Review: Fun Factory Vim wand vibrator

Kate Sloan

Well, it finally happened. Fun Factory made a wand vibrator.

I love Fun Factory, and I love wand vibrators, so obviously I was hugely excited about this news. So excited that I texted my sex-blogger group chat in a frenzy. So excited that I sent my partner a cavalcade of pictures. So excited that I replied to the press release begging to be sent one, even though I wasn’t going to be able to attend the exclusive launch party at the Museum of Sex. (Fun Factory’s PR people were nice enough to send me the goodie bag I would have received if I’d gone, which included the wand itself as well as a scented candle, branded matches, and a bottle of Sutil Rich. Perfection.)

I’ve been testing out the wand these last few weeks, not just in dedicated testing sessions but also during phone sex with my partner. This is rare – the toys I get sent to review are usually bad-to-middling, and thus not worthy of inclusion in the lineup of toys I actually use in my “personal life.” But the Vim made the cut, and it’s probably going to be one of my go-to vibes from now on. Let’s talk about what makes it so great – and what I wish was different about it.

 

Things I like about the Fun Factory Vim

  • The most important thing to know is: it’s really fucking rumbly. Fun Factory talks a big game about how the Vim has a “unique weighted motor” which makes it feel rumbly from the lowest setting to the highest – and they’re actually telling the truth when they say that. It’s veeeery rumbly, meaning that its vibrations feel low-pitched, stimulate clitoral structures (or other erogenous zones) in a way that isn’t just skin-deep, and don’t cause the annoying numbness or irritation that buzzier vibes can. I have strong, deep, surprising, breathtaking orgasms with this toy, because it stimulates the deepest parts of my clit, not just the part on the outside.
  • The Vim’s 5 speeds start very low – a mild, barely perceptible trembling – and top out at a wildly powerful, jackhammer-esque intensity. For that reason, I think this would be a great first wand for someone who’s curious about them but worried they’ll feel too overpowering. A lot of other wands start strong, strong enough to scare off beginners and sensitive folks, but this one has such a wide range of intensities that just about anyone could enjoy it.
  • The majority of the wand’s weight is concentrated in its head. This allows it to feel rumblier and also means it’s not as tiring to hold onto the handle. As someone with chronic pain and muscle fatigue issues, I appreciate this.
  • The textured handle of the toy makes it easier to grip onto, even when I’ve got lube on my hands. Fantastic.
  • The shape of the Vim also makes it easier to hold than many other wands, because of how it curves inward toward the middle. I also just think this looks better/sexier/cuter than a straight-up-and-down wand.
  • I really love the aesthetic of the Vim. It’s friendly and fun, and the contrast between the matte silicone and the shiny plastic (or metal? not sure) on the neck and control panel is quite pretty. The one I got is a delightful shade of electric orange, and the other color option is a dignified deep blue. Both of these colors feel pretty non-gendered to me, too, which is always good to see.
  • Even at its highest speeds, the Vim is still reasonably quiet. Someone would definitely be able to tell you were using a vibrator if they were in the same room as you, sure, but behind a closed door (or with music on) it would be nearly imperceptible. This is extremely rare for a wand vibe this strong.
  • Most people seem to like when wand vibes have a bendy neck, so I’ll mention it here even though it’s not all that important to me personally. I will say, though, if you like to press down hard when you use vibrators, you might find that the neck of this toy has too much “give” for you to get the amount of pressure you want. (The head itself is firm, though, not squishy.)
  • As with most Fun Factory toys, the buttons on this wand are rounded, easy to locate, and make a satisfyingly responsive “click” that you can hear and feel when you press them. This is way better than toys that sometimes just don’t respond to button-presses (I’m lookin’ at you, Doxy) or that make you question whether you actually pressed the button or not. The Vim’s buttons also light up when the toy is in use, so you can find the button you’re looking for even in the dark.
  • The rumbliness of the Vim feels really good when held against the base of a dildo or butt plug that’s inside me, which can conveniently be done even while the vibe’s head is also stimulating my clit, because it’s big enough to reach both at once.
  • The Vim has an almost-unprecedented SIX-HOUR battery life. Absolutely wild. (For reference, the Magic Wand Rechargeable‘s battery life is about 3 hours.)
  • It has a travel-lock function, so it won’t turn on in your suitcase or backpack, etc. This is an uncommon feature in wand vibes of this size/strength, so it’s worth noting.

 

