All Reviews

My Most Expensive Sex Toys: Are They Worth It?!

Kate Sloan

I get a lot of questions from readers that amount to “Is [x sex toy] worth its price tag?”

It’s a difficult question, because the answer depends on so many factors. How much are you able to spend on toys? What types of stimulation do you like? What other toys do you already own? The list goes on.

However, we can do a certain amount of generalizing in order to say whether a toy’s price is overall reflective of its value. Today I’m going to attempt to answer that big question – “Is this worth it?” – about five of the most expensive toys in my collection. Let’s hop in…

Njoy Eleven

Price: $300-400 USD, depending on where you get it – although I was able to get mine for $180 CAD in a really great sale in 2015.

What makes it worth it:

  • The Eleven is huge, heavy, and beautiful. There is really nothing like it.
  • It’s one of the best tools in the biz for intense, focused stimulation of your G-spot and/or A-spot (depending on anatomy).
  • With two ends that are both absolutely splendid, you’re getting more bang for your buck – so to speak – than you’d get from a single-sided dildo.
  • The ridges on one side make for a comfortable grip, so you can fuck yourself (or get fucked by someone else) surprisingly hard with the Eleven, without as much exertion as some other dildos require.
  • Stainless steel is easy to clean and easy to sanitize. There are no tricky cracks or seams on this toy that require special care.
  • Stainless steel is also compatible with every type of lube, so you can use your fave and it won’t damage the toy.
  • It will last you your entire life – unless you lose it – and you will likely even be able to pass it on to your kin as a horny heirloom.
  • The Eleven comes in a gorgeous gift-ready wooden box. It also comes with an elegant leather bag you can use to store and transport the toy, both to avoid getting scratches on it and because it’s fancy as fuck.

What makes it not-so-worth it:

  • This is a very heavy and thus unwieldy dildo. Folks with strength/mobility issues – and even those without – may have a difficult time thrusting with it.
  • At 1.75″ and 2″ in diameter, respectively, both of the Eleven’s two ends are designed for users who like size – both girth and length (although you can insert as much or as little of the length as you like). Folks who prefer smaller dildos will likely struggle with this.
  • Furthermore, because the material is as unyielding as they come, this toy is the opposite of beginner-friendly. If you’re wading into the wild waters of Big Penetration, I think you’d be better off starting with something like the super-squishy VixSkin Maverick.
  • If you dislike texture, the ribbed side might not get much use (or any), which reduces the toy’s usefulness significantly.
  • The Eleven doesn’t have a flared base, so it’s not ideal for anal penetration – although I do know plenty of people who take it that way regularly without trouble. (It’s too heavy for your butt to really be able to swallow it up if you’re holding onto it and paying attention.)

Overall: Worth it, if you know for a fact that you like big, hard penetration, and you (or the partner[s] who’ll be fucking you with it) have no problem manipulating heavyish objects. This is one of my most-used dildos and remains a gleaming top-drawer fave nearly 5 years after acquiring it.

Where to buy: SheVibe ($399.99 USD), the Smitten Kitten ($400.99 USD), Come As You Are ($320 CAD/about $255 USD), Peepshow Toys ($399.99 USD)

Eroscillator Top Deluxe Soft Finger Combo

Price: $239 USD

What makes it worth it: 

  • Nothing else feels like this toy. For me at least, it causes far less numbness/desensitization than standard vibrations (by “oscillating” instead of vibrating), and the pleasure and orgasms it produces feel much deeper and, uh, more pleasurable than what I get from a lot of vibrators, even high-end ones.
  • It’s well-designed for holding onto, even with lubey hands. That textured body means I can always keep a good grip on it and can flip between settings easily and quickly.
  • I have found the Eroscillator’s shape to be ideal for adding clitoral stimulation during penetrative sex. It slips between bodies fairly easily and feels fabulous paired with penetration.
  • This Eroscillator (the Top Deluxe) is more powerful than the original by a significant amount. (Still may not be powerful enough for everyone, though, as discussed below.)
  • This particular set comes with every Eroscillator attachment worth having, so you can experiment with many different sensations. However, like many other sex educators who love this toy, I prefer the soft fingertip attachment over any other, and use it 99% of the time when I use this toy (if not more). Even if you choose to buy a standalone Eroscillator to save money, I suggest adding the fingertip attachment to your cart; it is next-level.
  • As far as clitoral stimulators go, this is one of the quietest I’ve ever encountered – so if you want clit stim but have to keep the noise down, this might be a good pick.
  • Compared to something like a wand, the Eroscillator is fairly travel-friendly – you can remove the attachment and wrap the cord around the body before packing it, and it takes up only about as much space as an average-sized dildo, if not less.

