Shopping for vibrators, dildos, anal toys, prostate massagers, and blow-up dolls is a fun and eye-opening experience, and it’s certainly possible to find the best pleasure toys for first-time users and baby boomers. A variety of these toys are available for solo or partner sex.
Farley Malorrus, owner of Bosko’s Oso blow-up dolls, im- ported Judy, an inflatable doll, from Japan. She was 5 feet 2 inches tall with a perfect figure made of vinyl. Malorrus strapped an artificial vagina on Judy and doubled the price for a loving companion. To ensure that the doll was sturdy, Malorrus asked a friend who lived on the 20th floor in a high-rise building to test Judy.
The friend got drunk and banged Judy every night. One night, he was interrupted during sex by a loud pop followed by a hissing sound. Judy slowly deflated. The friend was so angry and drunk that he punched Judy and threw her out the window into heavy traffic. Drivers skidded to avoid Judy, who they believed was a real person.1
How did interest in buying vibrators begin?
In August 1998, “The Turtle and the Hare” episode of Sex and the City featured the rabbit vibrator, which then became a pop culture success, ushering in the beginning of sexual consumerism. Females then entered adult sex shops to buy the rabbit vibrator they saw on Sex and the City.2
Where can vibrators be purchased?
You can buy pleasure toys in adult sex stores and on the Internet. They’re also available at CVS, Walgreens, Safeway, Kroger, Target, Walmart, the Wirecutter Division of the New York Times, MOMA’s Design Store, and the Museum of Sex in NYC.
A Google search for vibrators yields 23,000,000 results. Adam and Eve, a national online sex toy shop, offers 524 different types of vibrators. And, Amazon.com has 400 website pages listing pleasure toy products.
Are there brick-and-mortar sex shops that shouldn’t be visited?
Avoid sex shops near strip clubs and with names such as XXX- World. Many of these shops are disrespectful to women. Consumers are unable to touch or smell pleasure toys there to determine whether they contain chemicals because the toys are packaged.
Do brick-and-mortar sex stores target feminists and the LGBTQ community?
Shops geared towards feminists and the LGBTQ community sell a variety of pleasure toys for people of all gender identities and sexual orientations. Salespeople at these stores are knowledge- able and provide a comfortable environment for women and men. You can view Appendix A for a list of sex shops serving feminists, couples, and the LGBTQ community.
Should you buy pleasure toys on Amazon.com and eBay?
Chinese companies sell pleasure toys on Amazon.com that may be toxic. Sex swings and sex furniture are less expensive and safe to buy there. New and used pleasure toys are sold on eBay and might not be body safe.
Vibrators
All vibrators have motors producing enjoyable sensations throughout the body. The vibrating head and handle stimulate the genitalia and anus. Genital discomfort from vibrators is rare.
Which power sources are available for vibrators?
The power sources include rechargeable batteries, disposable batteries, and wall current. Avoid using less powerful rechargeable batteries that have a lower voltage of 1.2 V. Alkaline or disposable batteries are much stronger with a voltage of 1.5 V. Some toy manufacturers advise users not to purchase rechargeable batteries.
How are vibrators used?
Women use vibrators to stimulate the vagina, vulva, and clitoris when masturbating and during sexual intercourse and oral sex. Men use vibrators to stimulate the penis, scrotum, perineum, prostate, or anus. Some vibrators have a remote control and can be used underwater.
Which sizes, shapes, speeds, and noise levels of vibrators are available?
Vibrators are available in all sizes, shapes, designs, colors, and textures. Most vibrators used in vaginal or anal penetration are equivalent to the size of an average erect penis, 5.2 inches long with a 4.6-inch circumference. Shapes of vibrators vary from narrow bullets, animals, ergonomic forms, and miniature rockets to huge human tongues.
Modern vibrators have settings for speed, intensity, pulsation, and noise. The vibration speed of multi-speed vibrators is adjustable, enabling you to press a button to increase or lower the speed. Check the vibrator for the intensity of sensations and noise. Quieter vibrators are made from soft material.
What does a smart vibrator do?
You can control a remote vibrator with Bluetooth from an app on a smartphone, but the partner with the remote shouldn’t be too far away. Some pleasure toys can be controlled from anywhere on Earth, and long-distance relationships can thrive when the partner controls the vibrations. During the COVID-19 pandemic, remote toys have become useful for partners living apart from each other.
