vibrator

Review: Womanizer Vibe (Womanizer’s First Vibrator!)

Kate Sloan

What is the Womanizer Vibe?

You might know Womanizer as the inventors of pressure-wave technology, which uses rhythmic air pulses to stimulate the clit – or, occasionally, other bits, like the G-spot or even the frenulum of a penis. I reviewed the very first Womanizer back in 2015 and have been following their meteoric rise ever since.

The Vibe is their latest product, and it’s different from anything they’ve done before, because it’s a regular ol’ vibrator, not a pressure-wave toy. Specifically, it’s meant to be a “lay-on” vibrator, meaning that you can lie face-down on top of it, or sit on it, with the tip pressed against your genitals, and then grind against it while it vibrates. (You can use it in other ways, too, but that’s what it’s designed for.)

It’s shaped like your typical Womanizer, but there’s no air nozzle to put on your clit. Instead, there’s a softly pointed tip that’s firm but draped in silicone, which gives it a little squish, similar to the tip of the Dame Kip or We-Vibe Touch.

I’m not much for lay-on vibes in general, but when a big sex toy brand enters a new category, of course I’m gonna be intrigued! So I’ve put the Vibe through its paces and can tell you all about it.

Things I like about the Womanizer Vibe

  • Let it be said: this toy’s vibration is extremely rumbly – by which I mean that its vibrations are low-pitched and satisfying, they stimulate not only the surface of my body but also deeper clitoral structures, and they don’t cause numbness for me like buzzier vibes can. The rumbliness works well whether I’m holding the vibe manually on my clit or grinding against it, even with a fair amount of pressure.
  • This may well be the quietest vibrator I’ve ever used. Ever. Womanizer calls it “noiseless” and “silent,” and I wouldn’t go that far – it’s still a machine, so there’s still some noise involved – but even on the highest speed, I can only hear it at all when it’s less than an arm’s length away from me. Otherwise, it’s inaudible. So, if you’re looking for a super discreet vibrator, I can enthusiastically recommend this one! (It gets louder if you’re grinding against it while it’s pressed against a hard chair, a firm mattress, or similar, but not by much.)
  • The shape of the toy is well-designed for grinding against – as you might expect, since that’s what they made it for! I have a picky clit that prefers to be stimulated through the hood or inner labia, and this toy’s so-called “Pleasure Edges” allow me to line myself up right where it feels the best and grind away. It’s a stark contrast to Womanizer’s pressure-wave toys, which often feel too direct for me. I also love that they covered the whole grindable area of the toy in firm silicone that has just a bit of squish to it – it strikes the right balance between comfort and intensity.
  • Like some other Womanizer toys, this one has an “autopilot mode.” You can activate it by holding down the “~” button for two seconds. When in autopilot, the toy runs through a pre-set vibration program – sort of like a vibration pattern, except longer, more gradual/fluid, and (for me, at least), more enjoyable. I normally don’t like vibration patterns because I find them too jarring and not stimulating enough, but these ones are much more like being teased by an actual human being. And if you find yourself suddenly wanting to take back control of the toy, it’s as easy as pressing down that same button for two seconds again to switch back into manual mode.
  • The overall, uh, hand-feel of this toy is really pleasing. You can tell that these people have done user research and know a thing or two about ergonomics and design. I find this toy comfy to hold, even with my achy hands, and its buttons are placed well for easy access. The silicone is smooth and matte to the touch. It feels sexy in your hand.
  • Speaking of buttons: they’re great. While I wish that I didn’t always have to reach down to press them (more on that below), they are very easy to find by touch alone, because the “+” button is bigger and more raised than the “–” button, and the autopilot button is even smaller and set slightly apart from the first two. I really appreciate the thoughtfulness of this choice and I hope more sex toy companies follow Womanizer’s lead on this one.
  • I haven’t gotten to test it this way yet, but I imagine that the Vibe could work well on (some) penises, if the pointed tip – or the curve just below it – was pressed against the frenulum area, or wherever is most sensitive. It could be gender-affirming for some transfeminine folks to use it, although I still think the Hot Octopuss Pulse and Fun Factory Manta are the best penis vibrators on the market right now.
  • It’s fully waterproof! Yay!

