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vibrator review
After all, what's a little TMI between friends?
Do I need to disclaim a vibrator review like I would a fic review? The opinions expressed herein reflect only those of Nora Norwich and are not intended to reflect the viewpoint of Generic Woman TM or even Generic Happy Fangirls TM. Nora Norwich can only speak on behalf of her own clitoris, not anyone else's. Nora Norwich is not a paid endorser of Good Vibrations, even though she probably sounds like one. Nora Norwich apologizes for all the vibrators she's not mentioning in this review, and wants to reassure them that if they keep humming along happily and maybe get new batteries, they're sure to find willing users.
Ah, vibrators. My first experiences with a vibrator almost turned me off them for life. I felt so adult, and so deliciously naughty, buying my first vibrator at the age of 19 in an adult bookstore. It was a battery-operated hybrid of metal and plastic, with the seam joining the materials almost guaranteed to pinch your delicate flesh precisely where you least wanted to be pinched, and it seemed to have only two settings: "painful" and "guaranteed to sand your clitoris right off your body." I kept trying to use it, sure I was just doing something wrong, but in the end I gave up. Periodically I would try other vibrators, both models I found in sex shops and those sold in drug stores disguised as "massage aids," but invariably they ended up causing me pain. I figured I just wasn't a vibrator person.
And then, gentle reader, my life was forever transformed by the realization that vibrators come in lower intensities! One evening I was browsing the Good Vibrations website and discovered that they actually rated their vibrators according to intensity. What a revolutionary idea! I remember being tremendously excited, especially since I was having some joint problems in my hands which were at the time causing autoerotic difficulties.
I ended up ordering one of the cheaper models on the low end of the intensity scale--the Crystal Jelly Deluxe --and I realized that I was a vibrator person after all. A very happy vibrator person, in fact. I used that model until I literally wore it out--the plastic dial broke after two and a half years, which seemed like a pretty good run for an $18 vibrator. I replaced it with an identical model, because I'm nothing if not brand loyal, and there really aren't a lot of vibrators to choose from at the low end of the intensity scale. (Is my clit just hypersensitive? Really, some of the more intense models scare me a little). I also like the fact that the Crystal Jelly is fairly quiet, and it has a good texture. When it comes to things I rub against my sensitive bits, I prefer squishy and pliable to metallic or plastic. The little nubby things can be fun, too. Theoretically this vibrator is also a G-spot stimulator, but as long as I'm in TMI land I may as well say that the main thing I experience when my G spot is stimulated is an overwhelming urge to pee, so I can't speak to its functionality in that particular area.
A couple years ago I thought I would branch out into other models. I was curious whether the more expensive vibrators were actually worth the money, and after doing a lot of research I finally ended up with the G-twist vibe, which costs about $65. I picked it in part because it had several features I liked in the Crystal Jelly: it's quiet, it's got a soft squishy surface rather than a hard plastic one, and it's relatively low-intensity (though rated a 3 rather than a 2 on the Good Vibes scale, which is bordering on a little too intense for me sometimes). It comes in a whole range of attractive colors. (I picked purple, because I may as well think of Lex Luthor when I'm, um, thinking of Lex Luthor).
It's also silicone, which means it's more nonporous and easier to clean, and it's got some lovely ridges winding all around it that I didn't originally think would matter very much but turn out to be a very pleasant feature, indeed. The G twist model does have two drawbacks, however: the mechanism to remove the cap to place the batteries is very difficult to open, and the mechanism for adjusting the power levels is too easy to accidentally switch on. I've ended up draining the batteries unintentionally quite a few times because of that. I recommend rechargeable batteries, by the way. One's orgasms should not be endagering the planet, if one can possibly avoid that outcome.
And for that reason, I'd been looking for a vibrator that sat on a recharging base. Good Vibrations has several of these, but the one I've been lusting after for the last six months or so was the Womolia. 9 speeds! Medical grade materials! Rechargeable! Plus I just thought it looked pretty cool. But $132 seemed a lot of money to drop on a vibrator when I already had two perfectly functional ones. After dithering around for a long time, last week I finally gave into temptation and bought it.
So was it worth $132? I think probably yes, at least for me, for several reasons. I love the variations in the speed--both the low and medium intensity ranges work really well for me. I also think it's absolutely perfectly shaped for my body (though your body may vary). One thing I really love about it is the fact that it has three modes: one with constant buzzing, one that pulses at regular intervals, and one that pulses at irregular intervals--and you can use any of the three speeds in the three modes. It's particularly helpful for me because I have some incipient carpal tunnel issues, so that fact that I can set it on pulse mode means it can be very effective as a hands-free vibrator, which is something I'd been looking for for a while. There is one serious drawback, though: the higher speeds are very noisy. The buzzing sounds like an alarm clock going off, which can be rather distracting! Nevertheless, I find the pulsing mode to be very, very awesome. If you can put up with the noise factor and the high cost factor, I would definitely recommend it.
