I’ve Been Reviewing Sex Toys for Nearly 2 Decades. These Are What I Recommend

I started writing about sexual wellness in 2010. I didn’t think, 16 years later, I’d have tested more than 1,000 sex toys and still be carrying on in this field, yet here I am.

I’ve witnessed a major shift in sex tech since I started writing. Sex toys were pretty basic back then. Most were phallic in shape—even if they weren’t necessarily meant to be used internally—made of mystery materials, and required actual batteries. The first sex toy I reviewed was a bullet vibrator that not only needed batteries, but its remote control was connected to the toy by a cord that was probably no more than 10 inches in length. Stockpiling AA and AAA batteries to keep my vibrators working was just as annoying as it sounds.

Rechargeable sex toys finally started to hit the market around 2012 or 2013. Then, there was a rise in women-owned sex toy companies with toys designed by women for women, like Dame and Unbound. Crude-looking dildos weren’t going to cut it in the new world of sex tech, especially as female pleasure and closing the orgasm gap became a topic of conversation.

Because the US Food and Drug Administration doesn’t regulate sex toys, the new generation of sex toy manufacturers took it upon themselves to design and create products made of body-safe materials like medical-grade silicone, nickel-free stainless steel, premium borosilicate glass, and ABS plastic. As sex tech evolved, we saw innovations like app-controlled toys that allow partners to stay sexually connected no matter their distance, intuitive technology that keeps track of your vibration and pattern preferences, and even toys that heat up to body temperature. I consider myself very lucky to have witnessed the epic evolution in sexual wellness products. I’m also relieved to see that the tides have turned on talking about sex toys.

The number of toys I’ve reviewed is very long; the list of the ones I’ve tried is even longer. With all this experience, I’ve narrowed down eight sex toys I always recommend. Not just because I personally love them, but in a world that feels like there’s no end to sex toy choices, these eight are a cut above the rest.