Sex Toy Reviews

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 toyslube, massage products, and more!

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Solar Bullet

July 3rd, 2010

Solar Bullet

Solar Bullet
$25.91S from Amazon

The Solar Bullet from California Exotics is something that several sites offered up for review–and I passed over–before I knew I was going to be reviewing it for the manufacturer. You see, I’m not a huge fan of bullet vibes to begin with (I already have one that I like just fine) and the concept seemed more novel than practical for me. But it did show up at my door, and try it out, I did.

The Solar Bullet was actually charged, which is neat. There’s a little blue light on the control pack/charger that indicates this status. I believe it needs 8 hours to fully charge and it doesn’t need OMG sunlight. I set it on my printer to charge, without ever opening my blinds. You can use other light sources, too.

So the charger is a mostly, flat solar cell type thingy in plastic. There’s a sliding button to control vibrations. The button’s a little retro, in my opinion, but it functions just fine. The pack itself is much bigger than the battery packs I’ve used for other bullets and it’s bigger than my cell phone as well. It doesn’t quite fit nimbly in the palm of a person’s hand but I understand it has to be that size for this concept to work at all.

Well, sort of.

You see, the solar bullet isn’t any more powerful than those wireless bullets that rely on watch batteries and they don’t have any bulky attachments. The vibrations are extremely high pitched so while there’s an initial tingle, my body becomes unable to feel them at all within a minute. That just doesn’t cut it for me.

I’m not a huge fan of the design, either. The Solar Bullet is very narrow hard plastic shape, even moreso than any of the watch-battery bullets I’ve had with other toys, if I recall correctly. It would probably fit into some of those cock rings that take replaceable bullets, if you have a need. Other than that, I like my surfaces to be broader and flatter and.. more usable. For some unknown reason, there is a tiny light at the tip of the solar bullet. I don’t know if it’s plastic or glass but I have this secret fear of breaking the clear casing and slicing through my clit. Yea, no… Not a good visual. Even if it didn’t make me fearful, I just don’t understand the point. Don’t lotsa people like to use the very tip of the toy? This pretty much means you cannot do that.

Needless to say, I really didn’t spend enough time with the Solar Bullet to run it dry. I really like the idea but it just doesn’t work for me in the real world. Unless you’re into collecting novel toys, skip this one.

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Ultimate Satisfier

June 24th, 2010

This is an archived review of a discontinued product.

I continue my quest for the perfect dual stimulator, and a toy with the word “Ultimate” in its name ought to be pretty close, don’t you think? The Ultimate Satisfier adds a handle to the mix, something that many other vibrators lack. There is an extremely similar toy by PHS International with the exact same clitoral stimulator and handle. However, the insertable portion is a copy of the shaft of the Fun Factory Curve. I enjoyed the Curve and wasn’t so sure the ridges on the Ultimate Satisfier would be as pleasurable because of my recent experience with some ridges.

I’ve reviewed many similar sex toys so I thought I’d sum it up a little quicker than usual.

The Pros:

  • This toy is probably the best fit I’ve found for my anatomy, yet. The curve between the internal and external portions nearly hugs my pubic bone. It’s almost perfectly curved/angled.
  • The clitoral stimulator is 1.5″ in length, long enough to actually reach my clit.
  • The ridges on the shaft give the impression of some girth while the diameter is only 1.19″.
  • It’s made of hygienic, non-porous silicone (I flame tested), and the insertable portion is firm enough for consistent G-spot stimulation and possibly some thrusting.
  • The handle is more maneuverable than it appears.
  • The push-button, super-long bullet vibrator has multiple speeds and relies on a standard AAA battery rather than watch batteries. You can actually feel the difference between the levels, too.
  • The toy is waterproof, and the bullet has a prominent O-ring next to the battery cap.
  • It costs less than $25.

