The Bgee Vibrator from Babeland is part of a new line of toys from a company called Bswish. They promote a more upscale product, with sleek packaging, tasteful images and informative text.

At first glance the Bgee certainly seems promising. The box is classy; it could be given as a gift without fretting over raunchy porn star images.

Available in magenta, gray or blue, the texture of the Bgee is far more velvety than the typical hard plastic toy. It’s almost mesmerizing. Before putting it to use, I spent a good half-hour just stroking the toy.

Of course, that half-hour was spent on the phone with a friend, working our way up to phone sex, but hey, the texture was awesome.

The vibe itself clearly is designed for the g-spot (Bgee…get it?). A long, thin cylinder connects to a bent egg-shape, which in theory should allow one to put pressure on the appropriate body part. The cylinder is just large enough to house two AAA-batteries — in other words, it’s quite small.

Turned on, the Bgee produces a low hum interrupted by occasional rattlings from the batteries. I was pleased with the level of noise produced by the toy, until I put toy to clit.

Alas, the Bgee’s quiet sound corresponds to a very gentle intensity of vibration. Even cranked up to full blast, placed directly on my clit, and encouraged by the enthusiastic talk of my friend, the Bgee took a long time to get me off.

It felt fine on my g-spot, but really it was nothing special. Because the product is so tiny, it was hard for me to exert enough pressure on my g-spot for satisfaction. Add that to the gentle vibrations, and it really wasn’t that much fun.

I give Bswish credit for turning out a product that looks professional instead of sleazy. I’d be far happier if the Bgee put out decent power, even if that came at the price of a few pictures of half-naked ladies.

The Ripple from Babeland is the perfect mash-up of two of our favorite butt-toys. This is awesome because sometimes you just can’t decide exactly what it is that you want to put in your ass.

The bulges on the Ripple somewhat mimic anal beads, see? And its overall shape is it a bit like a dildo, right? Where else can you find a marriage of such compatible partners?

The Ripple would make a wonderful toy for someone just starting out with butt-fun. One of the things that’s both frustrating and amazing about beginning anal play is that it’s absolutely necessary to start small — but if you like it small, you’re probably going to want larger and larger toys pretty quickly, and that can get expensive.

Starting with the Ripple might allow the user to get the capabilities and sizes of a few different toys in one package, thereby freeing up money to buy even more sex toys. Money for more sex toys? Always a good thing.

I had a friend use the Ripple on me vaginally; like other Tantus silicone toys, it has enough firmness to rub all the right spots. Of course the Ripple isn’t really meant for the vagina, so my friend and I quickly moved on to other activites.

Later, when I was on my own, I tried the Ripple anally. This is probably not a toy that will work well for long-term wear, not only because it would be too prone to sliding out, but also because the round base is designed more for grasping and less for between-the-cheeks comfort.

But for short term use, it worked very well. I really liked the bloops, which replicated the fun of anal beads without the messiness and bother of a flimsy string. Also, unlike traditional beads, the bloops on the Ripple can be inserted and pulled out as many times during a session as your greedy little behind desires.

High-quality silicone is the way to go for anal toys. It doesn’t absorb stains or odors, and it can be sterilized between uses or partners. Unlike cheap jelly or rubber toys, the Ripple will remain in great condition throughout years of sex play.

For a rank amateur, the Small Ripple would ease the way most gently. Someone with a bit more experience will be happiest with the larger size. In either case, this unique toy delivers interesting and pleasurable back-door fun.

For anyone with a hankering for a little strap-on love, the SpareParts Joque Harness from Babeland will help get all the right parts in all the right places.

While many other dildo harnesses are made from leather or cheap vinyl products, the Joque is different. It’s made of a breathable, washable polyester/spandex blend, lined with comfortable mesh. I really appreciate that there is an option for folks who don’t want something leather (or leather-like), but who still want a high-quality harness.

I’d been told by those in the know that double-strap harnesses are the most stable and comfortable. I wanted a harness that would also allow access to my naughty bits. As I abhor the feeling of thongs, there was no way I wanted a harness strap digging into my behind at every thrust.

