An equal opportunity sex toy review penned by
him and her.
1-year Update: Is it still a thrill or is it gathering dust?
We thought it might be fun and helpful to check back in and update our review after using the We-Vibe 4 Plus for over a year. It’s one thing to get a sex toy, use it a bunch of times, and jump right into a review, but don’t you wonder how thing worked out over the long-term? We sure do. Look for the update notes to find out how things have evolved since we first got our hands on the We-Vibe 4 last year. A few things have changed. Spoiler alert—it’s still a thrill.
When most of us think of the word “vibrator”, we think of women and masturbation—solo masturbation. And for a very long time, that was a fairly accurate picture of a vibrator’s only purpose. But then, a company named Standard Innovations introduced the original We-Vibe—they called it a “couple’s vibrator” and it was designed to essentially be worn on the woman’s vulva during sex. Suddenly, vibrators seemed to have a lot more potential in the bedroom.
Since then, the We-Vibe has defined and dominated the couple’s vibrator segment, and continues to be ranked as the number one couple’s vibe. As of this writing the We-Vibe 4 represents the latest generation of the device, featuring improved comfort, wearability, multiple vibration patterns, a charging station, and a remote control. Fancy! There’s even a We-Vibe 4+ that hooks up to a smartphone app for additional features.
A little background…
As a couple, we’ve eagerly anticipated getting our hands on (and wrapping our bodies around) the famous We-Vibe for quite some time. See, the We-Vibe was designed to address a very common problem—not enough clitoral stimulation during intercourse, thus making it hard for a woman to enjoy an orgasm while actually having sex. Although we could sometimes make it happen “au naturel”, dueling orgasms often remained just out of reach for us. We just needed a tiny bit more tingle to go over the waterfall.
Long before trying the We-Vibe 4, we actually came up with our own DIY clitoral stimulation solution—just sticking a cheap little “egg” vibe between us—and it worked. So when we learned that someone had designed something specifically for this purpose, we were excited to say the least. The only problem was the price. At over $100, it was hard at the time to justify paying a premium when our cheap DIY egg was working so well for us. But now, with reviewing for In Bed Magazine as an excuse, we finally get to see if this top-shelf couple’s vibe designed by a telecom product engineer takes lovemaking to a new level.
1-year Update: we’ve never turned back to the cheap egg.
Sorry old faithful vibrating egg. You were good to us, but you’ve gathered dust and a sex toy running on AA batteries just seems silly in 2016.
Since this is a couple’s toy, we’re going to do this review in a she said/he said format. Many reviews we’ve read are completely from the woman’s perspective with a few notes about their male partner’s reactions thrown in at the end. But this is an equal opportunity vibrator review. You’ll get impressions on all aspects of the We-Vibe 4 from both the girl and the guy—both halves of a married couple.
Our first sex toy purchase from Amazon
He says: That thing is going to be in your order history forever. You okay with that?
She says: Of course. It’s Prime. I’m not paying for shipping.
Initial Impressions
Packaging
Classy and curious. Looks like they’ve learned lessons from Apple.
Georgia O’Keeffe is smiling in her grave—or feeling ripped off. Either way, it’s a classy, arty package befitting a $100+ vibe.
She says: The packaging was cool, simple and refreshing. No pictures of a porn stars and their body parts because yes, we know– it’s a sex toy. The WeVibe looks and feels classy and curious.
He says: I have to say, the package design was pretty nice and made a nice first impression. I was wondering what kind of package a $100 purple sex toy would come in. Now I know. Looks kind of like they borrowed Apple’s iPod package makers. There’s a flower on the box so I feel like it’s saying, “I’m a couple’s vibe but not really…I’m for the girl”.
Product Design and Materials
“I don’t think I would have known it was a sex toy if someone hadn’t told me.”—the guy
She says: The little “garage” it comes in is handy. It’s can be left to charge on a bedside and most people would think it was a speaker or tiny air purifier device. When you lift the cover off, the remote and WeVibe have their own little parking places. It looks neat and tidy. The device is purple and a soft rubbery material with a hard device inside. The remote is tiny and could be easily lost in bed though, so keep an eye on it. The remote is a cross between a key fob for your car and an Apple TV remote—sleek and super simple.