But there are a few cons, too:

  • I couldn’t necessarily feel the ridges on the insertable portion.
  • The clitoral stimulator is thinner and more flexible to give me the pressure I like.
  • The handle, while useful for G-spot stimulation, didn’t work quite so well for clitoral stimulation.
  • The vibrations are hard to feel externally because 1 AAA battery just does not provide a lot of power. The vibrations are also quite buzzy, rather than deep.
  • The shaft does not have much of a curve, so I imagine it just won’t reach all G-spots.
  • Because the long bullet extends into the internal shaft, you can’t bend it to reach any particular spot. This was actually a little uncomfortable/painful on some occasions.
  • The silicone is the shiny/sticky sort. Water-based lube is probably a must for many people.
  • There is a visible and tangible-to-the-finger seam that runs around the entire toy.

Everything else:

Because this vibrator “fits” so well, it has the potential to be a hands-free toy. Of course, your range of motion and use will be limited with the handle sticking out. It’s versatile enough to use for vaginal/perineum stimulation and can be inserted anally as well because the shape will prevent it from getting lost.

While the Ultimate Satisfier is really close to what I need, it’s not quite the ultimate toy to satisfy me. The composition of silicone is kind of.. strange. I don’t think I’ve used any other toy with this shiny and dense silicone. It doesn’t feel as nice as velvety silicone that I’m used to.

It worked well enough internally, but the clitoral stimulator just didn’t have enough pressure for it to be a true dual stimulator. I already own several toys that are just as, if not more, successful at making me squirt, but that doesn’t mean the Ultimate Satisfier won’t work well for someone who has a more sensitive clit.

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Nexus G-Play Trio

June 20th, 2010

Note that the current version of the G-Play Trio has internal, rechargeable motors, which will likely have vibrations different from those I experienced. 

The G-Play set from Nexus is a great combination of silicone P- or G-spot stimulators. Ranging in size, these silicone vibrators are suitable for anal beginners as well as more experienced aficionados. Like most Nexus products, the G-play set can also be used vaginally.

This isn’t my first experience with a Nexus product. There was Chloe, which bombed horribly, and the G-Rider, a similarly crafted vibrator. I wasn’t in love with that piece because I was looking for a vaginal/G-spot toy and it may have been a better anal fit. My expectations with the G-play trio were a bit more on target.

The first thing I noticed about this set is the little “touch me” circle of silicone on the box. I’ve seen that on a lot of Cyberskin pussies and similar toys, but never for silicone. It’s a great idea and impressed me with the amount of detail Nexus puts into their toys.

The three pieces in the set are obviously graduated in size. The smallest vibrator (light purple), which is only available in this set, is only a little larger than a pinky finger at 2.72″ long and .23″ wide. It’s unassuming, even if you’re a nervous beginner. I’m not exactly a beginner, but my forays into anal play have been few and far between these recent years.

The medium-sized (red) piece is about twice the size at 3.32″ in length and a diameter of .43″. The large piece tops off the set with a length of 3.64″ and a diameter of .51″. Note that these pieces are more ovular than they are round, so while the largest vibe may look as “wide” as a penis, it’s not as girthy as one.

Each of these vibrators is powered by a single battery–which Nexus includes. G-play small requires one AAAA, while the medium and large use AAAs. Don’t expect too much from the vibrations, however. The small and medium G-plays are single-speed, continuous vibrations of the buzzy sort, while the large has 5 settings. The vibrators are easy enough to work with a single push button. It’s mostly flush with the base, though, so it could become a little hard to find with lube in the picture.

And you should probably use a quality water-based lube because the anus is not self-lubricating. The velvety silicone doesn’t offer an extreme amount of drag, but it’s not quite as slick as smooth plastic. Nexus designed the G-Play trio with a flat, narrow base. It’s not like most anal plugs that flare out, but the base is larger than the insertable portion, making them safe for anal play.

I appreciate that the bases tend to be long but narrow. I’ve had issues with plugs and large bases because the base struggles to be in the same place that the rest of my ass is in.

When inserting any of the G-play vibes, you may not be able to go directly in because the shaft doesn’t follow a straight path like your typical plug. In addition to this, I know some people prefer to point angled heads on anal toys toward the back, instead of the front, for comfort reasons. Others, of course, can take advantage of this for P-spot stimulation.