Because I’m a rank amateur at all things strap-on-able, I did a dry run with the Joque before my pegging friend came over. I tried it out with several different dongs (I am nothing if not replete with dongs), and had no problem seating my collection in the harness. The maximum diameter this harness can handle is 2″, which should be large enough for the majority of strap-on dildos. The back of the Joque opens up like men’s underwear to permit the use of a double-ended dong (like the Feeldoe).

I was happy that I decided to practice first, because the various straps took some adjustment. Once I got things appropriately cinched and loosened, the harness sat very comfortably athwart my hips. I could lower it considerably with a tug here and there. Nothing cut into my skin, and the whole rig felt very secure.

My friend, once he arrived, admired the long pink dong swingin’ out from under my chemise. I gotta tell you…strapping on felt awesome. I loved the idea of playing with a new extension of my body. I couldn’t keep my hands off of it.

Actually fucking my friend turned into a comedy of errors, but not through any fault of the harness. It stayed in place quite nicely no matter what neophyte thrusting errors I made. I could adjust it on the fly from a lower to a higher position, and at no point did I feel constricted or insecure in any way.

Later, I asked my male friend to don the Joque so that I could assess the possibility of using it for a friend-dildo-aag threesome. While this is probably not the best harness for this purpose, it would do in a pinch.

I really like that I can wash this harness when the need arises. And I love the fact that the Joque comes with a cute little drawstring bag, so I can hang it in my closet and no one will know what naughtiness lurks within.

The SpareParts Joque would make an excellent addition to the collection of anyone interested in a comfortable, sporty harness.

There’s something so appealing to me about a cock all wrapped up in leather. It’s hardly necessary for a cock to be more masculine than it already naturally is, but leather ups the manly-factor by about 3000% for me.

Yummy.

CockPower.com carries a large assortment of adornments for boy-junk, ranging from mild-n-stretchy elastomer cock rings all the way up to leather studded parachute stretchers. With weights. Which sort of scare me, in a really hot way.

The Cock Ring with Bullet Vibe sits at the “mild” end of the spectrum; nevertheless, it’s not a toy for cock ring newbies. A leather strap studded with snaps hold in place a one-speed vibe, available in either a small or a larger size. With a reputation as a size queen to uphold, of course I opted for the larger size.

The vibe itself is pretty powerful, considering its size. It’s held in place on the strap by a soft elastic loop and can easily be removed for separate playtime or cleaning. The single push-button control is simple to use, and stayed on for my partner and me for as long as we played.

I’m not a huge fan of this type of vibe in general because the watch batteries that power it are expensive and a pain in the behind to replace. However, since only an elastic strap holds the vibe in place, it could easily be traded for a different bullet vibe of your choosing.

My friend had never tried a leather cock ring before and was eager to lose his leather cock ring virginity. After some vigorous fluffing, I attempted to snap the ring on him with some degree of sensuality. ‘Cause I’m all about the sensuality.

Unfortunately, this was not a job where subtlety was going to get us anywhere. My friend’s a girthy guy, though my no means hugely endowed. The problem was that the tail end of the cock ring needed to be tucked under the leading edge in order for it to lie comfortably against his body, and I could not manage to both tuck and snap the ring.

Eventually he had to take over this task. I was surprised at how much pulling, tugging and general coercing he had to do to get the ring snapped. I tend to think of boy-parts as requiring a gentle touch. Apparently where cock rings are involved…not so much!

When we got things firmly in place, damn if he didn’t look hot. The ring pushed his package out to front and center, making him seem even more well-endowed that he already is. I just had to nuzzle his fat balls and suck him a few more times, all while imagining how enticing that bulge would look under clothes.

We did get around to intercourse, once I tore myself away from the admiration of his wrapped up package. Each thrust buzzed my clit, so I strongly encouraged him through words and actions to keep thrusting. He didn’t need much encouragement.

But before long the tightness got to be too much for my friend. He paused to rip off the ring and fling it across the room. It had done the job it was designed to do, and it seemed content to watch from the corner as we finished our encounter.

