Review: PinkPunch Sunset Mushroom Vibrator

Honestly, I respect sex toy companies that take risks in terms of toy shapes. Any ol’ company can crank out a vibrator shaped like a rose, or a butterfly, or an egg – but it takes guts to make a vibrator shaped like a woodland mushroom. Let’s talk about this one by PinkPunch.

 

What is the PinkPunch Sunset Mushroom Vibrator?

Launched in April 2021, PinkPunch is a fairly new sex toy company, and the Sunset Mushroom vibrator was their first product. It’s a small silicone vibrator shaped like a mushroom, and was designed to appeal to people who’ve never used a sex toy before and are intimidated by the thought of doing so.

The toy comes with its own charging case, inside of which it fits perfectly.

 

Things I like about this toy

  • The aesthetic of the Sunset Mushroom and its charging case is adorable, and reminds me of the Powerpuff Girls. I agree with PinkPunch that newbies are sometimes intimidated by the wide selection of sex toys available and may prefer something with a friendly aesthetic like this.
  • The charging case is really cool. It works similarly to AirPods, holding its own charge (once you charge it up) which can be used to recharge the toy up to 3 times even if you have to be away from a power outlet for a while. This is super convenient if you plan on traveling with the toy, using it on-the-go, etc. or even if you’re just lazy like me and don’t always feel like plugging in a charger when a toy needs some juice. I’ve never seen a sex toy that had this type of charging system before and I’m really impressed with it.
  • I like the shape and size of the toy for clitoral stimulation, and also for inserting shallowly to hit my G-spot.
  • It’s reasonably quiet.
  • It’s waterproof! (The case, however, is not, so be careful to dry the toy thoroughly before putting it back in there.)

 

Things I don’t like about this toy

  • The vibrations are, unfortunately, bad. The lowest setting is a tolerable mix of buzzy and rumbly, but its other two steady speeds are verrrrrry buzzy and thus don’t feel anywhere near as stimulating as rumblier vibes. Buzziness also causes temporary numbness that can make it hard to enjoy sensations and orgasms.
  • There are only three steady speeds, followed by five vibration patterns, and only one button to cycle through them all. I hate this. If you ask me, every vibrator should have 5-10 different steady speeds and a maximum of 3 patterns, and you should be able to control the former separately from the latter, with “up” and “down” buttons instead of just one button.
  • The handle vibrates as much as the head of the toy, making it uncomfortable to hold onto for more than a minute or two at a time.
  • Out of the box, the toy had a rubbery smell that has only dissipated slightly when washed. It’s actually such a strong smell that I could detect it while sitting at my desk even when the toy was inside its half-closed charging case on the other end of my desk. I did a flame test and the results seem to indicate that the toy is indeed made of silicone as PinkPunch claims it is, but I have no idea why it smells so strongly of rubber if that’s the case.
  • Not sure whether to put this on the “pros” list or the “cons” list, but: PinkPunch warns you twice in the toy’s instructions that you should only use it externally, but also includes a “safety strap” you can attach to it, to make retrieval easier if you do use it penetratively. On the one hand, I’m glad that they’re giving customers a slightly safer way to put this toy up their butt if they so desire (harm reduction, yay!); on the other hand, if they wanted to actually make the toy anal-safe, they should have given it a flared base and/or made the safety strap non-removable. As is, it could all too easily detach from the toy while in your butt, which could end up necessitating a trip to the emergency room.
  • The toy’s one button, which you use to turn it on and off and to cycle through its settings, is unmarked and hard to push.
  • The PinkPunch app, which you can supposedly use to control this toy from nearby or from far away, is not available in my region (Canada). Not sure why.
  • This toy costs $99 and simply is not worth that much money. (I would hesitate to say it’s worth even half that much, frankly.) You can get way better clit vibes, like the We-Vibe Tango X and Hot Octopuss Amo, for less.

 

Final thoughts

While I love the look of the PinkPunch Sunset Mushroom vibrator and the way that it charges, the motor of a toy is its most important quality, bar none, and this one has a baaaad motor. It’s nowhere near rumbly enough, strong enough or satisfying enough to justify the toy’s $99 price tag.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: if anyone who works at a vibrator company is reading this, please tell your team to focus first and foremost on developing motors that are rumbly (i.e. low-pitched), powerful, and allow for variable speeds. Everything else is just window dressing, and if you blow your budget on bells and whistles, the product itself will be forgettable and disappointing no matter how flashy and fabulous it may look.