What makes it not-so-worth it:

  • It’s a plug-in toy, so you have to be near an outlet to use it (although the cord is 12 feet long so you have plenty of wiggle room if you need it).
  • Although the Top Deluxe is more powerful than the original Eroscillator, I still wouldn’t recommend it for any self-identified “power queens” (or other power monarchs), unless you’re trying to cut back on super-strong vibrator usage by trying something different.
  • A lot of people find this toy ugly. At this point it’s given me so many hundreds of orgasms that I don’t care, but you might.
  • The attachments are made of TPR (thermoplastic rubber), a porous material. (Why, Eroscillator, why?!) I have had zero issues from this after using mine for years at a time, in terms of any vaginal infections or irritation, etc., but it does mean you can’t safely share this toy with someone you’re not fluid-bonded with, unless you put a condom over it or each have your own separate attachments to use. You may also experience some discoloration of your attachments over time.
  • I once broke an Eroscillator by dropping it a few too many times, and couldn’t figure out how to repair it so I had to buy another one. However, this was after 3-4 years of using it multiple times a week, so I still consider it more durable/long-lasting than a lot of other vibes out there.

Overall: Extremely worth it. I would be lost without this toy. It gets me off more reliably and consistently than any other toy in my collection; I use it 5-6 times a week pretty much every week. If you like clitoral stimulation but find normal vibrators too numbing or overwhelming, or if you just want to try a truly unique clitoral sensation, I think this toy would be a good purchase for you.

Where to buy: SheVibe ($239 USD)

Lelo Sila

Price: $159-169 USD

What makes it worth it: 

  • The “mouth” of this toy is bigger/wider/deeper than your typical pressure-wave stimulator, so it tends to work better for people with medium-to-large clits (including those of folks taking testosterone), as well as anyone who prefers their entire clitoral shaft, hood, etc. be stimulated along with the tip of their clit.
  • The flat “lips” around the toy’s mouth make it much easier to form a seal around your clit for deeper, more intense sensations. This also means that if you, like me, tend to take a lot of breaks while using clitoral stimulators, you likely won’t have to work as hard to re-find your clit and reposition the toy on it every time.
  • The buttons are relatively easy to see, find, and press.
  • I enjoy the toy’s simple, elegant, très millennial aesthetic.
  • It’s waterproof and rechargeable, though those qualities are more-or-less par for the course in this category.

What makes it not-so-worth it:

  • Some people say this toy isn’t strong enough. To me it feels pretty damn strong, especially since it stimulates more of my clit than other toys of its type, but your mileage may vary.
  • The Sila’s shape makes it difficult to pair this toy with intercourse. If you’re looking for a pressure-wave toy to put on your clit during PIV, I’d suggest the Satisfyer Curvy 2+ instead; it’s slimmer and more ergonomic for that purpose.
  • It’s made by Lelo, who are not exactly known as a paragon of ethics.

Overall: Worth it. The Lelo Sila has quickly become my favorite pressure-wave toy, because it stimulates more of my clit, more deeply, than any other toy I’ve tried in this category. The Satisfyer Curvy 2+ feels the closest, and is much cheaper – but if you have the cash, and want full-bodied clit stimulation in a luxurious package, I think the Sila is where it’s at.