I’d recommend the Cock Ring with Bullet Vibe to those who have either had some prior experience with non-stretchy cock rings, or to those who don’t mind a bit of futzing to get their ring situated appropriately. This would not be the right product for a person who needs a distraction-free transition from getting hard to getting jiggy. There’s just too much fiddling required.

The Red Heart Glass Dildo from AllGlassSexToys.com looks like the perfect romantic gift. Nothing says “I love you” like a cock-shaped glass toy covered with hearts, right?

Before we talk any more about looks, let’s talk about performance. AllGlassSexToys produces a huge assortment of medical-grade Pyrex pleasure equipment, from itty-bitty butt plugs to ginormous double-penetration dongs.

The Red Heart Glass Dildo measures in at 7″ long and a svelt 1 3/8″ wide across the head, making it a perfectly average (and perfectly wonderful) size for use in the vagina. Because it has a flanged base, it can be used anally without any fear of losing the toy. The toy’s shaft has a very slight curve, which helps with g-spot or prostate stimulation. Additionally, a deep “V” on the underside of the toy’s head approximates a stylized frenulum.

This toys comes with a thickly-lined storage case which closes with a drawstring. Some other companies offer these cases for purchase separately; it’s a nice touch to have this included in the price through AllGlassSexToys.com.

Glass sex toys are generally quite easy to keep clean. They can be washed on the top rack of the dishwasher (no detergent), briefly boiled, or wiped down with a disinfectant after playtime. Because they can be sterilized, they’re excellent choices for use in the both vagina and ass or between partners–just make sure to do a thorough cleaning before sharing and before going from ass to vagina.

The design of the Red Heart makes it pretty likely that it’ll get gunky when used anally, but using a condom over the toy will prevent this problem. You’ll thank me later for this advice.

I tried out the Red Heart with a friend, who obligingly fucked me silly between sessions of intercourse. With just a little bit of super-slippery silicone lube, the toy slid home and felt mighty nice. My friend was able to use the toy’s base as a fine handhold; he didn’t need to adjust his grip even once.

Between the weight and curve of the Red Heart, I came hard and fast. But when my friend pulled it from my body and set it on the night-stand, I realized what it was that had been bugging me about this toy.

It’s…well, it’s just not very pretty. The hearts, which should be all romantic and sweet, instead look as though they were drawn on with marker by an enthusiastic three-year-old. I picked up the toy, wiped it off and examined it more closely. Each of the twenty hearts on the piece is slightly different from the others, but to a one they are poorly formed.

I’m certainly no expert in how to create red glass hearts on sex toys, but I think it could have been done better in this case. Maybe fewer hearts would have been the way to go? The more I looked at the piece, the more the hearts morphed into angry red drips of blood.

One of the wonderful things about glass toys is their potential for stunning beauty. While the Red Heart Glass Dildo is perfectly functional, it misses the mark in the “stunning beauty” category.

So you wanna introduce your partner to the joys of toys but you’re afraid of starting with something a little too hardcore?

Check out the In the Mood for Love kit from UK-based retailer Nookii. This kit brings together several toys appropriate for beginners into one cute and accessible kit.

Did I say cute? No, it’s actually adorable. Everything needed for a night of lurve is cleverly packed in a discreet cylindrical box. When you’re done with playtime, clean things up and pack them back in the box for to await your next session.

Included in the kit are a pack of suggestion cards, fluffy pink blindfold, penis sleeve and seven-function vibrator. The toys are created from medical-grade silicone, making them easy to keep clean after use.

One of the cards unfolds into a door hanger, meant (I suppose) to keep hotel staff at bay. As was the case with the similar product included with the Slap and Tickle Kit, this hanger looks cheap and amateurish. I’d skip it.

The cards give some cute suggestions about touching, communicating and pleasuring your partner. None of it is earth-shattering; experienced couples might even find some of the suggestions insulting dull. But for a new or inexperienced couple, the suggestions might be just the thing to get momentum going.

If your partner won’t wiggle around too much, the pink blindfold would be alright, I guess. If that’s not the case…well, the blindfold may not be enough to keep your partner completely in the dark.