He says: It looks like a sea creature chasing its own tail. Or maybe an ergonomic nail brush with the bristles missing. I don’t think I would have known it was a sex toy if someone hadn’t told me. It’s definitely an organic shape, which makes sense for what it’s used for. The surface material feels about as nice against the skin as a plastic toy can. Actually, it’s surprisingly soft to the touch, but it’s not really that squishy. It’s like on the firm side of pliable.
The charger stand with the cover is kind of cool…so that this thing isn’t just sitting out while it’s charging—makes it more discrete. And, it charges just by being placed on the stand. There isn’t a plug or socket on it, which is sleek. I can never remember how to put the vibe and the remote back into the charger though. It takes a bit of fiddling around.
So overall, it feels nice. But it still seems like a lot of money for this little thing.
1-year Update: In terms of durability and battery life, it’s still going strong.
Almost good as new, with one exception: After 30-50 uses and cleanings, the material still looks and feels pretty much like it did the day we got it. The color hasn’t faded, it’s still soft, and the part that flexes hasn’t become weak. We were a little worried about the flexy part, but it’s still strong. However, the power button, which resides under the rubbery outer layer of the We-Vibe, continues to be difficult to activate without pressing down with your fingernail. This has resulted in a worn spot and a tiny cut above the button. The two sides of the cut stay sealed together unless you deliberately pull it apart to inspect the damage, but we’re wondering how long it will remain waterproof. We have a new We-Vibe 4 Plus—the version that works with an app—in for an app-controlled vibrator comparison, and the power button is much easier to activate with just your finger. Hopefully this is a general design improvement they’ve made since our original purchase.
The battery is still holding a decent charge. We’re especially happy to report that the battery, which doesn’t appear to be replaceable, still holds a charge for a decent amount of time. At the frequency and duration with which we use it…2-4 times a month, 15-20 minutes per use, low-medium speed…we’ve only been charging it about once per month. Though, over the course of a year using it like that, it has run out of juice a few times when we went past 15 minutes of use after two or three prior uses. So, we’re starting to try to remember to charge it after every two uses instead of every four. That seems reasonable to us. We just have to remember to not be lazy about charging if we want to make 100% certain it never plays out before we reach the finish line.
The experience
The solo (sort of) experience
Sweet for her, mostly a tease for him.
Here, this is really for you. Strong enough to tease a penis, but made for a clit. It felt nice to me (the guy) but it’s no “guybrator”. (See updates.)
She says: It’s a good idea for a woman to play with this solo first. It can be awkward the first time inserting it in a way that doesn’t remind you of a speculum at the ob/gyn office. A little lube is good on the smooth soft rubber. You have to push a tiny logo on the actual vibe to turn it on before the remote will work, which isn’t always easy. You have to hit it just right and press into it with your fingernail sometimes in order to make it click. That can be especially difficult once you have some lube on the We-Vibe. The remote will change the vibration patterns (there are 4), the vibration speed, and it will turn the We-Vibe off, but it won’t turn it on. Perhaps that’s to prevent inappropriate practical jokes.
Another good reason to explore the We-Vibe 4 solo first is the various vibration patterns. You have to figure out which rhythm will work for you and some of them are downright funny because they sound like they are coming from a techno/house dance floor. Once you know the setting you like, you can show your partner how to use the remote or at least set it more quickly in heat of the moment instead of instead of trying to figure out how it works mid-love-making. Don’t get me wrong, exploring this device together can be really fun but if you don’t really have the time to leisurely explore it in bed together, the woman may want to do a little experimentation first.
