The LUXE Empower is specifically designed for clitoral stimulation, rather than penetration. It can also function as a vibrator for other erogenous zones on the body such as the nipples, the labia, or anywhere else externally that will get your juices flowing so to speak. This is a great warm up toy whether you intend on playing solo or with a partner. Couples may find this toy great for a good tease before playtime because either partner can wield it. It is waterproof, but for me personally, I'd use it in the bedroom only.

Beginners will have fun with this toy, but advanced users who are used to more power should look elsewhere for a more powerful clitoral stimulator. This toy should not be used anally, as there is no flare to prevent this toy from becoming 'lost', and it is not meant for penetration as it is. This toy can be travel friendly as it will fit in a purse or carry-on without difficulty.

This product takes two AAA batteries.

The LUXE Empower is made from three types of materials; plastic, PU coated plastic, and silicone. Let me start with the silicone. It is soft, smooth, and very velvety to the touch as it feels luxurious in your hands. There is a little drag to the silicone, and if lubricant (water based only) is applied, it provides you with a smooth, slick surface. You may have to re-apply the lubricant every so often as silicone tends to absorb moisture.

The plastic is smooth, as most plastics are, and there's no drag to it whatsoever. Again, there is no taste but there is a light smell if you press it up to your nose. It smells like, well, plastic obviously. It's not very pungent so users who are sensitive won't have to worry about the smell burning their eyes and nostrils as other materials do. There is no texture that I can tell to the plastic half as it's just the silver band between the silicone and the PU coated plastic half.

The PU coated plastic is velvety to the touch, much like the silicone half. It's smooth, and soft feeling, but rigid, just as all plastic is. The silicone half of this toy is only a bit flexible at the tip while the rest houses the vibrator. There is a slight texture along the silicone but it's highly unlikely that this will be felt in use. Also, there is a small seam in the silicone, but it is smooth and cannot be felt either.

Since this toy isn't meant for penetration, it is compatible for all users, but beginners will likely benefit more from it.

I'd describe this toy as having a sort of an 's' shape without so much curve. It can also be described as shaped like a wave or ripple on the water. Since I don't have the average size hand of a female, this toy was rather hard to hold to provide efficient stimulation. It could be my lack of coordination or it could just be that this toy is poorly designed. The vibrations however are fairly good for warm up purposes as it was designed for.

Couples should have no problem using this toy, and users might wish to get their significant other to handle it, as it's not the best for self fulfillment. If beginners can get this toy to work, then they will love the design and the level of vibrations. Advanced users are not going to benefit from this toy at all, as I have said previously. You can travel with this toy, but be sure to remove the batteries and tuck it away where it's not going to be seen, as it's not very discreet in terms of design. I'd describe this toy as ergonomic, but I have to say it's probably only ergonomic to users with smaller hands.

There are two buttons on this toy. One is the power switch, turning the toy on or off, and the other is the button to move through the different vibration patterns. Simple, and easy to remember, which is perfect for a beginner. These buttons are lit by a red back-light indicating that the toy is on and as you cycle through the vibrations the light flashes with the vibration. On some patterns the light is brighter than the others, meaning that the vibration is more powerful. The vibration patterns are:

1. Low vibration - constant (2 vrooms/2 bees)
2. Medium vibration - constant (2 vrooms/2 bees)
3. High vibration - constant (3 vrooms/2 bees)
4. Roller coaster up/down - pattern (2 vrooms/2 bees)
5. Gradient burst, kind of flickering - pattern (3 vrooms/2 bees)
6. Surge, like the name implies, a surge - pattern (3 vrooms/2 bees)
7. Pulsate, a pulsation feeling - pattern (2 vrooms/2 bees)

The vibrations are fairly strong but they aren't going to break through a 'clit of steel' so to speak. The vibrations themselves range from rumbly to buzzy, and this toy is louder than other vibrators of its kind. This toy will also numb your hand if held too long. It doesn't have a 'memory' function as when you turn it off and then power it up again it just goes to the next vibration pattern, meaning you will have to cycle back through them if you have a favorite. To power the toy down, press and hold the power button for three seconds.

This toy is waterproof but I haven't tried it in the water, nor do I intend to. I usually never trust toys if they say they are waterproof simply because I have a paranoia about them not working afterward. Sure, I could buy it again, but why do that when I have other toys I can take in the bath with me without mechanical parts to break down? The controls of the LUXE Empower are simple and effective, and the toy is overall very easy to use. This vibrator is not a battery guzzler from what I've seen so far, so I don't think it will be too much of a problem.

This toy is waterproof so a quick rinse shouldn't hurt anything. Since this toy is made from silicone and plastic, it can be washed with a toy cleaner/wipe, a simple wash with soap and warm water, or sanitized in a 10% bleach, 90% water solution. Don't expect to be able to toss this toy into the dishwasher or boil it to clean, as it is made with mechanical parts, since it is a vibrator (obviously). However, since this toy is non-porous clean up should be simple, just be sure to clean around the crevices if they get dirty. A soft bristle brush could be useful if grime happens to get past the o-ring.

I personally plan on storing my toy in its original packaging. Silicone, regardless of whether it has drag or not is still a lint and hair magnet. Since this toy is made of silicone you should only use water based lubricants with it. Silicone lubricants could react badly with the material and cause it to melt. Remember to remove the batteries after every use, to prevent them from becoming corroded and ruining the toy in the process. Never allow water into the battery compartment as it can cause the mechanical parts to become rusted and no longer work properly.

This toy came packaged in a clear plastic box and the toy itself was nestled inside of a plastic insert to hold it in place. This kind of packaging is very minimal and you may throw it away if you so choose, or recycle it. On the front of the box it has the name of the toy, and tells about it having 7 functions, as well as the company name and showing that it's waterproof. On the back of the box, there is some information about the toy being silicone, having easy controls, what kind of batteries it takes, and again that it has 7 functions. These details are listed in five different languages such as English, French, German, Spanish and Russian.

I would not consider the box to be good for gifting it to someone as the package is not discreet in any form. If you wish, you can keep the box for storage, as I do with all of my toys.