A remote-controlled toy can also be placed in panties. Several toys are even quiet enough to be worn in public, and some of them have a timer to wake a woman up with gentle vibrations, which can be controlled by a partner. A Waterproof Smart Phone APP Bluetooth Remote Vibration Massager Stick costs about $37.98.
Which types of vibrators are available?
Among the vibrators described in the Beginners Guide to Vibrators are external vibrators, internal vibrators, wand massagers, clitoral vibrators, tongue vibrators, G-spot vibrators, bullet vibrators, egg vibrators, mini vibrators, finger vibrators, wand-shaped medium-sized vibrators, butterfly vibrators, self-propelled vibrators, dual-type vibrators, and partner vibrators.3
- External vibrators can stimulate the clitoris, enhancing sexual pleasure and orgasms.
- Internal vibrators are inserted in the vagina, targeting the G-spot. They’re similar to dildos.
- Wand massagers knead muscles in the body and work wonders stimulating the vulva. Attachments stimulate the vagina, clitoris, and the G-spot.
- Clitoral vibrators deliver air or vibrations to the clitoris. Women experience fantastic orgasms with these vibrators.
- Tongue vibrators are terrific for oral sex.
- G-spot vibrators are curved. Stimulation of the G-spot leads to sexual arousal, strong orgasms, and possibly female ejaculation.
- A small extension on the rabbit vibrator’s shaft stimulates the clitoris.
- Bullet and egg vibrators are small and portable.
- A mini vibrator can fit in your hand and can be used to stimulate the clitoris and prostate gland. This small toy is also useful for sex in a dark place. Some mini vibrators can even imitate oral sex.
- Finger vibrators fasten to your finger. Either partner can wear it and provide intense stimulation.
- Wand-shaped medium-sized vibrators are effective for big women or those with limited hand strength who have difficulty reaching the vagina and G-spot.
- Butterfly vibrators can be held over the vagina with straps and provide hand-free masturbation and foreplay.
- Realistic vibrators have ridges, veins, and bumps.
- Vibrators that rotate and thrust can deliver self-propelled penetration.
- Some vibrators with advanced materials warm up immediately to match the heat of the user’s body.
- Dual-type vibrators stimulate the clitoris, G-spot, and anus simultaneously during masturbation and partner sex.
- A man’s prostate gland (P-spot) can be stimulated with anal vibrators in solo and partner sex. Sometimes, the narrow shaft of these vibrators has a beaded or ridged surface.
- Partner vibrators are multi-purpose. The gentle curves and stimulating surfaces arouse the clitoris, anus, and the penis.
- You can stimulate vulva-vaginal tissue by covering the clitoris and labia with a large vibrator. You can also combine a dildo with vibrators during sex.
How are waterproof vibrators used in sex play?
Waterproof vibrators are fun in the shower, bathtub, and swimming pool.
What indicates that a vibrator is waterproof?
A waterproof vibrator will contain an O-ring, which creates a watertight seal and is found around the edge in the battery compartment. Always make sure that the battery compartment is tight to prevent water from leaking inside. The battery cover might loosen if the toy has a twist dial base for changing the speed from gentle to strong.
Can you recommend a vibrator for a beginner?
The first vibrator that you use should improve circulation in the clitoris and labia. The body needs time to adjust to sensations from a vibrator.
What is the best vibrator to use after menopause?
Blood circulation in the clitoris is slower in baby boomer women. A stronger powered vibrator increases lubrication and results in potent orgasms. Dr. Barb DePree tells patients to use vibrators to keep sex alive and learn about their body.4 Power the vibrator using an electric wall outlet because it takes longer to achieve an orgasm after menopause.
How should I begin using a new vibrator?
Wash the vibrator before using it the first time and then charge it. It’s best to apply a lot of lubricant to the vibrator and to figure out which speed is pleasurable during masturbation. Don’t stimulate the clitoris directly for too long because it can become irritated. Instead, use indirect stimulation. Using a vibrator leads to many exquisite orgasms.
Dildos
Dildos have been around for 28,000 years. A stone penis- shaped dildo was discovered along a German mountain range in 2005.5
How many people purchase dildos in the United States?
Lovehoney, a sex toy company, surveyed 11,400 adults in 2018 and found that three out of every four people own at least one dildo.6 Women buy more dildos than men. Lovehoney attributes 12 percent of its global sales of dildos to the United States.
