· Magma Phoenix Vibrator (youtube.com)
· Buy The Phoenix (magmatoys.com)

To give you a sense of its size, here's a photo of your humble vibe tester, along with both the Iris (on the left) and its little sister, the Gigi:

Yeah. The Iris does not fuck around.

But how much does that really matter? Does a bigger boat actually effect the motion of the ocean? Well, yes and no. The Iris certainly feels more intense than the Gigi, so if slim vibes leave you cold the Iris is definitely for you. But at the end of the day, the vibe's the thing—and I was far more impressed by the Iris's powerful motor and fancy pulse patterns, which were intense enough to elicit an "Oh fuck!" from even this jaded reviewer.

There's also the matter of the petal-like protusions all along the body of the Iris. I suspect that these are intended to stimulate the g-spot and other girly bits, but they didn't seem to make much of a difference sensationwise. They sure are pretty, though!

On a more technical side, the Iris is rechargeable, made of silicone, and has the same intuitive controls as the Gigi. In other words, it's an all around winner ... just bigger.

· Lelo (lelo.com)
· Buy the Iris (babeland.com)

What makes the Gigi so special? To begin with, it meets all the basic criteria for an awesome vibrator. With a silicone body and a rechargeable power supply, it's both earth- and body-friendly (and with its special g-spotter shape, it's very body friendly). But it doesn't just stop there. As with so many gadgets, the difference is in the details:

· Cute looks. With its white plastic handle and click wheel controls, the Gigi looks like something out of the Sexy By Steve Jobs line of marital aids. Or like the kind of vibe Mrs. Emma Peel would get off with. Mmm, Emma Peel.

· Storage solution included. Always at a loss where to stow your vibes when you're done with the? The Gigi comes with a little black silk storage pouch: simple, yes, but you'd be surprised how few manufacturers think of this sort of thing and force you to keep your precious plaything tucked away in an old sock or something.

· Easy to use. Though the Gigi does come with a (thankfully brief) user's manual, you can easily enjoy the vibe without reading it. Unlike some of the more RTFM toys we've reviewed, the Gigi has intuitive controls: the plus and minus buttons change the intensity of the vibration, the arrow buttons cycle you through the pulse patterns, and when the controls glow red, it's time to recharge. Finally, a vibe that's truly plug and play.

· Truly quiet. Unlike certain vibes that we could name, the Gigi doesn't make its presence known in an auditory kind of way. When it's on, it emits only the mildest hum — so if you desperately need to get off while your roommate's in the other room, this is definitely the vibe for you.

· It works the way I think vibes should work. Quite a few vibes — even high end ones — have overly simplistic controls. While that might seem like a good idea (after all, who wants to be fumbling for the right button in the heat of the moment?), it's actually a disadvantage when it comes to getting exactly the sort of performance you're looking for. By separating the controls for the pulse patterns and the vibration intensity, the Gigi allows for maximum customization, yet still manages to be simple enough for even the extremely aroused to easily control.

Really, what more could you ask for? If you still need more convincing, though, we'll just say this: Lelo, the company that manufactures the Gigi, is based in Sweden — you know, home of Ikea, Swedish massage, and Swedish erotica. Clearly, this is a country that knows good design... and good sex. And frankly, we couldn't be happier to be getting off with its exports.

· Buy the Gigi (babeland.com)
· Lelo (lelo.com)