The Magic Wand wasn't deemed one of "The 50 Most Influential Gadgets of All Time" by Time Magazine for just any ol' reason. It's one of the most classic, longstanding vibrators out there.
With all of the new gadgets and gizmos that have been invented since this massager's inception in 1968 (by super conservative Japanese company Hitachi, no less), does it still stand up to new technology? Let's find out!
I'm going to use my trusty Lioness to measure my orgasm when using the Magic Wand vs. when using other toys and stimulators, so we can see how the experiences are similar and different.
Yeah... you could say that.
Real quick, what makes the Magic Wand special?
- Strong AF 💪 Take a look at that breakdown below, the motor and the off-centered weight that produce the vibration are HUGE.
- Large handle that's easy to hold.
- Corded version draws a LOT more power than any battery one does, and it'll never die (unless you're in a power outage, in which case, god's speed).
If you're curious to learn more about the nooks and crannies of the wand, our Head of Engineering Anna tore one down a while back.
Where can it improve?
- Ginormous, but it's kind of essential for this to be large to produce the power it does.
- Can feel too strong for some people and might feel uncomfortable.
- Loud AF. This will sound like a machine because it's built like a machine. Might be hard to use with roommates/kids/etc. at home.
- The $60 version needs to be plugged into a wall outlet, so you're more limited to where there's a power source in the room. This is not the case with the cordless one, however.
Look at this beauty. Mid-century Japanese engineering at its finest.
Thanks Hitachi. 😉🇯🇵
"Control" orgasm
Let's compare this session to one from recently. For our newer readers, how we measure orgasm is by measuring the rhythmic pelvic floor contractions that occur during climax. These happen regardless of your gender!
The graphs below are measuring force (y-axis, gram force) over time (x-axis, seconds). If you're curious to learn more, you can read more about orgasm patterns here.
Another view of an orgasm. The rhythm of the circle represents the rhythm of the pelvic floor during climax.
Sessions with the Magic Wand
Now, here are two sessions using the Magic Wand for stimulation.
The biggest difference here is that these sessions are faster than the control session. Let's take a look at all of the sessions together.
Session comparison:
Here, you can see that the Magic Wand sessions (red and yellow) are indeed faster than the control (blue). I also threw in a session using the dosist Passion pen, since in a post about dosist that product also gave me a faster session than my average.
What is also interesting though is that the orgasms, while faster using the Magic Wand, look smaller—as in, there's less delta/change in force during the orgasm. In other words, the waves look smaller. Let's take a closer look at that.
Orgasm Comparison:
These are all the orgasms aligned left. You can see that the Magic Wand sessions are at a higher force and produce smaller waves. We'll talk about why that might be in the next section. They're also all pretty similar in terms of orgasm duration, which is pretty cool!
So... does it work?
First things first, did I enjoy it? Absolutely. Did I have an orgasm? Affirmative.
Something I've noticed about the Magic Wand is that I can have orgasms faster than average. For people who have limited me-time, that can be critical to get off on a tight timeframe.
And given previous data behind the Magic Wand helping people who were previously unable to orgasm or had gone through menopause/hormonal changes that negatively affected their sex drive, the Magic Wand can provide a ton more stimulation than any other vibrator out there to help people get off who need stronger stimulation.
Is it better?
That's a hard question to answer. If you've been a reader for a while, you'll know that I talk a lot about how there are a lot of factors that go into whether an experience is "good" or not, or if one is "better" than another. Best is relative.
The Magic Wand is great for when there's limited time, I don't give a crap about how loud it is, I just want it done and now. For some it might be too strong or might get you off too quickly, when prolonging the experience might be more enjoyable. For others something as strong as the Magic Wand may be absolutely essential if they need that amount of stimulation to get off, or if you're worried you're too slow and want something that's more guaranteed to speed things up. It depends on your body and circumstances, everyone is different!
As for the smaller waves... To be honest, I'm not entirely sure why that is. Unfortunately research on pleasure doesn't get the attention and funding it deserves, so we're still pretty early in understanding these things.
If I were to guess, it may be that maybe I'm in a different position when I'm using the Magic Wand versus using the Lioness... though in my Zumio and Crave sessions (two different vibrators), I don't see this pattern. It could also be that maybe my orgasms aren't as strong, for me, using the Magic Wand versus using other methods. It doesn't necessarily make it less enjoyable, since as said, there are a lot of factors that go into having a pleasurable experience.
At the end of the day, I think of it like choosing between chocolate cake and cheesecake... both are good. We might have preferences that change over time, but at the end of the day... I'm getting cake. Cake is good. I like cake.
Can a smaller/fancy/pretty vibrator be as strong as the wand?
No. It's physically impossible. Part of what makes the Magic Wand so strong is the size of the motor housed in the vibrator — it's spacious like a Hummer is spacious.
We can do things to make the vibrator stronger like use tungsten motors, larger handles, etc. to pack a bigger punch, but unless we make the motor the size of a tennis ball (and that's not including the rest of the vibrator) it won't be as strong as the Magic Wand.
If you want to use the Lioness for data and use the Magic Wand like I am here (or any product of your choosing), you can turn the motor off and use the Magic Wand for external stimulation. You can explore and see how different forms of stimulation change the experience.
Sometimes you just can't avoid physics.
Alternatives to Magic Wand
Something that people don't often talk about is that there are several different wand vibrators that are quite similar to the Magic Wand, so you have a selection of different products you can check out if you want to browse around!
Cheap and strong: Wahl
Like the Magic Wand, the Wahl is a massager that also connects to the wall (ha, couldn't help myself). The mechanism to produce its vibration is different than most toys out there, and it's really freaking strong. You can also get different attachments to play with different surface areas.
This style has been around longer than the Magic Wand (you can see similar styles if you look back at antique vibrators), but doesn't have the same "cool, classic" factor as the Magic Wand, and it's cheaper than the Magic Wand. All the more reason to get it for a steal on Amazon or at your local drug store. Find it here.
Pretty and design-centric: Le Wand
If you're looking for a pretty, more modern spin on the Magic Wand, check out Le Wand. They are made of silicone, come in two sizes, and are also produced in different (more fun) colors and designs. As an FYI, the smaller vibe will be not as strong as the larger one because of physics (darn physics amirite?) but if you don't need as strong vibes as the larger models or the Magic Wand, this will be more than fine and you can trade travel-friendly/compactness for strength. Find it here.
Be wary of: Knockoff and fake Magic Wands
Yes, creating counterfeits is also a thing, even for the Magic Wand. They might look very similar, but they will not work the same way. Most likely outcome will be that you'll get something not as strong as the real thing, and you (and your genitals) might be disappointed. To avoid this, buy from a reputable source or direct from the seller who is the official producer/distributor. On Amazon, you can tell based on the seller name.
Find the Official Magic Wand here.
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Lioness is the first and only vibrator that helps you improve your orgasms.The world’s most advanced vibrator. Precision sensors let you literally see your arousal and orgasm. Experiment, understand yourself, and have better orgasms — after all, as the saying goes, “never measured, never improved."
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