My first review here on Bean Fiddler was the Vibratex Classic Rabbit Pearl. It wasn’t a great review, but it was a vibrator I liked very much at the time. It is not something I use any longer. I actually broke it and I have so many other rabbit vibrators I prefer. Since that time, I have had the opportunity to review both the Vibratex Mystic Mini and the Vibratex Mystic Wand, both of which I also enjoyed. So when I ran across the enticing looking Vibratex Budding Bliss Rabbit Vibrator on the FunWares website, I figured it was worth taking for a spin.

The Vibratex Budding Bliss Rabbit Vibrator has a design that is somewhat different from many rabbits. Rather than having some sort of animal as the clit stimulator, it has a rosebud that is just beginning to bloom, hence the name. It also has some curious looking winglike protrusions on the shaft. It comes in two color combinations, pink on pink and pink on white. I love the pink on white combo because it looks so sleek and stylish (Can a vibrator look stylish?) and I don’t actually have many white vibrators. It’s actually more of a deep rose color and closer to red than a true pink, which I also appreciate.

Made of ABS and silicone, the Budding Bliss is a very safe vibrator. It contains no latex or phthalates and is hypoallergenic and body-safe. The base of the vibrator, which contains the battery compartment and control panel, is white ABS while the body is silicone. This silicone is unusually soft and silky. Even better, it does not attract lint and dust so it is very easy to keep clean. You can use warm water and antibacterial soap or your favorite sex toy cleaner. You can also use a 10% bleach solution on the silicone portion of the Budding Bliss to sterilize it. As this vibrator is only splash proof and not waterproof, do be cautious around liquids. The battery compartment does have an o-ring and seems to seal tightly. I have not had any issues thus far but I am careful when washing and don’t take this vibrator into the bath or shower.

The super soft silicone of the Budding Bliss Vibrator has less drag than many of my other silicone sex toys. That said, I still recommend using a decent amount of water-based lubricant to make sure everything is slippy and slidey and comfortable during play. Stay away from silicone-based lubes with this vibrator, as the silicone in the lube may react with the silicone of the Budding Bliss causing the the vibrator to become tacky.

As I mentioned, the control panel is on the base of the Budding Bliss, right above the access to the battery compartment. This control panel is comfortable and easy to use during play. There are two round dials. The dial top controls the rotations of the shaft and the dial on the bottom controls the vibrations of the rosebud. These dials rotate to the right to turn on and allow you to control the exact level of intensity you want. Most vibrators like this have a predetermined number of levels. With the Budding Bliss, you can fine tune the intensity of vibration from the lowest setting to the highest with pinpoint accuracy. Think of the dial like a volume control knob on your stereo or on a light dimmer. These dials turn smoothly and provide good feedback. There is a loud click that you hear and feel when you’ve turned the vibrator off.

At the base of the control panel is the access to the battery compartment. The base of the Budding Bliss twists off and inside the compartment is a battery cartridge. Simply pop the four (count ‘em, four) AAA batteries into the cartridge and slide it right into the compartment. Unlike the PAPAYA Toys Tattoo and the PAPAYA Toys Candy Stick with their award winning battery packs, there is a right and a wrong way to put in the cartridge. If you do it wrong it won’t fit, so it’s pretty easy to figure out which is the right way. While scraping up four AAA batteries is a pain, considering they are not included with the Budding Bliss, they provide a good amount of power to the vibrator.

The Vibratex Budding Bliss Rabbit Vibrator is 8.5″ in length, with 4.5″ being insertable, and 1.5″ in diameter. This size is pretty average as far as vibrators go. What is not average is the way the vibrations travel from the clit stimulating rosebud through the shaft. As I crank up the intensity level on the vibrations, I can actually feel them in the tip of the shaft. They are so powerful, in fact, I can get off with just the tip of the Budding Bliss on my clit. I cannot recall another rabbit vibrator that has been able to this. The Budding Bliss’ rotations are quite powerful, allowing me to clench down on the shaft without stopping them. I also have to say, turning on the rotations with the tip of the vibrator on my clit feels unexpectedly good.

