Sex Toys for Couples: How to Bring Sex Toys Into the Bedroom
After 20 minutes of consistent use, the Hitachi shuts off for safety reasons (presumably, because the toy gets hotter the longer it’s on) and to preserve battery life. But for the most part, this isn’t an area too many companies seem comfortable approaching just yet. For example, one sex toy designer did chuckle when I made the hypothetical suggestion of sex toys specifically made and marketed for older users. Among the companies that are consciously working to address and court this demographic is Tantus, which has been actively creating sex toys with disabled users in mind for years. There’s also the Fiera pre-intimacy vibrator for generating arousal, whose creators told Mic it’s made with seniors in mind.
It has eight different vibration settings that you can cycle through via the controls on the handle. They’re somewhat small, so I found myself fumbling with them a bit in the beginning. But once I knew where the buttons were, this issue was easily corrected.
Given its size and the lack of a travel pouch, the wand isn’t the best toy for travel — but for a solo or partnered date at home, it’s perfect (dare I say, magic). Depending on what position you’re in, it can be super awkward to reach down during sex to change the settings on a vibrating cock ring—but not this one, which can be controlled on your phone via We-Vibe’s app. It amps up the sensations of penetrative sex, and can also be a fun addition to masturbation. And like most cock rings, it provides a little compression at the base of your shaft that can help you maintain a stronger erection.
The Pom is meant to fit in the palm of the user’s hand (get it?), making it compact and easy to control. The toy can bend for general or targeted clitoral stimulation with a pointed edge that juts out in the top of the toy. This tiny but mighty blob from sexual wellness brand Dame has five intensities and five patterns, laid out in the user manual — which isn’t something I can say about every toy. Finn confessed that the Womanizer isn’t technically a vibrator, but judging from her recommendation and that of many lists, no one cares. “If you’ve read any articles on sex toys recently, you’ve probably heard about ‘suction’-style toys, sex toys that use air pulsation to deliver targeted pleasure,” said Finn.
Some vibrators have forked ends that sit against either side of the clitoris, almost like a cradle or tuning fork, that are made specifically for people who like direct and intense vibration, Hodder says. Others have a scoop-like end that almost cups the clitoris for a “surround sound” type of stimulation. Some are textured with ridges or little nubs and others have thin, flexible fin-like extensions that flutter. The Vibrato has three buttons viberators, which allow you to control each end of the toy separately. While I love that the vibrator’s dual motors can be operated independently, there is a learning curve to figuring out which buttons do what.
This one is for all the makeup girlies (and of course , anyone with a vulva). Angie Rowntree, the founder and director of ethical porn sit Sssh, recommends this super cute bullet vibrator that is compact, easy to hide away and looks just like an everyday object you’d have with you on the go. “When it comes to discretion, you really can’t beat a toy that fits inconspicuously into your makeup bag!” Rowntree says. Finger vibrators of the past used to be dinky and weak, which is why the Dame Fin is so revolutionary.
But if you’ve got a ring that’s flexible enough, like this favorite of Zizelman’s, it can be stretched around the base of your shaft and your balls, increasing its positive effects. “Around the shaft, you are going to get restricted blood flow to help keep a strong and longer-lasting erection,” Zizelman says. But despite the balls and scrotum typically being relegated to a supporting role (if that) in any given sexual encounter, there are countless inventive ways to stimulate them. For instance, cupping them, stroking them, and tugging on them can feel good. Vibrators, cock rings, and ball-stretchers can all create interesting scrotal sensations.