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Buying sex toys on Amazon can be sketchy, but we vetted some top picks for you

Time to put that Prime subscription to good use.
By Bethany Allard  on 
All products featured here are independently selected by our editors and writers. If you buy something through links on our site, Mashable may earn an affiliate commission.

Dupes may be all the rage, but sex toys are one shopping category where you need to make sure you're getting the real deal.

Just because you can buy nearly anything under the sun on Amazon doesn't mean you should, especially if you're not trying to pick up a counterfeit or poorly-made sex toys.

Because you're reading this, you're very much not trying to do that, but it isn't uncommon to find illegitimate sex toys sold by third-party sellers like Amazon, that can stop working at best, and be actually dangerous to use on your body at worst.

Still, we get that buying sex toys can be intimidating, and going to Amazon instead of a full-fledged sex shop or a manufacturer's website (though we are big fans of both) can make the process much easier. To help make sure you're getting the quality product you deserve, we researched what brands are actually selling on Amazon, tested out some toys ourselves, and compiled a few tips on how to shop safely.

Why is it sketchy to buy sex toys on Amazon?

When you go to a sex toy brand's website or a reputable sex shop, you're basically getting a vetted selection of toys. There won't be random knock-offs or dupes that don't have your best interests in mind. You're also buying from people who know what they're talking about when it comes to sex toys.

Amazon, on the other hand, pretty much lets anyone sell anything.

"Purchasing from third-party stores like Amazon doesn't guarantee an authentic product," Mashable Sex and Relationships Reporter Anna Iovine wrote in her guide on how to buy sex toys. "Considering that the toy will be in or around your genitals, it's imperative to make sure it's legit."

It wasn't that long ago that the drop-shipped rose toy went viral on TikTok, despite its dubious quality. If you search "Hitachi Magic Wand," on Amazon, you'll get plenty of results(opens in a new tab), despite the fact that the website is not listed as one of Magic Wand's trusted retailers(opens in a new tab). In fact, Magic Wand's website explicitly warns consumers to "be particularly careful of counterfeit Magic Wand products in places like e-Bay and Amazon."

The good news? Amazon is starting to take more serious measures in preventing the sale of counterfeit products(opens in a new tab). And in the meantime, there are still plenty of legitimate products on Amazon from brands' storefronts — you just have to know how and where to look.

How to safely buy sex toys on Amazon

  • Start from the storefront. Unauthorized sellers can be sneaky on Amazon. Just because the product links back to a legitimate storefront doesn't mean that the product itself is legit (we experienced this first hand ourselves, it's easier than you think to get tricked!) To make sure you're actually looking at a genuine product, always start from a brands' storefront and work your way out. If you have a brand you like, it's a good idea to check out their website to see if they have their storefront linked rather than going straight to Amazon's search bar. For each of our product selections below, we've also linked the Amazon storefront so you can safely check out the rest of the brands' offerings.

  • Double check the seller. While this isn't a hard and fast rule, 99% of the time, a quick glance at the seller will help you determine if you're buying a legit product or getting duped.

    screenshoot of unbound bender amazon page with red arrow and red box highlighting the "sold by" section
    The seller can be found to the right side of the page, not right under the product name. Credit: Screenshot / Amazon
  • Be aware of anything that's suspiciously cheap. If that $120 sex toy you're looking at is only $65 at Amazon and Amazon alone, there's more than a decent chance you're getting a knockoff. We understand the excitement of finding a good deal, but it's always good to approach markdowns with a healthy dose of skepticism.

We reached out to LELO, one of the brands on this list that has two Amazon storefronts, to ask how consumers can be sure to safely purchase sex toys on Amazon. Their chief marketing officer, Luka Matutinović, shared the following three bullet points via email to Mashable:

  • Read the seller ratings. Think of the seller as you would think of a product on Amazon. Would you feel confident buying a product that only has 10 reviews or a low general rating? The chances are pretty low. Look for a reasonable amount of reviews and a positive general rating. 

  • Find the warranty and/or guarantee. Most sexual wellness companies stand behind their products and aren’t afraid to share that. Look in the product images, product pages, and storefronts for each company’s policy. Some products, like LELO, even include a warranty in the product packaging.

  • A tamper-proof sticker is your final safety check before use. Once you have found your product, personally verified your seller, and the product has arrived, there is one more step to help ensure you have safely purchased your toy. Before opening the product packaging, double-check for a tamper-proof sticker to make sure you are the first one to open and enjoy your toy. If the sticker is removed or damaged, be sure to immediately reach out to the seller.

tamper proof seal on the satisfyer pro 2 generation 3 box
Looking for any tamper-proof stickers or seals, like this one on the Satisfyer Pro 2 Generation 3 box, is a great way to give your purchase one final check. Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable

As a final reminder before you go forth and shop, there are plenty of budget-friendly sex toys you can get without shopping at Amazon, but if you're really looking to get the most out of your Prime subscription, here are our picks for the best sex toys on Amazon:

plusOne's(opens in a new tab) toys are known for being some of the most budget-friendly out there, as well as some of the most widely available — you can find them at Walmart, Target, and CVS, so it isn't all that surprising that Amazon stocks them, too.

