I’ll be honest: I bought this toy on a whim, which I rarely do (I tend to research every purchase obsessively). I already had a velvety plastic G-spot vibrator that more than did the job, why did I need another one? It turns out I’m glad I followed my instincts.

Before me sits the petite Velvet Violet vibe. She is neither long nor thick. She does not have multiple intensities or patterns of vibrations. She does not have a deeply textured surface or pleasure nubs or ribbing. She is a simple, sturdy girl, and what she does have, she has in spades.

While the Velvet Violet only has one speed, that speed is strong, much more than I expected from a single AA battery. It was strong enough for a quickie or an extended session without being numbing. However, with this power comes some noise. It’s definitely louder than a cell phone on vibrate, but cannot be heard through a closed door.

This unimposing little vibrator is small, which is both good and bad. On the plus side, it is easy to carry with you or to hide in a hurry. I can completely conceal it behind my hand and wrist or in the pocket of my jeans (I have even successfully hidden in my bra, but I am a DD, so this may not be possible for more normally-sized ladies). It can be tossed in a purse or makeup bag without taking up too much space. However, the Velvet Violet’s small stature can cause some problems. Once inserted, the tapered handle is a little awkward, and women whose g-spots are farther up the vaginal wall may have a hard time maneuvering with what little handle is left. The velvety texture of the plastic gives it some grip, though, saving this from being a deal breaker.

The Velvet Violet is waterproof, which is always a plus, but you must be careful when turning it off, because it is very easy to over-turn the handle, causing the battery compartment to pop open. That said, as long as I’m careful to make sure it stays closed around water, I have never had an issue with the battery compartment leaking. Even completely submerged, the battery stayed dry, and the noise was effectively damped too! (pardon the pun)

Cleanup, the dreaded post-orgasm annoyance, was easy. Because it’s waterproof, soap and water do just fine, though you have to be careful to clean the crack where the body and handle come together. Spray-on toy cleaners and wipes work well on this toy, too. Remember, plastic can’t be sterilized, so if you’re going to be sharing, use a condom. This toy is small enough you can slide the whole thing into the condom and tie the end closed! It’s a bit harder to turn it on and off inside the condom, but that’s a small price to pay for safety.

This is a wonderful toy I would gladly recommend to my friends without a single toy and to my friends with more toys than they can easily count. It may be simple, but if you need a portable, powerful, waterproof toy without all the bank-breaking bells and whistles, the Velvet Violet will not disappoint.

This toy works well as both a clitoral and g-spot toy. The first few times I used it was as a clitoral toy, and the shape is great for either pinpointing the clitoris or cupping the area. Rubbing or tapping with the point feels wonderful, and the velvety finish gave it just enough friction, even with a lot of lube. The Velvet Violet worked nicely during sex as well. It’s small enough not to get in the way, but large enough that it’s harder to drop and much easier to maneuver than a bullet. When we switched to doggy style, I discovered that the shape is perfect for reaching back every so often to catch behind his balls.

The Velvet Violet is a wonderful clitoral toy, but it doesn’t stint as the g-spot probing for which it was designed. The hard plastic is great if, like me, you need firm stimulation to make your g-spot sing. The length was just right to hit my g-spot, but women with higher g-spots may have trouble reaching all the way and still have any handle left. One small quibble I have with the handle, though: there’s no mark on it to indicate which way the tip points. This isn’t an issue when I use it alone, but when my boyfriend is using it on me, he has to pull it out to reposition it after it twists.

It seems I loved this toy too well. After a few months of heavy use as my go-to for a discreet quickie, my velvet violet began to fail. At first it became much louder, without a reduction in the power. I chalked it up to more battery movement, and made sure to play music while using it. Then the battery contacts inside the casing became to come loose, and it was the beginning of the end. I nursed it along for a few weeks by bending and fiddling with the contacts, carefully twisting the cap into just the right position to get it to turn on, and eventually thunk-ing it with the heel of my hand occasionally to get it to start.

Once I could get it going, it was just as strong as before, but it had also become prone to shut off if held at the wrong angle, so finally I threw in the towel. It was a great, inexpensive, basic toy. I still recommend it to friends looking for a relatively discreet jack-of-all-trades toy. It was simple, it was powerful, it was waterproof, and it was affordable on a college budget; all of which made it a solid choice. Such toys break (but it's a great excuse to try something new next time around).

Even after a lifespan of only a few months, I still rate this toy a solid 5 stars for being very good at what it was designed to do, and a bunch more besides that, at a low price.