He says: It says it’s a couple’s vibe, so we were wondering if it would do anything for me alone. Well, not exactly alone—she used it on me then I used it on her. Vibrations do feel good to me—I can understand why women are crazy about these things, but these vibes can rarely get me off. I definitely can’t get off with one in my own hands, but in her skilled hands, she’s made it happen for me several times by moving one of her little cheap vibes around over my frenulum and it was really, really, really nice. But with the We-Vibe 4—even with all her smooth moves, there was no way it was going to get me off. I didn’t even bother trying it on my own. We both knew that wasn’t really what the We-Vibe 4 was designed for, but we thought we’d put the “couple’s vibe” moniker to a test of literalism by asking the question, “by ‘couples vibe’, does that mean that either partner can use it, or that it’s for use together?” We got our answer. It’s for a couple or a girl. This isn’t really a vibe for a guy. I don’t think. Fun for foreplay maybe.
1-year Update: It’s no longer “just a tease” for him
He says: Hi. It’s me again…the guy. I have to admit, I’ve really grown to like the feeling of the vibrations. We’ve started taking turns using this thing on each other (for reasons we’ll get into in the next section) and lately, if I’m turned on enough, it can usually get me off quiet easily—and I have to say, it really is a very cool and exciting feeling. I don’t know if it was a matter of just getting tuned in and turned on in order for me to respond to it, or if she’s just figured out the right technique. Either way, I understand why women love vibrators so much and I’m not sure why guys haven’t seemed to discover them yet. Maybe most have and I haven’t until now. I don’t know, but I’m two-thumbs-up on it now. Actually, I’m no thumbs on it. I just learned I can basically clip it onto my penis and lay back and enjoy hands-free. (Sorry for the strange mental image.)
Our experience using it together—as directed
She says: “It was powerful and awesome.”
He says: “It was a little crowded at first, but it felt really nice as she got more into it.”
Better together. It sent her to the moon, but he found it a little crowded. But mostly, he was glad she liked it and that made them both happy.
She says: Once we put the We-Vibe 4 in my vagina and found the speed and pattern setting I liked (just straight, regular vibration for me) on the remote, it was pretty cool. It took a minute to get back into the moment after we went through the process of putting it in and getting it started, but it felt really nice. The vibrations were in a great place and once my head was back in the game, I came pretty quickly. It was powerful and awesome. Post orgasm though, things felt a little crowded and I could tell it wasn’t helping him much. So we quickly took it out, turned it off and went back to ‘au natural’ and enjoyed the finish.
I tried the vibe directly on his penis during foreplay and while you can adjust the pulse and intensity, it didn’t seem to work quite right for him. Too intense or numbing mostly. I’d say this is a device primarily for the woman but it is fun for couples. (See update above—apparently he has seen the light.) The We-Vibe allows the penis to still come to the party, the clitorial stimulation is perfect and hands free, it helps take the pressure off of everyone if there are time constraints, and it can be fun solo. It’s a nice clean design and can be a great addition to a toy collection. I think it’s definitely worth the price.
Buzz, buzz—what’s this thing does? The remote is definitely fun for couples.
He says: Although the We-Vibe 4 couldn’t get me off when she used it on me directly (not so fast, see update above), it did feel really good and the different vibration patterns were really interesting. So, I was excited about trying it out the way it was supposed to be used—inside of her. I figured that if you add those cool vibrations on top of the already incredible sensations of sex, it could only be a good thing, right? Plus, our DIY experiments of squishing one of her little egg vibes between us had really worked well in the past, so I figured that something professionally engineered specifically to accomplish the same thing would have to be far better.
Well, to be honest, having some other object inside of her vagina with me felt a little odd. Vaginas are all about softness. Sticking a chunk of rubbery plastic in there (even soft rubbery plastic) threw me off at first. I had read other reviews prior to us trying it out that said that it made everything feel tighter inside for the guy, which I guess most guys would like. But not only am I good with it not being any tighter, it didn’t feel so much tighter as it felt a little bit crowded.
And then there were the vibrations. The same vibrations that felt nice on the underside of my penis when we were just playing with it felt kind of funky when I felt them on the top of my penis during sex. The top tip of a penis doesn’t really like vibrations that much. (Not mine, anyway.) Even with her little egg vibe between us, it usually felt nice to me because I could feel subtle vibrations all around me. But having something vibrate on the top of the head of my penis while having sex was kind of weird. It wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t as “oooh, ahhhh” as I guess I was expecting.
