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

Sqweel Go

April 25th, 2014

Sqweel Go
$59.99 from Lovehoney

I suppose it’s not a rarity at all that I review two toys with similar functions in a row. However, both the Sqweel Go and Lelo’s Ora intend to be oral sex simulators, and there aren’t that many of them around. Both of them are basically revamps of existing technology, and Lovehoney has gone through a couple iterations of the original, which I reviewed many years ago. I wasn’t a huge fan, and neither were many women who tried it.

There are a few design tweaks between the Sqweel Go and the last one that I’ve used. There’s still a rotating wheel of silicone “tongues,” but the encasement is much smaller with the Sqweel Go. It’s not going to fight for space with my vulva! There’s a much smaller space to grab, but I don’t generally find this to be a problem. Lovehoney has also incorporated a single push button to cycle through the 6 settings. The button is big and raised and easy to find in the dark.

When it comes to the Sqweel Go, it seems like less really is more. The Sqweel Go  is intended to be the portable version of this oral sex simulator, but I think Lovehoney really should have started with this size to begin with. A problem that I and maybe women had with the original was that it was so big as to be clunky, and it fought for space with our vulvas. Because the tongues and the entire unit are smaller, it fits between my labia, especially if I push them apart.

At just a few inches in length, this is portable, but you’ll want to grab the USB cable before your trip. My Sqweel Go arrived charged, which was nice. I haven’t had to charge it yet, but your mileage will vary depending upon which setting you use it on. The Sqweel Go is

The tongues themselves are still soft silicone. Remember how the original was not made of silicone? The Sqweel Go survives the flame test. Smooth plastic — white or purple — replaces the black case, too. There’s no cover, which might be a hindrance for travel. You also can’t remove the spinning wheel for cleaning. So far, I haven’t found this to be a problem. The wheel is smaller an extends less “far” into the toy. You can soap it up and rinse with water while pushing the wheel around or simply turning the toy on to rinse. I think I prefer this. It involves no taking apart, which was annoying. This one is also waterproof. Though, I don’t think you’d get much sensation under water.

The sensation is quite similar to the original, but the smaller tongues means there’s less time between tongues. More contact equals more sensation. I approve. The smaller size fits better with my personal anatomy, and while this still doesn’t feel like a real tongue on my clit, it does feel good when it’s lubed up. The additional settings, are more interesting, and I can more easily tell between them. The settings are:

  • Slow
  • Medium
  • Fast
  • Short short long spin
  • short medium long longer spin
  • Rapid/short spins moving to pulsation

I think I like the new speeds and the pulsations are interesting. Although, the last setting feels quite a bit like the steady settings. The Sqweel Go also has a bit of an annoying wine that I could do without.

However, the Sqweel Go suffers from the same drawback this time around — no pun intended — as it did the first time. I cannot apply pressure. Well, I can apply some, and it doesn’t stop as easily as the original, but I can’t grind against it the way I would a normal vibrator, a person’s face or leg or even the Lelo Ora. I’m not even sure how Lovehoney could continue with this design while adding that. I think it just might be impossible. This ultimately places the Sqweel Go in the category of “warm-up toy” but because I don’t use toys for warm up — it’s all or nothing — I can’t see myself breaking it out of the toy box often.

 

19 Comments

Categories: Reviews

Save Big at Lovehoney

March 20th, 2014

Lovehoney’s spring sale is currently going on. Not only can you save $15 on $70 — no code needed — but there are some awesome toys available.

Ceramix No. 6

Ceramix No. 6

1. Ceramix No. 6

It’s like the Ceramix dildo that I reviewed, but stripey-er. The ridges are interesting, and you’d likely enjoy it if you don’t need a lot of curve for G-spot stimulation. It could also be use anally and with a harness. Yay!

2. The Mute Swan

Rechargeable. Silicone. Curved. I haven’t tried the Mute Swan, but the toy looks elegant and luxurious. It’s also 26% off right now.

3.  Embrace Bunny Wand 

I’ve been wanting to get my hands on an Embrace toy for a while. This new, USB rechargeable line comes to you form California Exotics, and it looks pretty nice. The bunny has a filling shaft and long ears.

Ceramix No.1

Ceramix No.1

4. Ceramix No.1

Sexy purple mushroom straight out of Wonderland? I think so! It’s been a long time since I’ve done anal play. Maybe I should change it up with this plug. At $20 on sale, this is the cheapest you’ll find the plug, too!

5. Lovelife Dream

I like Cuddle, the g-spot vibe in this line,  but that’s not on sale right now. However, Dream is a cute little vibrator with a price of just $54. The shafter is straighter so it’s good for general internal and external stimulation.

Out of everything on Lovehoney’s sale page,  what would you get?

Comment

Categories: Shopping

Bettie Page Picture Perfect Spanking Paddle

February 4th, 2014

Bettie Page Picture Perfect Spanking Paddle

Bettie Page Picture Perfect Spanking Paddle
$59.99 from Lovehoney

This review has been too long in the making and this item has definitely been too long in the drawer since I received it. I cannot wait until I have an awesome opportunity to use this paddle for a play session.

