Seed - clitoral stimulator by Zini - review by Coralbell

The Zini Seed is a clitoral vibrator, and it can also be used on any other external areas you'd like. It's small enough to play nicely with other toys, and can be used during sex with a partner. The Seed is very quiet, so it would be a good choice for someone who needs discretion. The small size makes it easy to store, and the lockable controls are perfect for travel. The manual and product page claim this is waterproof, but I would say it's actually only splashproof. I wouldn't suggest using the Seed underwater.

The handle and control area are made from shiny plastic while the tip and underneath areas (the parts that come into contact with your body) are made from silky smooth, matte silicone. It's non-porous, odourless, and body-safe. The silicone has a slight drag to it, and I find that a bit of friction adds some extra stimulation compared to a slippery toy. There is no give or flexibilty to the Seed, which I prefer because I enjoy pressure on my clit.

The Seed looks like a high-tech seed pod. The handle end is pointed, the middle portion is wider, and the usable end comes to a rounded tip that's similar to a fingertip in shape and size. It provides direct, pinpointed stimultation. I'd prefer if the tip were a little broader to cover more of the area around my clitoris. The whole thing's about 4 1/2 inches long, and it fits nicely into the palm of my hand. The control pad takes up most of the top of the toy, and is easy to access while you're holding it. The charging port is located on the bottom, and is hidden by a tab on the end of the silicone portion. It hasn't leaked when I washed the toy under running water, but it's easy to open and doesn't seem like it would keep put water if submerged.

Controls
The Seed is controlled by 3 buttons (marked with a '+' a 'O' and a '-') and is easy to operate. The '+' turns the vibrations on, and increases their power. The '-' lowers the vibrations, and turns them off when held. Pressing the 'O' takes you into the vibration modes, and you can cycle through the different patterns using the '+' or '-' buttons. Another press of the 'O' takes you back to steady vibes.

The controls can be locked, and the Seed actually arrives locked and must be unlocked before use. This can be done by holding the '+' and '-' for 2 seconds. The lights will flash red when the Seed is locked, and green when the Seed is unlocked.

Vibrations
The vibrations are medium in strength, and quiet. I can hear them through my covers, but not on the other side of the room. I consider them medium in pitch- not deep and rumbly, but not irritatingly buzzy.

Check out the Personal Comments section to see how the vibrations stack up to other toys.

Patterns
Along with it's 5 speeds of steady vibrations, the Seed has 10 different vibration patterns. Each is accompanied by a different colour of light that flashes along with the pattern. This makes it easy to know which setting you're on, and find your favourite.



1. Slow roller coaster
2. Medium roller coaster
3. Fast roller coaster
4. Escalating
5. Slower escalating
6. Escalating, then 2 pulses
7. Fast pulsing
8. Pulsing
9. 2 short, 1 long pulsing
10. 9 short, 1 long pulsing

There's also a mode that cycles through all of the patterns. It can be activated by holding down the 'O' button. If the flashing, coloured lights start to annoy you, they can be turned off. Just hold down the '+' for 2 seconds while you're in one of the patterns.

Charging
The Seed took about 2 hours to charge, and the battery lasted for about 2 hours of use. While the Seed is charging, the lights will change colours to show the level of charge. When the Seed isn't plugged in, you can view the charge level by holding down the 'O' for 2 seconds.

Red = 0-10%
Orange = 10-50%
Yellow = 50-70%
Light Green= 70-95%
Dark Green = 95-100%
Blue = Fully Charged

I think this feature would've been more useful if Zini had chosen consistent ranges for the percentages each colour represents, but at least they go in an intuitive order. I like how (unlike Jimmyjane's Form line) you don't need to have the charger handy to check the battery's level. Unfortunately (unlike Lelo toys) the Seed doesn't have an automatic warning when the battery's about to die, so you have to remember to check it yourself before using.

The Seed can be cleaned with soap and water or toy cleaner. You can wipe down the silicone portion with a bleach solution to sterilize it. Silicone lubes can damage silicone toys, so stick with water or oil based lubes to avoid any problems.

You can store the Seed in the pouch that comes with it, or use the box. I keep mine in a drawer with other toys. You can store silicone toys together, or with other safe materials like glass or metal, but I recommend storing them away from unstable materials like jelly or TPR to avoid melting.

The Seed's packaging is attractive and useful for storage, although it does take up a fair amount of space compared to the size of the Seed itself. It comes in a black box made of a durable plastic material and has a silver ZINI logo and a texture made up of little squares. A pink carboard band has a small picture of the Seed along with it's name, and must be slid off before the lid can be removed. When you take of the lid you'll se the Seed inside beneath a plastic bubble that can be lifted up to access your toy. The bottom portion of the box swings open to reveal another compartment. This is where you'll find the charger, storage bag, the warranty and manual. The manual is mostly made up of charts with pictures, but it includes all the information you need to know.

How Does the Seed Compare to Other Vibrators?
The Seed is weaker than most other rechargeable clit vibrators. It's not as strong and slightly louder than Siri. It's weaker but quieter than Form 2, and weaker than, but about the same volume as Form 4. It's weaker and more quiet than either We-Vibe Touch or MiMi. It's close in both volume and strength to bcurious.

The strength is comparable a wireless bullet. Out of all the vibrators I own, the Evolved Bottle Rockets (I have Apollo and Nova) have the most similar vibrations. They are almost identical in strength, volume, and pitch. If you are interested in the Seed but not sure if it will work for you, it might be worth it to try a Bottle Rocket first, before investing. The Seed is similar in strength to the High Intensity Bullet on it's middle setting, but less buzzy. It's slightly stronger than the watch-battery powered bullet that comes with Tantus dildos, or the Hollow Points or Armour Piercing Speeding Bullets.