If you have noise constraints to contend with—like a roommate

A Newcomers Guide to Masturbating with a Vibrator

If you’re looking for a vibrating butt plug, we’re going to assume that this isn’t your first foray into the world of anal toys. If it is, welcome, it’s great to have you here — might we recommend starting off with a non-vibrating option like Unbound’s Nudge or something a bit smaller. Customers find the massager provides a relaxing experience, with one customer describing it as a personalized stress reliever that offers a wide range of sensations. If you have noise constraints to contend with—like a roommate with hypersensitive ears or in-laws occasionally staying in your guest room—you may prefer a quiet vibe.

Considering it doubles as a necklace, that makes it even more special and something everyone should have if you wear jewelry. In other words, I just gave you a hot tip for what to get your favorite people on their birthday. Or, if you want to be romantic about it, Valentine’s Day is an ideal occasion to give this vibrator to someone you love. This can be a great technique for anyone who has a sensitive clitoris or body parts that can’t handle too much stimulation. Granted, my original Vesper is 10 years old at this point, so I imagine some of the magic has been lost, but using them both back-to-back (it’s called due diligence!), the Vesper 2 is significantly stronger. Thanks to its shape, it’s perfect for precise stimulation of not only the clitoris, but also nipples , perineum, frenulum, or other specific external spots on the body that love a good buzz.

“It’s really a great option because it has Smart Silence, so when it’s touching your body, it turns on and then when you pull it away from your body, it turns off,” says Amrich. The best wand vibrators can be used for solo or partnered time and deliver deep, rumbling sensations that can feel seriously mind-blowing on external body parts. They’re really popular for using on the clitoris, but you can also try them on nipples, penises, butts, or anywhere else you want to feel a nice buzz. And BTW, you may see some wand vibes labeled as “personal massagers,” but not all massage devices are the same—a percussive one (like the Theragun) shouldn’t be used everywhere. “Discovering what helps you orgasm contributes to your sexual confidence and boosts your sexual desire, which is great for yourself as well as sex with your partner,” says sex and relationship expert Tara Suwinyattichaiporn, Ph.D. When choosing a sex toy for solo play, she says to try to get toys that offer various types of stimulation.

So we spoke with experts and tested some for ourselves to find the best wand vibrators around. This dual-action couples massager is so high-tech, it’s as if it were sent to us from the year 3000 by benevolent, sex-savvy innovators who have totally nailed the whole simultaneous orgasm thing. The Duo can pleasure both partners at once with its two motors, multiple vibrating patterns and a wireless remote that helps operate the toy by coordinating with the user’s hand movements. Check out the Lelo site for detailed instructions on how to get the most pleasure out of the massager. It uses built-in sensors to see how your body responds to it in real time, and offers insight on what kind of stimulation works best for your sexual pleasure via a companion app.

If you love frenulum stimulation, a vibrator designed specifically for that purpose is worth a shot—and this is one of the best and most unique options out there. It features two independently-controllable bullet vibes, one more “treble-y” in tenor and one more “bass-y,” for a titillating sensation that keeps your dick guessing. A silicone sleeve keeps the two vibes pressed firmly right where you need them, hands-free.

Just as Auerbach’s Muff possessed a certain something missing in otherwise identical Sovteks, so it was with a Version-6 (V6) Electro-Harmonix Big Muff used by James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem for his band’s fuzz-bass tones. As 40-something pedals will, Murphy’s V6 Big Muff got a bit fussy for tour life, so Stillman and EQD were tasked with crafting a replacement. In strictly sonic terms, that means lots of grind, presence, and a delectable balance between air and aggression that make the Chelsea soar. Like a vintage V6 Big Muff, it features a tone-bypass switch which removes the tone pot entirely. The midrange-heavy result is appealing and impressive in its own punky way.

At $55, it’s half the price as the currently-unavailable Shegasm 5 Star Rabbit we previously recommended for internal/external stimulation, although it lacks the thumping mechanism that made the 5 Star Rabbit model a standout. The Sonnet is a fine toy, but our tester preferred the 5 Star Rabbit overall. The 5 Star Rabbit is also covered by a longer warranty (five years versus the Sonnet’s one). The presence of possibly toxic chemicals in sex toys has been a source of significant concern in the sex-toy-aficionado community. Sex toys are not well researched—beyond this study by the Swedish Chemicals Agency—or regulated by any consumer-safety agencies.

“Bullet vibes are small and discreet and as such, perfect for traveling,” says Rebecca Alvarez Story, a sexologist and the CEO and co-founder of Bloomi. For people with vaginas, rabbit vibes are versatile, dual-stimulation toys that combine the external pleasures of a clitoral vibrator with the internal satisfaction of a vibrating dildo, adding additional G-spot satisfaction. Feel good and do good with this eco-friendly tool from ‘It’ sex toy brand Love Not War, which is made from locally sourced sustainable materials in a green-powered factory. It’s surprisingly dinky for a wand, so you can take it on holiday, yet it still has plenty of ‘oomph’, delivering deep, rumbling vibrations thanks to four intensity levels and vibration patterns.

However, they can also be used to stimulate the clitoris or massage all over your (or your partner’s) body. Its (sometimes many) vibration speeds are often remote-controlled or app-controlled viberator, allowing for hands-free masturbation or playtime with a partner. The control panel of a rabbit vibe can also tell you a lot about how effective and pleasurable it’ll be.

Whether you’re looking for your first vibrator or your 101st, this is the list for you. While your hands are great tools for masturbating, using a vibrator can make your ~alone time~ more fun. From bullet vibrators to those more advanced, rabbit-inspired toys, there are plenty of options out there to explore different methods of self-pleasure. Library of Medicine, vibrations increase blood flow and improve both pelvic muscle tone and relaxation, and they’re more likely to help you orgasm. “Because the surface area is small, especially at the tip, these toys will seem pretty intense to many users when they touch their clitoris or other sensitive bits,” Queen says.