I admit it - I picked up this vibe while I was searching a store for some lingerie. Yes, it was out of my budget for the month, but it looked so pretty sitting on the display table! It has quickly become my favorite toy for solo play. The Smart Wand works best for clitoral and vulva stimulation - I find that the head makes it just a little too large for insertion, and the size of it limits the number of positions it can be invited into for partnered sex, but the variety of options it offers makes it a delicious tool for masturbation.

It really is a clever thing. It's got the basics covered solidly: 10 levels of vibration, 8 different variations in rhythm, rechargeable battery, waterproof. The vibration varies from gentle tickling to "Hold onto your hats!", and tends to be a pleasant rumble, rather than a gentle buzz. One of my favorite features is its pressure sensitive head. You can either set it to a level, or turn on the pressure sensitive feature - it will detect whether it's in contact with a surface, and ramp up the vibration depending when it's in contact. It's thrilling to be pushing for an orgasm and have a vibe that pushes back!

LELO loves silicone, and the Smart Wand falls right into line. It's smooth, easy to handle, and easy to clean. Lubes can make it a little hard to grasp, but since I tend to use it just for external play, this has not been much of an issue for this toy. The silicone is smooth and firm, but has enough give to make pressing it against sensitive areas comfortable.

The handle has a hard plastic portion that requires a little bit of extra TLC on cleanup. While the silicone and plastic have no scent or taste, the seam between the two portions could gather schmutz if not cared for.

The curved design of the Smart Wand fits neatly in the hand, and is light enough to not let sore wrists inhibit your playtime. I find that the battery life on mine runs between an hour and a half to two hours. There's enough handle to hold on to to avoid accidentally dinking with the controls when the toy settings need to stay just where they've been put. On the upside, its size makes it easy to maneuver during masturbation, and the long handle offers the leverage I need to grind against it. On the flipside, that does mean it can get in the way for face-to-face positions. I have a hard time trying to slip it between myself and my partner even when I'm on top.

The controls are pretty intuitive, but you may want to do a quick read of the manual that's included with the Smart Wand - finding out how to turn on the pressure sensitivity can either take fifteen minutes of poking around, or ten seconds of reading the instructions.

The shape is reminiscent enough to the Hitachi that no one is likely to mistake this for anything but a vibrator, and the mirror-bright plastic and the swoopy design reflect that it is not a casual vibrator. Fortunately, it comes with a satin bag for discreet storage. It's small enough to easily fit in a travel bag if you're on the road, and comes with an adapter for charging.

For all its futuristic design aesthetic, the Smart Wand does feel like a kinder, gentler Hitachi wand. All of the vibration comes from the bulb at the end of the wand. It has 10 different vibration strength settings, and eight different vibration patterns. The controls are nestled on the inside curve of the wand, out of range for accidental fumbles, but close enough that they're right at hand when they're needed.

I like this vibe for its power - although the shape of it does call to mind the Hitachi, it will not provide that level of drywall-shattering intensity. This does not stop it from being a reliable, sturdy wand with plenty of rumble to go around. The curve to the handle gives excellent leverage for firm massage, and the power of the vibrations will make you glow from your neck to your knees. For most play, I find that the middle of the road settings do an excellent job.

The SenseTouch option give this wand an interesting edge with partnered play and massage. The bulb will detect if it's being pressed against a surface within three seconds, and then ramp up to the highest setting - the controls can be used to lower the intensity once it's in contact. When it is no longer in contact, it will reduce to a very, very low buzz. For light massage, sensitive areas, or folks who don't like a little of pressure with their vibrating, this can add a fun element of give and take that I haven't encountered in any other toy.

The Smart Wand is mostly made from silicone, and is an easy to care for material - most cleaning can be done with simple soap and water. However, because there is a hard plastic portion, you'll want to take special care when cleaning the seam between the silicone and the plastic. Because of that seam, I wouldn't recommend using this toy with a non-fluid-bonded partner without throwing a condom on top (which makes clean-up even easier!).

Silicone toys should be stored separately from other silicone toys, and you should stick to water-based lubes. The Smart Wand comes with a satin bag for storage.