Tag: mains powered vibrator

Header image for a review of the Doxy Die Cast

[Toy Review] Doxy Die Cast

Published on by Amy3 Comments

I didn’t actually get the Doxy Die Cast as a review unit. I bought it from my friend LSB But, being the ultimate Doxy Fangirl, I thought you guys might be interested in knowing what I thought.

Holy shit, you guys.

Holy. Shit.

For those who are new here and/or have been living on the moon, what is the Doxy Die Cast?

Doxy is a British company based in Cornwall, launched in 2013 to be England’s answer to the famed (not-actually-Hitachi-any-more) Magic Wand. It’s safe to say they met and exceeded that goal, as their products are now sold and renowned globally.

The Doxy Die Cast Wand Massager in purple

The Doxy Die Cast is functionally very similar to the Doxy Original, with two significant differences:

  • The body is metal, specifically an aluminium/titanium alloy (as opposed to the ABS plastic of the Original.)
  • The head cover is made of firmer silicone, giving the vibrations a slightly different feel.

Stats & things

The Doxy Die Cast is a large, hefty and heavy beast of a toy that means business. It is 37cm long with a head diameter of 6cm, and weighs 690g. This toy is operated via plugging in to the mains, and the cable is 3 metres (10 feet) long, so don’t worry if your bed isn’t next to an outlet!

Your Doxy Die Cast comes with a sturdy, zip-up case which is ideal for both transporting it and keeping it safe in storage.

The grey zip up Doxy Die Cast storage case

The Doxy Die Cast’s head is rigid and made of black silicone, which is non-porous and totally body-safe. All Doxy products are non-waterproof. You can clean your wand with a damp (NOT wet) cloth and some gentle detergent, and sterilise it with a body-safe medical wipe. And don’t forget that, if you’re sharing it, you can stretch a condom over the wand head for STI protection.

The Doxy Die Cast is absurdly beautiful. I can’t stop looking at it and stroking it. It comes in four standard colourways: brushed natural aluminium (silver,) black, purple, and red. All of these variations retail for £149.99 ($224.99 US). There’s also a matte black version with a 24K gold collar which retails for £199.99, and you can even custom-order a version completely plated in 24K gold if you want to spend ten grand on a sex toy.

Mine is purple and it’s the most gorgeously bright, vibrant colour.

User interface

All Doxy wand massagers run on a simple three-button interface. There’s an on/off button, and increase/decrease buttons. It really couldn’t be simpler. There’s also a pulse mode, which you can access by holding down the on/off button.

The Doxy Die Cast Wand Massager in purple in its case

The buttons are large and easy to press. Unlike the Original wand, the Doxy Die Cast has LED-lit buttons for easy use in the dark.

To Die (Cast) for?

I knew I was going to love this toy. I’ve been a Doxy fan for years, ever since Mr CK bought me my (much-loved and still going strong 5 years later) Doxy Original for my 25th birthday. There’s really no way the Die Cast wouldn’t live up to expectations.

Holy fucking shit, I love this thing. The power is INTENSE. The Doxy Die Cast motor is capable of 3000 to 9000 RPM and, thanks to the rigidity of the head, that power manifests as deep and penetrating rumbles. I used this on the second setting, through my clothing, and it still got me off in minutes.

Not just for clits! (And other pro tips.)

The Doxy massager range were all designed with clitoral stimulation in mind, and they do a damn fine job of it. But why stop there? If you have a penis, vibrations can also feel intensely pleasurable. Try holding the wand against the underside of your cock, or running it over your whole genital area.

Just a few other ways you might want to use your Doxy:

  • Pair it with a wand attachment, such as a penis stroker or a rabbit attachment.
  • Press it against the base of a dildo or butt plug for intense internal stimulation.
  • If holding the Doxy for long periods of time is uncomfortable or difficult for you, consider using a wand mount to hold it in place. Another option is to stack a couple of pillows, put the wand on them, and lie on top of it. The pillows and your body weight will keep it in place.

Get creative! There are always numerous ways to use a sex toy.

So do I recommend it?

Oh my god, get one get one get one. You’ll thank me.

Now if you’ll excuse me, you’ll find me melted in a puddle of post-orgasmic bliss.

Affiliate links appear in this post. All views are, as ever, my own.