Things I don’t like about the Womanizer Vibe

  • Womanizer has repeatedly emphasized that the Vibe is designed to “avoid overstimulation” and to be less intense than more pinpointed vibrators, and indeed, it’s not as powerful as I wish it was. Even cranked all the way up to the max (10th) speed, I think it’s only about as strong as the first speed (of four) on the Magic Wand Rechargeable, or maybe a little stronger. That being said – as I mentioned before, this vibrator is designed for the user to “lay on” it and grind against it, and it works well for me (i.e. feels good and can get me off) when used in that way. But when I’m just lying on my back and using it like a wand, without moving it against myself at all, it’s not strong enough to get me there.
  • In using the toy as intended (i.e. by lying on it and humping it), I reeeeeally wished it could be controlled via a phone app. It’s annoying to have to reach down between your body and the bed to locate the buttons whenever you want to change the vibration speed. Using the autopilot mode helped a bit with this problem, but sometimes I want more control than that.
  • I got the blue colorway, and while I normally love blue sex toys, this one is a weirdly depressing shade of navyish grey. It’s like the sex toy equivalent of a suit you’d begrudgingly wear to a temp job. But the good news is that it also comes in a springy pale green and a reddish pink.
  • I say this every time I review a Womanizer product, but: I still hate their name. I know changing your company name is a Whole Thing, but dear god, it’s just so bad. Womanizer? Really? In the year of our lord two thousand and twenty-fucking-four? Can we… not?
Size/shape comparison with the Womanizer Next (left) and my beloved Hot Octopuss Pulse Queen (right)

Final thoughts

I’m not a big grinder. Generally I prefer to lie back and let the toy do the work. So, while I may not be the ideal user for the Womanizer Vibe, I’m nonetheless delighted to own one. It’s ultra-rumbly, ultra-quiet, and clearly well-made.

For me, it works best when used as intended. When I’m not in the mood for the physical exertion of humping a vibe, I can still use this toy, but the “lay-on” position is where it really shines. It lacks the sheer power to be stimulating enough as a regular, handheld vibe, unless you’re moving against it – or are quite sensitive.

On that note: you might enjoy the Vibe if you’ve found that typical Womanizer-type toys feel too intense or direct. It allows for a wider variety of approaches and sensations than pressure-wave toys do, and its rumbly vibration is less overwhelming than focused air waves, but the toy is overall shaped very similarly to most Womanizers, so you’ll get all the ergonomic and aesthetic benefits of that.

You should also consider the Vibe if you want a toy that’s basically inaudible – like if you live with family or nosy roommates. And I think it’d make a great gift for beginners to the world of sex toys; it’s understated, easy to use, and starts at a very low speed, so it’s unlikely to intimidate even the newest of newbs.

We need more toys like the Womanizer Vibe in the world: simple, thoughtfully designed, well-made toys that just do what they’re supposed to do. It may not be as flashy as the leopard-print-and-rhinestoned Womanizer I reviewed back in 2015, but it feels a hell of a lot better – and will work for a hell of a lot more people, I suspect.

 

The Womanizer Vibe is available for purchase at:

 

This was not a sponsored review, although Womanizer did gift me the product. As always, all writing and opinions are my own.

Review: Romulus Shop Olympia 10-Speed Wand

Kate Sloan

Oh god. I’m the wand girl now, aren’t I.

This was a fear I professed to my spouse while I was working on my miniseries about the Magic Wand, Making Magic. Some actors worry about getting typecast after a well-reviewed turn as a nerd or a cad; similarly, I was worried about becoming known forever as that gal who loves wand vibes.

But now, having reflected on it more, I kinda think: it’s fine. There are worse legacies I could have.

And I’m not just saying that because the wand girl gets sent a lot of wands, I swear.

 

What is the Romulus Shop Olympia 10-Speed Wand?

Like many sex toy stores I love, Romulus Shop carries a mix of classic, well-known shapes, and wild, out-there designs. Ever wanted to have your G-spot tapped while your clit is getting sucked? They’ve got a toy for that. How about a hairjob from Medusa? They’ve got a toy for that. Glass anal beads? Yep, they’ve got those, too. (I haven’t tried them and can’t personally attest to whether they’re good, but… whoa. Glass anal beads?!?)

However, in this case, I’m reviewing a tamer product: a humble wand. You know ’em, you love ’em; they’re the original muscle-massager-turned-orgasm-implement, and they tend to offer some of the strongest vibrations around. The Olympia is the most classic wand that Romulus Shop carries.

