

Febos
$81.99 from Honey Play Box

It happened with my very first rabbit.

And, now, I can add the Febos by Honey Play Box to the list.

Which is a shame because I enjoyed the silicone’s velvety texture on the handle and head. The quieter motor was an upgrade to the massager I use most frequently. Or the Hitachi. You could use it with someone in the other room. The product description says it’s around 50db (and I do love that they include that info!), which Google assures me is about the hum of a “quiet refrigerator.” Do with that what you will.

It certainly looks nicer with its grey and silver color scheme. It’s modern and perhaps minimalistic. But it doesn’t need to look fancy. For that, Honey Play Box offers Stormi, which comes with gold details and its own magnetic charging case.

The flexible neck is also a necessity. And all of this on a rechargeable battery that never lost power despite me not charging it out of the box (I didn’t get a chance to charge it before I broke it)?

Yeah, it was looking promising.

I used it a time or two with fairly positive results. I enjoyed the flexibility of the neck, which is a must with a straight handle like this. I’ve really been spoiled with the Miracle Massager, I guess. That’s ultimately how I broke Febos. But I prefer a flatter head like I’m used to. Most heads are round, however, and at least it’s not weirdly spongey like the Magic Wand Original.

I also got to experiment with a wand with more than just “high” and “low” settings. Febos has four other pulsation and escalation settings. The fast pulsation feels especially nice due to the depth and strength of the vibrations. Each setting is also available in three speeds. Some people might want something weaker or stronger than it offers, but unless you know you need the extremes, this wand will likely cover your needs.

I see two complaints that some people might have:

  • There are no attachments for Febos, even though the company offers some for their other wands.
  • It’s rather bulky and heavy at just under 12 inches long (Stormi and Pomi are both smaller and lighter, if that’s a concern).

Those critiques might not matter if you like the power of this massager. It’s also got one big selling point: unlike most other wands I’ve used (I guess save for Lelo’s Smartwand), this one is waterproof. That’s only possible thanks to the cordless design. Truthfully, it may be

But I’m not much for playing in the shower, so I kept it boring and only used it in bed.

So how did I break it? I was pressing the head against my body and pulling the handle away from it, which put too much pressure on the neck and head. I feel something give.. just a little. Then I heard it crack. Now it turns on, but it can’t vibrate fully. It almost sounds like something is just out of place.

It’s what happened with the Rabbit Habit (but I liked it enough to buy another), and the Symphony G-Harmony. In fact, I didn’t even remember breaking the second one until rereading my review. But it’s all because of the same desire to get pressure. (Technically, one of my Icicles glass dildos also broke but that was an accident and likely due to poor design, not my pubic bone.) At least it’s been over a decade since I last broke a toy!

Honestly, this is such a me problem that I can’t even hold it against the toy. And Honey Play Box has a 100-day risk-free guarantee. If you don’t love a toy or if it doesn’t work right, they’ll refund you.

Currently, Febos is less than $60 with coupon code OFSEXANDLOVE or just bny using my link, which, honestly, seems like a steal. And it’s enough to get you free shipping. Otherwise, you’ll pay $81.99 fullprice, which is still pretty competitive.

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Categories: Reviews, Vibrators

JOPEN Pavé Grace

April 19th, 2024

JOPEN Pavé Grace
$48 from Amazon

I’ve been at this a long time, but sometimes something happens that reminds me just how long. Like sitting down to write this review of a Jopen toy and realizing that I’ve reviewed a vibrator from what I considered to be a new brand 11 years ago. 11 years ago. 11. years. ago. Eleven.

So I guess it’s time to give props to CalExotics for keeping their more premium line/sister brand going. It’s also time to go through my past reviews to fix some images and links, but that’s neither here nor there.

Jopen’s current offerings are more varied than the purple duel stimulators they started with. You can not buy a variety of clitoral, internal, and anal vibes from the line, although they have dropped the Comet vibrators and dildos, which many people (not me) loved.

The company is attempting to differentiate this line with touches of glam, which has resulted in the four current lines: Pavé, Amour, Starstruck, and Callie. Each line comes in its own color variations, and I have no complaints about the Pavé Grace’s light mint/teal color. I wasn’t swayed by the faux crystals; I just wanted to try another clit stimulator.