Where to buy: SheVibe ($159 USD), Peepshow Toys ($169.99 USD)

Doxy Die Cast

Price: $190-210 USD

What makes it worth it: 

  • It’s INCREDIBLY strong. Like, quite possibly the strongest vibrator I have ever personally used in 9+ years of sex toy reviewing, with the exceptions of jackhammery behemoths like the Sybian or Cowgirl. Folks who need or want a lot of power are frequently delighted by this toy.
  • It’s simply gorgeous. The aluminum body is shiny, sparkly, and a total showstopper at events and parties. Wands are not known for being visually appealing, but this is maybe the prettiest one I’ve seen.
  • The head and neck are covered in body-safe silicone, rather than being made of a shitty porous material that’ll break down and discolor over time like so many other wand heads. It’s easier to clean it and to keep it looking good. As a bonus, silicone also transmits vibration better than squishier materials, so the Die Cast’s stimulation feels more intense than that of the standard Doxy.
  • The “double-weighted” head of this toy makes it feel rumblier than other Doxy wands, although (as noted below) it still doesn’t always feel as rumbly as I’d want it to.

What makes it not-so-worth it:

  • Doxy’s quality assurance is infamously bad, and many of their toys have mechanical issues, such as vibrations skipping around in intensity or seeming to migrate to different areas of the toy unexpectedly. Presumably because of how widespread these problems are, I’ve often heard from buyers that they have a hard time getting in touch with the company for a replacement, and oftentimes even if they can, the replacement ends up having mechanical issues too.
  • The Die Cast, more than any other wand vibe I’ve tried, is HEAVY. This is the main reason I don’t use mine as often as I otherwise might.
  • Even this vibe’s lowest setting is VERY strong, so I wouldn’t recommend it for people who consider themselves sensitive or have tended to stay on the low end of other vibrators’ intensity ranges.
  • The vibrations get buzzier as they move up in intensity, and while the lower settings are slightly rumblier, overall this vibe isn’t as rumbly as I would hope or expect from a toy of this size, weight, and price. (However, I’m a “give me rumbly vibes or give me death” person and can still get off with this one, no problem.)
  • As with most other vibrators of this type, this one makes a lot of noise, especially on the higher settings. There’s a reason I called it “the belt sander of sex toys” in my review.
  • It has to be plugged in to be used. This doesn’t bother me at all but I know it’s less than ideal for some people.
  • Some people don’t like that the aluminum body of the vibe is naturally cold to the touch when you first pick it up.

Overall: Probably not worth it for most people. While the Die Cast is indubitably POWERFUL and gorgeous as hell, I think it has too many major flaws to earn its hefty price tag – especially when you can get the more reliable Magic Wand Rechargeable for a good bit less money, or the Magic Wand Plus for less than half the price of the Die Cast.

Where to buy: SheVibe ($189.99 USD), Peepshow Toys ($189.99 USD), Come As You Are ($265 CAD/about $211 USD)

New York Toy Collective Carter

Price: $165-175 USD

What makes it worth it: 

  • With its 7.5″ insertable length and 2″ diameter, this is a big-but-still-manageable dildo that’ll suit plenty of different types of people, and can be used anally, vaginally, and/or orally.
  • It’s a good size and shape for G-spot, prostate, or A-spot stimulation, though (as discussed later) it has trouble holding an angle so I wouldn’t recommend it for people who prefer intensely curved toys. I really like the combo of fullness and A-spot stim that my Carter provides.
  • It’s a “pack ‘n’ play” toy, meaning that it’s bendable so it can be worn in a harness under clothing if need be. It’s pretty big, though, so it might not be the subtlest thing. That bendability also means you can change the toy’s angle before/during use, if you’re so inclined.
  • It’s made of dual-density silicone, so it has a lovely, comfortable squishiness to it.
  • It comes in many different gorgeous colorways. Normally I don’t care too much about that but they really are quite pretty. It also comes in a few flesh tones.
  • New York Toy Collective is a queer- and trans-owned independent company well worth supporting.

What makes it not-so-worth it:

  • While you can bend this toy into various shapes and angles, it tends to straighten out over time during use. It’s also squishy enough that it feels generally stimulating rather than specifically focused on particular spots. If you’re looking for a realistic silicone toy of similar dimensions that can hit your G-spot or prostate with more vigor, I’d suggest the VixSkin Maverick.
  • As I mentioned above, the size of this toy makes it slightly impractical for “packing”/wearing under clothes, depending on what exactly you’re wearing. The smaller NYTC Shilo is better in this regard, though I don’t find that it feels as good.
  • The silicone is a little more draggy than that of some other realistic dildos I’ve tried, so thrusting it seems to require more hand/arm strength even when adequate lube is used.

