Rosie Garren: Hey there, it's Rosie. Valentine's Day is coming up this week and whether you celebrate or not, love is in the air. So, we wanted to reair one of our all-time favorite episodes, the vibrator episode. This one is chalk full of great tips and recommendations for finding a vibrator that will suit you or the person you love.

Christine Zerette: Christine, you're blushing. I totally blushing. I feel so immature right now. I've kind of been dreading but super looking forward to this episode because I think it's going to be great and I think it's super interesting. But I also know that maybe my like family is going to listen.

Kyra Blackwell: That's right. We are talking about vibrators. And by the way, one of the most popular guides on the Wirecutter site all time. People cannot get enough of this guide. It is way way up at the top of what people read on Wirecutter all year long, almost every day of the year.

Rosie Garren: I mean, we are laughing, right? But it's also I think it points to something much deeper. Honestly, I think there's a real hunger for this kind of straight review on vibrators, well-tested, well vetted options. And I feel like there's just not a lot of great sources for that on the internet. And our writer has tested so many vibrators for this guide and tested with a wide group of people. It's through the Wirecutter lens. I mean, that's at the end of the day, right? It's given the sort of same treatment that KitchenAid mixers or rollway suitcases are.

Rosie Garren: Today we're going to talk with Bianca Alba and they're going to tell us about the hang-ups people have when it comes to sex toys and how they test for our guide. Bianca Alba is a non-binary sexual health educator with a master's in public health and also works as a coach and journalist. They're Wirecutter's sex toy writer, working on our guide to vibrators since 2014.

Bianca Alba: Hi, thanks for having me. What is the most common reaction that you get when people find out you review sex toys for a living? Giggly, discomfort, or sometimes they think I'm being provocative or seductive and it's like, no, this is really my job. And then when they find out that I'm doing it for New York Times, they're like, "The New York Times does what?" You know, there's this kind of like shock.

Bianca Alba: There is a real double standard about male sexuality. I mean because there's a lot of discussion of stuff like Viagra and condoms are not so taboo to discuss but the idea that there is a product that is specifically just to give a person with a vulva a clitoral orgasm is like oh no it's either funny or uncomfortable or titilating when I think it's really just a part of health. For me, what this guide is really about is closing the orgasm gap. Like research has shown that 75% of people with vulvas, namely heterosexual women, are not going to be able to have an orgasm just from penetrative sex. And a vibrator is a very effective way to close the orgasm gap.

Rosie Garren: Who are vibrators for?

Bianca Alba: Broadly speaking, vibrators aren't just for people with vulvas. The guide that I've written up to this point has been focused on vibrators for clitoral stimulation, but that doesn't mean that they're only for people with vulvas. Vibrators can also be used on nipples. They can be used for massage. Like the Magic Wand started out as a massager. And they're increasingly coming out with more vibrators that can be used with penises or, you know, other body parts. And some don't even vibrate. There's also a lot of suction toys now that fit over the clitoris or nipples and suction.

Bianca Alba: Depending on what you're looking for, there are the big wand vibrators. There are smaller kind of like palmsized vibrators that are specifically clitoral stimulators. And then we have more internalized stimulators. So ones that are designed to be used for anal or vaginal penetration, G-spot or P-spot play. And then there are dual stimulators, which is, you know, the classic rabbit archetype where you have an internal stimulating part and an external stimulator.

Rosie Garren: For people who have never had the chance of using a vibrator, what are some of the basic things that you should ask if you really don't know where to start?

Bianca Alba: Our budget pick is the Satisfier Purple Pleasure, which I think is about $40 on the Satisfier site. It's small, easy to like put in a purse. I think the other small picks we have is the Dame Air, which is a suction vibrator, which is also very small and is great for partner play. And then we have the Lelo Dot, which is very unique because it's very pointy. So, it focuses all of the vibration right at the tip at this little pin point.

Bianca Alba: There's a sort of idea that if this is your first vibrator, then you don't want it to be as strong because that's scary. But the reality is there are a lot of people who cannot have an orgasm unless the vibrator is very powerful. If you want more power, go for the Magic Wand. And honestly, I do recommend the Magic Wand to everyone. But the thing I always tell people is even if you hate it as a sex toy, it's a really good back massager. So, you're not wasting your money.

Rosie Garren: Describe your testing process. What is it like?

Bianca Alba: Initially I do research. I just went to a big trade show and I met all these companies face to face. I also where I am in Chicago live close to Early to Bed. I will just walk in there and I will talk to their sex educators. I have a spreadsheet with the list of the toys. And then I keep track of all the different criteria we're looking at. And then I usually test it on my own at least three or four times because I have a hormonal cycle and I'm parmenopausal at this point too. And at that point, that's when we send it out to secondary testers.

Bianca Alba: Absolutely. We try to test across the lifespan. I want to get more input about what is criteria for a good sex toy for trans women. I did a lot of research on what are good sex toys for Aphab people who are permenopausal or menopausal. And also disability accessibility. So, you know, maybe people who have limited grip strength. We're trying to make it as inclusive as possible.

Rosie Garren: Are there knockoff vibrators being sold out there?

Bianca Alba: Absolutely. Especially when you're using a retailer like Amazon. You can buy sex toys on like Tamu and Alibaba now, too. You do want to be careful especially in terms of like what materials they're using because there's issues with like materials offging chemicals like phalates. Those materials also harbor bacteria and can lead to infections. I would say the main thing to look out for is if the price is too good to be true. If you see something that's claiming to be a Magic Wand, but it's $30 when the product usually retails for $130, that's not going to be the real deal.

Rosie Garren: What if you buy a vibrator and you just don't like it?

Bianca Alba: Don't dismiss it on the first try. I think it's important to remember that your body kind of has a learning curve. Try it using it different ways. Add lube. Try it on a different body part. There's not really a lot of good information about how to dispose of them, because a lot of them contain lithium batteries, and so you can't really throw it in the garbage. I will disinfect them with bleach and rehome them with friends.

Rosie Garren: Question number one, what do you advise if buying for a partner?

Bianca Alba: Talk to your partner. Not a good surprise gift. Make that decision together. And what type of lube should you use with a vibrator? Anything that's silicone, there are issues with using silicone toys with silicone lube cuz the molecules can bond and cause the toy to warp. So, I would say that like water-based lube is generally a safe bet.

Rosie Garren: Thank you so much, Bianca. It's been great to chat with you. If all else fails, your Magic Wand can be a back massage, right?