On this week’s Sex+ I gave a few tips for purchasing sex toys. Many of you have asked over the years, so here are some recommends for those of you interested in purchasing sex toys! I have tried or gotten positive reviews from friends/partner on all the following (clickable):
My favorite brands are Lelo, Jopen, and Tantus (for male toys). I find that they consistently make awesome, high quality sex toys. I’ve had the Lelo Liv for 4 years and it’s one of my absolute favorites. It’s rechargeable (yay!) and holds a charge FOREVER. I also really like the Jopen Vanity v6. It’s my favorite rabbit vibrator. Lelo’s Ina 2 is also amazing. If you want something on the cheap side, this butterfly vibrator packs a surprising punch! It also has yet to break down – a rarity for how inexpensive it is. I have video reviews of all these toys on this site.
One brand I will never purchase from again is Doc Johnson. Cheap, poor quality toys that consistently fail to deliver.
My favorite lubricants are Sliquid Organics and Liquid Silk. For a cheaper lube, Astroglide always does the trick and can be purchased most places!
I think Edenfantasys is a great website to purchase from; very sex positive, queer & woman friendly. I used to do sex toy reviews for them (hence why I have so many expensive toys….lol). They ship fast and are very discreet. It doesn’t look like you’re getting a sex toy in the mail! They usually have pretty good deals (I think there’s a 20% off thing going on right now) and they have an easy return policy. There are other shops out there that are totally awesome as well! I can’t speak to any experience with them though. :)
Have fun!
Hey, I’ve heard that because there is glycerine in Astroglide, it’s not exactly vagina-friendly. Also, why Trojan? They’re made with a lower quality of latex than brands like Durex or One. Just thought I should ask. Excellent videos as always, keep the knowledge spreadin’.
-Erich & Amanda
For what it’s worth, me and my girlfriend have been using astroglide for vaginal and anal play for over a year with no ill effects. I’d recommend it in a heartbeat, though I can’t say if our experience is typical or not
Have NOT had good experience with Durex, that’s for sure… Trojan has never failed me though.
I would recommend Sh! for women in the UK. The two shops in London are really female friendly. When you go in they offer you tea and coffee and are incredibly helpful especially if you’re shy/don’t know what you’re looking for. It also has a good website http://www.sh-womenstore.com with advice and reviews and free shipping.
If you’re in the UK, Ann Summers is always good :) Rampant Rabbits are awesome vibrators with clitoral stimulators and my personal favourite lube from them is Liquid Satin. It’s good for sensitive skin and works well with sex toys and vaginal sex x
Or, lovehoney.co.uk
They have a returns policy where if you return it within a year you can get your money back. You can even return it if you’ve tried it and don’t like it.
Hi! Do you possibly have any recommendation for European shoppers? Lelo is a bit pricier than the US (though most things are) and for some reason not as available on online shops. However fun factory brand is everywhere and usually highly recommended but I trust your judgement. So if you’ve heard anything positive or negative about them (especially on the healthy/safety issues) I’d love to hear them!
Fun Factory are great! Their range is pretty good and as far as safety is concerned they’re on top of their game. As far as I know they don’t make anything with Pthalates (toxic jelly-like material that you desperately want to avoid for your vagina’s sake!), and certainly all of their toys that I’ve encountered are pure silicone, many of them waterproof, super hygenic & easy to clean.
I own a couple of vibrators and (double) dildos made by Fun Factory, some of which I’ve had for over two years that don’t seem like they’ll die anytime soon, so I reckon it’s good value!
If you can afford it I would say always go with rechargable vibrators, the amount you’ll save in the long run is amazing and they won’t need repalcing as quickly.
Here are my reccomendations if you’re in the UK:
- Fun Factory LAYAspot if it’s just a clit vibe you’re after.
- Paul n’ Paulina for a rabbit-style.
