“Hysteria” and the Strange History of Vibrators
Opt for designs that offer stability and comfort during prolonged wear. There’s no question about it, Grace and Frankie (which returns to Netflix for a fourth season on Jan. 19) is in uncharted sex-positive territory. While sex toys have made a fleeting appearance in other popular TV shows, basing a major series storyline around them is on another level.
I decided to try Eva out solo before giving it a go with someone else. This proved to be the smart choice, since I had quite a bit of trouble figuring out how to actually make it stick. Instead of reading the instructions before my first attempt (like a regular person) vibrator, I just went for it. After five minutes of frustration in which I could not get Eva to stay in place, I stubbornly turned to the manual and realized my error. I’d been trying to place the head of the pod below my clitoris when it was actually supposed to go directly on top of it.
The stroker-style ones may require an erection for you to penetrate them—but aside from that, a lot of vibes feel great regardless of how your boner may ebb and flow. While this is commonly seen as a toy for vulvas, it can be—and is—enjoyed by many people of all genders and anatomies. Its vibrations are so satisfyingly deep that they feel good on pretty much any erogenous zone, from clits to dicks to taints to nipples. It’d make a great gift for a partner, too, since you’ll both be able to enjoy it, both separately and together. And unlike any other toy on this list, if the Magic Wand Rechargeable dies on you mid-session, you can just plug it in and keep on going, because it’s wired to be useable while charging. They all have a mouth, and inside that mouth is a (typically) silicone membrane that an internal motor moves in and out.
If you’re on the hunt for a sexy toy that serves as a body massager and powerful sex toy, this VUSH wand will deliver on both fronts. It has five varying levels and 10 optimised vibration patterns to explore plus, it features an ergonomic body so you can wiggle, pump and slide it around for up to two hours. Unlike a lot of other wands this one is waterproof, which means you can take it into the bathtub for ultra-wet sessions — alone or in partnered sex. Made from smooth, squishy, body-safe silicone, it offers five suction intensities and five vibration patterns to suit your preference.
“The angled tip can be tilted for pinpointed pleasure, or you can roll the vibrator across erogenous zones like your nipples, perineum, or vulva for a more smooth and diffused sensation,” she says. There’s a huge range of insertable vibrators and sex toys that target this zone, including dual-stimulation ones (like rabbit vibrators), curved toys, and models with bulbous heads that pulse or thrust. A popular option for power-hunters, this 13-inch wand has four intensity settings and four vibration patterns. It also has a flexible neck that lets you apply pressure at different angles for a more targeted sensation. It has a cord, so you never have to worry about it crapping out on you mid-session.
We inquired about the best ways to use these sexual devices and matched those qualifications against product specs for each toy listed in this guide. Alongside feedback generated from our panel of consumer testers, editors also reviewed verified customer feedback on these products and took that into consideration in final rankings. It can make for a thrilling experience when a partner is controlling its vibration speed and strength from a distance. Public reviews indicate that this toy requires a hand (or two!) to be most effective, but is equipped with technology that allows for remote play using Lovense’s app. You don’t even need another partner, per se, for this specific toy — Lovense’s app has recently integrated an AI function from ChatGPT that allows you to ask a robot to create unique, exciting masturbatory patterns for you. This handy toy is designed to be used both in the bedroom or on the go.
Its slim profile is ideal for pinpoint stimulation of the clitoris or nipples, and its metal construction means you can play with heating it up or cooling it down for some sexy temperature play, too. It’s rare to find a bullet vibe that’s made to be used internally, but this one is, which makes it a standout in my collection. It’s got a small curve to hit the G-spot when inserted vaginally , but that same curve also makes it useful for applying targeted pressure to different parts of the clitoris. The motor is thrillingly rumbly, too, meaning it’s less likely to cause the numb or itchy feeling that some buzzier (i.e. higher-pitched) vibrations can cause. Doctors or midwives applied vegetable oil to women’s genitals and then massaged them with one or two fingers inside and the heel of the hand pressing against the clitoris. With this type of massage, women had orgasms and experienced sudden, dramatic relief from hysteria.
It sits somewhere between a bullet vibrator and a standard-sized vibrator, making it discreet and easy to carry. “Vibrators can be great as they can add extra stimulation to wherever feels good for you, whether it’s the clitoris, in the vagina, or other erogenous zones,” Dr. Lincoln explains. “The ability to take your orgasms into your own hands (and that of your vibrator) is a fantastic way to take charge of your sex life and your pleasure.”