Header image for a review of the Lovehoney Metallic Magic Wand

[Toy Review] Lovehoney Metallic Classic Magic Wand

Published on by Amy

I’m definitely not above acquiring a new version of a sex toy that I already own, if the company re-releases it in better colours. Look, I’ve got to live up to my #Sparklefemme goals, okay!? So when I first saw Lovehoney’s new twist on their Classic Magic Wand vibrator way back in summer, I knew I needed it in my life. Thankfully, my pals at Lovehoney HQ were able to hook me up.

Let’s dive in, shall we?

The Classic Wand… but SHINY!

The Metallic Classic Magic Wand is a new spin on Lovehoney’s bestselling Classic Wand. It’s a mains powered (UK plug!) multi-speed wand vibrator. It’s visually gorgeous. You all know I’m not super into pink toys, but the pink-fading-to-purple is definitely an aesthetic I can get behind.

Like most wand toys, it’s pretty hefty. The Metallic Wand is 32 inches in total length, with a 7.5″ circumference head. That said, it’s not excessively heavy for its size and level of power. The cable is a useful 1.8m long, so plugging in isn’t an issue if you don’t have outlets right next to your bed.

Scroll wheel contyrols

One of the things I’ve always appreciated about the Lovehoney wands over other designs is the scroll-wheel control. It makes it so easy to change the vibration speed really quickly, with no annoying button pressing. It also means you can be super precise about the level of power you want.

This simple and easy user interface is something other toy designers could learn from. Also, bonus: this toy has no “patterns”! Just simple, steady vibration. Bliss.

New silicone head!

Apart from the aesthetic, this is the main change this version of the Classic Wand has gone through as far as I can tell. The head is now silicone! (Previously it was PVC, which was a bit grey-area for me in terms of body safety). I’m so glad they’ve made this change – silicone is none-porous, phthalate-free and 100% body-safe, so you can use your wand with confidence.

Clean your wand head with a body-safe sterile wipe and then a warm damp cloth. Being mains-powered, it is not waterproof and should not get wet! You can stretch a large condom over the head of your wand if you want to be extra cautious, or if you’re sharing in a non-fluid-bonded relationship. Water-based lube is recommended.

Did it match up, power wise?

You all know by now that I fucking love mains-powered wands. They’re my favourite types of toy, hands down. I love them because they’re just so damn powerful compared with literally anything else. Though this wand isn’t the absolutely most powerful on the market (that honour goes to the Doxy) it’s still very impressively strong and will be powerful enough to satisfy the vast majority of users. I can get off with it quickly and efficiently. The vibration is a little buzzy at higher settings, so I prefer it a speed or two below maximum.

The only downside is the noise

This isn’t the noisiest toy on the market by any stretch. However, the noise it makes is less of a low rumble and more of a higher-pitched whirr, which for some reason I found super distracting! I managed to mitigate the issue somewhat by using it under the blanket, but it’s definitely something to be aware of if you’re sensitive to noise. Wand vibrators are never going to be whisper-quiet, but the type of sound this one made was bothersome to me.

So do I recommend it?

Yeah, I really do. Wands are for everyone! They’re so often lumped in the category of “for women” but actually they’re great regardless of gender or anatomy. They’re obviously brilliant for clits but that’s not where the fun stops. Penis owner? Press your wand against the underside or head of your cock, or invest in a simple attachment for all-over buzz. Wands are also great for partnered sex – place it between you during P-in-V intercourse, or take turns getting each other off with it. You can even use it to give each other sensual back or full-body massages. And don’t forget you can get all kinds of attachments for your wand, making it a truly versatile investment.

The Metallic Classic Magic Wand retails for £49.99 ($69.99 US), putting it at the more affordable end of the spectrum for a body-safe, powerful wand.

What are you waiting for? Go buy one for the femme in your life. Even if the femme in your life is you!

Thanks to Lovehoney for sending me the Metallic Classic Magic Wand to review. All opinions, as ever, my own. Buying through my affiliate links sends me a small commission at no extra cost to you and helps keep the blog going.

Magic Wand Original review header featuring the toy lying on a pile of towels

[Toy Review] Vibratex Magic Wand Original AKA “The Hitachi”

Published on by Amy

Yep, I finally got my hands on one of these! People are always asking me for wand vibrator recommendations and I did not feel as though I could give a fully informed opinion without trying, as it’s so often described, “The Cadillac of Vibrators.” Thanks to my contact at TooTimid for hooking me up with the Magic Wand Original, which is notoriously hard to come by in the UK.