I had my husband insert the smaller G-Play, and it went in easily enough despite the rigidity and curved head. It also came out quite easily with the long, narrow base and didn’t leave any discomfort. Use was easy–he just pressed a button. Still, it wasn’t ideal. The shaft isn’t much wider than the neck, so the small G-play kept wanting to slip out. During vaginal intercourse, he had to hold it in to keep it in place. While I suspect this would be less of an issue with the larger vibes, the shapes are very similar and proportionate. Don’t expect any G-play to stay in while doing jumping jacks.

Also, the vibrations weren’t impressive. When he was thrusting, I couldn’t feel them at all. I wasn’t sure what to expect from my first vibrating anal toy, and I’m still not sure if I like anal vibrations, but I’m definitely sure AAAA batteries will not cut it!

As I mentioned, these can be used vaginally. I opted to try the middle size and wasn’t overly impressed. The shaft managed to find my shallow G-spot, but the rigid, hooked head was busy poking other parts of my vagina. Its shape isn’t really friendly toward my anatomy, and I didn’t try the large G-Play because I knew it would only be pokier.

I discovered something interesting about this set, as well. The vibration portion is actually a thin, plastic shaft that connects to a wider base. The silicone sleeves on each G-Play can be pulled off of these bases and bleached or boiled to sanitize and wipe down the plastic with alcohol as well. This is kinda cool because, while the G-Rider is silicone, I don’t feel like it’s as safe to share as this set is.

Ultimately, the G-Play Trio went into a drawer, soon to be forgotten. However, Nexus wasn’t done with them because the company upgraded them to rechargeable motors, which might resolve some of my complaints with the original design.

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Peace Reflections Glass Vibe

June 15th, 2010

This is an archived review of a discontinued toy.

This is my first vibrating piece of glass, and I knew fairly well what to expect. Glass vibrators typically consist of a glass sleeve that fits snugly over a regular vibe of some sort, and I’ve used a handful of glass pieces now, so I know their feel and temperature properties well. It’s something else to put them together, though.

The first thing I noticed about the Peace Reflections Glass Vibe was its looks. The piece beneath the glass is painted a metallic purple, and with the glass atop it, the whole thing looks almost.. silky. It sounds weird, but that is exactly what springs to mind. The glass itself has several ridges around the straight shaft; they are slightly diagonal. This vibe has a rather pronounced head; it bulges outward from the shaft and tapers toward the end at a rounded point. I probably wouldn’t recommend Peace Reflections to a toy newbie because of this.

Numbers-wise, the majority of the shaft has a diameter of 1.32″ inches, and the widest part of the head has a diameter of 1.51″. Peace Reflections Glass Vibe isn’t very long and only measures 6″ total, about 5 of which are insertable.

My experience with the shape of this vibe was quite interesting. It doesn’t take much to reach my G-spot most days because it’s so shallow; in fact, even straight toys can usually do it decently, but this was not the case with this vibe. It just didn’t stimulate my G-spot with any sort of consistency. I think that it’s a bit difficult for me to wield because it’s short and so are my arms. A longer toy or a longer handle would be great. I imagine this toy would be even more frustrating if your G-spot happens to be really deep or your pubic bone is curved.

Still, Peace Reflections Glass Vibe was easy to insert, even without any lube. The glass is smooth and slick and will be cold to the touch unless you warm it (in warm water) first. If you wish, you can use water or silicone-based lubes.

I didn’t feel the ridges much when it came to straight thrusting but they were quite obvious if i twisted or turned the vibe. Actually, I didn’t particularly like this sensation, so I guess I’m glad I couldn’t feel them at any other time.

When I first used the Peace Reflections Glass Vibe, I could definitely feel the rigidity of the glass. My vagina was really sensitive that day, and it was too much for me to take. Subsequent uses have not proven to be as uncomfortable, however. I would warn that you be careful with rigid toys like glass, especially during partner play. It’s definitely easy to make a quick movement that can cause pain or discomfort when a toy is this unforgiving.