Overall: Potentially worth it for some people, but less so for others. While I think this is a wonderful dildo that feels great and looks even better, it’s significantly more expensive than plenty of toys in its category. The VixSkin Maverick is cheaper and feels comparable but not identical (more squish/less internal pressure, more glide/less drag, a more pronounced head), but if you want a beautiful pack-‘n’-play with a pleasurably firm core, the Carter will deliver.

Where to buy: SheVibe ($164.99 USD), Come As You Are ($220 CAD/about $175 USD)

What’s the most expensive toy in your collection, if you have one? Do you think it was worth the money?

Review: Womanizer Premium

Kate Sloan

If toys like the Womanizer are meant to replicate cunnilingus – which is a subject of some debate in the industry – then I don’t think the technology is quite there yet. However, the luxe Womanizer Premium is one of the better options in its category, due to a number of innovations it introduces, even if it doesn’t quite scratch the right itch when I’m craving oral sex.

The folks at Lovehoney let me pick a toy to review for them, and I asked for the Womanizer Premium because I’ve had my eye on it ever since it launched. Available in a sophisticated navy blue (which I chose) amongst other shades, and boasting a sleek, ergonomic shape, this is certainly one of the most aesthetically pleasing Womanizers out there. (That may not be saying much, considering that the first Womanizer was leopard-print and rhinestoned, but still.) At $200, it’s one of the priciest pressure-wave toys I’ve ever seen – and aesthetically, I can see how it’s worthy of that price point. But what about how it actually feels?

Admittedly, a different toy – the Lelo Sila – instantly became my favorite pressure-wave toy when I first tried it, and it has remained so, for one key reason: its nozzle (or “mouth,” if you prefer) is big enough to stimulate my entire clitoral shaft, instead of just the hyper-sensitive tip of my clit. I have yet to find ANY other toy that does this, and I must have tried dozens at this point. (The closest I’ve found so far is the Satisfyer Curvy 2, which I would recommend if you want clit shaft stimulation but can’t afford Lelo’s pricey wares.) I don’t even have a particularly big clit, but most pressure-wave toys’ nozzles (including that of the Womanizer Premium) feel too small for my purposes, because I don’t want a ton of stimulation focused on the head of my clit. I know I’m not alone in this, because readers of mine have expressed similar sentiments. Why are more companies not meeting this need?

The Womanizer Premium even comes with two different nozzles, so you can theoretically swap between them for different sensations – but for me, they feel pretty much identical, and neither of them does the thing I actually want this type of toy to be able to do. The pressure waves in this one are on the rumblier side, so they do stimulate my internal clit to some extent, even if indirectly – but I still miss the way the Sila basically deepthroats my clit, rumbling its whole external length through my clitoral hood and inner labia.

But that’s a matter of personal taste. People who like direct, pinpoint clit stimulation would likely enjoy this toy, because it’s well-made and highly intuitive. It has 12 different intensity levels; I usually stay within the first 3-4 because they are plenty powerful enough for me. It also has a much-talked-about “autopilot mode” which allows you to lie back and let the toy decide when to change the intensity. As my friend Rae noted in their review, this mode feels much more like having actual partnered sex than a lot of other sex toys do. Unlike standard vibration patterns, the Womanizer’s autopilot mode takes its sweet time, transitioning smoothly between intensities like a partner who is paying attention to the hills and valleys of your sexual response. That said, the Womanizer isn’t actually paying attention to your body in that way, so sometimes this mode gets out of step with where I actually am in my arousal process. When that happens, though, I can just hit one button and I’ll be back in the standard choose-your-own-speed mode.

The buttons are one of the best things about this toy, actually. Specifically, the “+” button. Although the controls are positioned on the back of the toy where they can be hard to see during use, the “+” and “–” buttons are raised, and are noticeably different sizes from one another, so I can always turn the toy’s intensity up in a hurry when I need to, even in the dark. I love this feature!

