Below you’ll find all of the sex toy reviews I’ve written at Of Sex and Love. Find my opinions on vibrators, dildos, media (sex education books, porn, DVDs and erotica), bondage and BDSM gear, lingerie, anal toys, lube, massage products, and more!
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SpareParts Sasha Lingerie Harness
$169.95
from SheVibe
My first harness you guys. It’s so touching, isn’t it? You know what I thought when I first opened the box, but he’s some in-depth thoughts.
I immediately noticed the red was lighter in person than it is in most photos. It sometimes looks like a raspberry shade, but it’s definitely lighter. It personally doesn’t look as good on me as the black probably would have, but I have one of those skin tones that doesn’t always work with red.
As I lifted the harness out of the box, it seemed much larger. It’s simply a lot of material. It’s not quite like a pair of panties, at least, it’s not like the panties I’d normally wear. The waistband is reinforced to almost be stiff, which is definitely unlike a real pair of panties, and the sides of the panties seem quite long when unexpected. The picture to the side shows the Sasha harness in large with a VS Pink panty in medium. The bottoms line up, but there’s simply a lot more material to the harness.
The stiffness of the waistband equals a lack of stretch. I ordered a large, which is supposed to fit a 38″ hip, but an XL might have been a slightly better fit. In fact, you can expect this harness to be a bit snug. If you’re at all worried, I’d suggest moving up to the next larger size. Better safe than sorry.
The amount of material really felt awkward upon pulling it up. I initially cinched up the sides to make this more like a bikini, rather than granny panties. However, this has the added effect of narrowing the legs holes just a bit. I untied the bows after pulling these up and getting situated to make it more uncomfortable.
There’s this giant ruching in the back. To be honest, the thickness and material look almost diaper-like out of the box, bur I don’t notice it when it’s on. I’m wearing ruched panties as we speak, and I never even feel it in the back. The thicker fabric just makes this look weird when it’s not on a body. As you can see in product photos, the layers that enable you to insert a dildo really show in the front. To me, this is distinctly unsexy. Of course, your silicone cock will probably be what your partner looks at, but this harness just did not feel as sexy as I would expect in and of itself.
Then I added a dildo. I went with my VixSkin Tex. It has a girth of about 1.5″, and this was perfect for inserting into the harness. I won’t lie, it took me a minute to realize how this works. There’s two layers of mesh material on the inside that slightly overlap. After pushing Tex through the hole, I then covered the base, but the mesh is loose enough that this doesn’t add sooo much stability. The mesh really helps prevent any chafing or uncomfortable rubbing during use. The harness itself was snug enough on me that it would stay in place pretty well, I think. You’ll really have to get the right size for this to work, though, and there’s no adjusting it.
Speaking of lack of adjustments: the O-ring is permanently sewn in place, and it semes to be 1.5″. Tex was perfect. There’s not a lot of stretch, though. You’d have to stretch the material and the O-ring. It’s just not happening. I feel like you wouldn’t want to go much higher or lower in terms of diameter. This severely limits the number of toys you might be able to use with the Sasha harness, but it’s the perfect size for me. Keep this in mind if you’ve been eyeing it up and you’re a die-hard size queen.
Unlike a real pair of panties, there’s no cotton crotch liner. The envelope of mesh continues down the center, so you could technically stick a bullet or maaaybe another dildo in there for the wearer to receive stimulation. I haven’t used it like this because it seems like there’d just be too much going on. Maybe I’m lame, but to be honest, just wearing my own little penis was pretty exciting enough. I also found that the location of the cock on me meant I could still reach my clitoris through the harness.
As you’d probably guessing, the generous cut, layers, stiff waistband and a few other things don’t much make this an item that I would personally like to wear under my clothes. I would have loved that idea. Oh, you want to have sex after our hot date? Sure, but let me fuck you. It’s totally cheesy in my head, I know. In reality, it’s just not happening.
However, some other goodies totally made up for it. This item is machine washable, and SpareParts provides you with a lingerie bag in which to wash it. It’s a really thick and durable mesh, which I love. It cinches closed, and the hardware seems pretty secure. There’s a little tag with the SpareParts logo on it. I’ve already used this multiple time for my actual bras, panties, etc. It’s super handy and far higher quality than the dollar store bags I was previously using.