Even though I didn’t love the Peace Reflections Glass Vibe for internal play, the gently rounded head felt nice for clitoral stimulation. I sort of used the side of the head, and away we went.

The vibratory powers of this toy probably won’t blow you away. Peace Reflections Glass Vibe runs on a single AA, has three steady levels of vibration and operates with a single push button at the base of the toy. It’s quite buzzy, but the levels are distinct from one another. The noise output of this vibe is really quite minimal; although, the highest setting does have a little whine to it.

The glass is ridiculously easy to clean, and you can wash the Peace Reflections Glass Vibe with soap and water because there is an O-ring between the battery cap and the toy. This makes it safe to bring in the shower, but the glass can get quite slippery, so you might want to stick to dry, soft surfaces with this one.

For less than $25, you could really do worse. It’s definitely a cheaper option to explore glass.

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Eden Waterproof Body Blossom

June 9th, 2010

This is an archived review of a discontinued toy.

Another dual stimulator? Yea! I love the idea. It’s why I’ve tried the Rock Chick, Mini G-rock, G-Ki, Gia, Adonis and Delight–not to mention a few non “c-shaped” toys. And I’ve got the Ultimate Satisfier waiting to be reviewed, too.

The Waterproof Body Blossom is part of a line of toys from Adam & Eve that promote their Eden movie. So I suppose the little flower clit stimulator makes sense, even if it’s a bit silly. The Body Blossom’s general shape is similar to the Rock Chick; the insertable portion is fairly straight with an angled head for G-spot stimulation. It’s more angled than round so both parts of the toy rest fairly close together in its natural state. However, the jelly in this toy is much more malleable than the Rock Chick’s silicone so there’s a greater range of movement. The Body Blossom also has 3 little wave-like ridges on the insertable shaft–to match the theme, I suppose.

The whole thing is translucent purple. I haven’t used a jelly toy in a while so I have to admit, I missed the look. There’s a matching purple micro bullet that slips into a snug hole near the clit flower. It’s a pretty generic bullet and operates with a single push button. You can easily replace it with any bullet that comes with silicone dildos (Tantus) and some corded bullets (you’ll probably get more power this way). The bullet takes three watch-style batteries, and Topco provides two sets to the consumer (one set comes in the bullet). Removing the bullet to swap out batteries requires a little finesse  finagling. I added some lube to the bullet before I slipped it back in, but it was still hard to remove again.

As you can expect, the vibrations are extremely buzzy, and while the bullet isn’t overly loud, the noise matches the feel. I was slightly disappointed at how the vibrations traveled throughout the toy. However, my G-spot seemed more sensitive to the vibrations than my hand, which is good. If you’re not as sensitive to vibrations, it might not do you any good.

That is, if the damned bullet works at all for you. From the get-go, the included bullet gave me problems. I tested it out, and the button didn’t seem to do what it was supposed to. I got it turned off–until my cat bumped it or my husband picked it up. Movement was setting this thing off at random times, and the button stopped responding at all. When it came time to use it, I dropped it on the dresser to turn it on and had to let the batteries drain completely before it would shut off. I inserted the second set to see if it was a battery issue but it still doesn’t work in a way I understand. Because of this, I’m not sure if this thing is maybe supposed to have multiple settings or if it just really sucks. Of course, like I said, it’s easy to replace, so even if I were a customer, I wouldn’t try to exchange it or anything.

The jelly of the Body Blossom is phthalate-free, so it doesn’t smell like a shower liner. It has that slightly chemical-ly scent that some TPR toys have, but it’s within reason, I think. It’s a little sticky and will pick up lint and add friction during play. You can use your choice of water or silicone-based lubes. I actually used Wet Synergy, a hybrid lube. Even though I went a little lube-crazy, the Body Blossom just didn’t blossom for my body. The wave ridges made it a bit difficult to maneuver, and I tend to like my G-spot toys with a little less angle to the head.

