Finally: An Ergonomic Wand Vibrator That Lets Me Keep a Good Thing Going—No Hand Cramps Here
Matching on the queer dating app HER with the lesbian who lives next door is officially the best thing to happen to my sex life, but the Playboy Pleasure Vibrato Wand Vibrator ($136) is a very close second. As a queer woman who writes about sex, I often get my hands on the latest and greatest sex toys, so it’s hard to find a vibrator that really gets me buzzing. But this particular wand vibrator is something special. It’s not just a wand; it’s also a dildo and a rotating dildo in one, and above all, its ergonomic design makes it especially easy for me to use both with and without a partner.
- Marla Renee Stewart, sexologist and sexual wellness expert for Lovers
- Suzannah Weiss, certified sex educator and sexologist
In particular, the Vibrato's long, twisting handle and flexible neck make it an ideal sex toy for people with disabilities or those who may just be feeling the ravages of time. I fall into the former camp: I’m in my mid-30s and have bilateral hip replacements and rheumatoid arthritis in my wrists, and my partner is older than me and in a similar arthritic boat. The Vibrato’s user-friendly design has allowed us to avoid the dreaded wrist flare-up or painful joint pop or crunch during sex.
The Vibrato’s user-friendly design has allowed me and my partner to avoid the dreaded wrist flare-up or painful joint pop or crunch during sex.
But make no mistake, this isn’t just a vibrator for those who might need a bit more tailored support in the bedroom. If you want a multi-functional wand vibrator that’s easy to use and allows for a slow (and super hot) build to orgasm, you won’t be disappointed with the Vibrato.
This dual-end vibrating wand pairs a textured head with a flexible neck and twirling dildo, making it a versatile addition to any sex-toy repertoire.
Height: 9.43″
Depth: 2″
Width: 2″
Insertable length: 5.75″
Insertable diameter: 1.4″
Wand head insertable length: 2″
Material: Silicone
Charge: USB charging
Pros:
- Made of soft, body-safe silicone
- Phthalate- and latex-free
- Combines a wand and vibrating dildo in one toy
- Ergonomic handle
- Dual-ended shape allows for simultaneous stimulation with a partner
- Arrives charged
- Waterproof
Cons:
- USB charging port (which isn’t friendly to Apple-product users)
- Wand head isn’t as powerful as other heads
- Flexible neck can move too much during play
- Loud vibrating sound
How the Playboy Pleasure Vibrato is different from other wands
Perhaps the most distinctive element of the Vibrato’s design is its “big squishy head,” says AASECT-certified sex educator Suzannah Weiss, sexologist at BedBible. “The head allows the toy to stimulate the whole clitoris, while a portion of the toy is used for internal stimulation.”
Plus, that head can be used to stimulate your other favorite external erogenous zones, too, “like the nape of your neck, nipples, and around the vulva,” says certified sexologist Marla Renee Stewart, MA, sexpert for sex-toy retailer Lovers. And the fact that the head sits on a bendable neck helps to “create pleasure from all sorts of angles,” she says, whether you’re using it yourself or with a partner.
As for the handle of the toy? In many wand vibrators, it serves no pleasure-producing function, but in the Vibrato, it doubles as a dildo, says Weiss. And not just any ol’ dildo, either. While you certainly can use it like a regular dildo if you want to, the bonus here is that the insertable (and textured) handle can also vibrate and twirl in a circular motion, says Stewart. More specifically, you can choose from five different twirl settings and eight vibration options at once to figure out the exact combination of sensations that really does it for you.
My experience test-driving the Playboy Pleasure Vibrato
My solo experience with the Vibrato
From the minute I opened the discreet white packaging of the Playboy Pleasure Vibrato, I noticed an immediate win: It comes charged and ready to use. The silicone is velvety to the touch, and though the textured head may seem a bit rough on the hand, it feels more like the surface of a tongue when in use, which is a great sensation if you like being pleasured orally.
The handle of the toy was a revelation for me as a person with arthritis in my hands. It’s easy to maneuver and adjust, thanks to the flexible neck. The silicone isn’t slippery the way some plastic handles are, so you don't have to grip it as tightly, either.
Just keep in mind that the flexible neck can bend the head of the toy if you move your hand, and alter the pressure significantly. I found that having the dildo end pointing upward (toward the ceiling) instead of toward my toes helped keep the head in place.
Though the vibration of the toy’s head isn’t very intense, if you’re like me and orgasm in about two minutes from a wand vibrator, the softer vibrations will be a plus, keeping things rolling for much longer. Even the more intense vibration patterns weren’t enough to get me off quickly—which is certainly not a bad thing. Personally, I don’t want to pull out a toy, get in the mood, turn it on, and be done STAT. And I was able to last a good 10 minutes with the Vibrato’s head.
The tradeoff for longevity, however, was no squirting. Nine times out of 10, if I use a wand vibrator, the intensity of the vibrations is enough to make me have a dual orgasm and squirt. Because this toy creates a slower build to orgasm, though, I experienced only clitoral orgasms while using it (and didn’t squirt). I don’t mind that, but if a wand happens to be one of the only ways you can squirt (or orgasm), the Vibrato might not be powerful enough to get you there.
The twirling function of its handle was new for me, and when I tried it while it was inserted, I didn’t love it—it just wasn’t an internal sensation that did much for me (though I did enjoy the twirling motion on my labia and against the sides of my clitoris). But the regular, non-twisting vibration of the handle is great, and the pulsating settings really do dial up the pleasure.
I was able to use the Vibrato daily for a week before I had to plug it in. The downside here is that it uses a USB connection to charge, which isn’t convenient for an Apple-product user like me (as I had to get a USB-to-USB-C adaptor in order to charge it).
Using the Vibrato with my partner
To better test out the ergonomics of the toy, I also put it to use with my partner, and we found the long length of the handle especially helpful. We were able to rest our upper arms on the bed and just move our forearms to shift the toy, as the flexible neck did the rest of the work.
In my experience, other shorter wands are tougher to hold in place because of the need to reach farther, and wands with plastic handles require a stronger grip to avoid slipping, all of which can lead to hand cramps—and none of the above apply with the smooth, lengthy silicone Vibrato.
My partner and I really enjoyed using the Vibrato together because we could each benefit from the dual stimulation at once.
My partner and I really enjoyed using the Vibrato together because we could each benefit from the dual stimulation at once: One partner can use the head side while the other partner inserts the dildo end and thrusts onto it. We got into the best rhythm when the partner using the head part held the toy with the buttons side facing up… which also allowed them to control the buttons and give the other person (who had the wand inserted) surprise sensations.
The flexible neck of the toy also lets you rotate the head while it’s inserted, which my partner loved. Not only does this motion allow the toy to better reach more internal erogenous zones (like the G-spot), but also, “it can create a feeling of fullness in the vagina,” says Weiss, “as no part of it is left untouched.” My partner says the movement of the head also made for a sensation of on-and-off pressure (versus constant pressure), which is perfect if you’re easily overstimulated.
The bottom line
The Playboy Pleasure Vibrato isn’t going to be an ideal vibrator for everyone. It’s not the most powerful toy on the market, and its vibrating and twirling functions are not the quietest either. But if you want a multi-purpose toy that provides a lot of different stimulation options or a wand vibrator with a gentler head than others on the market, the Vibrato is just the thing for you.
It’s also a toy that’s generally easy to operate if you're someone who, like me, has mobility issues and struggles with grip and reach. In my view, neither of those things should hold you back from experiencing the maximum pleasure you can… and with the Playboy Pleasure Vibrato in hand, neither will.
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