 

Note: You can use the code juice40 to get 40% off your order from PinkPunch!

This post was sponsored, meaning I was paid to write a fair and honest review of this product. As always, all writing and opinions are my own.

Review: CalExotics Red Hot Flare

I am a big fan of clitoral pleasure, so I’m always thrilled when I see sex toy companies taking novel approaches to clitoral stimulation.

There are so many different ways toys can touch this long-underestimated organ: they can vibrate it, suck it, blow rhythmic airwaves at it, massage it with a rotating wheel of tongues, and so much more. It’s a part of the body that, as far as we know, exists only to make us feel good – so why not try out as many different avenues of pleasure as possible?

That’s why I like clitoral vibrators that have two “prongs” or “ears,” so as to surround the clit on both sides, the way a partner’s lips can. They just feel different from any other type of toy, and help me discover wonderful new sensations within my own body. The one I’m reviewing today is the Red Hot Flare vibrator from CalExotics, sent to me by my pals at Mindful. Let’s talk about it.

What is the Red Hot Flare?

The Red Hot Flare is a USB-rechargeable, silicone clitoral vibrator made by CalExotics. Formerly known as California Exotic Novelties, this company was once infamous among sex toy reviewers for pumping out toxic, low-quality toys for ultra-low prices – and, while they still do their fair share of that, they have significantly stepped things up over the past decade and now make many body-safe, decent-quality products.

As I mentioned, this vibe is unlike most clit vibes in that it has two little “bunny ears” that its vibration transmits into. I think there are a few main reasons someone might prefer a two-pronged vibe over a more traditional clitoral vibe:

  1. If you are transmasculine or have feelings in that direction and would like a clitoral toy that feels gender-affirming, this type of toy might be a good pick. You can stroke the ears up and down on either side of your shaft for a BJ- or HJ-esque feeling. (I will say, however, that this particular vibe may not work as well for someone who has experienced much bottom growth on testosterone, because the distance between the ears is pretty minimal. They’re flexible, so you could make it work, but I think this toy is better suited for people with small- to medium-sized clits.)
  2. If your clit is very sensitive and/or you just prefer indirect clitoral stimulation (like me!), you might enjoy the way these vibrators can stimulate your clitoral shaft through your inner labia and clitoral hood, rather than stimulating the tip of your clit directly, which can be painful for some people. These vibes also stimulate deeper parts of the internal clit than most toys do – most notably, the clitoral bulbs, which are located inside the body on either side of the vaginal opening.
  3. If you’re very sensitive and enjoy light, fluttery sensations on your clit, like very gentle tongue-flicking, you might like this type of vibe because the ears (especially if quite thin and flexible) may sort of flutter back and forth when they vibrate. You can position them wherever feels best: the tip of your clit, the side of the shaft, the top through the clitoral hood, etc.

No matter how you’re using this toy, make sure to use a good water-based lube with it. This is especially important if you’ll be stroking it up and down or otherwise moving it around in any way, but the fluttery motion of the ears feels better with lube even when I’m holding it totally still.

 

Things I like about this vibrator

  • It is surprisingly powerful and respectably rumbly. This, as I’ve ranted about before, is the most important quality of any vibrator: its motor. The strength and rumbliness of this toy are such that I can orgasm from it easily and hardly experience any desensitization with it. Good job, CalEx!!
  • There are a lot of different potential ways to use this toy. I love that it invites exploration and experimentation. For example, sometimes I will tease my clitoral shaft through my hood with the tips of the ears, massage each side of it through my inner labia, and then eventually switch to the position that generally makes me come: one ear on either side of my clit, with the top of my clit nestled into the crook between the two ears. Full surround-sound stimulation, baybee.
  • This toy stimulates the sides and base of my clitoral shaft in a way that almost no toys do (at least not without some creative positioning), which, for me, makes orgasms feel more intense and full-bodied, and less overstimulating. For my particular clitoral preferences, I’d much rather use a toy shaped like this than a standard bullet vibe on most occasions.
  • The ears are very flexible – way moreso than those of similar toys I’ve tried, like the Jimmyjane Form 2 and We-Vibe Gala – which makes it easy for me to position them on either side of my clit, even as it swells with arousal.
  • The toy is quite petite, which makes it great for travel/transport (especially since it has a travel lock function) and also means it would be useable during PIV in pretty much any position.