I also like external pressure a lot, but the flexibility of this toy didn’t provide that. The flower rested gently against my labia. It’s a problem I and others with fleshier vulvas run into with this style of toy; I experienced it with Rock Chick, too. I couldn’t really spread my labia to fix the issue, either. The angle of the toy meant that it kept trying to slip upward toward my mons instead of staying in place. This is pretty typical for this style toy. I can get either G-spot stimulation or clit stimulation but not both simultaneously.

I didn’t love either aspect of the Body Blossom enough that I’m really upset, however. I guess I need a shaft with less going on for consistent G-spot stimulation, and I don’t usually like my clitoral vibrators to have little fluttery bits. I would definitely recommend the Rock Chick or Delight over the Body Blossom, although they’re both a little more expensive. I think the Body Blossom is discontinued, anyway.

Find vibrators like this at one of the biggest selections of sex toys online at store.ofsexandlove.com

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Lelo Mona

June 5th, 2010

Mona Red

Mona Red
N/A from

Lelo has since replaced this with the Mona 2.

In the past six months or so, I have increased my selection of Lelo toys fivefold. Previously, I’ve reviewed the Luna Beads and Lily, both of which left a little something to be desired, so while I was excited when Lelo released Ina and Mona, I wasn’t sure if the toys would work well for me personally. I actually wound up purchasing Ina a while back and have played with her to limited success. I was a little disappointed and thought perhaps Mona would have been a better fit for me and AdultSextoys was kind enough to provide me with Mona (and right before my birthday, too!).

Ina and Mona are very similar if you’re comparing them. Essentially, Ina has a small clitoral stimulator, while Mona is just an insertable shaft. Mona has an angled head for G-spot stimulation, and it’s slightly bulbous but unique from most other G-spot vibes. It’s not exactly spherical, nor is it ovular; at some angles, Mona almost looks like a golf club (but which one? I don’t know. I don’t play).

Mona’s handle is slick white plastic, while the insertable portion is rigid velvety silicone. Mine is a gorgeous red (orange-based, not purple), but you can also get Mona in grape purple. The shaft isn’t large and only has a diameter of 1.43″ but I find that it tapers a bit suddenly and might not be a great beginner’s toy because of this.

Mona offers about 5″ for insertion with another 3.5″ for the handle. The lines are sleek, making this vibrator look quite modern and attractive. The length was more than sufficient for finding my G-spot, and I think most people would be satisfied with Mona’s design.

Mona’s vibrations are fairly strong but a little buzzier than I like. Mona feels drastically weaker than Ina because it only vibrates in one place. I was actually a bit shocked at the difference in performance. I don’t think that Ina’s shaft is any stronger; it just seems that way when both motors are on. Regardless, Mona offers consistent pressure for G-spot stimulation and is easy to wield (she’s quite light!) if you’re into thrusting.

Mona has a lot of vibration variety, but they feel a little lame after experiencing Ina. There are 8 or so settings of steady vibration, slow pulsation, fast pulsation, escalation, up-and-down escalation, and a mode of mixed pulsation and escalation. Everything is controlled with four buttons. Arrows page backward or forward through the modes while you can adjust strength with plus and minus buttons. You can lock Mona when not in use by pressing the plus and minus buttons simultaneously. I cannot specifically remember if Mona’s instructions were unclear, but I know Ina’s manual did not properly describe how to do this.

I had to press buttons multiple times with Mona and Ina. I know others have complained of the same issue. My understanding is that some users could too easily press the buttons on older Lelo designs. It seems a bit like a Goldilocks thing. Too easy, too hard. Give us “just right.”

Initially, you must charge the vibrator with the included adapter until the blinking light remains solid for a full charge. Lelo also says charging takes about 2 hours. Lelo claims up to 4 hours of use for every charge, but I don’t buy that. Both Mona and Ina seem to die pretty quickly (about an hour, I’d say), especially when using the pulsation settings. There is a noticeable decrease in power when this happens. If you’ve used other Lelo toys or vibrators with digital motors, then you may be familiar with the high-pitched whine that sometimes occurs. I noticed this only on the last setting of Mona, however.

