Nearly a third of all households in Australia reputedly own a vibrator which makes them even more common than cats!
The first electric vibrators dated back to Victorian times. When women were diagnosed with a headache or cold, some doctors would administer an orgasm as treatment… Yes, really! Up went the skirts, down went the knickers, and a white-coated arm disappeared upwards to fiddle and fumble about until the patient "released tension". The vibrator was invented by one such marvellous medico who decided the whole “treatment” took too long with his fingers so he invented a tool to get the job done faster!
The vast array of vibrators available to woman for masturbation today is mind-boggling! And ever since Charlotte disappeared into her bedroom for an entire episode of Sex in the City, the world and her sister have wanted one... So how do you go about choosing the vibe that's right for you? Well, if you're a virgin vibe buyer, we've got a few handy hints to help you choose your new plastic fantastic friend:
Firstly, think about what kind of stimulation you're looking for. Vibrations feel so good against your skin because they increase blood flow to that area and boost its sensitivity – be it the nape of your neck, that super-sensitive bit between your partner's bum and balls, or your clit. But, as with all sex play, penetration is only part of the story, so do your homework and think about what kind of stimulation you want - clitoral, penile, vaginal, anal, and whether you want an 'innie' toy - something to insert into a specific orifice - or an 'outie' toy, something general that can be used all over (but especially where it feels the nicest).
And remember, when you first try masturbating with a vibrator, you might be surprised at how intense, forceful and incredibly long your orgasms are… You've entered a whole new world of pleasure, so get ready for the ride of your life!
Clitoral stimulators are extremely popular – and with good reason! The clitoris is the only organ in the human species designed specifically and purely for sexual pleasure! The clitoris is the most sensitive part of a female's girly bits because it's composed of erectile tissue, so it becomes engorged with blood during arousal, just like the penis does. Give the clit its due by choosing a vibrator with a clitoral stimulator attached, or choose a dual action vibrator that can be used for both penetration and external stimulation. adultshop.com has a fantastic range of dual action vibrators, including the infamous rabbit vibe, check them out here:
If you're a virgin vibe buyer, remember that for some femmes the direct plastic clit-hit will be way too intense the first time, so try wrapping some fabric around the stimulator until you get used to being transported to screamer land, or placing the vibrator on the cord (just under the skin) right above the clitoris. This can bring some chicks to orgasm in a flash!
As rabbit fans have already discovered, even the hottest clitoral orgasms can be enhanced by a little penile penetration. Many girls choose soft rubber vibrators for penetration, as they find the harder plastic numbers too jarring. There really are no hard and fast rules though, just as long as the shaft and head of the toy are smooth, as the last thing you want is a piece of plastic pinching or catching in your holiest of holes!
Vibrators made primarily for penetration will often have motors in their base, but if the motor is nearer the tip you could easily use it for external stimulation AND penetration. Vibes designed for penetration differ mainly in size and the materials they're made of: jelly, rubber, silicone, cyberskin, and vinyl are all popular choices.