The harness also comes with a storage/travel pouch. It’s made of the same red nylon/spandex mix as the panties themselves with a small black bow on the front lip. It has a solid zipper to secure it shut. On the inside, there’s two pockets, and these neat vintage-y buttons hold the one pocket closed. You can easily slip both the harness and lingerie bag into this pouch for storage or use it to hold your Sasha harness and a dildo; however, it won’t be the biggest dildo in the world. This pouch measures about 9″ wide and is just under 7″ tall.
9″ is also about the exact length of the included garters if you extend them fully–including the hardware. They’e pretty typical and seem sturdy but not quite as stretchy as some others that I’ve used. There’s four altogether and the loops on the panties are incredibly sturdy and sewn just inside the leg holes, so you can’t actually see them. Bonus! Especially if you wear this harness without the garters. Because this is slightly uncomfortable on me, I’d opt for not wearing the garters. I just think there’d be too much going on. The hooks are plastic, so make sure to take them off when you wash. Plastic pieces on straps always tend to break on me. However, the ribbons at the end move away for the classic garter attachment if you’re wearing thigh highs.
So, what’s my verdict? The Sasha is not as sexy on me as I would’ve liked. The cut and material is probably better for someone taller and thinner in the midsection. However, it works very well as a harness, and all the extras really blew me away. I can’t remember the last time I was impressed with the details. I love that it’s machine washable and that the manufacturer provided a washing bag with it. If you want to try it, you could do much worse, but I’d carefully measure yourself and consider the size of dildos that you love to use before making the plunge. This is a luxury piece that will please a select few, but not everyone will love it.
I’m trying a new thing with my reviews. Hopefully, this will shorten up some reviews that would otherwise be terribly long. Another benefit? Extra content here at Of Sex and Love.
The Sasha harness was the first to impress me with its packaging for quite a while. It came in a box, which surprised me. I wasn’t sure how it would be packaged because it was my first harness. It’s completely recyclable. I won’t be keeping it.
There was a matching storage bag with plenty of room from the harness itself and a small dildo. It also had a very heavy duty lingerie bag, which Iquickly stole for use with my actual lingerie purposes.
All in all, the presentation was quite impressive, and it’s been so long since I’ve been able to say that about a new toy for quite a while. The extras are actually usable, which makes all the difference. I’ve had plenty of luxury items with extras that aren’t worth the shipping payment. Nine times out of ten, I’d give up the extras for a cheaper price.
That’s my first impression.
Fun Factory currently offers the Big Boss G5 and the Boss dildo.
I know, I’m ridiculous. This review has been a long time coming. A long time. But it’s one that I wanted to write for a couple of reasons, mostly because I quite like this toy and also because the comparison to the Big Boss is necessary. With a capital N. I loved my original Boss. In fact, that was the very name of the review. It remains a toy that’s pretty firm and pretty large, something that usually makes me hate all other toys, but I like the Boss. I like Fun Factory. I liked the vibrations. I liked the little clitoral nub, and I liked fucking myself with this vibrator. Got it? Okay.
So, I wanted to see if I’d like the Big Boss better. And was it really bigger? And would it be stronger or buzzier as a rechargeable version?
First things first. The Big Boss is bigger than the Boss. I’ve read more than one review that claims otherwise. Shut the fuck up. The Boss has a slightly smaller 1.6″ diameter. The Big Boss upgrades this to 1.75″. Neither are the biggest toys ever, but the silicone remains the same on both models. You can bend the shaft slightly, but it’s pretty firm. Fun Factory’s finish also creates a lot of drag that makes insertion pretty difficult. Not everyone likes it. I’m not going to lie to you all: I barely got this thing in. If G-spot stimulation were the end-all and be-all, this toy would have failed. It really would have. The Big Boss is too big for my tiny vagina (vaginy?!?) at this point. Now, if I were having sex or constantly using insertables or didn’t develop spasms at the thought of warming up, this wouldn’t be the case, but the Big Boss is a solid toy, and I just can’t do it. But that’s my fault, not its fault.
By the time I got anything inserted, I felt like I’d used an entire bottle of lube. It was only like 1/4, but, you know, I was all sorts of slippery. This was a freakin’ masturbation adventure, and who doesn’t like adventures?! The contoured head of this and a little lube and my clit is, like, the best adventure I’ve ever been on. I know, I know, this is an internal vibrator, but it works pretty damned well on my clit, and that’s precisely why I’ll be keeping it around. Even if it doesn’t work for its intended purpose, the Big Boss works damned well for other purposes. Multitasking motherfucker.
