Assuming you have a decent-sized toy collection, do you find yourself sticking to just one or two favorites, or do they all get used at one time or another?

Contributor: LQ LQ
Personally, I'm just starting my collection & trying to decide if I should buy several less expensive vibes or go with the higher-end vibes one-at-a-time or somewhere in between. I can see pros & cons to each option, so figured I'd get some thoughts from the more experienced. (Thank you!)
Answers (private voting - your screen name will NOT appear in the results):
16  (12%)
22  (17%)
71  (54%)
23  (17%)
Total votes: 132
Poll is open
09/21/2011
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Contributor: LQ LQ
Hiya all. Poll topic is pretty self-explanatory.

I'm single presently & likely to remain so for some time, so, personally, I don't need to worry too much about adding the reserved-for-partner items right now. However, I'm trying to get myself sort of a basic starter selection going without spending a zillion dollars. I hate to buy something pricey (which for me would be about $60 at the moment), hate it, & have it sit in a drawer being used once a year. Am I better off trying 2 or 3 cheaper vibes just to get an idea of my style preferences?

When you were first starting your collection, what did you find an effective way to shop? I'm researching a ton, but it's a little overwhelming as I have something like 400 vibes bookmarked in various places. LoL. (I don't actually plan to get that many! Hehe. Just kinda grabbed anything remotely interesting & am now going through the reviews & all).

Thanks for any help!
09/21/2011
Contributor: - Kira - - Kira -
I need an "other" option (as always). What tends to happen for me is I'll buy something new and get hooked on it for a while and not use anything else save one or two other things. Then I realize I'm neglecting a lot of other toys I've spent money on and go back through a rotation with my older toys as the mood strikes. Then I buy something new and the cycle repeats. Everything gets used in the end but the newer toys get a lot of wear in the beginning. The only time I don't end up using something again is if I really didn't like it or if I bought it a long time ago and it doesn't satisfy what my needs are now.

I started collecting around age 15 when I would send my older boyfriend in stores for me. I shop a mix of the two local stores and online and I find that works for me. One of the shops will let you take toys out of the box and see how strong they are which is a big plus. Shopping online is easier though because the shops are out of the way and parking is terrible. Depends on my mood. I usually do a fair amount of research for online purchases but store purchases are more spur of the moment based on what tickles my fancy that day.
09/21/2011
Contributor: Ryuson Ryuson
Quote:
Originally posted by LQ
Hiya all. Poll topic is pretty self-explanatory.

I'm single presently & likely to remain so for some time, so, personally, I don't need to worry too much about adding the reserved-for-partner items right now. However, I'm ... more
I personally would try something cheap, and then if you like it invest in something like it of higher quality. For example, if you were interested in the Siri ($100) link it might be a good idea to try a handheld clitoral toy like the Waterwhirl ($20) link first. Just my two cents!
09/21/2011
Contributor: P'Gell P'Gell
I couldn't really answer. I have more than "several" vibes. my Man and I have... a lot of sex toys. We do have a core of about 6 or 7 that we use frequently, and about 3 or 4 that are used nearly every time. This includes some penetrative vibes, wand vibrators, butt toys etc. The rest are used on occasion or were either trial toys or assignments that we just didn't find ourselves using that much after the trials were over.

I'd go with middle range vibrators with safe materials. Silicone is a good material to start with. I like Fun Factory toys a lot. In fact my second toy ever was a Fun Factory vibrator, similar to this one, but runs on batteries. We still use it, years after it was purchased, nearly every time we have sex. I'd recommend a G4 for a lot of women. And of course, a wand vibrator, like a Hitachi or a Wahl is necessary for many. Butt plugs, beads, probes, vaginal exercisers, bullets, pocket rockets etc are all things you may want to eventually get into your collection.