This is one of those items that I showed to everyone as soon as I received it, and we all felt the same way: it’s an awesome impact instrument.

Now, I generally don’t go for items that are branded or designed like this. Sex toys and accessories with celebrities and porn stars on them tend to be kinda cheesy and frequently cheaply made in my opinion. This paddle is not.

The entire thing comes in a sleek, long box that has a paperboard cover. Once you slip this off, the top of the box pulls off to reveal the paddle. If you flip over the to of the box, you’ll see black and white photos of Bettie Page printed inside it.

The paddle has a similar photo of the model printed on the wide end. It fades to black on the handle, which is blank save for a signature. I am not sure if this is Bettie’s actually signature, but the overall look is sleek and sophisticated.

Bettie Page Keychain

Bettie Page Keychain

While the paddle is held into place with elastic straps, there are two other items in the box. These are a keychain and a collector’s card. I’ve already added the keychain to my keys. The decorative part is round and depicts another monochromatic picture of Bettie. It uses a lobster claw hook, which I like. The card will remain in my box, which I will also use to store the paddle. I am not usually the type of person who keeps boxes — I hate Lelo boxes at this point — but I will make an exception because the design here was done so well.

The decorative side of the paddle is a textured faux leather while the “usable” side is a quilted sort of faux leather. This gives the paddle a sort of plush feel when you’re just touching it. It’s also nice to look at.

During use, the neck has give but isn’t floppy, and this paddle comes with a wrist strap that makes it easy to use. I’ve personally found that the paddle can be used for a light swat or with more force for a sting that will make your skin glow rosy red – if you want it to. This sort of versatility means the paddle will likely work for a variety of users. Even if you’re getting it for novelty’s sake, you’ll find it is good for use.

The material can be cleaned with a damp cloth, but don’t consider it sterilizable.

If my experience with the Bettie Page Picture Perfect Spanking Paddle is any indication, then LoveHoney has done a good job with this line, and I’d be happy to recommend any of the items in it to BDSM and sex toy lovers.

11 Comments

Categories: BDSM

Tracey Cox dare! Travel Vibrator

July 10th, 2013

Tracey Cox dare!

Tracey Cox dare!
$36.99 from Lovehoney

You know anything billed as a travel vibrator is almost designed to fail. And I hate vibes that use AAAs, but the weird shape of this one lured me in and I took the plunge. The odd shape makes it hard to photograph and I just had to know what it was like in my hand. It’s good news, then, that I don’t hate it. It’s kind of an awkward sex toy, but Dare! isn’t the worst vibrator I’ve ever tried. I’d recommend it if you have a limited budget and want something simple that’s travel-friendly and discreet, but I might recommend other toys first.

So, let’s talk about that shape. The Dare! is this flattish, rounded toy. Let me explain. It’s like a makeup compact that’s stretched to become more oblong than perfectly round. It’s much larger and thicker, of course. In fact, it doesn’t actually fit in the palm of the hand, which you can see in the product photos. The white “base” of the compact shape is thicker, so it resembles a skinny egg if you’re looking at it from the side. I don’t even pretend that I am a decent enough photographer to snap a shot. You just need to take my word for it.

The result of this unique shape is that you can use the Dare! travel vibrator in several ways. Press the flatter part against your body or wedge either the tip of base between your labia. This actually provides a bit of hands-free stimulation because you can hold the vibe in place between your thighs. It’s a bit bulky, but I was even able to slip it below my panties. The vertical position is probably the best because the vibrations are focused in the tip of the pink end. The design is all hard and sleek plastic, so there’s not any difference in how it’s going to feel. The slickness means little need for lube, and the rounded but firm tip on this toy worked well for pressure without stabbing myself.

However, I don’t see this as a couples vibe. How the hell are you going to use it during sex if you’re doing cowgirl or missionary? Doggie style would work in the most awkward of ways. Sorry, folks. It might work for body massage, though.

And the vibrations are surprisingly deep considering that this thing uses 2 AAA batteries, which you insert by twisting the white and pink portions of the toy away from one another. They’re still not super strong, but I don’t think I’ve felt vibes this deep from any toy that uses AAAs as a power source, and that’s saying something! My vulva doesn’t get all tingly and numb because the vibrations are high-pitched. The battery pack design makes this toy splashproof, so it’s safe to wash with soap and water and probably take into the shower, but the sensation from the water might drown out the vibes.

The settings include a low, medium and high steady vibration. There are also three pulsation settings, but as the Dare! vibe is only comparatively powerful, it’s not powerful enough to make those work for me.

One thing that definitely doesn’t work for me is the button placement. It’s on the side, protruding from the decorative silver band. This means you need to stick your fingertip or nail into the gap to press it. This sucks. My nails bend. Yours might break. The button is small enough that some fingers will be too big to reach it even without nails, and it’s hard to push. You really need to give it some oomph. To turn off the toy, you have to press and hold the button, which is even worse. There’s plenty of surface area where the button could be placed, so I don’t understand this.