- and the Angelo for a very very easy-to-clean waterproof shower buddy…
Also, have you ever seen toys made by We-Vibe? They’re not as expensive as Lelo but also very high quality and always made out of body-safe materials. Try the Tango or Touch for really great, quiet and rumbly clit vibrators.
Happy toy shopping!
I loved the video! If I may suggest another online sextoy shop that I have found to have very competitive prices as well as a HUGE selection with discreet shipping: Pinkcherry.ca. or [dot]com for US inhabitants. :)
A friend recommended Spencer’s stuff once. I looked around and I thought the stuff looks good but I’m not so sure after watching your video. Just to be safe would you say that their stuff is ok to use?
I’ve bought the few sex-cessories I own from Spencer’s, and while I can’t say my results are typical, I’ve never had any problems with them. However, I would say to be careful and always read labels thoroughly (which is a good practice to make a habit of anyway), as I’m not sure if all their toys and things are pthalate-free and all that.
Good Vibrations is also another AWESOME sex-positive, queer and woman-friendly sex shop.
From their About Us page: “Good Vibrations is the premier retailer trusted for over three decades to provide high quality products, education, and information that promotes sexual health, pleasure, and empowerment. We invented the concept of the clean, well-lighted vibrator store and we’re proud to provide a safe and welcoming environment where customers can shop for sex toys, books, movies, and attend workshops.”
what is your opinion on this product for beginners? http://www.edenfantasys.com/sex-toy-reviews/vibrators/if-music-be-the-food-of-love-play-on
also, what do you recommend for toy pouches?
thank you!
Ooo I like how the site has a real size page
http://www.edenfantasys.com/realsize.aspx?PID=27543
It looks unintimidating, is made of silicone, has three speeds on a non-complicated control, has a fair enough length and isn’t thick enough to be scary.
If you have the money for it then go for it :D
I highly recommend Babeland as a great place to buy sex toys- it’s a company that’s mainly geared towards women and it’s very sex positive. They have a few locations in New York City, and one in Seattle too, but you can also order online. There are great reviews on the site too!
Oops! I forgot to leave the link :)
http://www.babeland.com
Oh man, you didn’t include the Hitachi on that list! I’m a huge fan of clitoral stimulation, and I’ve had my Hitachi for YEARS and it’s never broken down. You do need to actually plug it into the wall, but I swear to god, you will never need another clit vibrator in your life (also, it’s kinda loud, so it’s mostly for home use.) It comes with an array of different heads and attachments, or you can use it basic. Love it!
Speaking of Doc Johnson, what’s your opinion of their Glass products? Besides them understating their sizes (things looking a lot bigger than they say they are) they seem to be of okay quality.
that butterfly one looks awesome and affordable! lol that would be an amazing christmas present from my bf ;)
I need your help! I just purchased my very first toy and its 100% silicone. The problem is I don’t know what condoms I can use with it because none of them list what kind of ingredients they have on the packaging. I really don’t want to risk ruining a brand new toy. Are they’re any brands that are exclusively ‘water lubed’, how can you tell if it doesn’t say, would non lubricated work or would the latex react with silicone? Ahh! so many questions, please help.
You can safely use any non-lubricated condom with a silicone toy. Latex won’t harm your toy; nor will the plastics used to make non-latex condoms. Lube the outside with your favorite water-based lube if you’re going to insert it. (If your toy is a vibrator that you’re only going to use externally you may not need lube.) Do not use a silicone-based lube: silicone lube + silicone toy = damaged toy.
Avoid using lubricated condoms with silicone toys. The packaging rarely tells what is in the lube, so it may contain silicone. You don’t want lube on the inside anyway; toys don’t have nerve endings so it’s just more mess to clean up afterward. When you’re using a condom on things that DO have nerve endings (putting one on a penis or using a sliced-open one as a dental dam), a bit of lube on the inside can improve the experience.
Do you get the same experience every time?…. I feel that after a while i got bored of my vibrator, the first time i used it it was the best every time i used it after that it just got less and less exciting
I’m so confused as to why vibrators meant only for clitoral stimulation are missing from the list!