 

Things I don’t like about this vibrator

  • The main issue is the battery life. The instruction manual for this toy says that a fully charged battery will last up to 30 minutes on the highest speed; in my experience, that is a generous estimate. I use the toy at various different speeds throughout a session, not just the highest one, and I typically have to charge this one after every 30-40 minutes of use. There’s also no visible indicator that the battery is close to dying, which is why one day the toy unfortunately shut off when I was about 5 seconds away from orgasm. Sigh. (Don’t worry, I grabbed my Eroscillator to finish the job.)
  • This toy only has 3 steady speeds, followed by 7 patterns, and you have to scroll through each setting one at a time using its one button. Fortunately, if you just want to get back to the first steady speed, you can achieve that more quickly by turning the vibe off and then on again. As always with toys that work this way, I wish this one had more steady speeds, fewer patterns, and even just one more button to help me navigate to whatever setting I’m looking for more easily.
  • The space between the ears is so slim that I always end up having to manually reposition each “ear” on either side of my clit whenever I move the vibe or take a break. It would be way better if the ears would just spread open when I push my clit between them, but that would require more space between the ears to begin with. I feel like most toys of this type are made with the assumption that all clits are small and that none of them get larger when aroused, which is… not the case.
  • While the motor and bendiness of this toy feel better than those of the Jimmyjane Form 2, I miss the thickness and firmness of the Form 2’s ears, because of the way they stimulated the spots between my inner labia and outer labia. That’s one of the best/easiest ways to stimulate the clitoral bulbs, but it requires that the ears have a little more heft to them so you can press them into the flesh there, and this toy does not have that ability.
  • The silicone is highly prone to collecting lint/hairs/dust (as you can see in the photos in this post, sigh), and is also pretty draggy. Lube is imperative.

 

Final thoughts

The CalExotics Red Hot Flare is, in many ways, a fantastic vibrator. It stimulates my clit in a pretty unique manner, has a delightfully rumbly and powerful motor, and is discreet and travel-friendly enough for long-distance sexy adventures. It gives me intense orgasms with ease.

But it won’t work for everyone’s anatomy, and frankly, for $100, I expect better battery life than what this one offers. If CalExotics fixed that issue, this would become a top-drawer favorite of mine, but I’m just not willing to charge a vibrator after literally every use.

If you love clitoral stimulation, particularly the kind that is indirect and focuses mostly on your clitoral shaft, you’d probably dig the Red Hot Flare. As long as you don’t mind keeping its charger by the bed forever.

 

Thanks to the folks at Mindful for sending me this product to review! This post was sponsored, meaning I was paid to write a fair and honest review of this product. As always, all writing and opinions are my own.

Review: SnailVibe

I was recently tasked with writing an article about the best rabbit vibrators on the market. As per my usual process for such articles, I dug deep into the annals of my own memory to find this information, as well as interviewing several experts in the field: sex toy reviewers, sex educators, and so on.

I did six interviews for this piece, and when asked what rabbit vibes they would recommend, almost every interviewee said some version of the same thing: “I know the We-Vibe Nova 2 is good. Can’t really think of too many others.” This was, unfortunately, the exact same opinion I myself had held before I began the research process for the piece.

My wonderful interviewees were able to give me useful recommendations, and I do think that that article covers the cream of the crop when it comes to rabbit vibes, a notoriously difficult category of toy to execute well. But it really is true: the We-Vibe Nova 2 is one of the best rabbit vibrators released in the last 5 years, if not more, for one major reason. It maintains firm contact with your clit even when you thrust with it.

There are other reasons too – it has a great motor, many settings, a travel-lock function, is rechargeable, is made by a reputable company, etc. But I think the main thing the Nova got right was its approach to clit contact, and the new-ish SnailVibe is astounding for exactly the same reason.

 

What is the SnailVibe & how do you use it?

