They say that if you want to be a writer, you have to read. Well I also think that if you want to be a successful sex blogger, you have to read sex blogs! And, believe me, I read a lot of sex blogs. There are so many hugely talented people in this community and doing this work, and it is a joy to read and absorb and learn from and share their work.
In this spirit, this week I was invited to review Bedbible, a site I’ve been reading and enjoying for a while and which describes itself as “your go-to source for all things sex and sex toys.”
What Does Bedbible Offer?
Bedbible is a primarily hub of sex toy reviews written by a collection of experienced reviewers (I’ve contributed some myself in the past!) as well as articles, listicles, and round-ups about all things pleasure products.
There’s also blog articles on topics relating to sexuality and sex toys, surveys and research data (more on that in a minute), erotic (though not sexually explicit) images, a podcast that doesn’t seem to be active any more but still has old episodes available, and discount codes to use with various adult retailers including Lovehoney, Adam & Eve, Lelo, and Womanizer.
Sex Toy Reviews from Bedbible
Bedbible’s reviews are lengthy and comprehensive. They’re also written to a specific template, so you can scan quickly to find the information you need. Want to know if a toy is made of body-safe materials, how powerful its motor is, how easy it is to use, or how you should clean and care for it, this system has got you covered. There’s even a 1-to-5 scale for power and noise levels, and a handy buzz-rumble scale for vibrating toys to help you find exactly the kind of product that will suit your preferences.
Having written for Bedbible in the past, I can state with confidence that the review process is ethical and comprehensive. Some large review aggregate sites unfortunately employ shady practices, such as paying reviewers to write gushing reviews of toys they’ve never even tried. I’m sure you don’t need me to tell you why this is wildly unethical! (It’s also usually pretty obvious, as those spammy reviews are typically filled with unsubstantiated claims, stolen images, and praise disproportionate to the actual quality of the product.)
Bedbible doesn’t pay its reviewers, so it’s probably only a gig for you if you enjoy writing as a hobby and consider free sex toys a fair exchange for your time and work. This is a personal choice, of course – you do you!
As well as individual reviews, there’s also round-ups of toys in various categories. So whether you want to know about the best butt plug for your preferences or choose a toy to use with your partner, there’s likely to be a post that’s got you covered.
Scrolling back, the vast majority of the toys reviewed and recommended on Bedbible are made of body-safe materials such as silicone, glass, or stainless steel. There are some exceptions, particularly TPE/TPR/soft plastic insertable toys. While I’d prefer sex blogs and review sites didn’t give these toys a platform at all, the reality is that people are going to continue buying and using them for as long as they’re cheaper than safer alternatives. Bedbible does include plenty of useful information within its posts and in its blog about safe toy materials and the problems with the porous, toxic, or phthalate-containing ones that continue to plague this industry.
How is Bedbible’s Inclusivity?
I really love that Bedbible groups its toys by type, rather than gender. So instead of “toys for men” or “toys for women”, you’ll see toys organised into categories such as vibrators, dildos, anal toys, and penis toys.
I can’t overstate how important this is. Gender isn’t defined by genitals, and people of all genders can and do use sex toys. Needless gendering just alienates people and pushes them away from finding the products that will work for them, while gender-neutral categorisation includes everyone. (It’s also truly confusing how often I see anal toys lumped into the “for men” category – everyone has a butt! Anal pleasure can feel great no matter whether you were born with a prostate or not!)
Some of Bedbible’s roundups and blog posts do use gendered language. While I’m highly sympathetic to the reasons for this – after all, your average consumer is likely to Google (for example) “male sex toys” – I would really like to see the entire industry move away this type of language entirely. And the only way we will do that is by, well, actually doing it.
Research and Data
The Bedbible Research Center also conducts surveys, meta-analyses, and data aggregation on an array of sex and relationships topics, from the orgasm gap to porn use, relationship styles, various fetishes, and more.
Team members include: Ferdinand Obi, MD, an OB-GYN Resident Obstetrician-Gynecologist; Martina Ambardjieva, MD, Ph.D, a Sexual Health Expert and Resident Physician; and Ioanna Martinou, Ph.D.Psychologist and PhD at University of Bolton. Impressive credentials, I’m sure you’ll agree!
I only discovered this section of the site in doing my research for this review, though I read Bedbible’s sex toy reviews regularly. The write-ups are clear and accessible, though only some of the pieces include a breakdown of the methodologies that were used for gathering and collating the data. As an academia nerd, I would have liked to see this included in every post as my first question about data and statistics is always “how did the researchers arrive at these results?”
All Bedbible Research Center data is released for public access and available to use with proper accreditation. You can also contact the team on researchcenter@bedbible.com for any more information or to see complete datasets.
Verdict
Overall, I really like this site. It contains an extensive array of reviews and information, a more inclusive approach than many of the blogs and retailers out there, and some excellent and useful bonus information. Though Bedbible is different to many sex blogs, as it’s run and written by a large team, it’s a great addition to our little world of online sex-positive content.
I’d always suggest to any consumer that they read more sex toy reviews before investing in a toy they haven’t tried before, because any review (including mine!) is just one person’s opinion. But if you want an extensive and comprehensive review of a sex toy you’re considering, Bedbible is a great place to go.
This post was sponsored by Bedbible.com, meaning that I was paid to write a truthful review of the site. All opinions are my own.