The Magic Wand Original, previously known as the Hitachi Magic Wand or simply the Hitachi, is the toy that started it all when it comes to wand-style massagers. Originally sold as a “personal massager” for sore muscles, it was Betty Dodson – masturbation connoisseur and vibrator peddler extraordinaire – who popularised the Magic Wand as a tool for masturbation. Since then, there have been countless copycats and imitations, plenty of them terrible and some of them even unsafe. But the Magic Wand still reigns supreme as the most famous and sought-after vibrator of them all.

The Magic Wand Original wand vibrator

Okay, enough with the history lesson. Let’s look at the product.

The Magic Wand Original comes packaged in a simple blue and white box with a picture of the product on the outside. This has changed remarkably little from the original packaging of the 1960s, except that the ‘Hitachi’ name has been removed. (The company removed their name from the product in 2013, though continued to manufacture it after persuasion from distributor Vibratex).

The wand is 12 inches long in total and weighs 540g. This puts it on the heavier side which might not be accessible or easily usable for everyone. I didn’t struggle with it in this regard, but I’m able-bodied. If you struggle to hold heavy things or have a condition such as arthritis, you may want to take the weight and size of the thing into account. A good option for those who want to use a powerful wand but struggle to hold or manipulate it is to use a wand mount.

Materials

The body is made of plastic, and the head appears to be PVC, though some retailers list it as TPE. Either way, the material is unlikely to be toxic but is somewhat porous. This means it will harbour bacteria and is impossible to truly 100% clean. What this means, in practice, is that your Magic Wand probably won’t last forever.

You will also want to use a barrier if you’re going to be sharing it with a partner. STIs can be transmitted via non-sterilised toys, and you can also get an infection from using an unsanitary toy. One option is to buy an attachment made of silicone.

Also worth mentioning: if you upgrade to the Magic Wand Rechargeable, the head is silicone.

I’ll say this, it’s powerful as fuck.

The Magic Wand Original has 3 settings: Off, High, and Holy-Fucking-Shit! Yes, if power is what you want, this toy delivers. There are no patterns and no finely graded settings, so if that’s what you need, avoid. But for pure power, it’s a solid bet.  The vibrations felt rumbly and penetrating. Even the lowest setting will be satisfying to all but the greatest of power queens. (Anyone who has met my clitoris will be entirely unsurprised to know that I whacked it onto the Holy-Fucking-Shit setting and left it there until I’d come three or four times). It’s loud, but most wands are. It’s not distractingly loud, from my perspective, but someone in the next room can easily hear it. So bear this in mind if you’ve got roommates/family/kids and are trying to be discreet.

Despite the power, though, I found myself annoyed by the softness of the head and the flexibility of the neck. When I’m playing with a really powerful toy, I want to be able to push it hard against my vulva and feel the vibrations everywhere.  The bendy neck made it difficult to get the level of purchase I really desired. In this regard, it loses out to the Doxy Number 3 with its rigid silicone head and less flexible neck.

User-friendliness and care

The Magic Wand Original is operated by a simple, one button interface which makes it really easy to use. It has to be plugged into the wall, but the cord is a decent 5ft long, so you can use it even if your bed (or wherever you like to get off, I make no assumptions!) is a ways away from the nearest socket.

When it comes to care and cleaning, this toy – as I mentioned above – is somewhat porous. It’s also not waterproof, so please don’t submerge it to clean (or try to use it in the bath)! I recommend wiping clean with a body-safe sterile medical wipe, using a condom if you’re sharing it, and considering investing in a silicone cap or attachment like those linked above.

So is it worth the hype/money?

The Magic Wand Original tends to retail for between $70 and $90 depending on the retailer. I’m going to say my verdict is a qualified “worth it”. It IS a reasonable quality and very powerful toy. However, if you’ve got that amount of money to throw at a wand vibe, the Doxy will always be my first recommendation. The Magic Wand Original loses major points from me due to the head not being truly body-safe.

My overwhelming impression from the Magic Wand Original is, “I enjoyed it just fine, but I was less blown away than I hoped/expected to be, given the hype.”

Thanks to TooTimid for sending me this toy to review!  All opinions are, and will always be, my own. Some of the links in this post are affiliate links and buying from them supports my work. Enjoyed this review? Buy me a coffee to say thanks!