People over 30 are more likely to purchase dildos than millennials, who range from 18 to 30 years old. Iowa purchases the most dildos, and the South buys the fewest.The Midwest and some states on the East and West coasts are interested in playing with this pleasure toy.
How are dildos shaped and used?
Most dildos used in vaginal or anal penetration are equivalent to the size of an average erect penis, which is 5.2 inches long with a 4.6-inch girth. The size of Lovehoney’s Lifelike Lover dildo ranges from 5.5 inches to 10 inches. In Lovehoney’s survey, 5 percent of the respondents have used a 12-inch dildo.7 View Appendix B for sex toy companies that sell extra small and giant-size dildos.
Do women or men prefer dildos?
Men climax almost twice as much as women do with a dildo. Most women don’t insert dildos into their vagina. The tip or shaft indirectly touches the clitoris. Many women need a vibrator to experience an orgasm.
How should I choose a dildo?
First, determine which size you need. A small dildo may be ineffective for arousal, and a bigger one might be uncomfortable. Most dildos are made of five types of material: jelly or elastomer, silicone, soft skin, acrylic, or glass.
Silicone is the only nonporous material that can be hard or soft. Dual-density silicone dildos are soft on the outside with a hard-inside core. In 2020, Phallophile Reviews rated the most realistic dildos and the self-thrusting dildo.9
Anal Pleasure Toys
Anal toys are used for external and internal stimulation. Anal vibrators are smaller than those used in the vagina.
Who buys prostate massagers?
New York City accounts for 27 percent of sales of prostate massagers. Men over 50 in Miami buy the most. Men and women purchase 70 percent of massagers in Las Vegas. Men in San Francisco are seven times more likely to own an anal toy than men in Los Angeles. Women account for 66 percent of sales in Salt Lake City. Men in Chicago are the primary purchasers of prostate massagers.
In the United Kingdom, there are more purchases of prostate massagers than in the United States. Anal pleasure toys are equally popular in Russia and the U.S. Women in Spain buy more prostate massagers than men. This may indicate that heterosexual partners are interested in anal toys.
Older Italian men are more likely to purchase anal pleasure toys than older French men. However, younger people in France are more interested in anal toys than the older generation.10
What are anal vibrators?
Most are butt plugs or phallus-like vibrators. The sizes vary from 4 to 6 inches in length with a 1-inch width. Anal vibrators are available in various shapes. A long handle with a flared shape prevents the toy from falling inside the rectum. Apply a good amount of lubricant when using an anal pleasure toy. Insert an anal vibrator carefully to prevent the rectal lining from tearing.
Butt Plugs
These anal toys are the size of a finger and are good for beginners. The butt plug stays inside the anus and can be powered by batteries or can be linked by wire to a power pack. Vibrating butt plugs are used in solo or partner sex. You will experience fullness and vibrations in the rectum when using this type of pleasure toy.
Anal Beads
Fifty Shades of Grey, the book trilogy, sparked interest in anal beads. Users of anal beads derive pleasure from inserting the beads into the anus and removing them. Small beads or balls vibrate at various speeds and link through a long cord to a power device. Individual beads can be different sizes.
Beginners typically start off with smaller anal beads and move on to larger beads when ready. All anal beads have a ring at the end to make it easier to pull them out during solo sex, preventing slippage into the anal cavity. It’s a good idea to buy easy-to-clean plastic or silicone anal beads or balls. Anal beads connected by nylon strings are difficult to clean.
Blow-up Dolls
Blow-up dolls look realistic and can be either female or male. Each one can be used as a substitute for a sex partner. A whole-body blow-up female doll will have a vagina, mouth, and limbs. Some dolls have only a torso. Male dolls have attachments, including an erect penis and a flaccid penis.
Some interesting facts about blow-up dolls.
Davecat, a man in Michigan, says his blow-up doll is his wife, al- though not legally wed. He owns two other pleasure dolls, each of which has a Twitter account.
In Japan, sex dolls were often called Dutch wives. Dutch sailors who were on a ship for months made dolls out of leather and traded them to Japanese men.
The Barbie doll was created in the 1950s, and the source of inspiration for the doll was the Bild Lilli, an erotic German sex doll with no openings.
iDollators are people who are into blow-up dolls. Davecat states that “98 percent of iDollators treat their pleasure dolls like goddesses.” Some men view them as companions, claiming that relationships with real women are too difficult. Dolls don’t possess unpleasant human qualities.
