I picked the Teddy Buddy because it is adorable. I was delighted to discover that it packs a punch as well.

The Teddy (okay, it looks more like a koala bear to me, and in my mind teddy bears and koala bears are two different things, but Teddy is what the manufacturer called it so I guess Teddy it will be) has two parts: a plastic vibrating bullet that takes four (that's right, four) watch batteries (the package included eight batteries, which is nice of them) and a “silicone” cover shaped like a koala bear. The package said it should be used with a rubber-compatible lube, so I think it's rubber with silicone in it, not proper medical-grade silicone. Therefore it can't be sterilized. I think a condom would probably fit over it, if you are sharing it between partners, but I'm not certain.

The end of the bullet screws off to allow battery insertion, and getting it set up was no trouble at all. It has one speed, and turns off and on by pressing the button at the end. I was really surprised by how powerful the bullet was – strong enough to make my fingers feel numb after a few minutes. Fortunately the sleeve moderates the strength well. It's also pretty quiet - about the same volume as a computer fan.

The shape turned out to be a bit awkward for focused clitoral stimulation, but the Teddy snuggles up to the outside of my pussy very happily, and sends vibrations in all directions. Head down, facing my pussy, it cups and awakens the whole vulva. Turned over, the back provides slightly more focused stimulation to the clit and the tips of the labia. The strength is great – it gets me ready to go very fast, but I think I could lie back and enjoy it for quite some time if I wanted to.

I attempted to get the bullet out mid-massage for some focused clitoral stimulation, but my fingers and the toy were far too slippery to extract it. So I switched to another bullet and easily got myself off.

Using the Teddy with my husband also worked well – the Teddy could provide all-over stimulation while still leaving the vagina free for intercourse. Again, it couldn't provide so much focused stimulation, but at that point I didn't need it.

Cleanup went well. The bullet is fully waterproof so I can clean it with soap and water, and the sleeve also cleans up pretty easily with soap and water or a commercial toy cleanser. There's a few nooks (the base of the arms, for example) that are a bit harder to clean, but nothing that will hold dirt or lube for long.

Overall, I'm very happy with my Teddy Buddy. He's just the sort of friend you need to help you out in a tight corner.

Okay, two tips:

If you hold the Teddy against your pussy, you might find that more of the vibrations go into your fingers than into your pussy. If you hold it by the end of the bullet that's sticking out, most of the vibrations will go where you want them and your hands won't get so tired.

Even with dry fingers, the bullet is hard to get out. Try putting your fingers under its legs and using your thumbs to push down on the head, like a doctor pushing a syringe. Much easier.

[ Editor's Note: putting a little lube on the bullet before inserting will make removal much easier ]

I am very disappointed! Two weeks after writing the above review, the bullet stopped working entirely. My first thought was that the batteries may have died, though I hadn't noticed a decline in vibration strength like I normally would as the batteries died. When I went to change the batteries, I discovered that the battery cap is cracked, which is probably the root of the problem. At any rate, it won't turn on, which is sad.

I'm not sure how it broke, either, since I have carpeted floors and don't remember it getting beat up. At any rate, it's dead. I'd like to take off a star or two; toys should last at least a month!