The SnailVibe is a dual-stimulation vibrator, i.e. a vibrator that offers vaginal penetration and simultaneous clitoral stimulation. (One could also, theoretically, use it for anal penetration, with the external portion stimulating the perineum.)

What sets the SnailVibe apart from all other dual-stim vibes is its spiral-shaped external portion, which is designed to roll/furl and unfurl every time you thrust the internal portion in and out. The spiral offers enough resistance that it remains firmly in contact with the clit (or at least, my clit) for the entire thrust.

I cannot overstate how important clitoral pleasure is to many vulva-havers’ sexual response, and to my own. The clitoris is the anatomical pleasure equivalent of the penis, so for many of us, it is absolutely central, potentially much moreso than penetration. It always baffled me that so many toy companies seemed to put all their resources and inventiveness into bells and whistles on the penetrative parts of rabbit vibes – rotating beads, come-hither stroking, and so on – while assuming a pair of flimsy rabbit ears would be enough in the clitoral stimulation department. The SnailVibe seems, comparatively, much more focused on clit pleasure, and I appreciate it.

 

via GIPHY

How does it feel?

The SnailVibe has two motors and both of them are excellent. I don’t even have that much to say about them because they’re just… satisfyingly good, at the level one would hope and expect from a vibrator at this price point ($150 USD or about $200 CAD). I will say, there are some surprisingly huge jumps between vibration speeds, which are sometimes jarring, but mostly it doesn’t bother me that much.

The toy is designed such that the clitoral portion not only remains in contact with the clit during each thrust, but maintains pretty firm pressure on it. So if you’re not a fan of clitoral pressure, this might not be the toy for you – maybe the fluttery ears on standard rabbit vibes are more your speed.

Another sex toy reviewer, Felicity of Phallophile Reviews, disliked the SnailVibe intensely because its penetrative shaft is long, straight, and rigid. This is one of the key qualities that could make a user either love or hate this toy. If you want intense G-spot stimulation, it’s true that this is not the right toy for the job. But if you tend to enjoy thrusting for how it stimulates your vaginal walls more generally, and/or if you like deep, firm penetration that strokes your anterior fornix or posterior fornix, I think you’re likelier to appreciate this toy.

The shaft is also pretty long – 8 inches insertable – which could be off-putting for some folks, but I don’t think it has to be. You don’t have to use the full length of a sex toy in order to use it at all, and this vibe is designed such that you’ll get clitoral contact if you insert the vibe as shallowly as 2 inches inside you.

The buttons that control this toy are intuitively-placed, IMO, and thus great for finding and using in the heat of the moment. You can control the internal and external motor separately, and set each to any of several steady vibration modes and patterns at any time.

 

Drawbacks & things to keep in mind

YOU HAVE TO PUT LUBE ON THE EXTERNAL PART. If you found this review while idly googling the sex toy you just bought, I hope this is the main thing you take away from this review. PUT LUBE ON THE EXTERNAL PART.

The external part doesn’t just sit there statically; it spins/rotates against your clit, so if it’s unlubed, it’ll just scrape over the area uncomfortably. This toy literally feels completely different when the external part is lubed. It’s non-negotiable as far as I’m concerned. (Don’t forget to add some additional moisture to reactivate your lube every so often if you’re using a water-based one.)

I find that thrusting with this toy is the only way I can get myself off with it. Its straight shaft and firm clit stimulator don’t quite do enough to get me there without additional motion. If you want a rabbit vibe you can use without needing to move it or hold it, I’d suggest a rabbit that thrusts or strokes the G-spot.

 

Final thoughts

I’m not generally a huge fan of dual-stimulation toys, but I have to say that the SnailVibe is in the top 3 I’ve ever tried in terms of sensation (the others being, I think, the We-Vibe Nova 2 and the CalEx silicone jack rabbit). It’s rumbly as hell, feels lovely when thrusted, and gets me off easily every time. It’s also entirely unique and hella cute-looking.

It won’t work for everyone – you gotta like (or be okay with) firm clitoral pressure, thrusting, and rigid penetration that targets spots deeper than the G-spot – but there is no vibrator that would work for everyone, and that’s like 10 times as true when it comes to rabbit vibes. I’m glad to have found another one that works for me, even though it looks like a damn snail.

