It might be easier to list what the Hitachi can’t be used for — namely, stimulation in the shower/bath and insertion. Other than that, though, the sky’s the limit. It’s obviously known for the out-of-this-world vibrations that can deliver orgasms to the most stubborn of clits, but it has plenty of other uses. Its vibrations are exceptionally deep, so it really does work as a massager for sore muscles, and when used with an attachment, it makes an excellent g-spot vibe. Using it during partner sex can be cumbersome because of its size and the fact that it has to be plugged in, but it is possible — besides, you can always have your partner use it on you (or vice versa) during foreplay. The only people likely to take serious issue with the Hitachi are those who have extremely sensitive clits, because it does pack quite a bit more power than the run-of-the-mill vibrator.

Unlike most sex toys, the head of the Hitachi is made of food grade vinyl, which is FDA-approved, hypoallergenic, and perfectly safe. Opinions on how effective vinyl is as a material for sex toys are definitely mixed, but I happen to love it. In terms of texture, it’s not as soft as silicone or even Velvet Cote, but it has a lot more give, which is great if you don’t like really rigid toys but don’t want to use one made of something like jelly. It still offers a great deal of resistance if you like having something to push against, though, because while the neck is flexible, you really have to use some force to make it move. It does have a slight smell when you first get it, but it’s barely noticeable and fades over time.

Other than the vinyl head, the Magic Wand is made of hard plastic. Combined with the fact that it is almost entirely white and has a pretty no-nonsense on/off switch, the Hitachi is not the most aesthetically pleasing toy; to be quite honest, all that shiny plastic looks a bit like something you might see in a dentist’s office. It’s such a good toy, though, that I’m willing to overlook this.

As for the size — well, there’s no getting around the fact that this is a large toy. It’s about 12” long, and the head is 2” across. It’s also heavy, relatively speaking — about 1.2 pounds. Some people are bothered by this, some are not; I fall (mostly) into the latter camp. The bulkiness is, for me, only an issue in partner sex; I find that when using the wand by myself, I can easily reduce or eliminate any strain by positioning it differently. The handle of the wand has a slight inward curve on each side, which also helps by making the toy easier to grip.

The Hitachi would be a fairly discreet toy were it not for the fact that so many people have heard about it. Still, anyone unfamiliar with the sexual applications of massagers is unlikely to guess what you're using it for. It is not, however, a particularly easy toy to travel with, partly because of its size but also because if you're given to venturing overseas, you'll need an adapter to plug it in.

Because it’s a plug-in massager, the Hitachi is probably one of the easiest-to-use toys on the planet — provided, of course, that you’re not using it in a setting that is likely to get you tangled up in the cord (e.g. during particularly athletic partner sex). Furthermore, the Hitachi has only two settings: low and high. I happen to prefer constant vibration, but anyone who likes to play around with different pulsation patterns should probably look elsewhere. It must also be said that the Magic Wand’s “low” would be any other vibrator’s “high.” I need a lot of power to get off, and even I find the “high” on the Hitachi to be too much, although it’s great for massaging away muscle aches.

So why do I like this toy, given that it basically has only one power setting? It’s all about the kind of vibrations it produces. It’s not just that they’re strong; they actually feel different from the vibrations you get with most other toys. For one thing, the size of the Hitachi’s head means that the vibrations are more diffuse; I’m as big a fan of clitoral stimulation as the next girl, but I prefer toys with vibrations that extend throughout the vulva. There’s also a qualitative difference to the Magic Wand’s vibrations, though. It’s not an easy feeling to describe, but the best way I can put it is that the sensation is very, very deep and rumbly; to me, it feels like my nerves themselves are vibrating, rather than just being stimulated. The high setting, as I said, is more intense, but its vibrations are also a bit buzzier — another reason why I prefer low.

The main drawback of the Hitachi in terms of performance is that it is very noisy. It’s loud on its lower setting; using it at full power produces a particularly high-pitched whirring sound. Depending on how thin the walls are in your house/apartment, others may be able to hear it from the next room. Whether this is an insurmountable obstacle is something that you have to decide for yourself. Personally, I’m the sort of person who tends to kind of thrust against my toys, and the noise produced by the Magic Wand is dampened considerably the closer you press it to your body. I’ve also noticed that the sound made by the Hitachi is remarkably similar to the sound made by my space heater/fan, so I can always use that as an excuse if someone asks why it sounds like there’s a lawnmower in my bedroom.

The Hitachi is a fairly easy toy to clean; you can use mild soap and water to rinse the head, but be careful not to splash a lot of water on the body of the toy, because it is far from waterproof. At the risk of stating the obvious, do NOT get water on the wand while it’s plugged in; the last thing you want to do is electrocute yourself. The other thing to keep in mind is that while the head is easy to clean with water or disinfectant, it is porous, so unless you cover the head with a condom or attachment, this isn’t a toy you can share. If you like a little slipperiness — and I would recommend it, given how powerful the vibrations are — you can use either water-based or silicone-based lubricant. Keep in mind, though, that many of the attachments sold for the Hitachi are made of silicone, and are therefore not compatible with silicone-based lube.

I have heard from some friends who own this vibe that the head tends to yellow over time. Personally, I haven’t found this to be a problem yet, but if you want to be on the safe side, I’d suggest cleaning it regularly and covering the head in between uses.

The Magic Wand comes in a basic cardboard box that can be recycled. The packaging is about as discreet as you can get in the sense that there are several pictures of people using the wand as a massager but no reference of any kind to its naughtier uses. Personally, I wasn’t bothered by this; in fact, I found the willful naiveté somewhat charming. Given that the manufacturers insist so adamantly on the Hitachi’s more innocent applications, though, it’s not surprising that there are no instructions on how to use the wand as a vibrator (although there is a very strenuous warning against using it on your thyroid, for whatever that’s worth). Let’s face it, though; anyone with any knowledge of sex toys is already familiar with the Hitachi’s reputation, so it doesn’t really need a lot of fancy packaging to entice potential buyers.

A final word on the Hitachi’s many uses: I’ve heard from several different people that they prefer the Magic Wand for short masturbation sessions, and there’s no denying that it’s powerful enough to get you off quickly and pleasurably. However, I find that its power actually makes it one of the best toys for long, leisurely exploration, provided you get a little creative. One of my favorite things to do with the Hitachi is to use it on or right next to my clit until I’m on the verge of orgasm, and then back off on the intensity by putting the vibrator either against my inner thigh or just on top of my pubic bone; the vibrations are so strong that I can still feel them in my clit, but not strong enough to push me over the edge, so it’s a really fantastic way of prolonging the sort of warm, weightless feeling I get in the moments just before the actual release of tension.