I like that this Womanizer is shaped well for hands-free usage. In fact, as I write this, it is currently sandwiched between my thighs, and is maintaining a good seal around my clit without requiring much thigh pressure. I like to use it this way while I’m watching porn or reading erotica, especially in the bath (it’s waterproof), where being underwater seems to intensify the suction created by the air waves.

The “Smart Silence” feature first used in We-Vibe toys has been employed here too. It causes the toy to temporarily turn off whenever you lift it away from your body, resuming its stimulation once you press it to your clit again. I thought this feature would be annoying and finicky as it is in some We-Vibe toys, but they seem to have fixed it in the Womanizer Premium; it doesn’t tend to turn off when I want it to be on, though it occasionally does turn on when I want it to be off (such as when its nozzle brushes against the bedsheets when I set it aside for a moment to adjust my pillows or pick a different porn clip). You can also turn off this feature if you prefer. I’ve left it on, because I like that it saves battery power and also renders the toy nearly silent, since – as with most pressure-wave toys, and indeed most people – this one makes noise when there’s nothing in its “mouth” but quiets down significantly once it’s put to use.

The Womanizer Premium is shaped in such a way that it’d work great during PIV/intercourse. It’s flat-ish and ergonomic, and thus fits between bodies comfortably. However, the tip of the toy does extend a little over an inch past the end of the nozzle, which – depending on the distance between your clit and your vaginal opening – might be enough to make penetration difficult. I would likely reach for a more petite toy if I wanted pressure waves on my clit during PIV.

The Premium charges magnetically, is fully waterproof, and comes with a 5-year warranty. It’s perhaps the fanciest, nicest pressure-wave toy I’ve ever tried – but the size of its nozzle makes it not-quite-perfect for my body, because it does the clitoral equivalent of flicking a tongue against the head of a penis while forgetting that the shaft and balls exist. But hey, if you’re into that, you’d probably dig this gorgeous (albeit expensive) pleasure object.

 

Thanks to Lovehoney for sending me the Womanizer Premium to review!

Review: Sohimi Alice Hands-Free Masturbator

Kate Sloan

I’ve been pleasantly surprised by some of the inexpensive-but-great toys Sohimi has sent me to review before, like their efficient dual-stimulation clitoral sucking vibrator and their inventive tongue-like toy. Some of my readers have even reached out to say that they bought a Sohimi toy on my recommendation and enjoyed it too, which is great!

When the company reached out to me this time, they wanted me to review a product from their “sex toys for men” section. Unnecessarily gendered language aside (please, companies, if it’s a toy for penises, you can just say that! Trans and non-binary people exist!!), there are a number of toys in that category that look just as innovative and interesting as the vulva-focused toys Sohimi has sent me before, so I was curious to see what my partner mb would choose to review.

They eventually settled on the Alice hands-free masturbator, a mechanized stroker that both rotates around your dick and strokes it up and down. I asked mb to take notes during their initial testing session with the Alice and they described it as feeling “like a car wash for your cock.” But in a good way. Mostly.

In lieu of having adjustable speeds and separate controls for each function, the Alice just has a series of pre-set patterns you can flip through. Some of these are nice, while some are too overwhelming and/or erratic to feel all that pleasurable – unless you’re into overloading a partner with sensation for kinky reasons. Actually, sadistic fantasies are one of the first places mb’s mind went when trying out this toy; we’ve watched a fair amount of porn involving dommes “milking” their subs for cum, in a way that combines D/s, bondage, orgasm control, edging, medical play, humiliation/objectification, and various other delightful fantasies, and the Sohimi Alice is pretty ideal for scenes of that nature. The unpredictability of its array of patterns can make it feel more like someone else is controlling the toy – and your dick – even when you’re operating it yourself.

The internal texture of the sleeve is intense, particularly when combined with the spinning/stroking combo served up by the toy’s motor. My partner’s dick sensitivity is average (I’m a slut, I would know), and they noted that people with more sensitive cocks might find this toy overstimulating. But, again, that could be cool for scenes involving consensual overstimulation and maybe even forced orgasms.

