I review sex toys for mypleasure.com. You can find the Wahl 2 Speed Massager and other vibrators on their site. Disclaimer: I am not paid for these reviews (unless you order products via one of my affiliate links), but I do receive free toys.
It’s not every day you get to try out a classic for the first time — in this case, the Wahl 2 Speed Massager.
Epiphora, a sex toy reviewer I respect a great deal, recently commented on Twitter: it is not a requirement that every toy be compared to the Hitachi. Really. I can understand her frustration. The Hitachi Magic Wand is easily the most famous of electric vibrators, along with probably one of the most powerful (until you get into super luxury items like the Sybian). It’s truly a jackhammer of vibrators, smashing women’s clits into orgasmic submission. Almost anytime someone brings up a vibrator, some wag will inevitably compare it (and not favorably) to the Hitachi.
Yet for a long time, the Wahl has been co-existing alongside the Hitachi as its lesser known, unsung cousin. A fellow electric vibrator, it begs to be compared to the superstar Magic Wand. And you know what?
I think I like the Wahl better.
The Wahl 2-speed massager is definitely marketed as a massager and not a vibrator. It’s instructions even say, for some lawyer-induced reason, that you shouldn’t use it on the genitals. Unlike my experiments with non-sexual use of the Hitachi, I find the Wahl to be useful for actual massage. The vibrations are much more targeted, the shape of the handle is more convenient and ergonomic and there are a variety of attachments which make a real difference in sensation. Although I didn’t much care for it, my pet really liked the nubby scalp massage attachment on the night we played with this toy.
All of the features listed above (except, maybe, the scalp massage) also make this a great sex toy. The targeted vibrations are great for clitoral stimulation, especially with the wedge-shaped attachment or the “pinpoint” attachment. This toy is much quieter than the Hitachi, but almost as powerful. Another feature that makes it better is its cord — without an extension cord, it seems like I am forever yanking my friend’s Magic Wands out of the wall at inopportune moments, but the Wahl’s cord is considerably longer. Also, the attachments are much easier to clean with some alcohol or toy cleaner than the strange, nubby, obviously porous surface of the Hitachi. It should be noted that this toy is essentially only useful for external stimulaton, and none of the attachments are secure enough or properly shaped for safe anal insertion; this is also true of the Hitachi, but the Magic Wand is so much more well-known that there are third-party, insertable attachments available.
How did this toy play out in my bedroom? As I hinted at above, I unboxed it on my pet’s last visit to Austin. It was her first experience with an electric vibrator of any kind. Because I knew she’d be squirming something fierce (and just because it’s fun!) I strapped her down to my bed first and inserted her ball gag. It was only then that I told her we’d be trying something new. We experimented with both the wedge and the pinpoint, but she seemed to slightly favor the wedge. I teased her in various ways she likes, with plenty of biting, all the while using this toy on her clit. It was easy to hold and direct the Wahl in one hand while leaving the other free for other things. The lower speed was clearly intense, but the high speed was just shy of overwhelming. While I have become fairly skillful at getting her off during what has been almost a year of dating, I was surprised at how quick and effective this toy was. At one point, she was coming so hard I thought she was choking and stopped (to her dismay) to check on her condition.
Though I plan to own both someday, I think I’ve found my favorite. There are people for whom only the strongest of vibrations will do, who can primarily get off only with the Hitachi Magic Wand on its highest speed. For most others — including those concerned about volume or ease of use, or anyone who wants more targeted vibrations — the Wahl 2-Speed Massager is both less expensive and arguably more fun. I’m very glad to have it in my collection.
