Bean Fiddler’s Best of 2012
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