Things I don’t like about the Fun Factory Vim

  • My #1 annoyance with this toy is that once you reach the top speed, if you press the “+” button in the hopes of increasing the intensity further, it just moves on to vibration patterns. This can really kill the momentum of a session and could even ruin an orgasm if you weren’t expecting it. I have a strong preference for patterns being accessed via their own button that is separate from the buttons which control vibration intensity, for this reason. I almost never like vibration patterns or want to use them, and I’d love if it was impossible to switch to one accidentally.
  • The Vim starts at a medium intensity when you turn it on. This happens every time you turn it on. I strongly prefer when vibrators start at their lowest setting, because that is generally where I’ll be starting my session at, so I find it annoying that I always have to hit the “–” button a few times to get back to the lowest setting when I start using the Vim. However, if you tend to skip over the weakest settings on wand vibrators anyway, you might not mind this and might actually prefer it.
  • I don’t really understand how the Vim’s “customizable” speed adjustment works, and the manual doesn’t clarify sufficiently. The instructions seem to indicate that you can either short-press the “+” and “–” buttons to move between preset speeds or hold them down to “micro-adjust” until you reach your exact preferred vibration level, but sometimes holding them down doesn’t do anything and sometimes short-pressing them doesn’t do anything, and I don’t know why. 🤷🏻‍♀️
  • As with many wands, the bulkiness of this one means it’s not well-suited to missionary/face-to-face sex positions unless you adapt the position to make room for the toy. Its head is also large enough that it can get in the way a bit if I’m using a dildo that has a wide base.
  • While I mentioned above that I enjoy the wand’s center of gravity being in its head, there are times when this is somewhat annoying – mainly, when I’m trying to move the wand around my vulva (or to use it for general body massage), which can feel more tiring for my fibromyalgia-afflicted body than it would with a more balanced wand.
  • Fun Factory designed this toy so that the vibrations will mostly stay focused in the head, rather than vibrating the handle as with some other wands (which can be irritating, numbing, and even painful for me at times). If I hold the vibe by the end of its handle, the vibrations are indeed barely perceptible in my hand – but, when I hold it where it makes most sense to hold it – where the controls are located – some vibration definitely travels into my hand. It’s a minor issue but worth noting.
  • The textured head, which is designed to hold onto lube (which it does indeed do well), can be harder to clean than the smooth head of something like the Magic Wand Rechargeable.

How does the Vim compare to the Magic Wand Rechargeable?

  • The MWR has 4 speeds and 4 patterns. The Vim has 5 speeds and 3 patterns, although you can hold down the “+” and “–” buttons to “micro-adjust” the speed in any of its modes, a feature that the MWR doesn’t have.
  • The two are similar levels of rumbliness. The MWR feels stronger on its highest setting than the Vim does, but I think this is mostly because the MWR gets buzzier on its highest speeds (while retaining a good foundation of rumbliness at the same time), whereas the Vim stays pretty rumbly throughout. This is up to personal preference, but if I was masturbating on a particularly desensitized day (e.g. I’d already come twice that day, had used other powerful vibrators recently, or was on SSRIs), I’d probably pick the MWR over the Vim because that extra “top note” of buzziness is sometimes what I need to push me over the edge. However, for general/everyday use, I prefer a rumblier vibe, so I’d stick to the lower levels of the Vim or MWR and wouldn’t notice much of a difference, vibrations-wise.
  • The MWR is significantly louder than the Vim, especially on its higher settings.
  • Both the MWR and the Vim are not waterproof and should not be submerged in water, but the Vim’s instructions re: cleaning are much more chill/permissive about water getting on the toy. You’re supposed to wipe the MWR’s head clean, not wash it with water, but you can safely wash the Vim with soap and water as long as you don’t fully submerge it.
  • The MWR can be used while plugged in, which is a game-changer, especially if your vibe dies mid-session and you want to keep using it. However, as mentioned above, the Vim’s battery life is about twice as long as the MWR’s.
  • The MWR’s neck isn’t as bendy as the Vim’s, so it’s better if you like to apply a lot of pressure with vibrators.
  • The Vim is lighter, at 0.95 lbs to the MWR’s 1.3 lbs.
  • The Vim is a bit shorter: 12.3 inches, versus the MWR, which is 13 inches long.
  • The Vim’s handle is skinnier (about 4.25″ in circumference, measured around where the controls are located, versus the MWR’s 5.75″), which might make it better for you if you have small hands.
  • The Vim’s head is slightly longer and slimmer than the MWR’s. The difference is minor enough that I think some Magic Wand attachments would work on the Vim, although they wouldn’t fit perfectly/securely.
  • I tend to tilt my MWR on an angle when I use it, so the vibrations are focused into the corner of the head, making for a more pinpointed sensation, which my clit prefers. This isn’t possible with the Vim because its head is rounded; however, tilting it does narrow the area of contact somewhat so it’s not that much of an issue for me.
  • The Vim retails for $169 (nice) while the MWR retails for about $130.

 

Final thoughts

To be honest, I’m pretty attached to my Magic Wand Rechargeable. I think it’s hands-down one of the best wands on the market, in terms of engineering, vibration strength and quality, and even aesthetics (I mean, I got it tattooed on me, for heaven’s sake!).

But the Fun Factory Vim really gives it a run for its money. It’s sexy-looking, wildly rumbly, quiet, has an astonishingly long battery life, is easier to clean, and has a travel lock. If these features matter to you, I think you’d love it.

I might suggest you get an MWR instead if any (or multiple) of the following things are true for you:

  • You prefer (or don’t mind) a little buzziness at higher intensity levels
  • You prefer being able to use the wand even while it’s charging/even if it runs out of battery mid-session
  • You don’t want to pay $169 but can stomach paying $130
  • You like to press down hard with vibrators when you use them
  • You want a wand that will definitely be compatible with standard wand attachments and accessories
  • You have sensory issues, vulvodynia, etc. which would make a smooth wand head more appealing than a textured one
  • You prefer an aesthetic that’s more clinical/non-sexual or toned-down

But if you’ve got the cash to spare and you want a mega-rumbly, ultra-beautiful rechargeable wand, I can proudly recommend the Fun Factory Vim. It’s everything I hoped it would be.

 

This review was not sponsored, I just really like this toy.