Posts Tagged ‘sex toys’
The Hitachi Magic Wand: guest review by David M. Pittle, Ph.D.
male readers, and I’m thrilled when men as well as women fill the room at my
talks and workshops. But how do I, a woman, review a sex toy for men?
sex-positive man of our age to review it – a man like David Pittle.
himself as a therapist in San Rafael, CA, saying that he has been buying copies
of Naked at Our Age for his clients. Since then, he has attended several of my
events, and we’ve had many lively and honest conversations about sex and aging.
When he told me that the Hitachi Magic Wand is his favorite sex toy, I invited
him to write a review from his male perspective. Lucky for us, he was happy to
oblige. Here it is:
which is bisexual is the magnificent and venerable Hitachi Magic Wand.

around for over 30 years in several constantly improving versions. The current Hitachi
Magic Wand HV250R is a vibrator that can wake up your libido no matter how
jaded you might be.
some of us have more difficulty getting a good erection. For many men that’s
enough of a put-off that we quit trying. It can be embarrassing and
disappointing. It is easy to begin to forget the joy of sex. But on a health
level, getting off is important. A large, recent study, published in the
Journal of the American Medical Association (April 2004), showed that men who
have an active sex life–twenty or more times per month–were about one-third
less likely to develop prostate cancer. Of course sex for its own sake is
worthwhile.
vibrator? “If I don’t have a partner, I always have the natural vibrator, my
hand,” many men say. And while that is true, it’s like saying that just because
I like spaghetti, I can’t also enjoy a baked potato with my meal. Variety is
the spice of life and a good vibrator is very spicy indeed.
large, about 12.5 inches in length. It resembles nothing so much as an old World
War I potato masher hand grenade. Like a hand grenade, when it goes off, it
provides a very big bang. The business end is 2.25 inches across, with a
shallow v-slot that will hold your penis even in its flaccid state, and keeps
it captured as you get hard. With two different speeds—L(ow) provides a
relatively gentle ride and H(igh) gives a powerful, “let’s get going now” experience—the
Magic Wand handles all the needs for most men.
recommend the Magic Wand, ostensibly for massaging back and shoulder muscles.
But that size makes it perfect for massaging a man’s testicles and perineum,
the area between the anus and the testicles, an area which is very erotically
sensitive.
is that the head is easy to clean, as every sex toy should be, though not
immersible and not for use in the tub or shower. The Magic Wand is corded and
must be plugged into a wall socket. It is perfectly safe electrically when used
in bed or other dry environments, but obviously one would not use it in the
water any more than a hair dryer.
may be useful to some men, though I haven’t felt the need for it, is a variable
speed controller. It can slow down the
Magic Wand, if even the Low speed is too much, but I notice that reviews are generally
not positive. If it isn’t needed, save the money and get a vibrator that is
less intense.
the sex toys specifically designed for men, but I always come back to my MagicWand!
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David Pittle |
his clients are age 50-80, when good sex is important, and dissatisfaction may
lead to loss of shared intimacy that can threaten the total relationship. David
specializes in helping women who are not experiencing sexual satisfaction and
men with non-medical and medically-related erectile dysfunction or other
issues. Visit his website here.
Note from Joan: Please see my other vibrator reviews by clicking here. Keep scrolling down — there are many! I love to hear from you and welcome your comments about any sex toys reviewed here, because our experiences are all different, and your experience will help other readers decide which toy is right for them. (However, if you’re a sex toy retailer, I don’t permit links that compete with the retailers I endorse — spammy, highjacking comments and links won’t see the light of day.)
Size My Sex Toys, Please!
Women have their choice of sizes for bras and shoes, which is a good thing, because obviously our breasts and feet are all different shapes and sizes. So why haven’t sex toy designers/ manufacturers realized that our genitals are all different shapes and sizes, too?
Okay, it’s obvious that we are, and it’s also obvious that good sex toys would cost even more than they do now if they either came in a variety of sizes or were made to be adjustable.