If you're looking for a first-time vibe that's not too complicated, you should find what you're looking for here. This range of vibrators leaves out the bells and whistles to focus on pure and simple vibrating vaginal stimulation. adultshop.com's classically shaped range includes smooth, solid vibes, along with softer contoured and ribbed options all with simple controls. Check them out here:
More and more vibrators for penetration are designed for g-spot stimulation. The g-spot has become quite an infamous little organ in the female fanny! If you keep stimulating the spot, the area will become erect and begin to feel extremely pleasurable. In fact, some women say that stimulating their g-spot results in an orgasm that’s felt even deeper in the body than a clitoral one. But because the spot’s located on the front wall of your vagina, it’s often deprived of direct stimulation unless you’re very canny with your digits! So to ensure a bullseye every time, use a vibe specifically designed for g-spot stimulation. These vibrators will have a curve near the tip that buzzes snugly up against your hyper-sensitive spot when inserted. G-spot vibrators can also be used to stimulate the prostate in men, provided they’re safe for backdoor play. adultshop.com has a fantastic range of g-spot vibes, check them out here:
The bullet vibrator is a toy-chest workhorse. These smooth operators are perfectly shaped to fit into a variety of sheaths, harnesses, dildos, even nestled inside a pair of panties. If penetration’s not your thing, you might enjoy the mighty power punch packed by these pint sized pals. Usually 5 to 10 cm long, these bullet-shaped wonders can ignite your clit, labia, anus, nipples, even the head of his penis like a charm. Of course, other lucky body parts can also benefit from these little hummers too! Designed to provide full vibrating stimulation with pin-point accuracy, these discreet little dynamos give you full control over your level of vibration and stimulation. adultshop.com has a great range of vibrating bullets – check them out here:
If you love the idea of a bullet vibrator but crave that satisfying “fully stretched” feeling, it might be worth investing in a vibrating egg. These versatile vibes produce a very pleasurable and somewhat unique feeling inside the vagina and if a clitoral stimulator or vibrator is used in conjunction with the egg, the resulting orgasm will be one to remember! Often these charmers are attached to a multiple speed battery pack connected by a long cord. Be careful if you use this device vaginally though, as the cord could become dislodged if you pull too hard. Relax your vaginal muscles (much as you would if you had to pee) and reach up and grasp the toy like a tampon. Check out our range of love eggs here:
A lot more people enjoy anal play than you might think. If you’re interested in adding something new to your lovemaking or solo sex experience and haven’t yet experienced a bit of back alley action, you might like to ease into anal with a vibrator. A vibe is a good way to discover whether you like anal stimulation, without having to worry about being embarrassed. For simple "rim" stimulation a bullet or slim vibrator is simply heaven. For penetration, a CyberSkin or g-spot vibrator is a great way to go. This type of penetration absolutely, positively needs lubrication though because the rectum doesn't produce any natural lubrication of its own. You'll also want a thicker lubricant for indulging in anal play, possibly with a desensitiser in the formula. Check out our range of specially formulated anal lubricants here:
Now that you've decided on what type of stimulation you're looking for, you should think about the power you want your chosen vibe to pack. Vibrators come in a wide range of strengths, from meek and mild to positively supersonic! A lot of women like a harder pressure on their inner and outer lips, but a lighter speed on their clitoris. You can pull it away or press it into the skin to tease your arousal to the brink of orgasm and then deliver yourself to a come-like-never-before experience!
If you're a first time vibe buyer, you might like to consider buying something with variable speeds so that you can gently work your way through the vibrating patterns until you find the level of stimulation that works for you. adultshop.com has a great range of multispeed vibrators that boast a host of different functions and vibration settings to get you from go to whoa! In fact, with variable levels of vibration, pulsation and escalation, adultshop.com has vibrators to please everyone from vibe virgins to grand vibe masters!
Here are a couple more tips to keep in mind when choosing a vibe:
In most cases, electric vibrators - particularly rechargeable toys - are more powerful than battery powered vibes. And just think…you'll need never raid the TV remote control again because these state of the art stimulators are always ready to go when you are! Rechargeable toys may be a little more expensive than their battery powered counterparts, but they have a tendency to last longer too – and you can bet there's nothing worse than a vibe losing its mojo when you're on the verge of orgasm! Check out our fantastic range of rechargeable toys here:
Battery powered vibes come in every colour of the rainbow and nearly every shape you can imagine. From rods to orbs, cute rabbits to replica penises, huge turbo missiles to tiny pocket rockets, there's a vibrator to fit every woman and every fantasy. Pushing your own buttons with a battery powered sex toy can be a huge turn on – but remember you need to keep your sex toys turned on too by having the right batteries on hand! Choosing the correct battery for your plastic fantastic friend is very important as most sex toys and vibrators are made up of very small parts that can easily burn out if the wrong battery is used. Check out our guide to powering up your play
here.
Remember too, you'll get more mileage from your plastic-fantastic friends if you use a lubricant when you play. If you're not already using a lube with your trusty vibrator, you'll be amazed at how different a drop or two will make your vibe feel and how much wetter and wilder your orgasms will be!