In general, the Budding Bliss does what a rotating rabbit vibrator should do. The shaft rotates smoothly and the vibrations are powerful. It works well to stimulate both internally and externally at the same time. The control panel is very easy to reach and use during play, and the silicone feels great against my skin. I also really like the texture of the rosebud against my clit. Where the Budding Bliss falls down is in the quality and volume of its vibrations. The vibrations are definitely buzzy, which makes me want to punch someone. I know some people like buzzy vibrations, but I am not one of them. I find them tolerable to annoying to downright painful. At least the ABS base blocks them so my hand doesn’t get buzzed during use, but they are not happy vibrations as far as I am concerned. That said, they do get me off, both when I use the tip or the rosebud against my clit. Still, I don’t like them. The shaft rotations and the vibrations are very loud, so this vibrator is certainly not a good choice for someone who does not have plenty of privacy.

The packaging of the Vibratex Budding Bliss Rabbit Vibrator is the same packaging I’ve seen before from Vibratex. The vibrator comes in a clear, kinda flimsy, plastic box. It doesn’t actually say “vibrator” on it but you’d have to be Amish not to know what is inside, which makes this packaging totally indiscreet. Inside, there is a small paper sleeve with some very basic information and that’s it. I’m not going to complain about there not being a users manual with this particular sex toy because I think even the newbiest newbie can figure it out on her own. I don’t recommend using the box for storage because it won’t stand up over time. Mine is already breaking and it’s not like I’ve abused it or anything. Since it does not come with a storage bag (boo), pop it into a ziploc or some other type of bag to keep it from squashing up against other silicone sex toys. Remember what I said about using silicone-based lubricant with the Budding Bliss? The same applies when storing silicone toys together. If two silicone toys are left touching too long, a chemical reaction can occur which could result in destroying both toys.

Vibratex Budding Bliss Rabbit Vibrator Pros:
• Strong vibrations that reach tip of shaft
• Strong rotations
• Silky soft silicone
• Easy to use control panel
• Can increase/decrease intensity in increments
• Splash proof

Vibratex Budding Bliss Rabbit Vibrator Cons:
• Buzzy vibrations
• Loud

There is a lot to like about the Vibratex Budding Bliss Rabbit Vibrator. It’s cute, the silicone is awesome, and the rotations and vibrations are powerful. It’s different from your average rabbit vibrator, which I like. The fact that the vibrations travel all the way to the tip, making this even more of a multifunction toy, is also a benefit. However, the buzzy vibrations are a big let down for me and I think the volume of the vibrator, though not a deal breaker for me, will be an issue for many. To be fair to the Budding Bliss, rotating rabbits do tend to be loud so I don’t think this is very unusual. Still, a lot of people just need a quieter vibrator for a variety of reasons. If you are a fan of buzzy vibrations then this may be a new favorite vibrator for you. As far as I am concerned his vibrator is definitely above average in many aspects, but it loses points for its buzzy vibrations.

You can find the Budding Bliss Vibrator at FunWares. If you’re disturbed by the idea of buzzy and loud vibrations, check out their other rabbit vibrators. They have a ton, so it’s likely you’ll find something that will work for you. Also, keep in mind you’ll receive a 10% discount on your order with code: FIDDLER at discount.

Bean Fiddler Rating:

Happy New Year and welcome to Bean Fiddler’s Best of 2012. I remember having a really tough time writing my Best of 2011 post last January. I had reviewed so many great products over the course of the year. This year it’s a slightly different issue. I don’t seem to have loved nearly as many products in 2012 as I did in 2011. I don’t think this is necessarily a comment on the quality of sex toys and sensual products in 2012, as much as it has to do with me being less cavalier about handing out those five bean scores. In fact, I only rated one product a full five beans in 2012. Shocking!

Due to the way things played out in 2012, I am doing something a little different than last year. I decided to go with 10 different categories and choose my favorite product of the year in each category. So, without further ado, on to Bean Fiddler’s Best of 2012.

LELO Insignia Tiani 2

Best Sex Toy for Couples: LELO Insignia Tiani 2
In 2011, I reviewed the original LELO Insignia Tiani and thought it was OK. Certainly, I thought the new technology was cool but there were issues with the actual vibrations of the toy and communication with the remote. LELO did a very quick turnaround on revamping the Tiani and came out with the LELO Insignia Tiani 2 which has much stronger vibrations and communicates very well with its remote. They included two g-spot attachments and you can also use the wearable part of the Tiani 2 on its own without the remote, which was not possible with the original Tiani.