The faux crystals don’t necessarily look great in photos, and they’re not better in person. There’s also the potential for them to collect fluids. You might think that the top of the vibrator is less likely to come into contact with those, but the gem is actually a button that cycles through functions and powers on the toy, so you don’t want a lube or cum-covered finger sliding around that.

The placement of the gems forced CalExotics to get creative because this is where many toy makers would have placed the intensity controls. The result is something that is accidentally genius. I’ve raved about it before, and I’ll say it again: the controls on the side edge of Grace are intuitive to use, and more companies should take note. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like CalExotics has realized what they’ve discovered because the only other vibrator with a side button is the Chic Violet. I think it’s only designed like that because it has a grip on the top, preventing the buttons from being placed there. These aren’t even the only buttons on the toy, which is a shame.

Side button placement should be standard. It just makes sense. We’re used to the volume buttons on the sides of our phones, and many remotes now follow suit. I don’t think sex toys should necessarily take after smartphones, but I do think that placing controls there naturally takes advantage of our thumbs, which often don’t do anything while using toys. If you happen to hold the Grace in your left hand, as I do, the controls are easily pressed with your index finger, which still works pretty well.

The buttons are small, however, and even though they’re embossed, I prefer something a little more obvious. It might not be as chic, but I’m all about function over form at this point. Fortunately, there’s a nice clicky feedback when you press the buttons. I wish they weren’t quite so close together, however.

I mentioned that the gem is a button, and you need to hold it down to power the toy on or off. Each setting has 5 speeds, controlled by the buttons on the side. They start on the lowest setting. If you keep pressing the gem, you’ll cycle back through all the settings. Its first setting is steady vibration that’s fairly powerful for the size of the toy but not super deep. They quickly turn uncomfortably buzzy when you increase them (with the side buttons) however. Page through the other 7 settings, and you’ll find pulsation, escalation, and combinations of both. These settings have personally never done much for me, and Grace’s buzzy vibrations aren’t about to change my mind on that. It’s not that it’s awful per se, especially when compared to some similar toys, but it’s not my preference.

I think Grace is probably a little loud for its power output. It won’t wake the neighbors or even the roommates, and pressing it against your body (or using it under the blanket of with the shower on) can muffle some of the sound. But it’s definitely not whisper quiet. Of course, this is rarely an issue when you love the feel of the vibrations.

The rest of the toy’s design is.. okay. I think a lot of similar clit toys are too flat along the side that makes contact with your body. I wish the Siri, for example, was more convex than it is. I always wind up using my fingertips to press toys against my body because they’re not pronounced enough. That’s why I enjoyed the Laya‘s shape. Grace has a slightly more defined nub along the bottom, which is good, but it could have been.. more.

Grace is covered with a semi-soft silicone. At the edges and edges, there’s some give. This includes the nub, and might be a selling point for people who don’t like rigid toys, which a lot of clit vibrators seem to be. It’s the type of silicone that has a ton of drag and collects lint like crazy, however. You win some, you lose some, I guess.

The package touts Grace’s water resistance, and the charging port is a self-closing hole in the soft silicone, so I think it’ll do fine. For lint magnets like this, being able to withstand a full rinse is a must. Speaking of the charger, it slides right into the port with ease, something that doesn’t always happen with toys that use the hidden port design. I enjoy that I don’t have to fuss with it, and an LED by the side buttons and glows red to indicate that the toy is charged and also lights up. When the toy is on, the light glows white, which is not necessary but acceptable.

I think “acceptable” might be a good word for this toy. It’s certainly not the worst. It will get the job done, perhaps with a little effort. A lot of people will probably be content with grace, especially at its price point. Amazon has it for less than $50, although that’s below MSRP. With so many premium brands selling their toys well over $100 and other affordable toys disappearing the price might be what pushes people to buy Grace. I can’t really blame them, but I can wax nostalgic about a time when strong, deep, clitoral vibrators didn’t break the bank.

Thanks to Vibrators.com for sending me this to review, although my review took long enough that they no longer carry the Grace.

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Categories: Reviews, Vibrators

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