“Hysteria” and the Strange History of Vibrators

If you live in a place with a removable shower head, it’s a great option for a discreet vibrator. Many people find the sensation of the pressurized water on their genitals pleasurable, and being in the bath or shower means you’re already in a space where you’re unlikely to be interrupted. If you don’t have a moveable shower head, but do have a bathtub, you can try lying on your back and tilting your hips into the stream from the faucet. Here’s yet another option, one that you can find at drug stores or big box stores (places like Target). They are generally made of plastic, made to plug in to an outlet, and are for external use only.

I totally get that $200 is a lot for a sex toy you might not like until you try it. Its Pro 2 model offers a similar clitoral stimulation to the Womanizer, but for much less. You don’t get all of the same features as you would with the Womanizer Premium (like the autopilot or Smart Silence features), but at that price, I wouldn’t expect them.

Approach the topic with empathy and be prepared to deal with a contentious reaction. Our factory, our engineers, and our customer service agents are ready to help you. Periwinkle and sparkly, the Vibrato looks more like a skin care device than like something that belongs in my bedside collection. But I like having the option to use a toy that doesn’t look like a body part—personally, I find them playful.

They can be used externally on the penis, vulva, clitoris, and anus, or can be used internally in the anus or vagina. Continued stimulation can create feelings of sexual pleasure and may eventually lead to orgasm. “The softness of the material is a welcome reprieve from harder sex toys,” one SELF tester says. “I like to really press my vibrators against my vulva when I use them vibrators, and I can do that with the Pebble without pain.” This quiet toy can also be used on nipples, penises, and the nerve-dense region between your bits and butt. These vibes are more travel-friendly and discreet than most other sex toys—they’re small enough to slip into a clutch, a pocket, or, hell, even wear as jewelry.

“The angled tip can be tilted for pinpointed pleasure, or you can roll the vibrator across erogenous zones like your nipples, perineum, or vulva for a more smooth and diffused sensation,” she says. There’s a huge range of insertable vibrators and sex toys that target this zone, including dual-stimulation ones (like rabbit vibrators), curved toys, and models with bulbous heads that pulse or thrust. A popular option for power-hunters, this 13-inch wand has four intensity settings and four vibration patterns. It also has a flexible neck that lets you apply pressure at different angles for a more targeted sensation. It has a cord, so you never have to worry about it crapping out on you mid-session.

It’s a cheaper alternative to classic rabbit vibrators, and it’s especially good for people who want more powerful penetrative stimulation. We’ve compiled a list of the best sex toys, vibrators, smart vibrators , personal wand massagers, and accessories, all of which we’ve personally tested. There’s something here for everyone, every gender, every sexuality, and every body. The language on these products isn’t always gender-inclusive, but we approached testing with a gender-inclusive mindset, testing these with different genitals, bodies, and partners.