Indeed, mb says they can get off from using this toy easily, because of how hyper-stimulating it is. It works best if you hold it still, rather than thrusting into it, which can strain the motors and slow them down – but that need to remain still, too, plays into potential fantasies of being controlled and toyed with.

Like most strokers, the Sohimi Alice has its problems. It’s quite loud. It’s a bit big and bulky, so if you have strength/grip issues, you may want to find a way to brace it against something (like a pillow or a wall) to hold it up at least some of the time while you’re using it – although it does also have a suction cup mount, so if need be, you can affix it to a wall or a floor and thrust into it hands-free. The sleeve is made of TPE, which is porous, so you shouldn’t share it with people you’re not fluid-bonded with, and should expect to need to replace it within a few years. Cleaning it is annoying, mostly because you have to dissemble the device before washing it to avoid getting the mechanics wet, and because the time at which you have to do it is the time when you’d most often like to lie in bed enjoying the afterglow instead.

However, overall we’ve really enjoyed using the Sohimi Alice together. It provides unique sensations not often found in other strokers, and is surprisingly well-suited to numerous different pervy fantasies. Who knew a “car wash for your cock” could feel this good?

 

Thanks to Sohimi for supplying us with this toy! Check out their “male” sex toys online. This post was sponsored, which means I was paid to write a fair and honest review of this product. As always, all writing and opinions are my own (and my partner’s).

Review: Loveorl 2-in-1 High-Frequency Clitoral Sucking Vibrator

Kate Sloan

 

Loveorl sent me their 2-in-1 High-Frequency Clitoral Sucking Vibrator to review, and I thought, hey! It’s a double-ended toy where I might actually enjoy both ends!

Usually in this type of toy, one of the functions is good, while the other is just so-so – or sometimes they’re both bad. I had higher hopes for this one, because its two ends seem to be modelled after two types of toy I already know I enjoy: a Zumio-esque “high-frequency” hard-plastic vibrator designed for pinpoint clitoral stimulation, and a pressure-wave toy like a Satisfyer or Womanizer, meant to pulse around the clitoris, creating a suction-y sensation and triggering ethereally indirect orgasms. Neat!

This toy is rechargeable, and has a satiny silicone coating on most of its body. This makes it feel surprisingly luxe for its $22 price point. There’s one button for each of the two functions, and you cycle through each function’s various speeds and settings using its respective button. You can enable both functions at once, but I’m not sure why you would; this toy isn’t shaped well to allow for two clit-possessing people to use it simultaneously.

The Zumio-ish vibration portion disappointed me, for the most part. It claims to use the same “spiral oscillating waves” that you’d find in the Zumio (of which it is an obvious copycat, which, as you may know, I’m not a fan of on principle), but to me it just feels like too-buzzy, too-strong vibration. It overloads and desensitizes my clit in short order the way an overly buzzy vibe does, which the Zumio doesn’t do, at least not as quickly. It’s also very loud, and the entire toy vibrates when this setting is enabled, making my hand feel numb and itchy within seconds of turning the vibrations on.

 

The toy comes with two little silicone attachments for the vibrating end, which is cool. One of them is spherical and one looks like flower petals that can flap and flutter against your clit and labia. Interestingly, the toy is much quieter when there’s an attachment on it. I liked it best with the flower petal attachment because I could hold it on the top of my clit, with my clitoral shaft placed between the two petals, allowing for much more spread-out and indirect stimulation than the vibrator allows for sans attachment. I probably could get off using the toy this way, but eking out an orgasm with super buzzy, surface-level vibrations is not my favorite thing, and tends to take me forever.

The suction side of the toy is better. It, too, feels “buzzier” than many of its competitors in the pressure-wave space, like the thrillingly thrummy Lelo Sila. But design-wise, this is in the top half of pressure-wave toys I’ve tried: its silicone “mouth” is comfortably shaped and wide enough for me to fit more than just the hypersensitive tip of my clit into it, so I can get some of the clitoral shaft/clitoral hood stimulation I tend to crave when using this kind of toy. There are only three steady speeds and I found myself wishing, in the moments before orgasm, for just one more setting at the top end, probably because of the aforementioned buzziness having lessened my sensitivity a bit. But I can achieve orgasm readily with this thing, and it feels just as involuntary, spasmodic, and surprising as it does with other pressure-wave toys.