However, that doesn’t mean it was a bad experience overall…
He says: “After her orgasm with the We-Vibe 4, something about her just felt even better than normal—softer, tighter, and warmer…”
Although the sensation was funky for me, the We-Vibe 4 was never inside her and buzzing for more than a minute or two before it brought her to what seemed to me to be some really, really good orgasms. So, it seemed to be very effective for her and that gave me some mental pleasure. Actually, it got me really excited to just feel her have her orgasm around me while I basically stayed still and let the We-Vibe 4 make the magic happen. Once her orgasm calmed down, we’d pull the We-Vibe 4 out and I’d resume. What was really interesting was that after her orgasm with the We-Vibe 4, something about her just felt even better than normal—softer, tighter, and warmer—so good that I couldn’t hold off an orgasm longer than 30 seconds or so. It may have been a combination of physical factors plus the mental excitement of her having an orgasm.
So, although it’s not the way I’d always want to have sex, we’re not throwing the We-Vibe 4 away. In fact, after writing this, I kind of want to go get it and use it again. For what it was designed for, I still think the little egg vibe between us is more simple and less intrusive, but for adding variety and an extra powerful orgasm for her, it’s worth having around.
1-year Update: How and when we use the We-Vibe has evolved over the past year.
The We-Vibe is on standby for use on an as-needed basis: We used the heck out of it—several times a week—purposely for about a month while writing our original review for In Bed Magazine, but since then, although it doesn’t get used as often as when we were reviewing it, the We-Vibe has continued to be put to use in some form or fashion at least a couple of times per month. That’s not too bad considering that it’s not the only vibe in the drawer. However, we never say, “hey, let’s go get the We-Vibe and party” or anything like that. What usually happens is that we’ll start having sex, and if I’m having trouble making it over the finish line from sex alone (which happens sometimes), one of us will suggest adding the We-Vibe. 9 times out of 10, it pushes me over the edge within a minute or so.
Also, nearly as often, we’re actually using it to take turns pleasuring each other. Since our original review, our babies have grown up to be toddlers. And toddlers, as you may already know, have zero respect for boundaries. This has made weekend morning sex in particular a real challenge for us. However, sometimes we can set them up with Sesame Street in the living room just outside our door and then take turns blissfully buzzing each other’s happy spots ever so quietly and secretly under the covers in our bed. (Seriously, we are the greatest parents in the world the whole rest of the day when we can start the morning out like that. Plus coffee.) In contrast to my personal favorite vibe for solo time, the now sadly out-of-production Revel Sonic Vibrator, the We-Vibe has turned out to be very easy for him to use on me under the covers by feel alone. Likewise, he’s turned on enough after using it on me that he usually responds to it very well when I return the favor. It doesn’t do it for him every single time, but when it does, it does it for him very nicely (I can tell) and it’s the easiest hand job ever for me. Tip: Concentrate on the underside of the penis, just below the head. If a vibe is going to work on a guy, that’s the spot.
Cleanup and Care
Couldn’t be easier.
She says: Cleanup is easy because of the simple design. There aren’t intricate parts that need to be exposed to air dry for hours like some sex toys. It’s a quick clean and dry, then back on the charger. Oh, don’t forget to find the remote. It’s probably lost somewhere in the sheets or under a pillow.
He says: If we use sex toys together, I’m usually the one who cleans them up, even if it’s her toy. I guess I feel like it’s another way I can “give” or say “thank you” after sex. But anyway, since the We-Vibe 4 is water-proof, it couldn’t be any easier to clean. Just some warm water and a little bit of bath soap. It dries quickly since it’s not very big, especially with the help of a towel.
Just be sure that you get it all put back into the charger stand and plug it in once it’s dry. The battery ran down on us once (very frustrating for her). I don’t think it’s because the battery doesn’t last long, but we were bad about remembering to put it on to charge.