Though this toy costs less than $20 and can be found in the drugstore, its definitely in another league than cheap battery-powered bullet vibrators you'll find in a novelty store.

When former Mashable Culture Reporter Jess Joho tested this little bullet out, she "was blown away by the kind of power and versatility this buzzy bite-sized bullet packs at such a low price. The addition of the optional elastic band even turns it into a makeshift finger vibe design executed to perfection by Dame's Fin(opens in a new tab) (my all-time favorite couples toy)."

Ten different vibration speeds and an elastic for versatile use isn't common at this price point —and it's waterproof, only adding to the many ways you can use it. It's also rechargeable, so you won't find yourself fumbling for batteries. The only way it really shows its price point is that it can be loud and buzzy, but if silence isn't essential, this is a great toy for beginners and the budget-conscious alike.

Read more from Mashable about plusOne's Vibrating Bullet.

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Not every sex toy is meant to be put inside you, and especially when you're buying from Amazon, you want to be extra sure that you're using body-safe materials. With Unbound's Bender, you can sure that you're safe to play however you please.

Unbound's(opens in a new tab) vibe offers a lot in the way of flexibility — literally. There are way too many toys out there for G-spot stimulation that don't take into account that not everyone has the same anatomy. Bender, however, can be bent at several different points to really adjust the angle of the toy, which is a simplistically revolutionary feature. The vibe is seven inches long, so you have have plenty of leeway with how deep you want to take things, but thin enough that it's not too intimidating to insert.

Since this vibrator is all about the dual stimulation, we appreciate that there are two motors in either end. It's a great alternative for those who are into the idea of a rabbit vibe, but who might want something a bit more versatile. When you're all finished, you don't have to cycle through all 10 powers and patterns to turn off your toy — a simple long press of the single button will do the job just fine.

It is worth noting that this is a buzzier vibrator, so while it's plenty powerful, it won't be the quietest vibe your arsenal.

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"Rabbit-style vibrators kinda suck," according to former Mashable Culture Reporter Jess Joho, which makes the case for getting the Lelo(opens in a new tab) Ina Wave 2 all the stronger — she deems it the best that rabbit vibrators have to offer.

To explain why, let us first revisit the theory of a rabbit vibrator: a shorter external arm exists to stimulate your clitoris while the internal arm is supposed to provide internal G-spot stimulation, resulting in a glorious blended orgasm. The reality is that this requires a lot of things to go right: the design has to work with your body type, the external arm has to provide enough power to do anything for you, and the internal arm — well, you just have to hope it does something other than making it feel like there's something vibrating inside you (which is not always sexy in and of itself!)

On most fronts, the Lelo Ina Wave 2 does those things right. From Jess again: "As someone who never really understood all the hullabaloo about G-spots or internal vibration altogether, the Ina Wave was the first toy that made me get it. And by "get it" I mean gave me my first G-spot (aka vaginal) orgasm — at least, I think? To be honest, it's such a radically different sensation to the more typical, intensely centralized clitoral orgasm that at first I wasn't sure if it even constituted climax."

The "getting it" is mostly thanks to Lelo's WaveMotion tech, which instead of a buzzy vibration, actually moves the internal arm to stimulate a "come hither" motion. This isn't standard fare for rabbit vibes, hence why this one is on the expensive side. Still, Jess mentions that the clitoral arm is quite short and stiff, meaning it can be a bit harder, if not outright impossible, for everyone to actually achieve that dual stimulation.

"But at the end of the day," she wrote in her review, "it still is your best bet at a rabbit vibrator that can actually deliver on its promise of a G-spot or even blended orgasm."

Check out our full review of the Lelo Ina Wave 2.

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When it comes to masturbation sleeves, there's a lot of options out there, but you're more than likely to see Fleshlight(opens in a new tab) recommended again and again. It's not just name recognition at play here — Fleshlight actually makes some great quality sleeves for reasonable prices, especially when it comes to the Quickshot Vantage(opens in a new tab).

Unlike the standard sleeve, which looks like a large flashlight (hence the name) with one open and one closed end, the Quickshot is nearly half the size with both open ends. If you're someone who wants to feel fully surrounded by the toy, we might've just lost you, but hear us out: This kind of design allows you to get the same kind of stroking play you would solo, as well as making it perfect for partner play. Once finished, cleaning out a toy with two open ends is much easier.