I have to say, for its price tag, I think the Loveorl 2-in-1 High-Frequency Clitoral Sucking Vibrator is a great value. If you only have $22 to spend on a clitoral toy and you want to try a broad range of sensations, this toy’s dual functions and two included attachments will give you a lot of bang for your buck. I wish it was quieter and rumblier, but frankly it’s pretty astonishing that Loveorl managed to make a rechargeable, body-safe, two-function sex toy for under $25, so maybe I’m asking for too much.

Get this toy if you want to experiment with pinpoint vibrations and/or pressure-wave stimulation without breaking the bank, and you don’t mind a moderate-to-loud noise level. You can always upgrade to higher-quality options later, but for an entry-level clit stim toy, you could do a lot worse than this petite pink creation.

 

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

Guest Reviews: Anal Toys for Discerning Assholes

mb

Editor’s note: I asked my spouse mb to review some of their favorite anal toys. Enjoy!

I’m much more deeply into anal penetration than Kate is. Some of that difference probably has to do with our anatomy – I have a prostate with lots of nerve endings there, where she does not. Plus, she has a vagina as another option for penetration, and I don’t. But I think another part of it has to do with our personal histories. I’ve been incorporating anal penetration very regularly into my masturbation and partnered sex for 10 years now, and I’ve grown to love it more with each session whereas she’s had relatively few experiences with it and only enjoyed those moderately.

At first, putting something in your butt might seem like it would be scary, painful, or just weird, but after a while many people can adjust or attune themselves to the sensations and find great pleasure in it. And I’m certainly one of those people. Today, I want to discuss three anal sex toys that should be on your radar and perhaps in your holes, and how they each fit into my sexual repertoire.

 

Aneros Helix Trident

One of the first things I ever put in my ass (after fingers) was an Aneros toy. After hearing glowing reviews of them on the now-defunct Sex is Fun podcast in the early 2000s, I knew I needed one. Aneros is a prostate pleasure-focused brand that makes interestingly shaped prostate massagers designed to stimulate your P-spot without any thrusting, instead relying on just the contractions of the anal sphincters and PC muscles. Devotees of the brand wax lyrical about the so-called “Super O” (a prostate-only, ejaculation-free orgasm) these toys can generate, and develop elaborate routines for achieving it on the company’s forums and associated subreddit.

I was happy with my original Aneros MGX Trident for years and used it frequently whenever I had an evening entirely to myself because it could make me come harder than any other toy I owned, if I was willing to put in the time – usually 45-60 minutes of focused tensing and relaxing my muscles while on my side or back. But when Aneros reached out to Kate in 2018 to see if we’d be interested in trying another one of their massagers, I jumped at the chance to see what had changed in 6 years.

Aneros sent me the Helix Trident ($55), one of their “beginner” models, which has 4” of insertable length and a tip-width of 1.06”. The toy improves on the shape, tab position, and cleanability of the MGX, and it comes in both medical-grade white plastic or black silicone as part of their Syn line ($69.95). I tested the plastic model, and like the MGX before it, it blew me away. The toy looks less like Poseidon’s trident 🔱  and more like an alien probe or some kind of unidentified intelligent lifeform. Its curves and bulbs are designed to mirror the internal anatomy of folks with prostate glands and its small tabs at the end of two curved arms both stimulate the perineum and act as a fulcrum by which the toy moves when you perform kegels.

Inserting the lubricated Trident for the first time is super easy and almost feels like there’s nothing there because it’s so light. The toy doesn’t vibrate and you’re not supposed to move it at all, so what happens once it’s in? I usually start watching or listening to porn, reading erotica, or having phone sex with a partner, and everything changes. Because the toy is so light, as my ass starts to squeeze around the toy, it begins to rub back and forth and “awaken the prostate.” After a while, without ever touching my dick or the toy with my hands, I notice intense tingling in my ass and cock, and if I ride those waves of pleasure I can usually come hands free (sometimes with ejaculation and sometimes not). I am always left feeling completely blissed out. A few times, I’ve pushed through and done this multiple times in a row before removing the toy and passing out from how good it is.