Jenna Haze Swallow Fleshlight

Best Sex Toy for Men: Jenna Haze Swallow Fleshlight
This really in Beanpole Fiddler’s category and I know he only does a review here and there so there’s not a lot of competition in this category. Still, the Jenna Haze Swallow Fleshlight was his favorite toy that he reviewed last year. He loved the feel of the Fleshlight Superskin material and found the Swallow texture to be very enjoyable. He also really liked the experience of looking down and seeing Jenna Haze’s lips wrapped round his cock. He reported that when warmed up, the Jenna Haze Swallow Fleshlight was pretty great.

Pjur Original Body Glide

Best Lubricant: Pjur Original Bodyglide
Pjur Original Bodyglide Lubricant is the first, and so far only, silicone-based lubricant I have reviewed. A big part of this is that the majority of my sex toys are made of silicone, and if you read my reviews you know that using silicone-based lube with silicone sex toys is generally a bad idea. The silicone of the two can interact with each other and cause a chemical reaction that leaves the toy feeling tacky. Nevertheless, I do have a handful of toys in materials such as glass, plastic, and metal, and decided it was high time to review a silicone-based lube. I was thoroughly impressed with Pjur Original Bodyglide. It is soft and slippery and provides a variety of perks aside from just using it sexually.

LELO Smart Wand

Best Wand: LELO Smart Wand
There was a lot of fanfare about the brand new LELO Smart Wand being released last year. I think due in part to the fact that it was the first “massager” type of product released by LELO. It comes in two sizes and three colors. The Smart Wand is rechargeable and sleek, and though I wanted it to be stronger, it is very effective. (I might actually pull it out and use it on my neck which is in a lot of pain right now.) I liked that it has multiple uses and didn’t really look like a sex toy. I was also impressed that some mainstream stores, like Brookstone, have started stocking it.

Tantus Cush Dildo O2

Best Dildo: Tantus Cush O2
While I do want to give a shout out and honorable mention to the Fleshlight Freaks Drac Dildo, I must say my favorite dildo of the year was the Tantus Cush O2. With its dual density squashy outer layer and firm inner core, the Cush O2 was a new experience in dildos for me. Not only did I love the color, but it just feels awesome during play. I must agree with all those fans of dual density out there and say I really do prefer it overall to regular old silicone dildos. Not only is the Cush O2 a great dildo, Tantus is a great U.S.-based company that makes all of its products on site in Nevada.

PAPAYA Toys Tattoo

Best Traditional Vibrator: PAPAYA Toys Tattoo
My pick for this category actually comes from a very recent review. The PAPAYA TOYS Tattoo is a good-looking, not to mention flat out good, vibrator. It has great rumbly and strong vibrations that my body loves, wrapped in vivid green silicone. The PAPAYA Toys Tattoo is waterproof and has a very cool memory chip that allows it to turn on at the same level of intensity and same mode it was in when you turned it off. It’s a bit girthier than a lot of traditional vibrators out there and its shape keeps it from being average. The head creates a nice popping feeling during thrusting and the silicone is particularly nice. Though it is a bit noisy, the positives definitely outweigh the negatives for me on this one.

Jopen Vanity Vr5.5

Best Rabbit Vibrator: Jopen Vanity Vr5.5
After my less than thrilling experience with the Vanity Vr3 and the Vanity Vr10, I was pleasantly surprised by their newer cousin, the Jopen Vanity Vr5.5. Not only is it rechargeable, but it is waterproof and fully immerseable. I had high hopes but strong doubts about the Jopen Vanity Vr5.5, because while the shape looked interesting, it didn’t really seem like it would effectively hit my clit. Turned out that what I liked best about this redesigned vibrator was how deep and rumbly the vibrations are, and how perfectly its unlikely shape fit my body. Jopen did a great job with this one, even if it does come with an unnecessarily ginormous storage bag.