The popularity of the modern sex doll is attributed to Howard Stern. He had sex with a RealDoll on air and then orders for the doll rose. In 2014, the RealDoll company sold about 300 dolls per year, costing a maximum of $5000 for each.11
Are blow-up dolls expensive?
Silicone dolls are soft to the touch, making them more realistic and expensive. Pleasure dolls are priced differently. They cost between $2000 and $10,000. A realistic doll can cost less than $500. But, for a fantastic doll, be prepared to spend $3000. Some dolls are available for less than $100. Shop around, read reviews, and listen to other owners of blow-up dolls.
What is the material of a blow-up doll?
Initially, the outer material of dolls was made of solid latex but was later switched to silicone.
In June 2009, Abyss Creations, a doll company, changed the doll material from tin cure silicone to platinum silicone. Current blow-up dolls are less likely to tear and don’t have the compression marks seen in earlier prototypes.
SiliconeWives produces pleasure dolls from TPE (thermo- plastic rubber) material and premium silicone. These dolls have a durable interior and use a metal skeleton with flexible joints. Owners of these dolls can screw them in different sexual positions.
Are dolls made to suit a variety of tastes?
SiliconeWives’ blow-up doll catalogue enables shoppers to customize the dolls by choosing the lip color, skin complexion, eye color, fingernail and toenail color, makeup, hair color, pubic hair, nipples, and vaginal insertion method of the dolls. Also available are mini dolls and pleasure doll torsos.
In 2003, Abyss Creations created the Face-X system, which made it possible to use interchangeable faces on blow-up dolls. In 2011, this company produced nine female bodies and 16 female faces that were available to owners of sex dolls.
In 2009, RealDoll designed removable inserts for the mouth, vagina, and face that could be attached to sex dolls with magnets instead of Velcro. This company offered 31 faces and 11 female body types as of 2015.
Do women buy male pleasure dolls?
Synthetic dolls weigh between 75 and 115 pounds. Weight is one reason that not many women purchase pleasure dolls. Another reason is that blow-up dolls can’t perform cunnilingus. Females who own male sex dolls account for 10 percent of RealDoll’s sales. Some women buy female dolls.
Choices for male dolls are limited, but female dolls are customizable. The first male RealDoll, Charlie, was withdrawn from production in 2008. Two body types and three head types replaced Charlie.
Are transgender dolls available for sale?
Yes. RealDoll sells them, but they must be customized.
- Lieberman, H. (2017). Buzz *A stimulating history of the sex toy. New York, London: Pegasus
- Comella, L. (2018, August 7). 20 years later, how the ‘sex and the city’ vibrator episode created a lasting buzz. Retrieved from Vices.com
- Languist, L (2020, May 12). A beginner’s guide to every kind of vibrator. Retrieved from SheKnows.com
- DePree, B.(2013). Vibrators, your practice, and your patients’ sexual health: Why you should be offering vibrators and related devices to your patients within your established practice, and options for doing so. OBG Management. April, 25(4), 41-49. Retrieved from https://cdn.mdedge.com/files/s3fs- public/Document/September-2017/2504OBG_DePree.pdf
- Chatel, A. (2018, September 24). 9 Things To Know About Dildo Use Across the United States. Bustle. Retrieved from https://www.bustle.com/
- Bendix, T. (2018, May 11). Three out of Four Americans have Dildos. Intomore. Retrieved from https://www.intomore.com/
- Chatel, A. (2018, September 24). 9 Things To Know About Dildo Use Across the United States. Bustle. Retrieved from https://www.bustle.com/
- Chatel, A. (2018, September 24). 9 Things To Know About Dildo Use Across the United States. Bustle. Retrieved from https://www.bustle.com/
- Felicity. (2017. May 7). Body-Safe Sex Toy Materials. [Online forum: post]. Phallophile Reviews. Retrieved from https://phallo- philereviews.com/about-body-safe-toys/
- LELO (2015, October 21). Which countries and which US cities buy the most prostate massagers? [Web log comment]. Retrieved from https://www.lelo.com
- Frank, C. (2014, August 6). 9 Insane facts about sex dolls. Cosmopolitan. Retrieved from https://www.cosmopolitan.com/sex-love/news/