As far as downsides, the toy feels a bit cheap because of the material, and it can discolor slightly over time even when properly cleaned, and can occasionally need manual realignment during use, but those are minor nitpicks. I’d recommend an Aneros toy to anyone with a P-spot who wants to experience entirely new kinds of pleasure and stimulation, and all my friends who I’ve told to get them over the years have thanked me profusely after using them. Aneros toys are as great as they’ve ever been, and now I’m eyeing an even bigger one…

Njoy Pfun

It’s no secret that Kate and I are both huge fans of the Njoy product line. Their toys are premium stainless steel objects, and their designs feel at once inevitable, beautiful, and ingenious. The Njoy Pfun ($89.99) is no exception. It’s a lot more than “pretty fun;” it’s extremely fun to use. Kate recommend me this toy years ago as part of one of our D/s protocols, and it’s hands-down one of the best sex toy purchases I’ve ever made.

The Pfun is a solid medical-grade stainless steel prostate massager with a polished mirror finish. It’s a very manageable 4.75” long (3.5” insertable) and its sculpted head measures 1.25” wide. It’s silky smooth once lubricated with whatever lube you like, and slides in easily with a handy looped base that can be used for thrusting or easy removal.

Unlike an Aneros, the Pfun is very heavy and holds your body heat (or the chill of an ice bath if you’re into temperature play) so the stimulation comes less from automatic movement and more from the pressure of unyielding steel. Squeezing on the Pfun feels eyes-rolling-back-in -my-head incredible. The density and solidity of the steel even makes it seem like it’s growing, inflating, or pushing back on me as I tighten around it and allow the toy to subtly stroke my prostate like some kind of skilled robot lover that’s amazing with its chrome hands.

There are so many ways to play with this toy and it excels at all of them that I’ve tried: alone with or without dick stimulation, or partnered during intercourse, oral sex, double penetration, or a kink scene. In each case, the Pfun makes everything else feel much more intense and makes my orgasm noticeably harder, longer, and stronger, leaving me panting in a puddle of cum. When I think back on the best blowjobs I’ve ever received in my life, they were all accompanied by this exact object in my ass.

The only thing this toy isn’t great for is long-term wear. Because of its shape, it’ll more easily get squeezed out as you go about your day than, say, an Njoy Pure Plug, which excels in that context. I’m fortunate to have both, and I use them each for what they’re best at.

If you’ve tried prostate stimulation, and you’re ready and able to upgrade to the best of the best, get a Pfun. You won’t regret it.

B-Vibe Rimming Plug 2

While it may not be completely original, the B-Vibe Rimming Plug 2 is my go-to vibrating butt plug. Also suggested by Kate, I’ve used this toy enough times since I got it a few years ago that I’ve had to replace the remote battery. The Rimming Plug is marketed as mimicking the sensations of analingus, and while it doesn’t exactly hit that mark for me because nothing quite feels like a wet tongue, it does feel amazing in a slightly different way.

The waterproof, magnetically-charging plug, which comes in a few different sizes and colors, has two rumbly motors – one inside the bulb that vibrates, and one inside the neck that rotates internal beads underneath the toy’s satin-textured silicone exterior. This allows the toy to stimulate both the inside of your hole and the sensitive opening at the same time! Or you can start with just one and ramp up to both, if you prefer. The sensation of the rotating beads feels like someone fingering or fucking my ass, and if I get the patterns just right, I can come from just this toy alone. While the shape doesn’t directly target the prostate, it’s more than powerful and large enough to hit the spot consistently.

The toy has a bunch of really nice touches: a well-designed and discreet travel case, an included wireless remote for partner play or to avoid reaching between your ass cheeks to adjust it, 7 really great rotation patterns and intensities, and 6 of the same for the internal vibrator.

My only gripe with this toy is that the tip shape is not tapered enough for me, which makes insertion a little uncomfortable no matter how warmed up I am and how much lube I use. But once I get past that, this toy wins me right back with how good it makes me feel. Get it for yourself or the rimming fan in your life and you won’t be disappointed. Promise I’m not just giving you lip service. 😜