Bendy neck

Things I like about the Olympia Wand

  • To me, the most impressive thing about this wand – especially for its low price point – is that each of its 10 vibration modes has 5 different intensity settings. Usually, on cheap vibrators, you’re lucky if you get 3 different steady vibration intensities plus a handful of patterns – but this wand gives you a steady vibration mode + 9 pattern modes, all of which have 5 different intensity levels to choose from. This gives each pattern way more versatility and makes it likelier for me to actually use patterns, because (for example) I can start with a low, rumbling pulse and work my way up to a high-powered pulse, without needing to interrupt the flow by cycling through other patterns.
  • The lowest intensity has a nice vibration quality; I’d say it’s buzzy but leaning rumbly, and I find that it works well for building arousal. However, as I’ll describe later, I’m less thrilled with the buzziness of the higher intensities. But in terms of sheer power (i.e. vibration strength, rather than vibration quality/pitch), I’d say this one is pretty middle-of-the-road for a wand – decently strong but not wildly so.
  • The wand’s neck is very bendable in all directions, and the vibrations don’t weaken or cut out when the neck gets bent in this way, in my experience (although I’m sure, as with all wands, there is an amount of pressure that would eventually break it).
  • It’s pretty light, compared to other wands of its size. It feels like it’s maybe half the weight of the Magic Wand Rechargeable, if not lighter. There was a time when I would’ve considered this a drawback, since lighter toys can feel insubstantial and low-quality – but now that I live with chronic pain and strength issues in my hands/arms (among other places), it’s actually helpful for me when a toy doesn’t weigh much, because it means I can hold it for longer without getting tired, and can easily maneuver it to different spots around my vulva.
  • At first, I was concerned to see that the toy didn’t come with instructions – but its controls are actually fairly simple. You hold down the power button to turn the toy on or off, and then short-press that same button to cycle through vibration modes. The plus and minus buttons control the vibration intensity.
  • It’s waterproof! Yay! That’s unusual for a full-size wand like this one. Always nice to be able to use a toy in the shower or bath, or even just to be able to wash it in the sink without worrying you’ll ruin it.
  • At the time that I’m writing this, it’s on sale for $31.90 USD (or $46 CAD), which is pretty damn good for a full-size, rechargeable wand vibrator made of non-porous, body-safe materials.
Pictured with some wands you may have heard of

Things I don’t like about the Olympia Wand

  • The biggest problem with this toy is the vibration quality. I genuinely like the lowest of the 5 intensity levels, as I mentioned above, but levels 2 through 5 get progressively buzzier, resulting (for me) in the temporary clitoral desensitization that happens with high-pitched vibrations like these. I can’t get off with buzzy vibes like this unless I either physically move the toy in circles against me the whole time, or rush through the process so I come before most of the desensitization sets in.
  • It’s loud, even for a wand. My Apple Watch measured it at 71 decibels, while the Magic Wand Rechargeable tops out at about 50. With the Olympia, someone standing outside my bedroom door would likely be able to tell I was using a vibrator… although I will say that it gets a bit quieter when it’s pressed against my body and/or used under blankets.
  • Personal pet peeve: when you first turn it on, it always starts at the 3rd intensity level out of 5 – so if, like me, you prefer to work your way up from the lowest speed, you’ll have to manually turn it down every time you turn it on.

Final thoughts

The buzziness and loudness of this wand make it less than ideal for me, so the main reason I’d recommend it to someone is if price was a major factor for them. (It’s a very valid factor!)

So, here are some questions to ask yourself. Are you looking for a super budget-friendly wand? Do you enjoy, or just not particularly mind, buzzy/high-pitched vibrations? Are you okay with your toy being somewhat loud? If you said yes to all three, then I think the Romulus Shop Olympia Wand is worth considering. A wand vibe can be a versatile addition to just about anyone’s toy collection, because of all the many ways it can be used solo or with a partner, and I love that there are body-safe options available under $40, like the Olympia, so that strong vibrations are financially accessible to more people. This wand also has the benefits of being waterproof and very light and easy to wield.

I guess I am the wand girl, because I want everyone to be able to afford a wand if they want one. And to that end, I’m glad the Olympia exists.

 

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

Review: Funzze Finger Vibe (& why accessible sex toys are great)

Kate Sloan

More companies should make sex toys that people with disabilities can use, because accessible sex toys are just better – and not only for folks with disabilities, but for everyone. Let me explain.

My spouse once gave a talk about accessibility in software, in which she described the curb cut effect: the phenomenon where features developed to be disability-friendly will end up benefiting a much larger population, too. Think, for example, of how an automatic sliding door can improve accessibility for people who use wheelchairs or mobility scooters, while at the same time, making it easier for able-bodied people to walk through the door if they’re, say, carrying two armloads of groceries, or wheeling their child in a stroller.

By that same token, I’m strongly in favor of more sex toy companies developing products that are accessible to all kinds of people, because we all benefit from those types of design choices, sometimes even in unexpected ways. Let’s talk about one such case, the Funzze Finger Vibe.