Cleaning with this toy is really essential, as the incredible SuperSkin technology that feels so soft and realistic can also harbor a bunch of bacteria without proper care — that's why we like this slightly more low-maintenance version over the original Fleshlight(opens in a new tab). Plus, if you're looking to switch up the sensations without purchasing an additional sleeve (as you would with the standard Fleshlight) you can remove the clear case and use the inner sleeve on its own.

If you're into the idea of a quality masturbation sleeve but aren't quite ready to drop the full $70 for the original Fleshlight, the Quickshot Vantage is a great way to get acquainted with the line.

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We've been fans of the Satisfyer Pro 2 line for a while, so when the Satisfyer Pro 2 Generation 3 recently dropped, we had high hopes for its performance — and it did not disappoint.

Air suction toys are either your jam or they're not, but a comfortable fit and a lot of customization can go a long way to influence the former. The Satisfyer Pro 2 offers an impressive amount of customization for the price point. With this new Gen, the brand has swapped the plastic casing for a 100% silicone finish (which makes this toy feel much more like the four times as expensive Womanizer Premium(opens in a new tab)), and added compatibility with the Satisfyer Connect app. Though Bluetooth in toys can often be finicky, the Pro 2 actually pairs well with the app, which offers everything from long-distance use to pattern customization to audio erotica set to air and vibration patterns from your toy.

Unchanged from the Gen 2 of this toy is the combination of air suction and vibration, which really allows for a full spectrum of sensations. For the Gen 3, Satisfyer(opens in a new tab) introduced "Liquid Air technology," which is a fancy term for the new head that has an ultra-thin layer of silicone where there's usually a gap for your clit. The result is a more dampened sensation that isn't unpleasant but didn't feel like the "pulsing jet of water" the brand says it emulates. Still, it can be nice if you're extra sensitive.

The last bit of the toy we really enjoyed was the ergonomic design, which made it easy to hold in place (an essential for any suction toy) without fatigue. We just wish they offered more head sizes to accommodate for different body types. However, we are fans of the 15 years of protection that you have access to through Satisfyer, should your toy break before its time.

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Note: Luna has recently rebranded to AVA and released an updated version of this wand as their Premium Personal Massager(opens in a new tab). We're in the process of testing it now and will update this recommendation accordingly once we're done.

The Luna Massage Wand was the first sex toy from Amazon Mashable ever endorsed. We were intrigued by the thousands and thousands of positive reviews, but the vibrator earned our seal of approval due to its excellent performance at an affordable price point.

Mashable's Sex and Relationships Reporter Anna Iovine had heaps of praise after testing out the toy: "The Luna Massage Wand is perfect for people who love choice. In addition to color variety, the wand also boasts eight intensities and an impressive 20 vibrating patterns. Unfortunately there's no breakdown online or in the given materials that explains all these, but there's an array of pulse patterns from short bursts to long, torturous (in a good way) pauses. Another setting is the classic steady vibration wands are known for.

For such a small toy, the Luna Massage Wand is powerful. At full charge, the lowest setting is stronger than the highest on some of my older or cheap vibrators. The highest can probably take you into another dimension within seconds if you'd like. Because the vibrations are so intense, I recommend experimenting with the pulse patterns; they're perfect for edging (almost reaching climax, then pulling back) and thus prolonging your session. Trust me, you'll want to."

She also was a fan of the wand's "intuitive memory," which starts the vibe back at the last setting you used it when you turn it on.

The price point for all this is pretty much unbeatable — as Anna wrote in her review, "At such a bang for your buck, Luna Massage Wand is worth a try whether you're new to wand vibrators or already know you love them."

Check out our full review of the Luna Massage Wand.

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How we tested

For starters, we only recommended sex toys that fit at least one of the three conditions:

  1. They were directly linked from the storefronts on manufacturers' websites

  2. They were confirmed by a company representative to be the legitimate storefront of the brand

  3. They were hands-on tested by Mashable reporters

Every single toy on this list, minus the Fleshlight Quickshot Vantage, was either hands-on tested for this article or was previously hands-on tested for review by a Mashable reporter. Any full-length reviews can be found linked in product cards.

For the toys we tested specifically for this article, which include the Unbound Bender and Satisfyer Pro 2 Generation 3, we used each toy for at least a week to adequately test out the full range of features. We're also currently in the process of testing the AVA Premium Personal Massager to see if it's an adequate updated recommendation for the Luna Massage Wand, which was reviewed by Mashable Sex and Relationships Reporter Anna Iovine in March 2022.

Though our recommendations are made up of several different kinds of toys, in addition to the three conditions we listed above, we made sure we only chose toys made out of body-safe materials, that were well-reviewed by customers, and that offered a fair feature-to-price ratio.

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Bethany Allard

Bethany Allard is a shopping reporter at Mashable covering beauty tech, dating, and sex and relationships. She graduated from New York University with a B.A. in Journalism and English Literature. You can follow her on Twitter @betallard and reach her by email at [email protected](opens in a new tab)


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