So what about you--do you have any good vibrators to recommend?
Do I need to disclaim a vibrator review like I would a fic review? The opinions expressed herein reflect only those of Nora Norwich and are not intended to reflect the viewpoint of Generic Woman TM or even Generic Happy Fangirls TM. Nora Norwich can only speak on behalf of her own clitoris, not anyone else's. Nora Norwich is not a paid endorser of Good Vibrations, even though she probably sounds like one. Nora Norwich apologizes for all the vibrators she's not mentioning in this review, and wants to reassure them that if they keep humming along happily and maybe get new batteries, they're sure to find willing users.
Ah, vibrators. My first experiences with a vibrator almost turned me off them for life. I felt so adult, and so deliciously naughty, buying my first vibrator at the age of 19 in an adult bookstore. It was a battery-operated hybrid of metal and plastic, with the seam joining the materials almost guaranteed to pinch your delicate flesh precisely where you least wanted to be pinched, and it seemed to have only two settings: "painful" and "guaranteed to sand your clitoris right off your body." I kept trying to use it, sure I was just doing something wrong, but in the end I gave up. Periodically I would try other vibrators, both models I found in sex shops and those sold in drug stores disguised as "massage aids," but invariably they ended up causing me pain. I figured I just wasn't a vibrator person.
And then, gentle reader, my life was forever transformed by the realization that vibrators come in lower intensities! One evening I was browsing the Good Vibrations website and discovered that they actually rated their vibrators according to intensity. What a revolutionary idea! I remember being tremendously excited, especially since I was having some joint problems in my hands which were at the time causing autoerotic difficulties.
I ended up ordering one of the cheaper models on the low end of the intensity scale--the Crystal Jelly Deluxe --and I realized that I was a vibrator person after all. A very happy vibrator person, in fact. I used that model until I literally wore it out--the plastic dial broke after two and a half years, which seemed like a pretty good run for an $18 vibrator. I replaced it with an identical model, because I'm nothing if not brand loyal, and there really aren't a lot of vibrators to choose from at the low end of the intensity scale. (Is my clit just hypersensitive? Really, some of the more intense models scare me a little). I also like the fact that the Crystal Jelly is fairly quiet, and it has a good texture. When it comes to things I rub against my sensitive bits, I prefer squishy and pliable to metallic or plastic. The little nubby things can be fun, too. Theoretically this vibrator is also a G-spot stimulator, but as long as I'm in TMI land I may as well say that the main thing I experience when my G spot is stimulated is an overwhelming urge to pee, so I can't speak to its functionality in that particular area.
A couple years ago I thought I would branch out into other models. I was curious whether the more expensive vibrators were actually worth the money, and after doing a lot of research I finally ended up with the G-twist vibe, which costs about $65. I picked it in part because it had several features I liked in the Crystal Jelly: it's quiet, it's got a soft squishy surface rather than a hard plastic one, and it's relatively low-intensity (though rated a 3 rather than a 2 on the Good Vibes scale, which is bordering on a little too intense for me sometimes). It comes in a whole range of attractive colors. (I picked purple, because I may as well think of Lex Luthor when I'm, um, thinking of Lex Luthor).
It's also silicone, which means it's more nonporous and easier to clean, and it's got some lovely ridges winding all around it that I didn't originally think would matter very much but turn out to be a very pleasant feature, indeed. The G twist model does have two drawbacks, however: the mechanism to remove the cap to place the batteries is very difficult to open, and the mechanism for adjusting the power levels is too easy to accidentally switch on. I've ended up draining the batteries unintentionally quite a few times because of that. I recommend rechargeable batteries, by the way. One's orgasms should not be endagering the planet, if one can possibly avoid that outcome.
And for that reason, I'd been looking for a vibrator that sat on a recharging base. Good Vibrations has several of these, but the one I've been lusting after for the last six months or so was the Womolia. 9 speeds! Medical grade materials! Rechargeable! Plus I just thought it looked pretty cool. But $132 seemed a lot of money to drop on a vibrator when I already had two perfectly functional ones. After dithering around for a long time, last week I finally gave into temptation and bought it.
