In general, a vibrator is controlled via a simple dial control like the volume on a radio or one or more buttons. There are other types of course, but most have one of these, so let’s keep it simple.
The twist dial
The most simple control and the one that used to be the most common is a twist dial to turn the vibe on, up and down. These are great as long as they are decent quality but if that knob seems loose, has no firm stop at its top speed, or only makes a half turn or less skip it. Those are the ones they give away with better toys and they are pretty crappy. If you find one of these dial types with smooth control and a good range of speed those are great because the increase in speed is more gradual than any button control can offer but again, that is rare.
The button
The more common option is button control. Frequently, vibrators with buttons will feature two or three steady speeds and then either one or more vibrating “functions” or patterns, in which the vibe will move up and down or off and on in a particular pattern. Very few folks use those a lot with a first vibe, but they can be nice if you find that your overstimulated anatomy is quick to feel numb: the patterns usually cause less of a problem there. (A quick note on that subject: the numbness isn’t permanent. Take a break for a few hours and the effect will go away.)
With your first basic button vibrator, you’re most likely to use the three initial speeds. It’s important that the three feel different enough from one another that you can tell the difference. By the same token, you probably don’t want too much difference—you don’t want to go up one speed and feel like you went from tricycle to motorcycle!
Another thing to consider about button vibes: make sure what you’re getting is fairly simple. I have seen too many otherwise wonderful vibrators that failed because you had to type a certain pattern into multiple buttons to get to a particular speed. This is cumbersome enough when you’re in the store and just looking—imagine trying to do that during sex!
Plus, if you’re using it near genitalia, things are likely to get slippery, making the buttons hard to maneuver. The bits of you that you want to vibrate can tend to be out of your line of sight, so it’s essential to be able to operate the vibe by touch. I have been using and testing vibrators for many years and I avoid the complicated models even now. (Call me crazy, but I just don’t find fumbling with controls very sensual.)
Ready for something a bit less technical? Next up we’ll talk where to shop for your first vibe.