 

Thanks to the folks at Lovers for sending me the SnailVibe to review!

What Type of Vibrator is Right For You?

I got my first vibrator when I was 15, which means that as of next year, I’ll have been using vibrators for HALF MY LIFE. And what a blessing they have been!

Vibrators can stir pleasure and elicit orgasms even in people who struggle to get off via other methods. They can be a godsend for people with disabilities, sensitivity issues, low physical stamina, or all of the above. They can, in some cases, circumvent numbness caused by antidepressants or tissue damage. They are, in other words, the sexual technology we need and deserve.

However, it can be hugely daunting to shop for a vibrator, particularly if you’ve never done so before and don’t know what to look for. Here’s a breakdown of some of the most common types of vibes, and the kinds of people who would most enjoy each. Hope this helps!

 

Who should get a clitoral vibrator?

  • Someone who knows they love clitoral stimulation!
  • Someone who wants to make PIV sex (or anal sex) more comfortable and pleasurable for themselves by adding some clitoral stimulation into the mix.
  • Someone whose vulva-owning partner has expressed not experiencing much pleasure during penetrative sex and is open to technological solutions to that problem.
  • Someone who wants a vibe that’s petite and discreet. (Not all clit vibes are, but most are.) For example, if you travel a lot, live with your parents, or just don’t have much space to spare in your nightstand.
  • Someone who has strong preferences about how their clit should be stimulated: broadly or in a more focused way, on the top or on the side, directly or indirectly, etc. Regardless of your tastes, you can probably find a clit vibe that does what you want it to do.
  • Someone who already owns one or more dildos that they love, and wants a vibe to use clitorally in conjunction with their dildo(s).
  • Someone who has vaginismus or other issues that make penetration difficult or impossible, but who still wants to experience sexual pleasure.
  • Someone who wants to incorporate a vibrator into sex with a partner but suspects (or knows) that their partner would be intimidated/threatened by a larger toy, and would have no interest in unlearning that reaction.

 

Who should get a wand vibrator?

  • Someone who knows they need a LOT of stimulation.
  • Someone who prefers broad stimulation of their bits, rather than more pinpointed stimulation.
  • Someone who wants to get a vibrator that both they and their partner(s) can enjoy, regardless of gender or anatomy. Wands feel great on vulvas and dicks alike.
  • Someone who doesn’t plan on using their vibe during face-to-face penetrative sex much. Rear-entry positions are usually more amenable to throwing a huge vibrator into the mix.
  • Someone who wants their orgasms to be quick and efficient. Of course, it’s not a guarantee – there are no guarantees when it comes to what will prompt an orgasm – but many people describe wands as being the best option when they just want to “hammer one out.”
  • Someone dealing with genital desensitization due to medication or other factors, who needs strong vibration to blast through the numbness.
  • Someone who prefers deep stimulation over surface-level stimulation.
  • Someone who doesn’t want to bother with replacing/recharging their vibrator’s batteries. (Some – not all – wand vibrators plug into the wall, so batteries aren’t a concern. My beloved Magic Wand Rechargeable can be used while plugged in or unplugged.)
  • Someone who wants a sex toy that can double as a muscle massager. Stress and tension can be real boner-killers, so it’s often nice to begin a sex/masturbation session with some gentle massage of the shoulders and neck, for instance.
  • Someone who wants to do forced orgasm play. Wands are the generally agreed-upon go-to prop for that type of scene.

 

Who should get a pressure wave vibrator?

  • Someone who enjoys the sensations of receiving cunnilingus. No toy can really replicate oral (yet), but many people report that these ones come close.
  • Someone who has tried other types of vibrators before and found them unimpressive.
  • Someone who is not easily overstimulated by direct clitoral touch.
  • Someone who likes a slow build toward orgasm.
  • Someone who likes sensations that feel almost scarily intense.
  • Someone who likes to keep up with the latest and greatest technology. This sex toy category is super trendy right now; remember that rose vibrator that went viral on TikTok?!

 

Who should get a G-spot vibrator?

