I’ve Tested 1,000+ Sex Toys. These 8 Are What I Always Recommend

I started to write on sexual well-being in 2010. I didn’t think that, 16 years later, I would have tested over 1,000 sex toys and continue in this field, and yet here I am.

I’ve witnessed a major shift in sex technology since I started writing. Sex toys were pretty basic back then. Most were phallic in shape, although not necessarily intended for internal use, made of mysterious materials, and required actual batteries. The first sex toy I reviewed was a bullet vibrator that not only required batteries, but the remote control was connected to the toy by a cord that was probably no more than 10 inches in length. Storing AA and AAA batteries to keep my vibrators working was as annoying as it sounds.

Rechargeable sex toys finally started hitting the market around 2012 or 2013. Then there was an increase in women-owned sex toy companies offering 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 technology, especially as female pleasure and closing the gap between orgasms became a topic of conversation.

Because the United States Food and Drug Administration does not regulate sex toys, the new generation of sex toy manufacturers have taken the initiative to design and create products made from body-safe materials like medical-grade silicone, nickel-free stainless steel, premium borosilicate glass, and ABS plastic. As sex technology has evolved, we’ve seen innovations like app-controlled toys that allow partners to stay sexually connected regardless of 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 of sexual wellness products. I’m also relieved to see that the tides have turned talk about sex toys.

The number of toys I’ve reviewed is very long; the list of those I’ve tried is even longer. With all this experience, I have selected eight sex toys that I always recommend. Not only because I personally love them, but in a world where it seems like there are no limits to sex toy choices, these eight are a cut above the rest.