The penis sleeve and the vibe were big disappointments. My partner and I could not wrangle the sleeve onto his (very slightly) girthier-than-average cock. It just would not stay put in a way that seemed stable enough to attempt intercourse.

And while the vibe was fairly powerful, an odd-looking knob on its tip rendered it nearly useless for direct stimulation. When I tried to press it to my clit, the knob bent teasingly away, leaving me unable to find any leverage–or any pleasure.

In the Mood for Love would be best purchased by a couple just starting to explore each other and toys. While none of the products included are awful, they are best suited to folks who’d like to walk on the mild side, not the wild side.

My heart has long yearned for a powerful, rechargeable vibrator, and at last I think I may have found exactly that in Acuvibe.

Available through Babeland, Acuvibe is a two-speed model which looks like the well-bred, classier cousin of the Hitachi Magic Wand. The Acuvibe’s handle is sleeker. A less clunky button lets you switch between power levels. And a charming blue light glows softly on its end.

And…did I mention about it being rechargeable? A tiny port on the back of the toy allows a power cord to be attached when it needs juice. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions, especially about the first charging, and you should be good to go for as long as you’d like to get off.

The Acuvibe’s two speeds are both incredibly powerful. They may be too powerful for some women; they can be toned down by using the toy through a towel or panties. But if you like very strong vibrations, this toy has comparable power to the Hitachi.

I enjoyed the Acuvibe’s head far more than the Hitachi’s. While that toy sports a cover that is somewhat squishy and textured, the Acuvibe’s head is smooth, firm plastic. I found that it glided over my the pertinent areas much easier than the Hitachi, and I really liked how it worked after the application of a little lube.

It’s easy to keep this vibe clean, although I recommend that you cover the top of the toy with a condom or glove if you are a gusher. You do not want fluids in the body of a toy this nice. Also, lube can get caught in the decorative ridges around the toy’s head; this gives you another good reason to use a condom.

The Acuvibe is a great alternative for someone who loves high-powered sex toys but who does not want to be tethered to the wall by a power cord.

The lesson to be learned here, I suppose, is that it pays to be exceedingly precise when asking for something in bed.

As my friend was down between my legs performing oral on me like the true champion he is, I groped amongst the bedsheets for the Square Head from XXXGlass. “Use this,” I demanded, poking it in the general direction of his hand.

He slipped the toy into me and began gently to thrust. I was utterly underwhelmed by the sensation. “Harder baby, fuck me harder,” I murmured. And he tried, he really did try. But the Square Head just wasn’t doing much for me.

Don’t misunderstand. It felt nice. It just was not delivering the sensation I thought it should, considering the quite large size and angularity of the head. I expected it to feel far more filling and to deliver greater pressure on my g-spot.

But when we were done, I realized what had gone wrong. My friend had chosen to use the smaller end on me. “I thought it was the handle,” he said, demonstrating his grip on the larger end of the toy.

And I’ll admit, the larger end did sit in the hand quite conveniently. Used in this manner, the Square Head would be wonderful for someone warming up to anal play. The head — er, handle — would prevent the toy from slipping all the way inside, and the toy’s slight curve would allow for really good prostate or g-spot stimulation.

I would NOT, however, recommend using the toy anally in the reverse direction. No matter how good of a hand-hold you might think you have, this slippery little devil could slither right inside once the large head is past the anal sphincter. Don’t do it.

After a short break, I convinced my friend to use the “correct” end of the Square Head on me vaginally, and it was definitely worth the wait. At 1.75″ across and of course with absolutely no give, this toy is for the very relaxed or experienced among us. XXXGlass makes a considerably smaller Mini Square Head model which would work well for someone wanting less of a good thing.

All XXXGlass toys come with a protective storage pouch cinched at the top with built-in elastic. The Square Head, like every other product I’ve tried from XXXGlass, is crafted impeccably from medical-grade pyrex, a type of glass which can stand up to a fair bit of abuse. Dropping an XXXGlass toy on a carpeted floor will likely not cause any damage, although these toys should be treated with care and inspected for dings before each use.