Finally, when purchasing a new buzz buddy, you should consider the material your vibrator is made from – it's almost as important as the vibe itself. Sex toy materials will affect your orgasm, meaning the difference between so-so and oh-my-god-here-we-go...! With that in mind, here's a quick breakdown of the most popular sex toy materials, what they're good for, and how they'll make you feel...and cum:
The world's most popular sex toy material, jelly is used to make different versions of practically every sex toy on the planet! It's been used in sex toy manufacturing for decades and with good reason: it's inexpensive, it's colourful and it makes playing with sex toys and vibrators loads of fun! Jelly vibes also tend to be a lot warmer to the touch than some other materials. However, some jelly vibrators may contain rubber softeners, such as phthalates, so you should always use a condom with jelly toys for safer play and easier clean up.
Much like jelly, silicone warms up quickly and retains heat well, but it's much more flexible and is also non-porous which means that vibrators made of silicone generally don't absorb dirt or lubricant and can be cleaned quickly and easily with hot water and a specially formulated vibe cleaner or antibacterial wipe. Silicone toys readily transmit vibrations so the motors in these toys feel stronger, meaning you'll get more bang for you buck with these beauties. You'll get more mileage from your silicone vibe if you use a lubricant when you play, however silicone-based lubes should NOT be used with toys made from silicone as they'll make the material deteriorate, causing cracking and peeling of your toy's super soft surface. When in doubt as to what type of material your toy is made of, always use a water-based lubricant.
Realistic materials such as Cyberskin, Futurotic, Soft Touch and RealSkin are very soft, warm and smooth to the touch. They're also the most realistic dildo and vibrator materials on the market today! “Real feel” materials are extremely porous, much like rubber and jelly so they need to be cared for carefully. You should wash your CyberSkin vibe with warm water and a very mild antibacterial soap (or better still - no soap at all), rinse it with clean hot water and pat it dry with a lint-free cloth or towel. You must NOT clean your “real feel” toys with alcohol or ammonia-based cleansers as they will destroy the surface of your toy and you should steer clear of harsh soaps and detergents too. Once your toys are completely dry, sprinkle them with “renewing powder” or cornstarch. Never use talcum powder or baby powder as these products can cause irritation, particularly to a girl's sensitive bits!
Plastic and acrylic vibes usually have hard surfaces and are generally smooth, but they may also be fluted or textured, depending upon the toy. Hard plastic transmits vibrations easily, leading to powerful sensations and super hot orgasms. Plastic and acrylic toys are also the easy clean alternatives, as they can be washed with an antibacterial soap in warm water, and are generally whiff-free as they contain none of those dangerous phthalates often used to soften PVC.
Rubber can be pretty tough stuff, but it's also relatively inexpensive, versatile and very resilient (unlike silicone, it won't shudder at the site of your long fingernails and is less likely to crack if it's dropped)! As befits such a tough customer, rubber vibrators tend to come in basic black or flesh colouring. A lot of anal vibrators are made from latex. Toys made from these materials are extremely porous so be sure to wash them thoroughly with an antibacterial soap in warm water and then rinse thoroughly to ensure no traces of soap remain. They should also be given a quick antibacterial spray or wipe, ideally a non alcohol based cleanser as these cleansers will not irritate or harm your skin if absorbed into your toy. While it's a good idea to use a condom with any insertable toy, it's an especially good idea with these materials, and an absolute MUST if you're sharing them between partners.
There are some vibrators that have a hard plastic shell which is then covered in a softer material like silicone or jelly rubber. These vibrators often have the benefit of strength with the softer feel which some people prefer.
There aren't as many metal sex toys on the market as there are jelly toys, but if you're into seriously powerful sex, or if you're an S&M queen, metal is the perfect choice for your sex toy material! The hardness of metals like gold, titanium, and aluminium makes it easy for vibrations to be transmitted, meaning more intense sensations and more powerful orgasms all round! Toys made from these materials also have a weight to them which can be very pleasurable when used for penetration, and the material makes the vibration resonate in a different fashion, which is noticeable when using it. Metal toys also cool down and warm up quickly, adding another element to the sensation and metal is one of the least porous materials which means it's less likely to cause allergies or transfer germs.
The most important rule of thumb when choosing and using a vibrator is to experiment and HAVE FUN! There are millions of ways to enjoy erotic toys like vibrators – in fact you're only limited by your imagination! By testing different toys, trying out different speeds, positions and types you can send your solo play and lovemaking into overdrive.
So grab the back-up battery supply, get comfy and...go for it!