Mona comes with a satin bag, typical of Lelo toys. Ina was a bitch to get out of the package, but the glue was practically useless on Mona’s packaging, so it slid out effortlessly. Once you toss that, though, you’re left with Lelo’s traditional storage box.

Aside from storage, you’ll want to take care of Mona, so this sex toy will last you a lifetime. I recommend only water-based lube (Mona is not very comfortable for me without it) and taking care of the charging port when washing. Mona does have a little cover over hers, and it’s fairly secure, so this shouldn’t be too hard. Just ensure it’s not submerged or in the direct stream of water. Mona will pick up a little lint, so you may want to use a microfiber towel and toss it in the storage pouch as quickly as possible.

If I had to toss all my G-spot vibrators save for one, I’d probably keep Mona despite the whiny motor and buttons. Even though it hasn’t made me squirt like Ina, I will definitely keep practicing. Mona seems significantly stronger than other Lelo vibes (Lily or Elise, for example), which gives me high hopes for the direction they’re taking.

This sex toy review sponsored by Adult Sex Toys : over 8,000 sex toys and adult toys to choose from.

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lingerie

Wet Synergy

June 4th, 2010

Wet Synergy

Wet Synergy
N/A from

This is an archived review of a discontinued product.

Wet isn’t the first company to develop a water-silicone hybrid lube but they’re definitely advertising theirs more than other companies (say, Pink). I jumped on the offer to try the new products because they sounded interesting and Wet sent me two bottles: a “regular” version of Synergy and a tingling type.

Each bottle contains 1.9oz of product and is quite tall and narrow with a press-top for dispensing the lube. The regular version has pink detailing against black and silver, while the other bottle has teal details. The bottles themselves are cute.

I tried the regular lube first and was pleased to see it was thicker than any silicone lube I’ve ever had. It’s slightly gel-like but definitely not solid. Texture-wise, Synergy feels like a silicone lubricant and doesn’t get sticky like water, and it lasts well after I am done. I don’t mind silicone lubes with toys–although most of my toys are also made of silicone, so I don’t have that many I can use with it. It’s also scent-free.

I have to be honest, though, I do not like the feel of Synergy for PIV sex. It feels too plastic-y. I never minded condoms, but silicone-based lube feels like a physical barrier and reduces my pleasure. Of course, silicone-based lube leaves an interesting feel on your flesh after use, and that is also true for Synergy.

The tingling version of Synergy is really, really effective. I mean, use with caution. I went a little overboard with it because I wasn’t thinking, and my vagina damn near froze off. Toy play seemed to increase the sensation, and it was a good 10 or 15 minutes of consistent tingles before it started to fade away. It also seemed to make me negatively sensitive and tender, maybe because of the peppermint, which you can definitely smell during use.

Overall, my experience with tingling Synergy was just a little too much. I think I might be extra sensitive to some cooling/tingling lubes, and I would definitely recommend you try out just a bit before diving right into this bottle. I usually do, but my mind is elsewhere.

Wet Synergy does contain one ingredient that some folks prefer not to see in their lubes: glycerin. Besides peppermint, the ingredient lists are identical and read as such:

  • glycerin
  • aqua
  • dimethiconol
  • sodium polyacrylate
  • dimethicone
  • cyclopentasiloxane
  • trideceth-6
  • peg/ppg dimethicone
  • pentylene glycol

Because I do not especially like the feel of silicone lube for intercourse, and most of my toys are silicone, I probably won’t use Synergy frequently. I guess I just prefer water-based lubes, and while I enjoyed the fact that this product is thicker than standard silicone lubes, it doesn’t deviate enough to my liking.

If you’re interested, you can request a sample directly from the Synergy website–which is pretty neat! Synergy is not yet available for sale in most places, so I’m not sure how much it will cost. Wet products are usually fairly reasonable, however.

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