LELO Nea

Best Clit Vibrator: LELO Nea
I realize this is the third time LELO has shown up on my Best Of list this year and I don’t want to be a LELO whore or anything, but what can I say? Their toys work for me. Not only that, but they’re made of high quality materials. In general, I prefer silicone vibrators and I love LELO’s silicone in particular. Nevertheless, I just happen to adore the LELO Nea’s plastic body. The flowery design is adorable, but more importantly, the plastic is perfectly slippery and slidey for a clit vibe so I don’t need to use lube. I also find the vibrations to be both rumbly and strong enough to get me off quickly, and the small size of the LELO Nea fits perfectly in my hand without causing it to get buzzy or crampy.

Leaf Fresh

Best New Product: Leaf Fresh
I was lucky enough to be amongst the early testers of the new Leaf line and apparently even luckier to select the Fresh. From what I heard around the water cooler, it seemed not all of Leaf’s vibrators were winners. Fortunately for me, the Leaf Fresh is a pretty great little vibrator, and I do mean little. It’s almost as small as the LELO Nea, which is tiny. The atypical shape of the Fresh fits comfortably in my hand and nestles right up against my labia to hit my clit. Oh, did I mention that it’s made of green silicone?? Any sex toy that’s green is already a step above the rest. I was so pleased the Fresh actually lived up to its potential.

Liberator Fascinator Throe

Best Standout Product: Liberator Fascinator Throe
The only review product to get a full 5 beans from me in all of 2012, which is quite something considering all the beans I handed out in 2011, was the Liberator Fascinator Throe. The Liberator Fascinator Throe is a great all around item to have in your arsenal. While it really doesn’t double as a comfy throw blanket like I hoped it would, it is a must have for all your reindeer games. It truly works as promised and has saved my sheets from many a mess, keeping me from having to change them at an awkward/exhausted moment. It washes and dries well, and is soft and silky to lay upon. If it was just offered in smaller sizes it would make storage, solo play time, and tossing it in the back of the car a lot easier.

Considering the shift that seems to have occurred from 2011 to 20912, I am very curious to see what happens in 2013 with my review choices and how I approach rating products. As always, I hope these reviews are helpful and provide clarity to my readers. Thank you to all those who have made my reviewing these great products (and even the not so great ones) possible. Let’s hope that 2013 brings some interesting and exciting new products to our attention! So far, so good considering my first review of the year, the Whipspider Rubberworks Jellyfish Dildo. **Spoiler Alert** I may have already found my favorite dildo of 2013.

I notice that I focused much more on sex toys than sensual products last year, and reviewed more vibrators than any other sex toy. My focus appeared to be on clit vibrators, with a handful ending up with 4 and 4.5 bean reviews. I only reviewed one anal toy in 2012, which is astonishing to me, and did I not review any nipple toys. 2012 was a very different year when it comes to reviews.

I have now been exposed to so many sex toys that something which would have blown me away when I first began this journey may now seem very blah. The longer I review sex toys, the better I get at distinguishing quality toys from those that are merely mediocre. I think this maturation as a reviewer is a very good thing for you readers. My exposure to all these products allows me to provide you with a better understanding of how well a sex toy actually works for me, as well as assisting me in answering many of your questions, on and off the site.

Additional honorable mention is deserved by the following sex toys that received 4 and 4.5 bean ratings:
LELO SIRI
Jimmyjane Form 2
Lovehoney Realistic Oh! Rabbit
Lovehoney Tapered Prober Orgasmic Glass Dildo
Tantus Goliath Vibrating Dildo
Toyfriend Starlet

In mid-2012, Doc Johnson released a new line of waterproof, silicone vibrators based on Alice in Wonderland characters called the Wonderland Collection. I spotlighted this collection around that time. I thought it looked interesting and unusual. Vibrators based on Alice in Wonderland are a pretty cool concept. Doc Johnson is at it again, this time with their Wonderland Collection of Cock Rings, which can be found at Good Vibrations.

Kinky Kat

Heavenly Heart

White Wabbit

Pleasurepillar

Mystical Mushroom

The Wonderland Collection of Cock Rings echoes the earlier collection of Wonderland Vibrators with its five different cock rings based on the same characters. There is the Kinky Kat Vibrating Cock Ring (my personal favorite), the Heavenly Heart Vibrating Cock Ring, the White Wabbit Vibrating Cock Ring, the Pleasurepillar Vibrating Cock Ring, and the Mystical Mushroom Vibrating Cock Ring. Each of these cock rings has a corresponding Wonderland Vibrator, which would make a lovely gift set for any couple. Well, maybe not any couple, but certainly there are couples out there who would get a kick out of these adorable sex toys.

