Lily - clitoral stimulator by LELO - review by oohlookasquirrel

The Lily is a discreet clitoral vibrator that can easily be used by couples during sex or foreplay. It also might do well as a clitoral vibe used at the same time as a dildo. It fits easily in the palm of your hand and feels nice to hold. The material is hard plastic with a velvet texture. It is not porous so it won't harbor bacteria, but you should not submerge the toy in water or boil it. I clean mine with soap and water.

The velvety surface of my Lily became scratched on the buttons, probably by my fingernail while using it, because I always store it in the cloth pouch it came with. The velvet surface scraped off and revealed a shiny hard plastic beneath it. In retrospect, I should have saved a few bucks and brought home the Nea instead (same vibe with a different finish on the plastic). Fortunately, the damage is limited to the buttons and has not spread in the years since I noticed the problem.

The controls are not complicated (right button to turn it on or up, left to turn it off or down). A new partner can be taught how to use it in seconds, unlike vibrators with a wider variety of vibration patterns. There is also a travel lock option you can achieve by holding both buttons down for 5 seconds. It is quiet enough to use behind a closed door, or even in the same room if there were a source of white noise like a fan running or music playing.

Recharging the Lily is very easy. It is easy to tell when it's out of juice, when it's charging, and when it's fully charged, so there's never any guesswork. It keeps a charge for an astoundingly long time, unlike some rechargeable batteries that lose their charge quickly if you don't use them. I don't use this toy very often, so I find that I need to charge it maybe two or three times a year. The only thing I might want from the power system would be a warning when the battery is low, or a way to check to see how much power is left. Instead of losing power until it's not worth using anymore like your average AA-powered toy, the toy will run full power until it stops working without warning and the keypad glows red. Be sure to have a backup vibrator if you haven't charged it in awhile!

The packaging is lovely. The box looks like it is ready for gifting right away (though if you're feeling fancy you'll tie a bow around it first). There was some molded plastic that isn't marked for recycling, so those of us working to reduce our impact on the world's landfills have something to complain about. The box itself is great for storage of this and other toys. I'm keeping my Fun Factory Bloomy in the box right now and using the silky cloth pouch for the Lily. The box would be a great place to stash condoms and a small bottle of lube as well. You will also find the charger, warranty information, and an instruction booklet inside the box.

As for the vibrations, I was unimpressed. This toy alone does not do it for me, and I do not generally require strong vibrations. The cheapest plastic slimline has no problem getting me off, but the lowest setting on a Hitachi Magic Wand is far too much for me. My problem was not that there was no power behind the Lily's vibrations (because you can turn it up pretty high actually!) but that they were too "buzzy" and light. I prefer deeper, "thumpy" vibrations. If you ever go to a store where you can compare the vibrations of a Lelo Gigi to a Lelo Lily, you'll know what I mean. Since the vibrations aren't much help for me alone, it hasn't been much help when I've used it with partners. My boyfriend requires really strong vibrations, so this toy didn't do anything for him.

I would recommend this toy for someone who likes a light and buzzy vibration, for solo use and for partner sex. If you find that you get desensitized quickly by stronger vibes, this might be the toy for you. Its size is small enough to slip between two bodies, so it might be just the thing for a woman who needs a little clitoral stimulation during penis-in-vagina or anal sex. It would make a great gift if you're looking to buy a quality toy to use together. Lelo is a great company and I highly recommend their toys with a bigger motor, but their smaller toys are just too buzzy for me.

I honestly haven't used this since I posted the original review. I pulled it out once when the batteries on another toy had died and this one was handy, but it just plain doesn't get me there. I am lusting after a Siri, though, because it looks like they've upped the power on those and upgraded the motor to one more similar to the Gigi. The battery power on my Lily continues to be fantastic, but that may be a result of the fact that I rarely use the thing. Still, it keeps a charge really well.