I heartily swear by my We Vibe Touch! I’ve never used a Hitachi (the gold standard, I’m told), but it is very portable, very discreet, very quiet, but also very, very powerful! And rechargable!! :)
I love A Place For Passion for purchasing my products. The prices are quite a bit lower than many of the other online stores. They also have a wide range of products, including a lot of great high end products. You can find them at aplaceforpassion.com. The shipping is very cheap and the products I have ordered have all come quickly as well.
The favorite of my husband and I currently is not listed here. It is a slim g-spot vibe. It works great for many positions and we can use it to pleasure both of us.
Just an FYI,Trojan condoms have been known for some pretty gruesome animal testing. They also are not vegan condoms so if you’re a vegan or vegetarian or just don’t like using products tested on animals then you might want to buy a different brand. :) I use the Lifestyles Skyn and it’s really nice and (My partner and I personally) think that they feel better then Trojan.
Laci Green, as much as I think you have some great blogs and videos, AFAIK you are not telling the truth about your age. After researching your information online, I have figured out that tou are not 23-24 years old. You are more like 30-something. I don’t really like liars, and I try not to take advice from people who report themselves to be a completely different identity online, unless they make their living by being an actor/performer. Where are you from originally? You look Israeli to me, and I think you have some kind of motive/agenda other than just a forum on human sexuality. Again, I don’t make any real argument against what you are talking about, but simply with who you claim yourself to be here online and in reality. If you hide stuff like your age, why should anyone, parents, teenagers, take advice from you? What is your motivation or what is your agenda here? And if you are only just a actor/performer here, who are your working for, and what orgization? Are they paying you to blog? What is your objective exactly if you aren’t who you claim yourself to be? Thanks!
What the fuck. What a creepy-ass comment. Just leave this place ass hole.
Is it safe to swallow erotic massage oil?
Really? My boyfriend and I HATE Trojan. Pretty much always slips off (they’re the first condoms we tried). The best brand we’ve found are One condoms. They’re a buck each, are pretty tight, and the bf says that he likes them. (And he isn’t small by any means, I assure you. Trojan… we’re just not a fan.)
And a friend of mine got a butterfly and she didn’t like it? I guess different strokes for different folks then? :)
I might try liquid silk, though! I get a bad reaction when there’s ANY silicone in lube…
If you can’t do silicone don’t get the liquid silk! It’s marketed as water based but it’s actually a hybrid silicone and water base. I didn’t know this until I read the ingredients. Anything that ends in “cone” or “conol” is silicone. Go for the Sliquid! :)
I work at an adult store and based on customer reviews I agree with most of what Laci recommends. However, I would never recommend astroglide. It has glycerin in it which is not female body friendly, it wears off quickly, and it’s very sticky. Astroglide does make an “all natural” version of their lubricant and that one is a little better. Sliquid H2O is wonderful. For silicone based lube, Pjur is awesome and so is uberlube. These are really high grade super concentrated silicones so naturally they’re a little more expensive than water based. However, you only have to use a small amount and since silicone doesn’t absorb into the body like water does, it will last probably the whole session so you won’t go through the bottle as fast. Also, I get some good reviews on doc johnson products. Some of their toys are shit, that’s true but they do make a good vibrating bullet. It’s inexpensive and has several different pulsations which is rare in a bullet. Also their silicone based lubricant is extremely inexpensive for a large amount. It’s great for people who are just experimenting with silicone lubes. The only thing is that low grade silicones can have nickel in them and that sucks. Lower grade silicones shouldn’t be used with silicone toys (like lelo, jopen, and tantus). I also really love fun factory toys. They’re one of the only companies that makes SOFT silicone toys. They make the Stronic and the Cobra Libre which are two of my fav toys to sell. Anyway, that’s just my two cents. Every person has different preferences.
You gotta find out what turns you on to use the toys :)