The Doc Johnson Wonderland Cock Ringa are made of stretchy waterproof silicone that expands up to approximately 5″, thus accommodating most men. These cock rings include a waterproof bullet made of ABS that has 10 different vibration modes.

While I am not a fan of cock rings and find they generally do nothing for me, I still think this a very cool collection. I love the Alice in Wonderland theme as much as I did with the Wonderland Vibrator Collection, and especially like that they match. It’s just nifty. If I was a total Alice in Wonderland geekgirl (which I’m not) or I collected sex toys just for the hell of it (which I don’t), I would totally want the complete set of Wonderland Vibrators and Cock Rings.

You can find the Wonderland Vibrators at several sex shops. Check out my Spotlight on Wonderland Collection Vibrators for those links. As of right now, you can find the Kinky Kat Vibrating Cock Ring, the Heavenly Heart Vibrating Cock Ring, the White Wabbit Vibrating Cock Ring, the Pleasurepillar Vibrating Cock Ring, and the Mystical Mushroom Vibrating Cock Ring at Good Vibrations. Head over there to sneak a peek and be sure to look at the Wonderland Vibrator Collection as well.

For my first review of 2013 I decided I wanted to go with something unusual and special, something I had my eye on for a long time, something to set the tone of the new year. I headed over to EdenFantasys and picked up a dildo I had wanted for quite a while but hadn’t been able to justify purchasing. A new year is a good reason to buy a new dildo, isn’t it? Of course it is. So without further ado, meet the amazing Whipspider Rubberworks Jellyfish Dildo. Readers, Jellyfish. Jellyfish, Readers.

Now that we’re all acquainted, let’s get down to business. The Whipspider Rubberworks Jellyfish Dildo is made by a small company based in Maine called, you guessed it, Whipspider Rubberworks. The included insert, as well as the Whipspider Rubberworks website, informs me that this little company is owned by three friends who pass their time hand casting each sculpture in silicone and non-toxic pigments. It is always great to see such high quality sex toys from a small American company, especially when said toys are manufactured in the United States.

The high-quality silicone of the Whispider Rubberworks Jellyfish Dildo is soft and smooth and squashy. It has a significant amount of drag so definitely use a good water-based lubricant. Stay away from silicone-based lubes as they can cause a negative chemical interaction with the silicone of the dildo making it tacky. I always warn about this because I think it would be awful to ruin a perfectly good silicone sex toy this way. In the case of the Whipspider Jellyfish, it would be an an absolute travesty.

As the Whipspider Rubberworks Jellyfish Dildo is made of this squashy silicone, it is super easy to care for and clean. You can wash it with warm water and antibacterial soap, use a sex toy cleaner, or a 10% bleach solution. With no moving parts in the Jellyfish, you can also wash it in the top drawer of your dishwasher with no soap or boil it for three to five minutes to sterilize it. Boiling it and cleaning it with a 10% bleach solution disinfects the Jellyfish so it can be shared with non-fluid bonded partners. It also allows the Jellyfish go from anal to vaginal use. The Jellyfish has a large, flared based that makes it safe to be used anally and permits it to be used in a strap-on harness.

Now, onto the Jellyfish Dildo itself. Let me just start by saying that this is absolutely the most beautiful dildo I have ever seen. The colors are impressive and the detail is simply extraordinary. The workmanship is astonishing. I have a fair amount of sex toys in my collection and I have nothing that impresses me as much as the Whipspider Rubberworks Jellyfish Dildo. I expected it to be pretty cool, I mean, it looks cool online. I just could not have imagined how striking it would be in person. I am not sure it is possible to appreciate the Jellyfish as much online as when you are actually holding it in your hand, which is something I rarely say about sex toys. Most of them do a decent job of translating in pictures but images of the Jellyfish fall short of the real life experience, and I’m just talking looks, not use.