But let’s say we’re buying a “rabbit” vibrator — a.k.a. “dual action” — which means that one vibrator has an innie for vaginal/g-spot stimulation and an outie for clitoral stimulation. Since I review sex toys, I get to try many different varieties, and I’ve sampled at least a dozen rabbits that don’t work for me at all. If they hit the spot internally, the clitoral-stimulator doesn’t land where I want it, and vice versa.
Unfortunately, the information details on the retailers’ sites generally include only length and circumference or diameter of the insertable part, but no way to gauge how close the two parts are, or anything else that might impact our enjoyment of a particular toy.
Besides, how many of us know our own measurements? Can we ask our gynecologist, “Hey, could you measure the distance from vaginal opening to clitoris?” And since I can’t bear a cervix battering toy, I’d also ask, “While you’re in there, how deep is my vagina from entrance to cervix?” (Readers: don’t tell me to insert a ruler, please, and yes, I know we’re expandable, but still….)
This rant started out as the prelude to a review of an absolutely gorgeous and expensive vibrator that fits all wrong, but I think I’ll stop here and see what you have to say.
Your comments are welcome. (Please don’t use this as an opportunity to promote vibrator retail sites other than the ones I endorse on this blog, though. I delete comments that try to hijack my readers to sites I haven’t checked out and endorsed.)
Enjoy my other sex toy posts here.
I first posted this in November 2010 and am posting again, hoping to get more comments from you. Any sex toy designers who want to work with me, please let me know!
LELO Mona: Elegant Instrument of Pleasure!

Yes, the Mona is expensive. It’s a luxury toy: beautifully designed, easy to hold and a pleasure to use, made of medical-grade materials, velvety smooth, quiet, with six modes of stimulation and a variety of intensities. If you can afford to give yourself a special gift of pleasure, go fot it. Or direct a generous friend to this review!
Little Chroma: tiny, elegant, and waterproof
The Little Chroma claims that although it has only one vibrational intensity, it’s the only one you need. I don’t go along with “one speed fits all” any more than “one size fits all,” but it is a very nice intensity, despite being powered by just one AA battery. I’m spoiled by my super-strong vibrators, but this one is stronger than I expected — maybe a 4 out of 5. The motor is replaceable should it give out after many uses, so although the price is hefty, you’ll get a lifetime of pleasure from it.
Here’s what I expecially like about my Little Chroma:
- It’s beautiful. It’s slim, designed to please the eye and hand as much as the pleasure spots it touches.
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It’s made of aluminum and holds temperature well. So if you like it cold, as I do (is that weird?), or hot, you can warm or cool it first under running water.
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It’s very smooth, feels splendid against tender tissues.
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If you want to use it in your vagina and you are one of the many women our age who experience vaginal tightness, this can be a lovely way to re-open up an arena of pleasure.
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The slim design makes it perfect for clitoral stimulation during partner intercourse — it won’t get in the way.
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It’s small enough to travel with you, even in a purse.
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It’s waterproof!
Although other reviewers have said this toy is silent, I didn’t find it so. It’s much quieter than most vibrators, yes–just a subdued hum–but it would probably wake up a lightly sleeping partner, if that’s your concern.
It’s always recommended to remove batteries when a toy isn’t in use, to prevent the toy from accidentally turning on and wearing itself out. I don’t usually bother to do that, but I certainly have to remove the battery from this one, because the vibrator turns on just by closing the cap. There’s no on-off switch — no controls at all, in fact. Open is off; closed is on. (That’s why the cap is partially unscrewed in the photos; otherwise it would be buzzing away.) That’s not a bad thing — the tight seal and lack of seams make it waterproof.
It’s also sturdy, despite its delicate look. I was testing it in the shower, and accidentally dropped it. It buzzed away on the floor until I picked it up without missing a beat. Of course I don’t recommend dropping it on a hard surface, but I was pleased that I did no damange.
Many thanks to Eden Fantasys for sending me this lovely toy to review.