The Big Boss is also molded differently from the original. You might not even realize it from the pictures, but I noticed it. The one feature that I really liked with the Boss is that little clitoral nub. The shaft curves slightly, and on the inside of the curve is a little nub. It’s the result of two ridges that run parallel gently swooping together toward the handle/base of the vibe.. and it does nothing if you insert this straight, but I would insert the boss only halfway and, then, pull the rest upward, which allowed my clit to enjoy the pressure of the nub.
Unfortunately, the Big Boss pays homage but fails at offering any clitoral stimulation. The Big Boss has a ride on the outside of the curve, and I couldn’t feel it at all. On the whole, the Big Boss is straighter, while the original has a relaxed “S” shape. There’s this decorative ridge that gives the impression of a nub toward the base, but it does jack shit for my clit. I am ranting in rhymes. That’s how much it sucks. I don’t know why Fun Factory deviated but they were wrong.
However, I like the move to rechargeable. The original used the same buttons, with the addition of a boost button. I don’t know about you guys, but I don’t want to have to push down an extra button when I want extra juice. All the buttons were frustratingly difficult to press to boot. This isn’t the case with the Big Boss. The buttons are soft and responsive, and the base has that light that turns on when you touch it. All in all, it’s a vast improvement. I do find the looped handle better in theory than practice. My arms, hands, and fingers just don’t work at the right angles to work it, but it’s not like I can’t use the vibrator.
This used Fun Factory’s magnetic charger. It means the thing is waterproof if you want to go deep-sea diving with your Big Boss–I joke. The charger is finicky, though. You need to line it up just right and make sure not to bump it. You’ll probably want to check on it every so often to make sure it’s still charging. I say this from experience.
So does this produce a vibration that satisfies me? Yes. The Big Boss is definitely stronger than its predecessor. When I hold them both, I can feel it. The Big Boss is also a little buzzier. Normally, this would be a con, but I can’t fault it. Most manufacturers only give us strong and super buzzy, so I’ll accept this level of vibration. The comparison makes me realize, however, that giving the original a 4/5 stars for vibration was really generous. It’s probably only a three; although, the vibrations are the deep kind that I like. The newest model is a buzzy 4-ish. It’s no Hitachi, but it’ll do pig, it’ll do.
The Big Boss also slightly annoys me with the digital motor whine. Mine doesn’t seem cheap, per se, but it seems like something is loose-ish. I can’t say if it’s just mine or the whole line. My G4 Calla didn’t seem that way at all. Regardless, it wasn’t anything so distracting that I couldn’t enjoy the Big Boss. Ultimately, I have a lot of little complaints, and they would have resulted in a negative review for any other toy. The Big Boss didn’t do what I expected, but after a night with it, I was still flushed and sweating and on the other side of several orgasms. Who am I to complain?!
This is an archived review of a discontinued item.
This vibe either looks like the eyeball guy from Aah! Real Monsters or a laser robot from the video game Portal. The latter is exactly why I requested to review it, even though another model in the line up looks slightly more turret-like. Unfortunately, all the reasons that would have caused me to pass up this sex toy are exactly the reasons I should have.
It took me less than thirty seconds to realize this, honestly. The vibrations, powered by 2AAA batteries are super buzzy. Although it’s easy enough to switch through them with the single button, there’s not much difference between any of the settings, except for the horrible whine that I could hear over music that I was listening to at the moment. This was common in Lelo’s old toys, but it bugs me whether a toy costs less than $50 or more than $100.
The vibrations are so buzzy that I wouldn’t be surprised if someone told me this was powered by watch batteries. In fact, my body simply stopped being able to feel the vibrations after a few seconds. I kid you not. While the rabbit-ear-like attachments are flexible and rounded in a way that surrounds the clitoris nicely, but the depth of the vibrations is simply too high-pitched to to anything. Honestly, I think I might have liked this a bit more, if the vibrations had been deeper. I’m not surprised that they weren’t. Some folks would suggest that this is “Great for newbies”, but I just can’t see how this vibe is all that good for anyone. Does a person exist who is really, honestly that sensitive?!
Still, while I don’t normally like fluttering rabbit ears, the arms on this guy are a little less flexible. They don’t flop back and forth, and they’re wider, so they really hug my clit in a way that could be effective. I usually like pressure, though, and this design really doesn’t offer that. However, I do like that the single push-button works well when you turn the toy around. There’s technically two ways you can hold this flat against your body/around your clit, and this lets you find the best position for the button.