So was it worth $132? I think probably yes, at least for me, for several reasons. I love the variations in the speed--both the low and medium intensity ranges work really well for me. I also think it's absolutely perfectly shaped for my body (though your body may vary). One thing I really love about it is the fact that it has three modes: one with constant buzzing, one that pulses at regular intervals, and one that pulses at irregular intervals--and you can use any of the three speeds in the three modes. It's particularly helpful for me because I have some incipient carpal tunnel issues, so that fact that I can set it on pulse mode means it can be very effective as a hands-free vibrator, which is something I'd been looking for for a while. There is one serious drawback, though: the higher speeds are very noisy. The buzzing sounds like an alarm clock going off, which can be rather distracting! Nevertheless, I find the pulsing mode to be very, very awesome. If you can put up with the noise factor and the high cost factor, I would definitely recommend it.
So what about you--do you have any good vibrators to recommend?
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Science, that's funny - awful, but funny. Yikes!
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Glad you liked the review!
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(Anonymous) 2007-04-18 09:12 am (UTC)(link)I picked purple, because I may as well think of Lex Luthor when I'm, um, thinking of Lex Luthor
LMAO!!!!!!!!! HA!! I am not the only one that used that logic!!!! Of course now I am all about Batman so I might need to switch to black. *cough* Uh, yeah... ;)
I am thirty years old and just got my first vibrator two years ago after being married since I was twenty *gasp* My 34 year old aunt and my oldest sister both had this model and raved about it, plus it is the one that is sort of worshipped in the episode of Sex in the City "The Turtle and Hare" (I think that is the name o_O) Anyways, I picked it up at the local adult shop for $48 bucks and had to of course stop for batts. The Rabbit has two sliding controls that control both the shaft portion of the device (that swirls at different settings) and also the clitoral stimulator ie. the vibrating bunny ears. ;) (how cute is that?) For me, it is all about the ears, and even the lowest set has me climaxing like *that* I could personally deal without the actual 'dildo' part, as the swirling action actually feels unpleasant to me (although I guess considering my minimal experience and lack of children I am somewhat tight *g*) I am also not a woman who can get off on penetration--I am all about the clit. (well, I guess I won't say never-- but as of yet I haven't) I will also mention that after two years it is that part that no longer words, but the bunny, not unlike the energizer one is still going and going and going...
So I guess for my review I would say two Ferd thumbs up. It was affordable, Purple, and delivers a prompt and satisfying orgasm. That is what I was looking for, and that is what I got.
Here's a link if you want a visual
http://secure.condomania.com/images/AH-6006_1_dt.jpg
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*giggles* Oh, you do make me laugh!
I only have one vibrator and it is small and charming and you can gradually increase the strength which is good since I seem to be hyper-sensitive sometimes and not at all at others. I got it free with something... I forget what. Even now, I would be shy to buy such things, though the boy is all encouraging in such matters. So I am no good for reviews, I am afraid.
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They're often included when you buy a new set of steak knives, *nods*.
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Australia is a great, great country.
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Lucky bastards.
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I find mail-order very helpful in ordering vibrators, personally.
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Mail-order sounds friendly.
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Sorry about that.
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Mine, of course, is purple. I named it Spike in honor of Spike before he was emmasculated by Buffy.
The, erm, swivel part of it died years ago but I never bought a new one. That part doesn't do much for me anyways, I'm more into the forward vibrating part. Sometimes when I'm impeded, I can still enjoy myself because I don't necessarily use the part that needs to... be where something else is.
I absolutely love this post, by the way.
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And I'm interested in your experience with the Eager Beaver, because I've always been a little intimidated by those vibrators with a separate clitoral stimulator like that one.
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Love it. Love it. Love. It. When I get a new one (since the motor broke on the other part) I will definitely require the separate stimulator.
My experience with orgasms and masturbation was a little weird, though. I didn't really start getting off until one guy (at 23), and I think that's because I started to really fall for him. Other than that I'd been having sex and having nothing really done for me. The only time I think I ever came close was from similar clitoral stimulation by a guy when I was 18 but I'd tend to push him away when I came close because, well, I didn't know wtf was happening. Same thing just previously with another when I think I almost had a G-spot orgasm.... wait! Hold on. You said that G-spot makes you feel like you have to pee, and I think that's why I kind of stopped that encounter. I'm not alone!
As for the Beaver: My friend got the Eager Beaver and told me it was awesome, and took me to get one. I had no idea what I wanted out of the choices, so I grabbed a (purple) one of the same type and booked out of there.
I spent a lot of time locked in my room after that. I was quite impressed. But, like I said, it's the stimulation simulated by that part that does the most for me. It's not a harsh movement that gives the painful, and it's got two speeds.
