Minivibe Spring - traditional vibrator discontinued by Fun Factory - review by Coralbell

The Spring fits nicely into the palm of my hand when used as a clitoral vibrator, and is also perfect for anyone who prefers a smaller toy for insertion. It is 1 1/4 inches wide and 5 1/4 inches long. The packaging warns against anal use. It is discreet, waterproof, and fairly quiet so it can be used in a variety of locations. It would fit into a purse but there is no way to lock the controls so it is not ideal for taking on the go.

Made of silicone with a plastic base, it is non-porous, hypoallergenic, and free of pthalates and latex. It can be cleaned with soap and water or toy cleaner or sterilized with a 10 % bleach solution. The silicone is very silky but has quite a bit of drag so you will probably need to use lube. Make sure to use a water-based lube so you don't damage the toy. I got it in green, which is really cute, and brighter in person than shown in the picture. The video uploaded by Carrie Ann shows the colour more accurately. The shaft is slightly flexible and squishy and has a contoured, slightly swirled shape and some raised flower designs. During insertion I don't find the shape or texture noticeable, all I can feel are the vibrations. The largest flower, located on the flattened side near the tip, adds stimulation when rubbed across the clitoris. This is my favourite way to use the Spring. I wish this area of the toy was aligned with the buttons so that it was easier for me to locate them during use.

The vibrations are very strong. On high and while inserted I can feel them throughout my entire pelvic area. The vibrations don't feel quite as intense on my clitoris. This is probably due to the slightly squishy material and lack of pinpoint stimulation. They are still strong, just not as strong as when used internally. The Spring has 9 intensities of straight vibration, and 3 functions - a slow rollercoaster, a faster rollercoaster, and a fast pulsation. I like the rollercoaster settings, but the pulsing is too weak for my preference.

A low hum was barely audible through my closed door with the toy on its highest setting, but nothing someone walking down the hall would notice. I would give it 2 1/2 bees if I could.

The controls are pretty intuitive. There is a button and a - button. To turn the toy on you hold the button for a few seconds. It will go to the lowest setting and you can hold or press the button repeatedly until you reach your desired intensity. To get into the functions you go to the highest level of vibration and then hold down the button. You can then use the button to cycle through the functions. Pressing the – button will take you back to the straight vibrations. To turn the toy off, go to the lowest setting and hold the – button for a few seconds.

The Spring uses Fun Factory's Click N Charge system. The charger attaches magnetically to the metal word "FUN" on the base of the toy. It is nice not having to worry about or pay for batteries, but recharging the toy isn't as convenient as it sounds. It can be difficult to get the charger properly aligned, and when it is attached it can easily be bumped out of place. I also don't like the way the toy has to be laid on its side while charging. I would much prefer a charging dock like Fun Factory uses for their Sinnflut line of toys.

The instructions say the light will flash while charging and glow steadily when the Spring is fully charged. Mine doesn't work that way. The light glows steadily while it is charging and goes out when it is charged. This means that when the light goes off I don't know whether it's charged, or if the charger just got bumped out of the correct position.

I had to return this and get a replacement because it started turning itself on sometimes and the buttons wouldn't work to control it. The only way I could get it to turn off was by sticking the charger onto it, since it won't run while it's charging. When I had the house to myself one day I just let it run until the battery died so I didn't have to worry about it anymore.

I did a little googling and found a youtube video where somebody had the same problem with the Bubbles vibrator from the same line.

The new one has not had any issues.

I've found that the best way to charge it is with the end of the vibrator on the edge of a table or dresser so that the cord can hang straight down. That way there's no pressure on the cord and it stays in place better.

EDIT: 2 months after original review

I did my follow up early since I had to replace my Spring but now that I have more toys I've changed the way I use this one. Because of my living situation I only use this toy externally on the occassion that I'm home alone. I just can't take the chance of someone hearing it. I now have other vibrators that are just as strong, but quieter that I use for clitoral stimulation. I only use the Spring internally where my body muffles the volume a lot. Although it's not super filling it is large enough to satisfy me, and the strong, rumbly vibrations make up for any lack of size.