Marital Aid Test Kitchen: Lelo’s Soraya Vibrator

Do you crave the ultimate luxury of Lelo's Luxe line of toys, but lack the ability to drop thousands of dollars on a sex toy? Lelo's new Insignia toy line may be just the indulgence you need.

Somewhere between their Femme and Luxe line (though far closer to the Femme in price), Insignia offers stylish, high design pleasure for women in search of a toy that looks as good as it feels. How classy are these toys? So classy that they come packaged with a brooch you can wear to show off your Insignia pride.

Currently, there are three toys in the Insignia line: the Alia (a small ring of a vibe for external pleasure), the Isla (a straight vibe that seems comparable to the Elise), and the Soraya (a dual stimulation vibe). Lucky girl that I am, I was given the Soraya to test out.

In many ways, the Soraya is a lot like other Lelo vibrators I've tried out (which is a good thing, as they're one of my favorite toy companies). It's a sleek, rechargeable vibe that packs a pretty impressive punch and lasts a long time. But there are some key differences—so let's discuss them.

The good: One of the most striking differences with the Insignia? Instead of a solid handle, it's got an oval hole going through the base. Though this may initially look like a fancy bit of design work, it's actually quite functional, providing a much more comfortable grip than the solid handle.

Also fun: at first glance, the toy appears to have no charging port. It's only upon further inspection that you notice a small dimple in the base of the toy, which, yes, is actually where you plug in the charger. Beautiful!

And, of course, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the vibration patterns. The thing that impressed me most here was the fact that the vibrator's prongs are each given separate consideration in the preprogrammed patterns: in some modes, Soraya's all about the gspot, in others, she's your clit's best friend. The ability to change things up like this depending on your mood? Delicious.

The neutral: Though most of Soraya's body is coated with a beautiful silicone, on the sides, her ABS core is exposed, along with a swooping divet. Was this change in texture supposed to do something for me? I didn't notice it at all.

The bad: There's really only one bad thing with Soraya, but it did annoy me. Historically, one of my favorite things about Lelo toys have been their four button control system, which allow you to control stimulation patterns separately from vibration levels, and—better yet—allow you to toggle back and forth through the stimulation patterns. Unfortunately, Soraya only has three buttons—and though you still can control the patterns and vibration separately, you're forced to toggle through her eight stimulation patterns with only one button. Accidentally click off the pattern you really like? You've got to journey through the seven other settings before finding your way home.

But is that enough to overwhelm Soraya's many positives? Not for me. I know I'll be enjoying some very pleasant evenings with my new Soraya...and if you're in search of your own bit of affordable erotic luxury, you might consider picking up one for yourself, too.

· Buy Soraya (lelo.com)