But, to start a good standard phallic vibe, with either a good pocket rocket (like the Ultimate Massager) or a good bullet or if you need more power to orgasm a wand vibrator is a good start. Here's an article I wrote about "Beginner Toys" I hope you find it useful. I would also like to add, that I wish I had included the Ultimate Massager pocket rocket in this article.
.
09/21/2011
Contributor: Nora Nora
I like trying new toys out...which is probably why my items for review are all over the place! But, I would go with several less expensive items of differing materials, styles, colors...and figure out what it is you like before dropping large amounts of cash on something you may not like! It's easier to toss a $20 toy in the trash if it hurts you than it is a $200 one! (Although, I never throw any of them away...they just go in the "never gonna use that one drawer"!)
09/21/2011
Contributor: Neurogasm Neurogasm
I've got quite a few, but it really all depends on what mood I'm in, whether I'm lying down/in a chair, or whether I'm in the mood for a quick round/a nice long session. There are some toys that get used more often than others (my favorite bullet, for one), but it really varies.
09/21/2011
Contributor: AndroAngel AndroAngel
I have quite a few, but unless I'm using them on my lover/letting him use them, the only one I really like is a $10 "cheap-o" Pipedream vibe I got from Spencers.

That's just the Vibes, though... My Favorite toy over all is the Njoy Fun wand
09/21/2011
Contributor: Rossie Rossie
I have a small collection of vibes/dildos, and I tend to use just the favorite two or three only. I also have a few anal toys, but I only use my Pure Plug, the rest stays in the back of my closet.
09/21/2011
Contributor: indiglo indiglo
I voted "I have several vibes and I use them all fairly regularly". At first, I actually kept all my toys in a rotation, and would use the next one in the rotation. Now my collection is MUCH more than "several", and while I don't have a set rotation, I do give each of them a turn (except the total duds). I definitely have my favorites, but they'll all get a turn eventually.
09/21/2011
Contributor: toxie m toxie m
Quote:
Originally posted by - Kira -
I need an "other" option (as always). What tends to happen for me is I'll buy something new and get hooked on it for a while and not use anything else save one or two other things. Then I realize I'm neglecting a lot of other toys ... more
This is exactly my situation. New toys get the most use until the guilt strikes and I expand back into using more of my collection, but then eventually yet more new toys grab my attention. There are certain toys I rarely ever use, though. I just keep them around because I like owning them, they have some kind of sentimental value, or I think that maybe one day my tastes might change.
09/21/2011
Contributor: Rawhide Rawhide
I have one mainstay and one backup, for solo use only. If I'm with someone who wants to use their vibrator in bed, that's fine, just not mine. I don't need different sizes (I don't use bullets, been there done that) nor do I want anything fancy or luxe, just steady vibration. I'm not a collector, so I don't see the point in keeping more than I need. Though I have grown on the concept of having more than one- I used to just keep one until it broke and then order another. That week spent waiting was not fun.
09/21/2011
Contributor: Chul Chul
I've just recently started my collection, one that I'll have to make due with for awhile because of finances and the family. So, I understand, especially, getting anything and not having it work out to be rather disappointing, regardless of the price. That being said, since I haven't tried everything in my collection yet, my answer to the poll is limited.

Overall, I say get some inexpensive vibes you wouldn't mind to try that have all the features you'd like at a reasonable price for you. Even though none of us want to waste money, ask yourself at what price would it be acceptable for you toss a toy away because it didn't work for you. For some people that may be five bucks, for others, fifty. But regardless, I wouldn't start off with a more expensive vibe right off the bat because of that risk involved and, at least from my experiences, you can read as many testimonials and reviews you want, but sometimes your mileage may vary in use... by a LOT. Even a cheapy vibe will help you understand what your body likes and while it may break down on you or not feel the greatest, the experience you gain is invaluable and will inevitably save you money when you start to find vibes that will really work for you (within a margin of error, of course, considering the amount of factors involved).