Header image for Desire Luxury Rechargeable Magic Wand review

[Toy Review] Lovehoney Desire Luxury Rechargeable Magic Wand

Published on by Amy

[Update 01.01.2020: This product has been discontinued. Dead links have been removed but I’ve left the post up for reference purposes.]

Hey everyone! So I’m trying a new way of writing toy reviews. My previous format worked well for a while, but I want to change things up a bit. So let me know how this works for you, ‘kay?

Desire is Lovehoney’s luxury own-brand toy range. I’ve tried a couple of their products before and am generally a fan. I’m so pleased to have finally got my paws on this particular item, because you all know that I am a big ol’ Wand Queen.

The Desire Luxury Rechargeable Magic Wand arrived in Lovehoney’s standard discreet packaging (plain brown box). Inside, the toy is presented in an attractive box with the Desire branding and colours – black and purple. I was super impressed to see that this wand comes with its own storage case, a sleek and discreet black zip-up in faux leather and with a little hole through which to stick the charger to plug the toy in. Major points for presentation and for including a case.

The toy itself is hefty – 13.5 inches long and with a fair bit of weight to it. For comparison, it’s lighter than the Doxy Die Cast, but a fair bit heavier than the Original. If weighty toys are difficult for you, you might want to give this one a miss – or invest in a wand mount.

The Desire Wand is mains-rechargeable with a charging time and constant-use time of about 180 minutes each. Being mains chargeable, it is NOT waterproof, so take care when cleaning it and don’t use it in wet environments like the bathroom.

The design is gorgeous. This toy is in my absolute favourite shade of purple, and decorated with the signature Lovehoney heart logo. The head is lovely, smooth matte silicone, which is body-safe, odorless and silky soft on the skin.

The Desire line of toys are on the pricier end for own-brand products, and this wand is the most expensive of the bunch with a RRP of £99.99. However, based on the ones I’ve tried, it’s also far and away my favourite toy in the range. £100 isn’t an outrageous price for a really good toy and I’m happy to say this is value for money if you can afford it.

Pro tip: wand vibes are designed for clitoral use, but they’re great for dicks too!

The user interface is simple – a “on/speed up” button, a “off/speed down” button, and a “change pattern” button. The Desire Wand boasts a massive 20 different patterns, each of which can be used on 5 different levels of intensity. Those who have read my work for any length of time know I’m not really a fan of patterns. I tried a few of them out, and they were okay… but I much (much!) prefer constant vibrations. If you’re a pattern fan, though, then this might be the wand for you. Annoyingly, you can only scroll one way through the pattern settings. So if you find one you like then click away from it, you need to hit the button another 20 or so times to get back to it.

Safer sex wise, the smooth silicone head is easy to sterilise with a body-safe medical wipe, which is my recommendation for any toy you can’t submerge in water to clean. The wand shape is condom-compatible if you’re using it on multiple partners without sterilising in between.

“Absolutely, far and away, the most powerful rechargeable vibe I have ever used.”

Arguably the most important single factor of any toy for me is its level of power. The power offered by the Desire wand is pretty impressive and, for me, falls about half way along the rumble/buzz spectrum. It’s less rumbly than I would ideally like, especially on the top setting, but nowhere near buzzy enough to cause me numbness or itching. I came really easily, twice in a row, with this toy on the top setting. It is absolutely, far and away, the most powerful rechargeable vibe I have ever used – for that, I cannot fault it in the least.

Recommended for: power Queens, anyone after a rechargeable alternative to mains-powered wands, pattern lovers.

This post contains affiliate links. Buying toys from my affiliates through the links in this post or in the right-hand sidebar sends a small commission my way and helps me keep doing this work. All opinions are, and will always be, my own.

Images are courtesy of Lovehoney and reproduced with permission.

Header image for a review of the Pink B.O.B Allure Wand

[Toy Review] B.O.B. Pink Allure Wand

Published on by Amy

Anyone who knows me knows that I love wands. I’m pretty much obsessed with them. No other toys hit the spot for me in quite the same way. So I was pretty excited when TooTimid offered me the Pink BOB Allure Wand vibrator to review.

I’ve got to be completely upfront and state that I hate this manufacturer name with a vengeance. BOB stands for Battery Operated Boyfriend and this just upsets me on a ridiculous number of levels.