Our recommendation:
She says: Our DIY attempt at using a simple vibrating egg squished between us for improving clitoral stimulation during sex was fun because it was small, discreet, easy and it came with a wired control. It was definitely cheaper in price and materials. But although the We-Vibe 4 takes some practice on the part of both partners, it’s really nice that it stays in place on its own and the remote is fun for both of us. As a solo toy, letting it work nearly hands-free is definitely an added bonus. If you are into taking turns having control, it can be a fun game to let him take control of the remote from across the room and just watch you enjoy. The egg only had one setting on or off – weak or max. The We-Vibe 4 has much more variety in the sensations. The We-Vibe 4 feels like a more grown-up and luxurious couples vibe than our DIY solution. I think we’ve graduated and there’s no going back. It’s worth the price and can provide hours of enjoyment together or solo.
He says: Go for it.
Interested? Check prices on Amazon.
Shop Amazon. Using our affiliate link helps keep the blog alive and ad-free at no extra cost to you.
very helpful review!! thank you 🙂
I am currently looking at the We Vibe Sync, and I am wondering how quiet it is for public use if I want to walk around with it in and let my partner tease when he wants. I am worried that it may be too loud, as has been the problem with previous wireless vibrators
It’s pretty quiet but “quiet” is relative to the environment. It should go unnoticed in a restaurant, bar, store, or even transit—anyplace with some ambient noise or chatter. But, it’s not so quiet that I’d say you could confidently get away with it in a quiet elevator or library. I think the amount and type of clothing being worn could also have an impact. A pair of jeans is going to muffle sound better than a short skirt. I’d describe it as whisper quiet, but not dead silent.
Great review thanks.
So, my play partner and I are long distance, and I am thinking about getting this as a way to bridge the gap occasionally.
What I am wondering is, would it be possible for her to wear it to work, and do you have any idea how long a fully charged battery would last if I used the app to give her a little buzz every once in a while through the day?
Thanks!
Thanks for asking about this! We’re actually working on finishing up an app-controlled remote control vibrator comparison, which including the We-Vibe 4+ that pairs with the app, with this type of scenario in mind but we haven’t tested all-day connectivity yet. So, based on this great question, we’ll add this to the things to try with them. Would you like to receive an email when we’ve got results? As for wearability, it will really depend on how well the We-Vibe works with her particular anatomy and body shape. Assuming it is comfortable for her, it might still need to be held in place using some super stretchy/supportive underwear such as Spanx, especially for all day wear at work. The main challenge in the scenario you are talking about will be that the vibe only stays active for 45 minutes after the last signal. So, it’s probably going to require you to send some sort of control signal at least once every 45 minutes, otherwise she’ll have to wake the vibe back up manually. But, we’ll test it out via the app and see how it works.
Great review! Thanks so much for sharing.
I’ve just ordered a we-vibe 4 plus for myself. Myself and my boyfriend are long distance for the next year or so, so I thought it would be a great tool to keep us close.
I’m wondering how comfortable and versatile it is. Can it be ‘in’ while you’re up walking around, or is it just when you’re lying down? I find the thought of him being able to just press a button at any time very arousing.
Also, I know it’s water proof but is it water proof to the extent that you can use it in the shower or bath?
Hi Kaitlyn. Thanks for the question and sorry for the delayed response. The We-Vibe is fun and versatile and you can use it together or solo. As for wearability, I find it tricky to keep in for a long period of time, but it seems to vary from one person to another based on other accounts I’ve read. Try “wearing it” around the house at first…see how that works for your body before you try going in public for remote stimulation (if that’s what you have in mind). If it doesn’t stay put, you might experiment with different undergarments to keep it in place. For instance, instead of panties or a thong, maybe check out Spanx. Spanx may be known for figure control garments, but they also make a more traditional pantie silhouette made out of the same firm material that just might provide enough resistance to help keep the We-Vibe in while you are moving around.
You can wear it in the shower or in a bath, its fully sealed in medical grade silicon rubber. In fact, it charges without a direct connection with a wire—just by sitting in the little dock. So there is no break in the material at all. Plus, it says “fully waterproof” on the box.