  • Someone who loves G-spot pleasure!
  • Someone who knows they want a vibrator but doesn’t yet know which part(s) of their anatomy they’ll want to stimulate with it. A good G-spot vibrator can be used either internally or externally, giving you a lot of options and room for experimentation.
  • Someone who likes both internal and external stimulation but can currently only afford one toy. The versatility of a G-spot vibe makes it a good pick for this scenario.
  • Someone who travels a lot and wants one toy they can take with them that can do a lot of different things (clit stim, G-spot stim, labia stim, even potentially muscle massage if it’s strong enough or anal stim if it has a flared base).
  • Someone who is curious about the internal clitoris and wants to stimulate it.
  • Someone who is curious about G-spot orgasms or squirting and wants to see if their body is capable of these phenomena.
  • Someone who wants a partner to be able to fuck them with a vibrator.

 

Who should get a dual-stimulation/rabbit vibrator?

  • Someone who has thought very carefully about what they want and determined that they need a dual-stimulation vibrator. I would not recommend dual-stim toys to anyone who is at all uncertain about what type of vibe they want; it’s a bit like giving someone a kitted-out gaming PC when they just wanted a laptop for scrolling social media sites and watching Netflix. In almost all cases, you’re gonna be better off using a dildo and a vibe (or an internal vibe and an external one) and controlling them separately.
  • Someone who doesn’t have strong preferences about how they like their clit to be stimulated and where. Dual-stim toys usually have a fixed distance between their internal and external arms, meaning that you may not be able to hit your favorite internal spot and your favorite area of your clit with the same toy – but if you don’t really have a “sweet spot” on your clit, and just enjoy having it touched anywhere, then you might be a good candidate for a dual-stim product.
  • Someone who is either a lazy masturbator (no shame in that) or who has mobility/strength issues in one or both arms/hands (no shame in that either!). Dual-stim toys usually only require the use of one hand, if that, so they might be a better option for this type of person.
  • Someone who really loves that one episode of Sex & the City.

 

Who should get a penis vibrator?

  • Someone who has a penis and wants to experience vibration on it! Maybe using your hand has gotten boring; maybe you’re just curious.
  • Someone who has difficulty maintaining or achieving an erection. Some penis vibes are specifically designed to be useable whether you’re hard or flaccid.
  • Someone whose penis isn’t as sensitive as they wish it was, and who therefore feels they need/want stronger stimulation than most human bodies can provide.
  • Someone who wants to potentially achieve hands-free penile orgasms, whether due to disability or any other reason.
  • Someone who would like to give or receive a blowjob featuring added vibration. Some penis vibes leave you enough room that you can use them near the base of the shaft while performing oral sex on the rest of the dick, for an all-enveloping sensation that many people enjoy.

 

Who should get an anal vibrator?

  • Someone who loves anal stimulation, of course!
  • Someone who enjoys experiencing vibration surreptitiously in public places. You can get other types of vibrators that have Bluetooth functionality, but vibrating butt plugs are usually the comfiest ones to wear for extended periods because they’re explicitly designed with that purpose in mind.
  • Someone who wants to have some kind of partnered anal sex (whether that be with toys, fingers, a strap-on, or a penis) and would like some help warming up for it. Vibrations can assist in relaxing the muscles in that area and making penetration easier.

 

What’s your favorite type of vibrator? What makes it your fave?

 

Thanks to the folks at Honeysx for sponsoring this post! As always, all writing and opinions here are my own. Feel free to check out their article, “19 Types Of Vibrators For Your Sex Toys List,” for more info.

The Most Important (and Most Overlooked) Quality of Any Vibrator

I get emails literally every day from sex toy companies who want me to try their latest vibrator. They’ll wax poetic about its shape, its aesthetic, its strange and innovative features; they’ll claim it’s revolutionary, a revelation; they’ll plead wide-eyed with me to name it one of my all-time favorites.

But 9 times out of 10, it won’t stand a chance – because 9 times out of 10, its motor is terrible.

It’s really wild that we’re still having this conversation in 2021, nearly 150 years after the first electric vibrator was invented, but: a vibrator’s motor is its most important feature. If your toys have a buzzy, weak motor, you can spend hundreds, thousands, or even millions of dollars on research and development for the toy’s other aspects and it won’t matter. Hell, some of my favorite vibrators ever are ugly as sin, but I don’t care because their motor is capable of giving me orgasms, unlike many, many, many others out there.