I'm curious about you liking the pulse option. An ex of mine once had a little egg thing that was awesome the one time we used it. After that he brought over another one that had the pulse and I found it incredibly annoying. Also, it was the kind that was so "harsh" and a quick small vibration that it was more painful than pleasurable.
Well then. I guess I know what I'm doing when I get home from work tonight!
Would you mind if I linked to this post from my LJ? Would you prefer me to lock it down? I have some people who read my LJ who'd totally love this. I've been copying and pasting paragraphs of it all day and sending the link out.
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I generally just use my vibes for clitoral stimulation--sometimes for penetration too (and two of them are constructed so that you can stimulate the clitoris when they're inserted vaginally too)--I guess it was just that *looking* at the Eager Beaver, it looks like the clitoral stimulator would be...sharp, or something. Poky rather than pleasurable. So I'm glad to hear otherwise.
I think there are a lot of different kind of pulsing vibrators and the trick is finding one that pulses in a way you like, or has the option of multiple speeds. One of the things I like about the pulsing one I now have (Womolia) is that it has a staggered pulse speed, which makes it less predictable, I guess? And I hadn't had a vibrator before where I wasn't controlling the stimulation, so it was kind of nice to find one that acts on its own, so to speak.
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*ahem*
So I gave the link to one of my supervisors (who's cool, I wouldn't have sent this link to say the head of the department or my male boss), and she said that the founder of Good Vibrations went to her college (Oberlin). Heh.
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I'm cracking up at all the purple vibrators in these comments -- not least because mine is purple too. And yes, for exactly the same reason. I'm thinking somebody needs to take a poll of sex-toy-owning SV fangirls: how many of us like our toys in Lex colors? This is a statistic that is crying out for discovery.
Mine is a bullet-style vibe, much like the first one shown on this page (http://www.blowfish.com/catalog/toys/bullet_vibrators.html). I got it a year or two ago; it's the first one I ever bought, and I was a little shy of the whole concept, so deliberately went for one that was small and inexpensive and non-scary. And I must say, it's lovely. Quiet, and its 4 settings range from very gentle to fairly intense. Waterproof, which is a nice feature. (A hot bath and a good orgasm make a blissfully relaxing combination.)
At some point I'll probably upgrade to something bigger and fancier, since having tried this one, I'm now much less shy of the idea, and am curious to know what the more elaborate models can do. But I'm very fond of my little purple egg, and can highly recommend it as a starter vibe.
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That poll about SV fans and vibrator color would be hilarious--maybe I'll do that in a later post.
And it's good to know about the bullet-style vibe. Actually that was going to be my next purchase before I broke down and bought the Womolia, since I was looking for something that could be used hands free.
Two of my vibrators are supposed to be waterproof, but I've been too paranoid to actually use them in the bath.
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Gah, I'd be so paranoid about taking a vibrator into the shower/bath with me, eek!
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My vibrator is just kinda blah. I have a "massager" as well, that is kick-ass, but my luck with the real thing hasn't been great. Partly because I'm alway hesitant to spend a lot of money when I'm not sure how good it is. But, hey, you're such a trooper, sacrificing yourself for all of us and testing these out. :D
I'm leaning towards the g-twist one. I've heard other good reviews, and it's moderately priced. \o/
Thank you kindly.
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It's too bad you are so far away from an actual Good Vibrations store, because at the one in Berkeley that I visited last summer, you could actually test all the merchandise. On your hands, I mean, not test test. So you could feel exactly what the material is like, and turn it on to see what the intensity was and how loud it was.
I do like the G-twist, except for the battery removal issues.
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I didn't realize you needed vibrator experience to be a fic writer, though. :P You seem to do pretty well without it.
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I suppose that I don't have to have it on my fandom resumé. But it does smack of adventure. And in RL, I'm not really the adventurous type. I'm such a mouse! I guess that's why it's called fiction. *g*
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It was really the joint problems that made me investigate vibrators again--it was actively painful for me at the time to do it the old-fashioned way. And it actually took me a while to adjust.
I'm definitely in favor of sidetrips from Bascon, though.
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I've only had the looks-like-a-massager-but-is-really-a-sextoy form of vibrator, but even that is oddly enough.. missing. I wonder if I searched my daughter's room hard enough, if I'd find it. Honestly, she can have it - better that than exploring herself with some creepy boy in the back of a car.
I loved your reviews of the various things to consider before purchasing. I will heed your good advice. ;)
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And I hope you find your missing vibrator. I guess. If you're daughter's been using it I don't know if you really want to find it...
O_O!
why did I never thought of this!!!!!!!
*wanders off to peruse the german sites to see if I can find a purple one*
Re: O_O!