Since downsizing to an apartment with limited storage, I’ve come to see the value in versatile sex toys, or gadgets that can be used in multiple ways. Of course, multipurpose pleasure products “aren’t just great for people like me who are short on space—they are also a good investment for people who have never used a sex toy before,” says sex and relationship therapist Katherine Hertlein PhD, LMFT, expert with Blueheart and professor in the couple and family therapy program at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas School of Medicine.
“Vibrators with various settings and modes of stimulation allow you to explore a range of sensations to discover what feels best,” she says. “Versatile options are also ideal if you enjoy switching between different types of stimulation or want a toy that can be used in different ways, whether during solo or partnered play,” she adds.
So, when I heard about a three-in-one toy from Playboy’s Pleasure line called the Vibrato ($136, babeland.com), which functions as a wand vibrator, a vibrating dildo, and a G-spot stimulator, I decided to give it a spin. Read on to learn why I recommend this multitasker to any pleasure-seeker who is new to sex toys, short on storage space, or otherwise craving variety.
The design
The Playboy Pleasure Vibrato looks like the lovechild of a wand vibrator and a single-ended dildo. One side of the toy features a bulbous, squishy head that is designed to stimulate a big surface. The large size makes it ideal for massaging your entire glans clitoral, or the external portion of the clitoris, Suzannah Weiss, CSE, MPS, AASECT-certified sex educator, love coach, and author of Subjectified: Becoming a Sexual Subject, tells SELF.
The other side of the toy—which functions as the handle of the wand portion—is a 5.75-inch long dildo with a motor that allows it to vibrate, twirl, or twist. When used as a dildo, the Vibrato can help people who enjoy penetration get theirs, says Weiss. Many vulva-owners enjoy penetration even more after a clitoral orgasm, as the vagina often expands and becomes more lubricated in response to pleasure, she says. As such, she loves that each side of the vibrator can provide a different kind of orgasm.
With the rotating feature enabled, the long, ribbed side can also be used for targeted G-spot stimulation. The G-spot is a zone of tissue inside the vagina along the front wall that often responds to pressure, explains sex and relationship expert Tara Suwinyattichaiporn, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Human Communication Studies at California State University. While fingers can be a fine way to stimulate this hot spot, applying consistent pressure to the area can fatigue your (or a partner’s) hand and forearm muscles, notes Weiss. Toys that are longer and wider than fingers—especially if they move in either a come-hither or rotating fashion (like the Vibrato does)—tend to be the easiest way to experience G-spot pleasure, she says.
