The Hitachi is famous, and after using it, I can see why. However, this isn't a one-size-fits-all vibrator, and I don't think it'd fit everyone out there.

If you like deep, thuddy, strong vibrations, this is the toy for you. No other vibrator that I've encountered even comes close to matching the Hitachi for depth and strength of vibration. If strength is what you need from a vibrator, look no further.

If you like an extended masturbation session, though, look elsewhere. For me, the Hitachi can lead to serious numbness if used for a protracted period. Because of this, I can't tease with it like I do with other toys and slowly build up. It's a toy that I reach for when I want an orgasm, and nothing else.

It's loud enough that if privacy is an issue, you should look elsewhere.

The Hitachi is made of plastic, with all the cleaning and lubricant-use benefits that implies. The handle is covered in smooth, sleek plastic that clacks a bit and feels too light for the size of the toy, and I always feel like the shell is going to break open in use.

The head is covered in firm, somewhat pliable material that has a bit of give when you press against it. I wasn't certain about it at first, because it is textured, and there were a few flaws in it that caught unpleasantly on my fingers when I rubbed them across it. In use, though, I actually found that the pebbeled texture added more stimulation. It might not be for everyone, but I enjoyed the touch of roughness.

Design, design, design.

I'll be honest. The Hitachi is one of the ugliest toys I've seen. I think only the Eroscillator really trumps it for sheer unpleasantness. The look of it kept me away for a long time, and if it weren't for the cult-status of this vibrator, I probably never would've gotten it.

It's huge, unwieldy, and looks about as sexual as a tube of icy-hot. It also provides amazing orgasms. The huge fat head carries vibration all the way through it, and the long handle means that it can be positioned during partner sex.

I did find some down-sides to it. The handle is too long for using on my own if I want to press the flat of my head up against my clitoris, and moving the vibrator takes so much work that I often end a session with cramps in my hand. The switch is usually well out of the way, but it can be triggered easily if you grasp the handle wrong.

The Hitachi is all about strength. Don't be fooled by one side of the switch being labeled low; it's only low in that the high should be relabeled 'insane'.

I expected the vibrations to be centered on the very middle of the head or to be stronger on the edge, but when I used the Hitachi, I found that every centimeter of the tennis-ball sized head is filled with deep, thrumming vibrations. This is fantastic in use because you have all the strength of pinpoint stimulation, but you also get the full stimulation of a more diffuse vibrator. Everywhere that needs to get buzzed gets buzzed.

It does make it unwieldy to use, though, if you're like me and require a bit of movement with your vibration.

In practice, I found that the low setting is more of a nice theoretical than something I actually use. It's not quite strong enough to easily push me over the edge, but it's too strong to use for a long period of time. If I start on low, by the time I'm ready to switch over to high I'm already numb.

This has been an issue in partnered use, too. The first time my husband used this on me, he cycled between low and high, using the high for short periods of teasing. To the surprise of both of us, it took around twenty minutes to actually manage to get me off.

If I start it on high, though, everything is different. It feels like I skip the first two thirds of a masturbation session and jump right to the last third, where everything is the dizzying climb to orgasm.

The Hitachi isn't waterproof, and it's not really meant for insertion. You'll want to wipe the head down after use, and if you really need to clean it, it can be removed. I know that some people mention keeping their Hitachi plugged in constantly, but it's safest to unplug it between uses.

I haven't really had any problems with the Hitachi in the time that I've had it. Of my toys, it seems to be the lowest maintenance.

The Hitachi came in a box that looks like it's straight out of the eighties. Beatifically smiling people use the toy in every way but sexual, and it's loudly touted as a massager. The toy comes loose in the box, with a very basic manual.

The manual shows places that the Hitachi can be used, and lists basically everywhere except for your crotch.

If it weren't for how well known this toy is, I'd call it discreet.

I grab my Hitachi when I want an orgasm immediately, but outside of that, I find myself avoiding it. The orgasms that I have often aren't as intense as with weaker vibrators. I never truly reach a point of arousal with this. It's all physical sensation.