Handmaiden is an attractive G-spot dildo which can also be used to simultaneously stimulate the clitoris, with the right anatomy. The soft silicone, insertable girth and handle result in a bit of a learning curve and this may not be the best toy for beginners. If you are sensitive to texture on G-spot toys, I would recommend only the user controlling it (not a partner), to ensure the most comfortable experience. Some women may find the ridges and bumps to be too intense and should play with caution (if at all).

Because it lacks mechanical parts, it offers discretion and could potentially be used in wet environments with proper lubrication or close living conditions like a dorm. A storage bag is provided which can double as a travel bag.

This dildo is made of a soft but thick silicone more akin to Fun Factory products than Tantus. There is a bit of give when squeezing either end and the ends can be pulled away from one another up to a 45-degree angle; however, the silicone likes to retain its shape and will push back against forces exerted against it. If you specifically need your G-spot stimulation to be very firm or soft, the Handmaiden may not be the best choice but it should be sufficient for most.

There are some downfalls to the soft silicone, however. It picks up lint quite easily. In addition, the velvety texture adds fiction and there is drag when inserting or removing the Handmaiden, especially in its bag. I would recommend always a water-based lubricant during use.

In general, the Handmaiden is C shaped. The handle rests on top, outside of the clitoral "leg." The clitoral legs extend about 2" which is just about perfect to reach my clit. There are 2 rows of circular nubs on the inside of the leg for a total of 8 nubs. These are soft but wider than they are long they they don't behave like the thinner "ticklers" on some toys. This leg has a width of about 1.5" and, at the widest, a similar height. I can imagine it feeling bulky for smaller women but it was okay for me.

The bottom leg is inserted for G-spot stimulation with two raised ridges on the inside tip. These ridges are wide and rather firm. The G-spot leg is longer by about 1" and can be inserted at least 3". With a little finagling, it can be inserted closer to 4" but this may not be ideally comfortable. The end of this leg curls up slightly, toward the top of the dildo. I have called other toys with a similar diameter (1.43") small and even some larger ones have been easier to play with. This is probably due to material and the fact that the ridges extend so prominently (1/4" - 1/2").

The handle is uniquely shaped. It is intended for the user to rest her hand around the curve of the top of the dildo with a thin wall rising between two fingers; middle and forefinger seem most logical. There is a thin lip which extends over both of those fingers to keep them in place and this allows the user to rock the wrist in an even, smooth motion.On top of the "lip" of the handle is an engraved image of a woman which I believe is the logo for this line of toys. I'm kind of contemporary and is not immediately recognizable for what it is; I had a heck of a time figuring it out.

The Handmaiden is decorated in two shades of purple: the handle and outsides of the toy are a lighter purple while the "core" is a darker purple. The Handmaiden is maid of one solid piece of silicone, however; the colors are simply done with dye and there are no seams between them. There is a seam which runs down the outside length of the clitoral leg which can be felt by the touch of a finger but not internally.

The Handmaiden doesn't scream "sex toy" (especially in its pouch) but is oddly enough shaped that inquiring minds might wonder just what it is.

I often have trouble with similar toys not reaching my clit. Luckily, this was not the case with the Handmaiden. The clitoral leg was just about perfect length and when I rocked it against myself, the soft silicone responded by stimulating internally as well. However, I have a shallow G-spot and I found the G-spot leg really missed the mark. It curled toward the front wall of my vagina and the ridges rubbed painfully. If you know your G-spot is in the traditional spot (right behind the pubic bone) and you are a fan of textured G-spot toys, this should not be an issue, however.

Although I was able to squirt, it wasn't my best performance, nor the most pleasurable. It's really easier to use this fully inserted; otherwise, the clitoral leg may not reach and it may be more difficult to control. For both of these reasons, I was not able to fully customize my experience with the Handmaiden to my needs.

In my opinion, the handle makes it a bit easier to rock in longer motions than shorter ones so fans of long strokes would probably enjoy this a bit better than I did. Initially, I was using the handle incorrectly and it made using the Handmaiden a lot more difficult. However, it's difficult to achieve the pressure and short, quick movements I need against my G-spot using the handle as intended because my hand is not in the right position to apply pressure. The additional bulk of the rest of the toy proved to be a bit of a hindrance, too. Unlike the G-spot ridges, I didn't really notice the clitoral nubs one way or another.

Additionally, if a partner is controlling the Handmaiden, the handle isn't really designed to hold it "backwards." It can be done but is a bit uncomfortable and may require a creative solution. In my experience, it's just as easy to just rest a palm right behind the handle and rock the dildo that way.

One thing I have come to expect from toys of similar softness and shapes is that they do not like to stay in place. I can insert the Handmaiden the desirable spot but it always slides back out about an inch if I do not hold in it. It seems like the size of angle of my pubic bone encourages toys like the Handmaiden to disobey me.

I recognize that my personal anatomy and preferences are specific and are not entirely a shortcoming of this toy. I think most women whose bodies do respond to this style toy will have more positive experiences.

Because the Handmaiden is pure silicone without any mechanical parts it can be boiled or washed in the dishwasher to sterilize. However, the nonporous nature of silicone means I'd just be washing it in soap and water. I don't need it to be sterilized. I would recommend letting it air dry or using a microfiber towel because of its tendency to collect lint, hair and dust. Toy wipes may not efficiently deal with those small particles.

Storing inside a bag is recommend and Handmaiden comes with its own, a thin silver bag which the package describes as "satiny." I would tend to agree that it is like but not quite satin. However, the bag is only just wider than the thinnest part of this dildo and slipping it in involves shaking it around for a few moments (as does removal). The bag does cinch closed and can be tied to further protect the Handmaiden.

The Handmaiden comes packaged strangely. It sits in an unsealed plastic, clamshell "box" and, in turn, a larger plastic "sleeve" is slid over this. The sleeve ensure the clamshell stays closed but I had some difficult inserting the clamshell back into the sleeve. Not only is it awkward, but it's much larger than the dildo itself so I would not consider it an ideal storage solution. I would just use the storage pouch anyway.

The box is actually a bit useful with measurement, storage and care information in silvery and purple shades. From some angles, it difficult to read, however. It's not as nice as, say, Lelo's packaging and I wouldn't use it to gift but it's not evasive, either. I appreciate this.

One thing the Handmaiden has taught me is that the quick, short movements I like against my clit don't do much for my G-spot. When moving the clitoral leg, the G-spot leg almost exactly mimicked those movements and this became uncomfortable quickly.