 

A brief primer on the notable traits of a vibrator motor, for those unacquainted:

Broadly speaking, vibrations can be ranked on a spectrum between buzzy and rumbly. Some vibrators are both simultaneously, and some feel rumbly on their lower settings and buzzier as you turn the toy up (or, less often, the other way around), but for the most part, any vibrating toy will land noticeably somewhere on that spectrum.

Buzzy vibration feels surface-level; its stimulation goes only skin-deep. It tends to both feel and sound higher-pitched than rumbly vibration. A buzzy vibrator is likelier to create the temporary desensitization/numbness many people dislike about vibrators, such that (for me at least) orgasms from buzzy vibes sometimes feel barely pleasurable, if they’re achievable at all, because the area has been so thoroughly numbed by that point. Buzziness shows up most often in cheap toys, but even some high-end vibrators are surprisingly buzzy, because – as I’ve mentioned – many companies are more concerned with aesthetics and “innovation” than with getting this most basic aspect of their toy right.

Rumbly vibration, on the other hand, feels more like fast, rhythmic thumping than buzzing, almost as if someone was tapping your skin very very very quickly. This type of vibration goes deeper into the body, stimulating buried tissues like those of the internal clit, G-spot, or prostate. It tends to cause less numbness than buzzy vibration and to preserve genital sensation for longer, often leading to deeper, stronger orgasms. It also tends to be quieter than buzzy vibration and tends to be found in more expensive toys, although there are companies (such as We-Vibe and Dame) that make rumbly toys at a more reasonable price point.

In the land of sex toy reviews, sometimes you’ll see folks proclaiming that rumbly vibes are good and buzzy vibes are bad, period, end of story. I agree that most people seem to feel this way, but I’d like to note that there are people who prefer buzzy vibrations, for various reasons (I’m not one of them so I couldn’t tell you what those reasons are). I also think that there’s sometimes a place for buzziness; I don’t usually mind if a vibe gets a bit buzzy on its highest settings, for example, because when I’m close to orgasm, sometimes it’s a little burst of buzziness that pushes me over the edge, stimulating me in a different way than rumbly vibrations can.

But in general, yes, I would say that rumbly vibrations are the superior type. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that if you’ve only tried one or two vibrators in the past and haven’t liked them, there’s a very good chance that they were too buzzy and that you’d appreciate something rumblier. (But also, some people just don’t enjoy vibration and that’s fine too.)

 

It shocks and disappoints me every time I turn on a new vibrator that looks luxurious and well-thought-out, and discover that it’s as buzzy as a $20 watch-battery bullet. It angers me that companies feel it’s appropriate to charge high prices for products missing the most basic component of a halfway decent vibrator: a good motor. It annoys me that companies get aggravated when I call their toys buzzy in my reviews, as if they couldn’t have put the effort in to develop a better motor in the first place. It saddens me that so many people around the world probably dismiss the category of vibrators altogether because of some bad experiences they’ve had with buzzy ones, thereby cutting themselves off from untold pleasures.

“Rumbly” has become a buzzword in the industry now, too, such that many companies brag ostentatiously about the “rumbliness” of toys that are no such thing. In my view, there are only two ways to know if a vibrator is actually buzzy or rumbly before you buy it: read multiple reviews of it by sex toy bloggers/journalists/experts who are demonstrably committed to honesty in their assessments, or go to a sex shop and feel the toy’s vibrations for yourself. Don’t trust companies’ own marketing copy, because even otherwise-good companies sometimes lie. (I can’t even begin to tell you the number of times that a vibrator billed as “whisper-quiet” has actually been loud enough to startle my roommate’s cats such that they leap off my bed and sprint into another room.)

Here is my plea to any sex toy company employees or consultants who may be reading this. Prioritize good motors above everything else in a toy’s design (other than body-safe non-porous materials and overall safety, but that’s a given). If finances dictate that you have to make a toy less flashy and impressive in order to make it actually feel good, then that’s worth doing. I don’t give a single shit how many patterns, settings, and functions your toy has if I can’t even feel my genitals while I’m using it. Start with the motor and go from there; the motor should never be an afterthought or anything other than your #1 priority.

There. Now I can step off my soapbox and go jerk off with a vibrator I can actually feel.