It has taken me a few weeks to decide how I feel about the LAYAspot by Fun Factory. At first I thought it was pretty cool and well designed, then I thought it was too wimpy. Now my overall impression of the toy is that it does have a great design, but it just doesn't live up to all the hype. I was expecting something more phenomenal, more powerful, more useful I guess.

First thing I noticed about this sensual toy|LAYAspot when I received it was the words on the box - 100% Silicone. I had thought it was plastic with a Silicone cote, and honestly that is what it looks like when I hold it in my hands. I opened up the flaps on the back of the box and continued reading - made of Elastomed. What?! I must say that I was really confused over it claiming to be both Elastomed and 100% Silicone. After discussions on the forums and some inquiries to Fun Factory|TPE and Elastomed (I give this credit to Cock Wrangler and Pale Ada), I did learn that Elastomed can be treated the same as Silicone and the two are comparable. Because of that I would err on the side of caution and not use Silicone lube with this toy (even though Fun Factory puts silicone lube samples (Bodyfluid|Bodyfluid Lubricant) in with their Elastomed toys). I have two Elastomed toys (this and the Smart Balls) and can say from personal experience that Elastomed is firmer than Silicone and holds marks for a longer period of time. Also worth noting, it is not tacky at all and has no oder or taste.

The LAYAspot is powered by two AAA batteries. There are markings in the battery compartment indicating which way the batteries are to be inserted. The power output seems pretty good, not amazing but sufficient. I was pleasantly surprised by the audible level of the toy though. It is silent on the lower speed settings and is still fairly quiet on the highest setting. I counted 8 different levels of vibration intensity and 3 different pulsation modes. The controls are simple as there are only two buttons to operate it. The "+" and the "-" buttons can be difficult to press, but otherwise work well. Press the "+" button for a couple seconds to turn the LAYAspot on. Then you can either press the "+" button once per each level of intensity, or you can hold it down to steadily increase the speed until you reach the highest setting. One more press takes you to the pulsation mode, where you will continue to cycle through them upon pressing the "+" button. To return to the vibration settings, just depress the "-" button once. Just like you can with the "+" button, the "-" button may be pressed separately for each setting or held down until the lowest speed is reached. Press and hold the "-" button for a couple seconds to power off the LAYAspot (must be on the lowest speed first).

I was hoping the toy would lend itself well to use during intercourse, but found that it just is too bulky to sit comfortably between my husband and I during the missionary position. I found instead that this makes a better masturbation aid as it is more useful in a massaging role. It sits comfortably in my hand and is easy to hold onto. If you get excessive amounts of lube on it though, it will become slippery just as anything doused with lube will become.

I use Before and After Toy Cleaner|Before and after toy cleaner review to clean my LAYAspot. It is "splash proof" so you could wash it in the sink with warm water and mild soap too, just be careful not to get water into the battery compartment.

My overall impression of this toy is that it works pretty well, but isn't amazing. It is quiet and moderately powered, fits the hand well, and is cute to look at.

The lowest vibration setting is so gentle and subtle that it may seem like it has no use. My husband found the gentle vibrations from the lower settings to be quite good for use on his balls during foreplay or fellatio. Usually my vibrators are too strong to be used on him, so he enjoys having one that is not too intense for him.