The colors of the Whipspider Rubberworks Jellyfish Dildo are bright and vivid. There is blue, pink, purple, and white, and each melts into the other while still standing out on its own. There is an amazing amount of texture provided by the detailing along the shaft of the Jellyfish. There is also a fair amount of detailing carved into the base of the Jellyfish Dildo, along with a cool carving on the top of the head. The head of the Jellyfish is large and bulbous and shaped like the body of…well..a Jellyfish. The tentacles drape down the shaft, which is slightly curved in a very aesthetically pleasing way. Underneath the base of the Jellyfish is a carved out Whipspider, or a tailless whip-scorpion, which is the logo of the company.

At 7″ long, with 6″ being insertable, the Whipspider Rubberworks Jellyfish Dildo is about average in length. However, it is on the larger side girthwise, at 1.75″. I enjoy girthy toys so this width works for me. As I mentioned before, the silicone is super squashy, even bendy. The Jellyfish Dildo is pure silicone with no hard inner core so it really doesn’t feel quite as large as 1.75″. It’s so soft, in fact, I can bend it in half. I thought this would make the Jellyfish too bendy for thrusting but it doesn’t at all. It’s actually very easy to thrust with and the base is comfortable to hold during play.

In use, the Whipspider Rubberworks Jellyfish Dildo is as good as it looks. It is very easy to hold and thrust with and the silicone is super soft and luxurious. The Jellyfish is so thoroughly textured that I feel the tentacles against my labia with each thrust. I feel the larger texture of the shaft inside me as well. I happen to really like textured sex toys but if you don’t or are on the fence, avoid the Jellyfish at all costs. I am not sure if the slight curve to the shaft is supposed to help the Jellyfish Dildo hit my g-spot, but it does not, which is fine with me. I am getting plenty of stimulation from the texture. I don’t expect it do everything possible, that’s asking an awful lot from one little (well, not so little) dildo.

The packaging of the Whipspider Rubberworks Jellyfish Dildo is minimal. It comes in a plastic bag with a card that has very basic information on it. It gives you a blurb about the company, tells you how to clean the Jellyfish, and warns you to keep it away from sharp objects. This is excellent advice considering how soft the Jellyfish Dildo is. Normally I like my fancy packaging, especially with more luxurious products, but I actually find this next to nothing packaging totally acceptable. As Whipspider Rubberworks is such a small company it makes sense and I’d rather them invest the time and money in making their phenomenal toys rather than on packaging that just gets recycled anyway. At least there is a bag I can use to store my Jellyfish Dildo in so it doesn’t smush up against other silicone sex toys or get dusty.

Whipspider Rubberworks Jellyfish Dildo Pros:
• Great texture
• Good size
• Gorgeous colors
• Amazing details
• Squashy silicone
• Not a lint magnet

Whipspider Rubberworks Jellyfish Dildo Cons:
• Umm…might be too textured for some?

I have mentioned before that I prefer my sex toys to be colorful, fun, and unusual. The Whipspider Rubberworks Jellyfish Dildo fits the bill on all levels. There is nothing about this dildo that says penis, other than the general shape, which makes me very happy. I really cannot say enough about the high quality of this dildo. The detail is amazing, the colors are fantastic, and I love using it. Overall, the Jellyfish is the most awesome dildo I’ve ever seen. If I could only have one dildo in my entire collection, it would be the Whipspider Jellyfish. Now I totally want to try out more Whipspider Rubberworks products.

You can find the Whipspider Rubberworks Jellyfish Dildo at EdenFantasys, so I recommend heading over there immediately to pick one up for yourself. Even if you buy this dildo for looks alone, it is so worth it. I kid you not.

Bean Fiddler Rating:

Happy New Year, Readers!

Beanpole Fiddler and I would like to thank all of the people who have read and supported Beanfiddler throughout the past year. Thank you to the sex toy and sensual product manufacturers, the online sex toy shops, the sex positive community, and our fearless readers who show up here every week to read what we have to write. Without all of you, we wouldn’t be able to do what we do. While it’s not always fun and games and is sometimes much harder work than I ever expected, you all make it worthwhile. So again, thank you.

This past year was a year of change for many, and while change is difficult, it is necessary for all of us. We hope last year brought many positive things into your life and that this year brings even more. Our best wishes for a wonderful 2013. May this year be full of love, laughter, health, and happiness for all of you.

Beanpole Fiddler and Beanfiddler