The Best Sex Machines for Solo, Couple, or Long-Distance Playtime

Calling the Lovense Gravity a “sex machine” might be a bit of a misnomer, but it’s worth including on this list because it’s a great halfway point between a more traditional vibrator and a proper sex machine. It’s a small, handheld dildo with an array of strong vibration patterns and the simple magnetic charging contacts that most Lovense vibrators come with. What sets it apart is its built-in thrusting motor. It’s not the most powerful, but it can provide a solid amount of automated penetration without much effort. In my testing, the Gravity could perform between 100 to 130 thrusts per minute, though if it met much resistance, the motor slowed down and could grind a bit. You should always use plenty of lube, especially with a device like this.

Since this is a handheld vibrator, you’ll have to provide most of the resistance, though it does come with a large suction cup for mounting to a wall or surface. This suction cup wasn’t overly sturdy, but it’s serviceable. It's surprisingly loud for a vibrator when the thrusting motor is engaged, but still much quieter than most full-size sex machines. If you’re iffy on sex machines, the Lovense Gravity is a great place to start and the best thrusting vibrator I’ve tried.

The popular perception of sex machines (thanks mainly to porn) is usually a dildo on the end of a long rod attached to a motor. That visual might be intimidating, but Lovense made it downright cute with the Lovense Mini Sex Machine (8/10, WIRED Recommends). A smaller, compact version of its flagship product, the Mini has a powerful motor in a small package, with easily adjustable legs that allow you to position the device at the best angle.

Most sex machines—including Lovense’s larger flagship sex machine—are large and heavy, and can be cumbersome to set up, but the Mini reduces almost every pain point, including the price. At $399, it’s the least expensive machine you’ll find on the market without sacrificing much power. In my testing, it could reach up to 280 thrusts per minute, though its low weight meant it was a little more likely to slide on smooth surfaces. That trade-off is worth it for the portability though. The thrusting motor was also surprisingly quiet. Someone might still overhear you from the other side of a closed door, but I doubt anyone would hear you in a neighboring apartment. Unless you're trying to be heard, anyway.

The whole machine comes in a box about the size of a toolbox, with a convenient handle. I highly recommend holding on to this box for storing or transporting the machine, but even if you choose not to, the machine’s parts are small enough to fit inside an Ikea-sized cube cubby, and at 7 pounds, it's light enough to carry wherever you want.

The Lovense Remote app also adds many features ideal for long-distance couples. You can control the speed and pattern of thrusts from anywhere in the world, and built-in text and voice/video call features let you do it all from one app. You can even create and share a Zoom-style link to let someone take control of your device and set the link to expire after a set duration or a certain number of uses.

Lovense’s original sex machine is larger and more powerful than the Mini, but it has some attractive features to offset the extra weight (and cost). The motor on this machine can exceed 300 thrusts per minute, so if intense penetrative stimulation is your thing, this upgrade might be worth it for you.

The Lovense Sex Machine also supports two rods, one on each end so multiple people can use the machine at the same time. It comes with two interchangeable dildos. One is a typical 5.43 inches, while the other is a larger 6.3 inches. Lovense sells additional attachments, so if two people want to use the machine but both prefer the same size attachment, you might need to buy an extra one. That aside, it comes with everything you need for two people to play together.

The full-size sex machine weighs about 25 pounds, compared to the 7 pounds for the Mini, but that extra weight is a perk. The machine stays firmly in place, no matter what surface it’s on or how high you turn the motor. It supports more positions, including pointing the machine straight up, but the legs require an Allen wrench to adjust, so it takes a bit more setup than the Mini. The motor is louder than the one on the Lovense Mini—which makes sense, it's also bigger and more powerful—but it's still not jet engine-loud. If you want to be discreet, just make sure no one else is home when you use it, but you probably won't wake the neighbors.

It's a bit of an investment compared to its smaller sibling. However, it’s worth mentioning that Lovense also has a fairly robust software suite for content creators if you plan to make that investment literally.

Since people’s needs will vary, it’s important to have an idea of what you hope to get out of a sex machine before you buy one. There are a lot of different factors you can consider based on how you experience the most pleasure.

• Vibration. There are plenty of sex toys on the market that vibrate, and many sex machines are no different. Even if you’re not a fan of penetration, vibrating sex machines can provide intense stimulation and, in some people, achieve orgasms that are different (or not usually possible) from typical sex toys. Saddle-style devices like the Motorbunny excel at this type of vibration.
• Penetration. If you prefer the feeling of penetration, sex machines have a lot to offer for you. Whether you prefer vaginal or anal penetration, it’s good to have some sense of how much penetration you enjoy, what sizes you prefer, and how deep you like penetration to go. This is important because many sex machines can be customized with stroke length, attachment size, and how powerful the motor is.
• Positions. Many sex machines can be customized for different positions, but it’s a good idea to imagine how you plan to use a machine before committing to buying one. If you prefer to lay on your back, you might need a different device or different adjustments than if you prefer sitting upright or being on all fours.
• Noise. Motors, like people who are having sex, can be quite loud. Some sex machines are designed to be pretty quiet, but some sound like a jet engine through a megaphone. Depending on the kind of stimulation you prefer, that might be an acceptable tradeoff, but we still like to gauge how much you'll disrupt your neighbors with our picks.