The Hitachi Magic Wand is an electric muscle massager that has been repurposed as a vibrator by many. It can be seen being used for sexual purposes in many porn films (e.g. Live Sex Show) and instructional masturbation DVDs (e.g. Betty Dodson's Bodysex). It's mainly used for clitoral stimulation, but also works well enough on the penis, vaginal opening, nipples, and of course, sore muscles.

The Hitachi is best for someone who knows that they like very strong, buzzy vibrations. Hypersensitive folks, and those who prefer deeper, rumblier vibrations, won't enjoy the Hitachi much.

The body of the Hitachi is made of hard plastic. Plastic is a material often found in cheaper sex toys, but here, it feels high-quality and solidly constructed.

The head of the Hitachi, where all the vibration is focused, is made of a porous, slightly squishy material that I'd guess is rubber or PVC. It has a rubbery smell, like the soles of a pair of new shoes. Because the material of the head is porous, it's a good idea to use a condom over it if you're planning on sharing or putting it near your anal opening, because that bacteria won't come out once it goes in.

The Hitachi's body is smooth and nice to the touch, though its glossiness makes it slippery if your hands are lube-y. The head, on the other hand, is quite textured. I can't imagine anyone needing extra stimulation, what with the Hitachi's vibrations being so strong, but if you do, you can always lube up the head a bit (with water-based lube only) and rub it against you for some textured fun.

As far as vibrators go, the Hitachi is pretty large and bulky, as you might expect from a muscle massager. It's as long as my forearm (about a foot), and the head is 2 1/2" in diameter. If you're thinking about trying to insert this toy vaginally or anally, I wouldn't recommend it because it's huge - but I suppose anything is possible!

The size makes it great for muscle massage, because it's easy to hold onto and move around (as long as you're within 2 metres of an outlet, or have an extension cord). It's a little bulky for clitoral stimulation, but works okay. I wouldn't recommend it for use during sex in the missionary position, though, since it's too large to fit easily between two bodies in that position. Doggie-style or spooning are both better positions for sex if you want to include your Hitachi.

It's hard to say whether or not the Hitachi is "discreet" or "travel-friendly." On the one hand, it's clearly a muscle massager. On the other hand, it has become one of the most famous and recognizable sex toys of all time. I guess it's really up to you whether you think your Hitachi is going to be seen by people who would assume it's for your muscles, or people who would know it's for your genitals.

Despite how big the Hitachi is, it's easy to use a penetrative toy vaginally or anally while holding the Wand on my clit. It doesn't get in the way at all.

The controls are simple. There's a switch; the middle position is "off," the top position is "high," and the bottom position is "low." These are clearly marked and easy to memorize, so I don't need to constantly glance down to check what setting I'm on or figure out how to change settings.

The vibrations are localized in the head of the toy, and that's mostly where they stay. When holding the toy while it's on, I only feel a very small amount of vibration in my hands, which makes it super comfortable to use for long periods of time without worrying about hand numbness.

The "low" setting is akin to the highest setting on most standard vibrators. The "high" setting is just insane. If power's what you're after, the Hitachi has it.

...At least, unless you like power that's rumbly and deep. The Hitachi's vibrations are extremely buzzy, which (for those of you who don't really know the difference) means that they're high-pitched and surface-level. Buzzy vibrations are more prone to causing numbness/temporary desensitization. If that's something you know you're susceptible to, a rumblier vibe (such as the Wahl or We-Vibe Tango) would be a better choice for you.

As for noise: the Hitachi sounds like a kitchen appliance. It's quite loud and the sound it makes reminds me of a garbage disposal. This is not a good toy for people who need quiet vibrations. If that's what you need, I must urge you (again) to check out the Wahl and We-Vibe Tango; both have Hitachi-level power without Hitachi-level noise.

As with any electric device, avoid using this in water if you want to remain alive.

Most reviewers of the Hitachi recommend that you only use water-based lube with it. I have no idea whether the questionable material on the head of the toy contains any silicone, but it's better to be safe than sorry, so water-based lube is a good idea if you feel you need to lube up this toy.

Because the Hitachi isn't waterproof and its head can't be removed for cleaning, it's probably best to clean it with some kind of toy wipe, if necessary. Just be sure you don't get any moisture into the toy's mechanical nooks and crannies.

The Hitachi's large and doesn't come with any long-term storage options. If you have room for it in a drawer, that'll work fine, but it's also innocent-looking enough that you could probably just have it sitting on your bedside table and no one would care. (Hey, if they know that Hitachis are used for sexual purposes, then they probably watch porn and shouldn't be judging you!)

The Magic Wand comes in a box covered in hilarious images of people using it to massage their necks and backs. It's totally G-rated, so you probably wouldn't embarrass someone if you were to gift this to them.

The box itself is made of pretty standard cardboard. I wouldn't recommend it for long-term storage of the Wand, because it'll get busted up and fall apart after a while.

The user manual is very thorough and provides a long list of safety warnings (e.g. don't use the Wand for more than 25 minutes of the time, don't use it under a blanket, don't use it near water).

I bought a Hitachi because I felt I wouldn't be able to consider myself a true sex toy connoisseur until I owned one. I also wanted to have one so I could compare other toys' vibration intensities to the Hitachi for reviewing purposes.

I just don't enjoy this toy. I'm no stranger to strong vibrations, but I prefer mine to be rumbly, so that they penetrate deeply into my clitoral network and stimulate me internally as well as externally. The Hitachi's vibrations are so buzzy and surface-y that they make my vulva numb within a minute or two. This is not only disappointing, but also frustrating, as it's then much more difficult for me to reach orgasm with another toy, having been desensitized.

I find that the Hitachi feels the best if I spread my outer labia so my clit pokes out, and hold the toy as lightly as possible so it rests just on my clit and doesn't touch any of the rest of my vulva. But even then, I get numb much quicker than I do with any other vibrator. That's not okay with me.