The shape and size of the the Square Head Dildo make it a fine choice for someone who needs a hard, filling vaginal toy that can double (in the opposite direction!) as a grippable anal toy.

When you take the toy from its intriguing, sculptural box, you might be tempted to think that it’s a unique sort of keychain. Or a pendant. A ring-shaped opening on one end provides a finger grip. The rest of the toy consists of a series of bloops. The smallest is thinner than a finger; the largest is but an inch across. The entire toy curves up slightly, promising extra stimulation for the g-spot or the prostate.

Each NobEssence toy is meticulously carved from organic hardwood, sanded smooth (oh so smooth) and then sealed with a waterproof, bacteria-resistant finish.

Are there splinters? Forget about it. Any roughness? Not in the least. Difficult to clean? As if!

In fact, NobEssence wooden toys are incredibly easy to clean. They can be wiped down with antibacterial toy cleaner, bleach solution, or just plain soap and water. Because they can be sterilized between uses, you can comfortably share these toys with your pals, or use them in both vagina and ass.

And that’s exactly what I did with Flip. Dangling him from a finger, I sauntered into a friend’s house one horny evening. When the moment was right, I thrust the toy into his hand and murmured a suggestion about how it might best be used.

My friend coated Flip with a bit of lube and gently inserted it into my pussy. Any type of lube — including silicone — will work, and because the toy’s surface is non-porous, you won’t need much at all.

I really didn’t expect Flip to do much for me vaginally because it’s so thin, but the toy’s smart curve allowed my friend to angle it up to hit just the right spot. He told me that the finger-hold worked perfectly. I had some complaints about the finger grip on NobEssence’s Fling, but those issues did not come into play with Flip.

Eventually Flip took a short bath in the sink, donned a condom, and made a lubed-up appearance in my friend’s behind. He’s just learning about the joys of prostate stimulation, so the increasing size of Flip’s bloops worked really well for him. I loved the control provided by the toy’s handle, and the curve made it really easy for me to give him just enough pressure on the prostate.

After-anal clean-up was made easier by the fact that we used a condom on the toy. If not for that, I think the bloops would have had a tendency to become pretty messy.

I’d like to be able to say that there was something I didn’t like about Flip, but I loved every bit of it. If I were a braver woman, I’d attach a small ring to the handle and use it to carry around my keys.

A toy this good needs to be with me at all times.

When the Lattachino Love Baton from XXXGlass arrived at my house, I was instant messaging a friend of mine. I unwrapped the box and was so taken by the toy’s beauty that I sent along a picture of it to my friend, who lives halfway around the world.

So taken was she by its looks that she begged me to send it to her after I’d written about it, and because I lurves her, of course I agreed. That’s just how pretty the Lattachino Love Baton is.

A silky smooth, clear glass shaft is capped with a bulging knob; this part of the toy is meant to be a handle, but it would also be suitable for use in the vagina or the bottom. The other end of the toy begins with a fat mushroom head which merges into a shaft swirled with a raised stripe of glass.

This stripe is just gorgeous. Because XXXGlass hand-makes these toys, each one will be ever so slightly different from the next. Mine has swirls of green, blue, red, yellow and shimmery-clear glass blended along its length. It’s lovely.

Lovely is great, but does it perform? It most certainly does. Dab a little silicone or water-based lube on the toys head, grab the handle, and go to town. Or turn over the driving to a partner. In either case, the handle gives really nice leverage, whether you’re aiming for pussy or ass.

A slight curve in a toy like this would be nice, but hey, I’m not complaining.

I took it into my head to sterilize all my silicone and glass sex toys when I was done testing the Lattachino Love Baton. Seemed only fitting, since I was sending this toy to my friend. I ran them all through this dishwasher with no detergent; when the cycle was complete, I was left with gleaming-hot toys, clean in every crack and crevice.

Nice.

I’ve now tried a not inconsiderable number of glass toys from XXXGlass, and I’ve yet to be disappointed by any of them. The quality, beauty and customer service are outstanding. I hope my pal enjoys the Lattachino Love Baton just as much as I have.