Liv a little

We fell in love with Ella, a dildo from Lelo, and were so happy with it that we decided to consider one of their vibrators. Though Ella leaves little to be desired in a toy, Liv offers more versatility in both solo and couple situations. It offers powerful clitoral stimulation while also leaving the possibility for penetration. Our previous experience with Lelo gave us high expectations which were again exceeded by Liv.

The business end of Liv is made of smooth silicone and rates a 10 on the material safety chart for Eden. As with any silicone product, you must be careful in your choices of lubricant. We primarily use water based lubricants, so for us that isn't an issue. From the handle to the tip, it has a slight curve that is excellent for G-spot stimulation. The handle is made of smooth plastic which is easy to hold and maneuver. The control for vibration pattern and vibration intensity is located on this plastic handle. The charger for Liv is located on the base of the plastic handle.

Liv's total length is 7", but the insertable length is 4.5". At the widest point along the insertable end, it measures 3.75" in circumference. While Liv isn't going to win awards for length or girth, her sleeker design does provide a lever of maneuverability that larger toys cannot offer.

Ever feel like finding the appropriate battery for your vibrator is nothing short of the quest for the Holy Grail? Congratulations! Liv doesn't make you try as hard! Liv is a rechargeable toy that has a long charge life; in fact, I've used her for the past few weeks and have not experienced any change in intensity.

Liv provides excellent clitoral stimulation as it is slightly curved. This shape/design works well with the maneuverability offered from the size. You should be able to apply pressure easily to all the right places. However, if you are someone that needs larger toys, Liv might not make the grade.

We had few complaints about the design, the chief complaint being that the control pad is located on the large, plastic handle. The person who chose this location must not have personal experience with vibrator use. While using it solo, I frequently change the settings by accident because of its location. Eventually, you figure out where it is safe to place your hand and where it is not. Also, it would have been nice if the handle was smaller to increase the insertable length. The handle makes up about 1/3 of the length of the toy, which appears to be excessively large.

Liv's control panel is a four direction button oriented similarly to the face of a compass. The "North/South" buttons cycle through different vibration patterns, while the "East/West" buttons adjust the intensity. You can choose from five different patterns and spectrum of intensities. The vibrations are adequately intense but do not merit 5 vrooms. When used on the clitoris, there is more than enough intensity; however, when inserted, it leaves a little to be desired.

Liv is fairly quiet when turned on, and virtually silent when inserted, so it is probably safe for spaces like a dorm room. When you want to turn on Liv, you simply turn the intensity up and it starts. Inversely, to turn it off, you turn the intensity down until it stops. Since Liv is smaller, it would have been nice to have a little more power behind it, but it certainly gets the job done.

Since Liv is not waterproof, you will have to exercise caution while cleaning it. The silicone makes it easy to use wipes or soap/water on the insertable end, while the handle can be cleaned by applying soap and water on a towel, being careful not to douse the toy. We've been able to keep ours clean and sanitary with little effort with the help of the Eden Fantasy Toy Wipes.

Liv came in a discreet box similar to Ella's, which appears to be Lelo's standard of delivery and storage. Very sleek looking and the perfect size for sneaky sock drawer storage, it contained instructions and a warranty paper, as well as the charger and a satin pouch. The pouch effectively keeps lint off of the silicone.

The charging of Liv is nice and simple: you simply pull off the rubber stopper in the bottom of the control end and plug in the charger. It takes us a little over an hour for a full charge and we haven't been able to drain it all the way yet. It is supposed to change the ring of light around the control button from white to red when it needs to be charged, and the light blinks white once it is fully charged. Very simple and efficient, exactly what we wanted in a rechargeable vibrator.