So, what I'm saying is, really analyze your body first before plunging on a purchase, especially if you want a more expensive vibe. Just don't break it down thinking that "I'm going to need a clit vibe, a gspot vibe, a pocket rocket, etc.", but expand on it. How do you like movement and/or vibrations on your clit, how experienced are you with thrusting, do you think you'd need something slim or thick to start with, would an inflexible material work for me or do I need something that will have more give to start? These are all questions that none of us can answer for you, of course. Since we don't know how your particular body works, it's hard for me to give you a specific toy recommendation since everyone functions differently and has had different levels of experience (P'Gell's article is very insightful on what it means to be a "beginner", by the way. )

Here's what I recommend you to do. Analyze your body first, figure out what you'll need both for your person and environment (discretion, noise level, etc.), then what kind of features you'd like and then set a price bracket for each kind of toy you'd like to try. I say try to keep your entire purchase under 100 dollars, though. That should give you enough wiggle room to try two-five relatively inexpensive vibes without splurging too much. The reason I say a price bracket for each kind of toy is that a cheap vibe for each category varies depending on the technology and materials that goes into them, like how a plastic traditional vibe can be as low as six dollars, but a typical jelly rabbit's starting bracket would normally be about twenty-thirty dollars in comparison.

I'm just starting my collection too, like literally, got my last purchase a couple days ago, so I can relate. Before that I was researching and price and feature comparing over hundreds of vibes. While searching, I really was dead set on trying a variety of some of the cheapest things around with regards to my necessity, theoretically speaking, of course. However, after playing with my first vibe a few times and doing some sessions, I realized that what I was going to need to start off with was differing by a landslide to what I had chosen. I was able to save money on my overall purchase by limiting down what I needed despite the fact that each individual toy was more expensive than what I wanted. (Although, luckily, with how specific my needs are, I was surprised to find the very few that would work for me were very affordable in the end, so, you never know! Just keep looking~.)
09/21/2011
Contributor: Sunshineamine Sunshineamine
I have about ten toys and I use them all fairly regularly, though I have a few that I do use more frequently.
09/21/2011
Contributor: Bignuf Bignuf
Quote:
Originally posted by LQ
Personally, I'm just starting my collection & trying to decide if I should buy several less expensive vibes or go with the higher-end vibes one-at-a-time or somewhere in between. I can see pros & cons to each option, so figured I'd ... more
We have over 30 years worth of toys...well over 100 vibes, at least. Probably more. 99% sit in the bottom of drawers or a closet. Only two or three get used regularly...till a better one (more enjoyable to us, anyway) comes along. Some we bought...looked at and said "nope", others, used once, no joy and off they go to the land of lost sex toys.

Sad, but true. At least with EF's SIZE comparison device (amazing feature), we don't get fooled by size anymore.
09/21/2011
Contributor: Liz2 Liz2
I periodically go through my collection and either pass-on or dispose of the toys that I no longer use.
I would suggest you buy mid-range and kinda gauge from there. Most very inexpensive toys have been disappointing for me but I have a $20.00 vibe that I use fairly often. I guess it is trial and error, we are the same but so different!
I really couldn't answer the poll.
09/21/2011
Contributor: Naughty Student Naughty Student
I am getting quite the collection, with all the really helpful reviews it is much easier for me to know which vibes will work for me or not so I am getting a lot of great toys that work.

I am really greedy when it comes to solo, I will usually have at least one vibe and one dildo, plus a plug if needed. BUT, I usually switch vibes and dildos during my session. I love all the toys that I have (those that don't work for me get tossed or given if they can be sanitized) so they all get used fairly regularly.

Last night I used three vibes at once, it was fun!
09/21/2011
Contributor: LQ LQ
Quote:
Originally posted by P'Gell
I couldn't really answer. I have more than "several" vibes. my Man and I have... a lot of sex toys. We do have a core of about 6 or 7 that we use frequently, and about 3 or 4 that are used nearly every time. This includes some ... more
Aha! Thank you for the article - that's very helpful. I hadn't been able to locate the articles area when I looked, so now I know & see a lot I'll want to read through). (And thanks for thinking of those who are sexually affected by medications - I was impressed to see that mentioned in a general article.)