What is the Funzze Finger Vibe, and why is its accessible design potentially beneficial for everyone?

Funzze’s got quite a wide catalog of products, but the Finger Vibe caught my eye immediately, because it looked like it would be comfortable for me to hold, even on days when my hands are aching from fibromyalgia. It’s shaped like a fairly standard clitoral vibe, except that it has two little “wings” on the back which allow you to hold the toy between two fingers easily, without needing to apply much pressure to keep the vibe anchored in your hand. This could make this toy potentially much easier to use than standard clit vibes for people who struggle with muscle strength/mobility issues and/or chronic pain in their hands, myself included.

That being said, even if you’re able-bodied and able-handed(!), you can still find value in toys like these. Anyone seeking an “unobtrusive” toy, a toy that lets you forget you’re even using a toy, might consider getting a finger vibe – because once you’re accustomed to how the toy feels in your hand, it can (sometimes) feel like you’re just touching your partner (or yourself) the way you normally would, but with some vibration magically infused into your touch. It can be a much more intuitive and “natural”-feeling way of working some vibration into the mix.

But to sum up the actual specs: the Finger Vibe is a rechargeable, silicone and ABS plastic vibrator with 9 vibration settings.

Things I like about this toy

  • First of all, I feel like I need to mention upfront that it costs THIRTY DOLLARS. That’s a steal for a decent and versatile rechargeable vibe, and I have to keep its price point in mind when assessing it.
  • I really like the design of it, on both visual and tactile levels, from the stylized silicone “wings” that remind me of butterflies, to the shiny plastic heart panel just below them, to the way the toy feels in my hand. It’s comfortable, cute, and cool. My hand never gets tired from holding onto it, and it’s easy on the eyes, too. The wings have enough flexibility that they should be able to fit a broad range of finger sizes, and they’re designed in such a way that I almost never lose my grip on the toy.
  • Specifically, I really like the contoured shape of the part that goes on your clit (or whatever other pinpointed body part you’re aiming this toy at). It’s well-shaped for the purpose and allows me to hit my clit without needing to hold my labia out of the way, as some flatter vibes require.
  • Crucially, the button is placed in a location that actually makes sense. I’ve previously tried a vibe very similar to this one, which had a button in a hard-to-reach location that required me to use my other hand to press it, every single time. With this one, the button is located comfortably within reach of my middle fingertip when I’m holding the toy, but it’s tucked out of the way just enough that I never hit it by accident.
  • It’s waterproof, which is always great. I could see this toy being a fun addition to shower sex, for people who are into that, because the grippy silicone wings would help it stay in place between your fingers. (Funzze’s website describes this toy as giving you “easy, no-slip control, even when wet and frantic.” Now that’s good copy, baby!)

Things I don’t like about this toy

  • The biggest issue, unfortunately, is the motor. It’s buzzy, i.e. the vibrations are higher-pitched and more surface-level than I’d prefer, so I end up feeling a bit numb after a minute or two, and the orgasms are never as satisfying as they would otherwise be. However, stroking the vibe up and down or in circles, as if it were a vibrating fingertip (which is probably the intended way to use it), mitigates these effects to some extent – and I do have to point out here again that this toy costs thirty dollars, so I understand why the motor’s not exactly heavy-duty.
  • While there are 9 vibration settings, only the first 3 of them are steady vibration, and the jumps between them are jarringly wide; the next 6 are patterns, many of which are distractingly erratic. You have to cycle through all 9 settings to get back to the first one, a personal pet peeve of mine.
  • Despite the button’s good placement, I sometimes find it too difficult to press with one finger, which can negate some of the toy’s accessibility at times.
  • It’s a little on the loud side, as buzzy vibrators tend to be, especially on its highest setting.

 

Final thoughts

If they put a deep, rumbly motor in the Funzze Finger Vibe, it would earn an immediate upgrade to the top drawer of my nightstand, and would probably stay there for a very long time. The design of this toy is sleek and thoughtful, and I find it comfortable to use most of the time, which I can’t say for a lot of vibrators.

For all its sexy unobtrusiveness in size, shape, and ergonomics, though, its buzzy motor and notable noise level put a bit of a damper on things.

But for $30, I think the Finger Vibe is a fair deal, and I always love to see more companies making sex toys that are accessible to a wide range of people – accessible not only in terms of disabilities, but also in terms of finances. And to that end, this is a highly heartening little vibrator that I think could add some buzzy pizzazz into a lot of people’s sex lives, without breaking the bank – or their fingers.

 

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

Review: PinkPunch Sunset Mushroom Vibrator

Kate Sloan

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

Kate Sloan

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.