The Little Thumper is the next generation of vibrating eggs: a very sleek, friendly-looking vibrator|Little thumper - Bullet vibrator by Doc Johnson that really delivers – especially if you like surprises. The major improvement over previous models is that it has a small handle on the end for better control. This is a subtle, but very important enhancement because it allows you to hold the toy without your fingers going numb from the vibration. I’ve never liked traditional egg vibrators|Egg vibrators because using them always meant tingly fingers.

The other attribute that sets the Little Thumper apart from other vibrators is the controller. Attached by a wire (not my favorite configuration), the control pack has two buttons: on/off and 4step. The on/off switch keeps you from having to cycle through all of the settings to turn it off when you’re finished – a huge design improvement, in my opinion. The 4step button is how you control the speed and function of the vibrator.

I think the packaging is a little misleading when it calls this a four-function vibrator. It has four settings: two speeds of continuous vibration and two variable-speed functions. For a vibrator that takes AA batteries, the high setting is very powerful. The lower setting is only a mild step down from high, so if you like a vibrator that gives you gentler options, I would not recommend this toy. There are two function settings: alternating on and off vibrations and vibrations that slowly speed up and then slow down. They’re first in the ordering, which I did not like at all. When you turn the toy on, it begins in the speed up/slow down mode. If you click the 4step button, it goes to high-speed on/off alternation. I prefer a more traditional ordering where slower continuous vibration speeds come first and the function modes follow. There were several times when I forgot that the second mode was not continuous and became very annoyed when it stopped vibrating after I’d set the controller down.

Another click of the 4step button gets you to high-speed continuous vibration. The final click gets you to the lower continuous vibrating setting. If you click the button again, the ordering starts over from the beginning. This doesn’t seem hard to remember now, but in the heat of the moment, trying to find the function you want can be a hassle. Some vibrators list the order right on the controller. That would be helpful on the Little Thumper.

Overall, I liked the Little Thumper and definitely plan to keep it in the rotation. The handle makes it easy to use by yourself or with a partner and the irritation the function order causes is pretty minor. The pros here (powerful vibrations, good design) definitely outweigh any cons.