You've given me a good essentials list there, which I'll be sure to keep in mind. Thanks again.

(Pardon me if I'm posting a zillion replies - I don't see a way to multiquote several people in one reply. Am I missing it?)
09/21/2011
Contributor: Kkay Kkay
I have a few vibes, and feel like I've learned something about my preferences from each of them- and I definitely don't use all of them regularly.

The biggest thing to me is establishing your standards. Do you need a strong vibe to be able to get off? Do you like patterns? Do you enjoy texture? What materials do you prefer?

After having gone through a few vibrators, I feel a lot more able to look through EF's product pages and figure out what will and won't work for me.
09/21/2011
Contributor: LQ LQ
Quote:
Originally posted by Chul
I've just recently started my collection, one that I'll have to make due with for awhile because of finances and the family. So, I understand, especially, getting anything and not having it work out to be rather disappointing, regardless of ... more
Thank you! This is the perfect answer for my current situation. I've absolutely been going "I'm going to need a clit vibe, a gspot vibe, a pocket rocket, etc." like you mentioned. LoL. (I think it's a combination of enthusiasm & OCD on my part!)

As much as a part of me wants to try out a bunch of the neat things I see *Right Now*, you make a good point about spending more time analyzing exactly what is & isn't working for my body. With just the 2 vibes I have right now, I've been able to learn a lot about what is & isn't going to work for me. Unfortunately, that also makes me paranoid that every vibe I try is going to have some factor or another that makes it not quite right. But I guess that's where the fun of trying more comes in. Thanks for the reminder that this is about enjoying myself not completing a scavenger hunt.
09/21/2011
Contributor: LQ LQ
Thank you all for so many good answers so quickly. A ton of good advice here & it's nice to hear different peoples' habits regarding how often they use particular toys. I think I'm probably getting ahead of myself, trying to plan for an unknown future. For all I know, I could try one toy, love it, & not have any urgent desire to get another for some time. I just tend to go a little nuts with new enthusiasms. *shrug* So, thanks all for calming me down a bit & giving me some things to think through.
09/21/2011
Contributor: Rin (aka Nire) Rin (aka Nire)
I tend to focus on a couple particular toys for a few days, then switch it up and move on to a different group. Sometimes I run into a rut and can't decide what I want to use. New toys always get the most attention, though.
09/21/2011
Contributor: Miss Anonymous Miss Anonymous
I do have a few that I love. I try to use them all, but some I use more because they work better during sex or for other reasons.
09/21/2011
Contributor: js250 js250
I always go overboard with a new toy and then after a week or so I will go back and rotate my other toys in depending on my mood, activity, etc.
09/21/2011
Contributor: Coralbell Coralbell
I have a lot of vibrators. I have about 10 that I use on a regular basis (like at least once a month). The others get used every now and then.
09/21/2011
Contributor: Kate Kate
i have probably close to 20 toys but i always end up going back to my faves
09/21/2011
Contributor: EJ EJ
I have a bookshelf full of toys in their boxes that rarely get used. In my bedside drawer, I have about half a dozen that get used regularly.
09/22/2011
Contributor: married with children married with children
we play with a few of the same ones all the time. But the other ones will get rotated in once in awhile.
09/23/2011
Contributor: The-IT-Guy-And-My-Secretary The-IT-Guy-And-My-Secretary
Quote:
Originally posted by LQ
Personally, I'm just starting my collection & trying to decide if I should buy several less expensive vibes or go with the higher-end vibes one-at-a-time or somewhere in between. I can see pros & cons to each option, so figured I'd ... more
I have come to find that the higher end toys last longer, they are more durable and better made. I hate buying a toy thinking its great and having it break the third time I use it. I would get a way to store your toys properly learn how to maintain them and in the long run that will actually save you money.
09/23/2011
Contributor: Shellz31 Shellz31
I have many different vibes and dildos, but I have my top favourites that I use most of the time.
09/24/2011