pornochromatic

I can’t know for sure, but I’m reasonably certain the majority of you, the readers of this blog, are male. So why am I reviewing a vibrator in a room full of guys? Because vibrators make great gifts. Especially cute little vibrators like the Voila.

There’s been a trend in vibrator design toward small, simple, rechargeable models in recent years and I think the Voila is probably competing with much pricier LELO toys (MSRP $129). The shape is a little boxier than the ultra expensive models, but the Voila appears to be about $100 cheaper, which seems like a reasonable trade off. Especially when you consider that the Voila is water-resistant and the more expensive ones aren’t.

The Voila is sized to fit in a woman’s hand and is made of hard matte plastic, but feels very nice and smooth to the touch. Assuming that the flat end is the top, the button on the left turns it on and the one on the right turns it off. The off button is a must-have on vibrators that have “functions” that you can cycle through. The Voila has 7 functions – 4 speeds and 3 patterns of pulsation and escalation. I’ve never thought the patterns were a great idea, but they’re there if you want them. Overall, I think the buttons are functional, but a little small and close together. They may be hard for a man or a woman with large fingers to use.

There’s a small raised area on the underside of the Voila at the tapered/slightly curved end. It looks like it’d do something, but I didn’t think it was noticeable during use. That said, the vibrations are nice and strong and while it’s not the easiest shape to hold, the vibrating mechanism is in the tip and doesn’t make your fingers numb the way an egg or bullet-style vibe would. I wouldn’t call it “whisper quiet,” but it’s not audible through a closed door.

On the very top is the hole for the charger. It’s a 110/240 Volt AC charger that looks pretty much like what you’d use with your cell phone. The hole has a plug that seals it off for use in the shower. It’s billed as waterproof, but don’t submerge it. It won’t hurt you, but the chances are much better of water leaking in and ruining the toy than if you just used it in the shower.

All in all, I liked the Voila. It does what it’s supposed to do and is designed well enough not to get in its own way. Not to mention that because it’s rechargeable, it’s a little more eco-friendly than vibrators that run on batteries. It’s well-shaped for solo situations as well as couple time, which is nice for folks who like to incorporate toys into their sex life.

The Voila also comes in purple and black and you can get one at Libida.com.

A while back, I heard that sex toy manufacturer California Exotic offered free toys to bloggers who would review them on their websites. The application was pretty in-depth and even though I was pretty sure I had the right pedigree to become an official toy reviewer, I lost hope after a few weeks went by with no word from the company.

This morning, I received an email that began, “Congratulations! You have been chosen to be a Cal Exotics Sexpert™!”

What does that mean for you? In a week or two, I’ll start posting the occasional sex toy review on this blog. I like Cal Exotic and I’ve sold thousands of their products over the years, but you can rest assured that I’m no shill. If anything, my experience in the dildo mines has made me very aware of what doesn’t work and I’m pleased to be able to share that experience with you, dear reader.

So keep an eye out. They say I’ll be receiving a box of goods (or perhaps a single good?) in the coming week. I hope my Sexpert™ certificate’s in there.