Say it with me now: toys are not replacements for partners! Sex toys and partners occupy completely different spaces and functions in one’s life!

That said, once I finished raging at the name, how did the Allure Wand actually stack up?

My first impression of the Allure Wand when I took it out of the packaging is that it’s really, really light. Like, ridiculously so for its size. This could be a really significant plus for those who find the heavier models too cumbersome.

The Allure Wand is mains powered and the cord is a massive 9ft long. It’s about 12″ long and the classic “magic wand” shape. It boasts 20 different speeds and pattern settings.

In use, I found it… okay?

The Allure Wand does not match the higher-end wands on the market. At all. Do not be fooled into thinking you’re getting something comparable for a much cheaper price, because you’re not.

I can get off with the Allure Wand if I ramp it up to the top setting, but I wouldn’t say I found it particularly enjoyable or pleasurable to use. The vibrations are strong but they’re pretty buzzy and after a while by bits felt semi-numb and tingly. It took me about 40 minutes to orgasm with it, which is a pretty poor show for a wand.

The noise level is reasonable – wands are never going to be silent toys, but my partner couldn’t hear it through the floor the way he can with some toys.

I did notice the head got a little warm after about 30 minutes of continuous use, so you might want to bear this in mind if you like to use your wands for long periods of time without a break.

I didn’t have to struggle to get off with this one! And for that, it is to be commended.

My Ratings (all scores out of 5★)

Price: ★
The Allure Wand retails for $79.95 at TooTimid (around £60.) This is ludicrously expensive for the low quality. It’s more expensive than the Magic Wand Original!

Materials: ★★
The head has a silicone cap, which is body-safe. (It’s definitely silicone, it passed the flame test.) It’s really weird silicone, though – it feels kind of rough and grainy. Under the silicone cap are foam inserts, for some reason!? I suspect this is a money-saving technique but it’s kind of cheap and gross, not to mention unsanitary. The body is ABS plastic.

Appearance: ★
You all know how I feel about pink! (Spoiler: I’m kinda sick of it). The Allure Wand is actually slightly less obnoxiously pink in real life than it looks on the pictures. The real colour is slightly darker and less in-your-face. It’s still very pink, though, and I’m not here for that. The grainy texture of the silicone cap just makes the whole thing look really cheap and slapdash.

Ease of Use: ★★★★
Again: this wand is ridiculously light for the size and level of power, which is one of the things I really love about it. It’s mains powered, so needs to be plugged in to use, but the 9ft cord makes this easy – even if your socket is on the other side of the bedroom, it’s got you covered.

It operates on a simple two-button interface. One button turns the toy on and off and changes the pattern, while the other adjusts the speed. It does have that annoying problem of so many toys, wherein you can’t change down a speed or go back to the previous pattern without cycling allllll the way through. Seriously, when are manufacturers going to figure this out?

On the plus side, the buttons are intuitively placed, press easily, and make a nice satisfying “click”. The flexible neck is really annoying to me because I like to be able to press a toy hard against my vulva. But for others it might be a nice touch, as some “give” can enable more precise placement to the right spot.

Ease of care & cleaning: ★★
The silicone head makes clean-up relatively easy, though I am always a bit wary when it comes to cleaning mains-powered toys as they can’t be submerged in water. It’s best to clean them with a sterile wipe – I like to use the ones you can buy in bulk from a medical supply store. There is a seam around the head which could trap bacteria, so be extra thorough when cleaning that area. And, again, those foam inserts are bacteria traps from hell. For toys like this, I always advise popping a condom over it if you’re going to share with a non fluid-bonded partner.

Versatility: ★★★★
The Allure Wand has so many settings! I love how you can use any of the patterns with any of the different speed settings, so the combinations are endless. It’s designed for clits, but would work nicely for dicks too. 

Intensity: ★★★
The power level is decent, though still not what I’d expect for the price. And the vibrations are really buzzy, which makes the toy far less enjoyable and leaves my bits feeling numbed out and pissed off.

Overall Score: ★★
My overall impression is “unimpressed.” This toy is way too expensive for the quality and though it uses body-safe materials, it’s shoddily made and feels like it might fall apart any second.

Safe to say it didn’t rock my world.

Thanks to TooTimid for commissioning this review! All views are, and will always be, my own.