This toy is kind of like the less awesome version of the Form 2, which I already didn’t like and have recently swapped away. The plastic base is round, and this toy is bigger so it’s easier for me to hold. However, you have to twist the bottom directly off from the top to insert the (useless) batteries. The whole thing is awkward, and it uses that quarter-twist style that I always have trouble lining up. Plus, the batteries sit in there vertically, without much support. They fall out pretty easily. Obnoxious, dudes.
At least Jimmyjane got the quality down. The Connection has soft silicone up top and shiny plastic on the bottom, and it’s not seamless in the least. In fact, there’s a visible line between the two portions of the toy, and it looks like a gout line full of gunk. Upon closer inspection, it’s not filled with gunk–thank God!–it’s just that the cut of the plastic is super sloppy. This toy feels low-quality now matter how you cut it.
Given the vibrations and the poor quality, I’m surprised by the MSRP. Luckily, sellers on Amazon offer this for less than half. I don’t know if I’d even spend $25 on this, but that’s a smaller hit to your wallet, if you’re convinced this will work for you.
Am I surprised though? Eh, not really. I almost always need something that uses AAs. The shape here does have some redeeming qualities, but it can’t overshadow all the things that bother me about the Body & Soul Connection.
Faux Tiger Fur Spanking Paddle
Lovehoney has since discontinued the Tiger Fur Paddle, but they still have other items available under their Bondage Boutique line, including some plan furry ones.
I’m into the tiger things lately. Remember those cuffs? Well, this paddle is better. Ultimately, they were pretty cheap, and not stripey in the right way. It’s probably a complaint you don’t often hear. You’re welcome.
The only real negative I can state is that it smells. Out of the package, there was an overwhelming fake leather smell. You’ve smelled it before, I’m sure, and it might not even bother you. I just don’t love it.
Otherwise, it’s on to the pros. This is actually smaller than expect. The span of the fingers on my tiny hands is bigger than the paddle, but that’s not a horrible thing. For one, you can control is easily. It’s also good on petite behinds.
I was impressed with the plushness of the fur. The stripes are great–not exactly realistic but appealing to my eye. To my hands, this fur is way plush. Sticks up and over and offers a lot of padding. It’s much more plush, for example, than this fur slapper I reviewed a while back. When you smack someone’s ass with this, it’s soft and thuddy. The impact spreads out, rather than landing in one place.
Even if I give it my all, I can’t do much damage with that side; although, you can flip it over and use the fake leather side. Still, the paddle is just a little bit flexible, so I find that this lessens the impact. It doesn’t impede performance necessarily, but it makes this paddle on the lighter side of bondage. On LoveHoney, the review system asks you to rate kinkiness. I guess I chose about 3.5 because, to be honest, it doesn’t seem that kinky to me.
The handle is bordered in metal rivets to add to its hardcore appearance, but this tiger is really a kitten. Technically, you could use the handle as a paddle to get more stimulation, and it would be more acute than using the furred paddle.
At the end of a handle is a leather strap, which helps you keep your grip while using the toy and makes it easy to store. I’d wipe it down with a damp cloth if you have any cleaning to do.
Although I haven’t had a chance to really use this, it seems like a well-made toy at a decent price. It delivers both in looks and feel, and it’s non-intimidating if you’re just getting into impact play. I’m definitely interested to see what the rest of the Bondage Boutique has in store!
Tantus Splash
Tantus no longer makes this dildo in this colorway, but you can buy the similar Magma dildo in silver or black for under $40.
You may recall that the Splish surprised me. It was much smaller than I thought. In fact, while pretty, it didn’t do a whole lot for me. The Splash, on the other hand, was a dildo that I expected would be much too large, especially with the texture. I didn’t expect to like it much at all.. but I was wrong.
The Splash is almost identical to its younger cousin, but it’s much bigger. At 1.75″, it’s not for the tiny vagina-havers of the world. The drippy ridges add some serious texture to this dildo, too. If you like it smooth and small, this isn’t the toy for you. Why not try the Faerie or Silk dildo instead? And, indeed, I thought I would be one of those people who wouldn’t like the Splash because of this. However, I was dead wrong. It’s definitely not the size that changed my mind, though, because it is a wee bit large for me.
