There's a saying in my family: For free, take. Naturally, when I saw I could get a free vibrator, I figured it didn't matter if it turned out to be a cheap hunk of plastic because, well, it's free, and damn if I don't mind my elders.

I was quite pleasantly surprised by the Deep Vibrations toy, however. I regret to say I'm pretty new to toys, but I did have experience being underwhelmed by an inexpensive vibrator (that's the downside of being cheap, obviously). When they say deep vibrations, though, they mean it: for a low-priced bullet, it packs quite a punch.

It has a twisting dial to increase the intensity of vibrations from a gentle throb to a steady buzz. There's enough of a span that it should work well regardless of how sensitive your clit is, and it's well-suited for use in foreplay involving nipples, thighs, etc. While not really meant for penetration, you can slide it in partially for some teasing. It's less of a good idea trying to use it anally as that could lead to a very embarrassing doctor visit, but you could probably use it to press against and tease the opening. Those with an applicable model can also try using it in a vibrator powered by a bullet though I can't vouch from experience there.

The toy is made of smooth pink or purple plastic meaning that it's fairly easy to clean and reasonably safe (phthalates- and latex-free, hypoallergenic). It's not waterproof, so don't take it in the bath or shower. The control fits easily in the hand, and the egg is pretty small, so this is an item you can store pretty discreetly. The cord isn't particularly long, coming in at about two feet. That hasn't been much of a problem for me so far, but it can occasionally be a bother.

A bigger problem for me is the dial which can be sensitive. It's not much of a problem when you're carefully twisting with your fingers to get just the right intensity, but I've had the errant brush of a blanket send it wildly off. That can be mildly irritating if it slides to the wrong level and interrupts your play and was a bit alarming when it turned off altogether (leading me to think the batteries had died). Potentially mortifying is to have it accidentally switched from off to on at an inopportune time. It also lacks an automatic off button (forcing you to quickly scroll through the intensities if you're rudely interrupted) which may be a turn-off to some people.

It's not painfully loud but enough so that I wouldn't risk using it with only a blanket as cover. A door or some music should be efficient, but I don't think even a thick comforter is able to muffle it enough (and I'm not terribly keen on conducting an experiment). It's something to keep in mind if you live with someone other than your partner(s).

It took me some experimenting to figure out quite how I wanted to use it having only had experience with a traditional vibrator before. My first two sessions with it left me feeling wound up but unsatisfied, leading me to suspect that perhaps it just wasn't strong enough to seal the deal. The third time proved me wrong, however, as I finally pinpointed just the vibration level and stimulation for me. In that respect, I think it can be quite good for beginners just starting to figure out what works for them without worrying about the price.