While I was surprised by the vibes on this toy and enjoyed the shape more than I anticipated, the frustrating controls are going to prevent me from using it on a frequent basis or, perhaps, ever again.

2 Comments

Categories: Reviews, Vibrators

Lovehoney Flash USB Rechargeable Mini Vibrator

April 17th, 2013

Flash

Flash
$39.99 from Lovehoney

As a techie, I love that so many sex toys now charge via USB. Hell, I even stole the adapter for one to charge my iPod. As someone who likes a lot of power, however, I’ve found most of the available options to be pretty disappointing. I wish I could say differently about the Flash (aah ahh) but.. I can’t.

I can’t really write this review without comparison the Flash to Lelo’s Mia, which may be the first USB vibe I ever tried. I liked it quite a bit — and still do — and it’s kind of set the standard in terms of strength and quality. No, the Mia isn’t what you’d ever call a “powerhouse,” but it is designed well and is enough to get me off (when the damned thing isn’t dying on me! arg.).

So let’s start with design. This really isn’t that much different from a flash drive — hence the name — except there’s a soft, silicone tip. It’s has a gentle curve and tapers a bit. I don’t feel either way about this shape. It’s easy enough to use and it would work for many people. It provides pinpoint stimulation, which would better for me if the vibrations were stronger. However, I do generally prefer diffused vibes.

The shaft is roughly four-sided with rounded corners. There’s a single, soft button about halfhalf up. It’s easy to find and there’s tactile feedback when you push it. It’s also lit from beneath, so that helps if you can see it during use. To use, you press the button once to turn on and keep pressing to go through all the settings. You have to press and hold to turn off the vibrator. In my opinion, you have to press and hold a little too long. But that’s just me nitpicking.

The vibes are really high shallow, and this becomes even more apparent as you go through the three steady settings. It’s ridiculous and almost nonexistent on the “highest” setting because the frequency increases so much. I hate it. Seriously. I like Goffrey Lannister better. Then, there are four escalating and pulsating patterns that you probably won’t care much about because the Flash just doesn’t have the power to make them interesting. I’m sorry, but it’s true.

Another thing that really bothers me about the Flash is the quality. The toy pulls apart into two pieces, one plastic and one silicone. The area where they join just seems weak. I feel like if I apply pressure in the wrong area, the whole thing would just break. This makes me wary when I wash it. It’s supposed to be 100% waterproof, but I wouldn’t submerge this.

It’s between this area where the standard USB interface lies, and you just plug this into your computer or AC adapter as anyone with an Android device has one of those handy. This is convenient.. and it makes me really want to love the Flash and similar toys but, my God, they all fucking suck.

So this toy? Didn’t get me off. My clit quickly became “immune” to the vibrations that were too weak and buzzy. I opted for the Mia, which is much, much stronger and a little deeper in comparison, but it died. Sometimes I just want to insert batteries, you know?

7 Comments

Categories: Reviews, Vibrators

Lovehoney Sexier Life Starter Pack [Valentine’s Giveaway]

January 26th, 2013

Valentine’s Day is coming up. Looks like I’ll be single again, but I don’t mind. My recent romantic adventures have left me feeling sexy, renewed and hopeful for the future. Even though things didn’t work out, I got a glimpse of the fact that things could work out for me, and that’s awesome. I hope that most of you are able to spend the day with some loved ones. If not, there’s a new Die Hard movie coming out. A friend and I have an annual Christmas tradition where we watch the first film, and we’re going to try to see the newest one together for V-day.

Sexier Life Starter Pack

You can also celebrate your day with this awesome item from Lovehoney: the Sexier Life Starter Pack.  It’s a couples kit that includes several Lovehoney brand items:

You can prepare, enjoy yourself and clean up with the kit.  It looks like everything comes with one of those awesome Lovehoney bags, too. Man, I like those.

And even if you don’t love absolutely everything in the kit, hey, it’s free, right? Right! Nothing too extreme in this one.. but I might have something else up my sleeve for you bondage-loving folks in the near future. 😉

Lovehoney Sexier Life Starter Pack Giveaway

I’m going to try something new with this giveaway: RaffleCopter. To complete any giveaway entry, you have to use the drop down menu/arrow and follow the instructions. Some might require you to leave a comment on the actual blog, so do that nicely. The entry types will more or less be the same that I have asked for any giveaway in the past, however. I will collect your shipping and contact information by default and send that off to the lovely Krista with Lovehoney, so there’s no need to contact you first. However, this means you must use your actual contact information; otherwise, you’ll never get your prize.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The giveaway will end on February 5th, and I will use a plug-in to randomly  generate a single winner. The winner will be contacted by me  via e-mail and Lovehoney will mail the prize directly to the winner. Of Sex and Love is not responsible for delivery.

121 Comments

Categories: Giveaways

Image © MisterUnlucky; used with permission.