My vagina really had to struggle to take this one, and there was no way I was going to get the full 6″ (insertable) up there, even if I wanted to. Still, the texture was so very noticeable. My G-spot was, like, “Hey, guys, I can feel that.. a lot!” and then I freaked out, wondering who the hell my G-spot was talking to and just how it was accomplishing this task.
The Splash took very little time and effort, in terms of movement, to elicit some FE action from my body. It felt pretty good doing it, but I feel like I’d enjoy it slightly more after sex or other toys.. but I’m not the type to whip out a dildo post-intercourse, and aside from reviewing, I don’t take much pleasure in using multiple insertables during a jam masturbation session.
So, I’m pleasantly surprised by how well my body reacted to this melty-candle-lookin’ dildo. It’s not one that I would reach for all the time. My Vixskin dildos feel good, and they let me squirt without requiring prep or effort. Similarly, I can’t say this is the perfect dildo for everyone. Size queens will love it, but its girth means it feels pretty solid. It’s not rock hard, but it’s pretty firm, and the texture could very well be uncomfortable or painful for some. I’ve used toys that look like they had a lot of texture, but the Splish and Splash really take the cake.
However, if you like size and texture, you’ll probably love the design of this. The gradient between purple and white is one of the best designs, as far as aesthetics, that I’ve seen from Tantus. The texture is great to look at, and the base makes it safe for anal play and compatible with harnesses. Perhaps the amazing Sasha harness from SquareParts.
This is an archived review of a discontinued product.
I’m not going to lie, part of the reason I requested to review the Wanachi Rechargeable Massager is simply because I remember them showcasing it on that one sex toy shopping TV show, the name of which completely escapes me now. I can literally hear one of the hostesses talking about it and, you know, I thought it might be nice to have a rechargeable full-size massager. Both of mine, while powerful and small, require me to tether myself to the outlet. I have pulled my Miracle Massager cord out of the outlet more than once, guys.
As is there were any doubt from the name, this is Pipedream’s Hitachi knockoff. There’s really not much difference as far as I can tell; although I’ve never used a Hitachi. I don’t think I would want to now, to be honest. The box for this vibrator was huge because, well, the vibrator itself isn’t a petite thing. It’s heavier, longer and wider than my Miracle Massager… even combined with my Inspire. I was just not prepared for this monstrosity. The head of this massager is like the size of my fist.
I also wasn’t surprised for it to be charged. I’ve gotten lucky with toys that way, lately. They usually aren’t but this one was. A slider switch let me easily move between the two settings.. and I was immediately disappointed. The vibrations on the lower setting weren’t any stronger than some vibes that take 2AAs or 3 or 4 AAAs. They weren’t as buzzy, sure, but they were just plain weak. Any of the Jopen vibrators blow this one right out of the water.
On the high setting, it wasn’t quite so bad… but it was still like the low on my Miracle Massager or Inspire. The vibrations of the Wanachi Rechargeable Massager were so lackluster that I plugged it in, thinking maybe it wasn’t charged all the way. Unfortunately, it was.
I wish my disappointment had ended there, but it doesn’t. I was resting this hulk (hey, they should make it green!) against my clit, and the edge of the head was doing okay for me, when it just died. Now, I think I’d gotten off once or twice, and I sort of wasn’t paying attention as I finished The Great Gatsby, but the vibrator died well within 30 minutes. That’s right, after I double-charged the thing, it just died.
Now, I wish I could say “whoa! these guys says I should get 3 hours of time,” but I can’t. Honestly, the product description is so freakin’ vague. I’m not sure what the advertised amount of usage is, or how long Pipedream recommends that I charge this vibrator for. Regardless, it wasn’t strong, small, quiet or long-lived enough for my tastes. The only way in which this massager really didn’t disappoint me is with its flexible neck. It’s super flexible. Way more than the Inspire.
I think you might assume that it’s as strong as the Hitachi, but it’s just not. If you want cord-free, take any vibrator that runs on 2AAs. It’ll do you better than the Wanachi Rechargeable Massager, by far.
[Edit]
Oh my god, you guys. This thing is a fuckin’ zombie. I accidentally bumped it on my nightstand, and it works again! I didn’t charge it, I just turned it on and it worked. I’ve been able to get a few more sessions of use out of it. While it’s still weaker than you’d expect, it apparently works longer. I just don’t know why. Perhaps it overheated the first time, which is definitely not a sign of quality. Your guess is as good as mine.
