Review: Lelo Switch

From the moment I pulled the Lelo Switch from its box, I knew it was going to make for a really fun sex toy to use with a partner. At first glance, it looks like a traditional wand vibrator, but once I turned it on, I understood the name: You can switch up how you use it.

As a dual-ended vibrator, you can use the textured wand end to stimulate any part of your or your partner’s external body. Whatever your favorite erogenous zone happens to be, the Switch’s wand end is bulbous enough to stimulate direct locations and also spread sensations thanks to the amount of surface it covers. Then, should the mood strike and you’re ready for some internal pleasure, just turn the Switch around and use the dildo end to stimulate your G-spot or P-spot—or any internal spot you prefer.

Double Duty

Courtesy of Lelo

Double-ended sex toys aren’t new, but in many cases, they tend to have another version of the same thing on the other end. That’s not the case with the Switch. If you’re someone with a vulva, you know that the way vibrations affect the clitoris and the G-spot aren’t the same at all, and the orgasm that results from stimulating these two areas is also very different. So having options at the tip of my fingers, as opposed to reaching for another toy, was definitely a plus.

The Switch has 10 vibration modes (five internal and five external) with 16 intensity levels. I’ve never been into patterns, but if you are, you have plenty to choose from. But it’s the 16 intensity levels that deserve a round of applause. You can take the Switch from the faintest murmur to such a powerful height that your legs quiver from the vibrations alone before you even climax.

What I was most excited for was using the Switch with a partner who also has a vulva. The Lelo app is easy to use, allowing my partner and me to take turns controlling the toy for each other, but the double-ended design, each with a motor and its own kind of sensation, was what allowed for the real fun to begin.

I won’t try to sell you on the Switch being easy to use between two vulvas at the same time, because it’s not. Instead, it’s a little tricky, because it’s fairly small (8.5 inches in length total), so you have to explore the best way to do it that’s comfortable for both partners. Hot tip: The person with the stronger legs (moi!) has to be on top to make using both ends together as seamless as possible. My partner and I found it both funny and a bit awkward trying to finagle ourselves into the best position, but what’s sex and intimacy without some silliness?

Even if you’re rolling solo, no matter your gender or how you identify, the Switch has something for everyone. I’ve yet to meet someone with a penis who doesn’t love some wand vibrations thrown into the mix—against the scrotum, along the perineum, or directly on the glans. Also, many of the penis wielders I know enjoy a bit (or a lot) of anal penetration with a vibrating dildo, so the Switch covers that too. And, just like a wand, a vibrating dildo can be used in other places besides the genitals. In other words, never be afraid to get creative in how you stimulate and procure the best pleasure for you.

Time’s Up

Courtesy of Lelo

Besides the proprietary charger that, if you don’t already have a Lelo sex toy, can be a total pain if you lose the cable, the Switch has one other thing I wasn’t too keen on: a time limit on run time. I’m all for conserving energy and reducing my carbon footprint, but if a toy is geared toward a person—as in someone with a vulva—who can take up to 20 minutes to get aroused, and its auto shutdown kicks in, that can be problematic.

This is based on inactivity, but if you’re like me and find a steady intensity that works and don’t mess with it, then you can find yourself being interrupted. Losing an orgasm isn’t the end of the world, but when you’re that close? Oof.

The Switch is 100 percent waterproof, holds a charge for two hours (after taking about the same time to fully charge), and is app-controlled. Via the app, you get two additional vibration modes, which might be the incentive some need to try it out, though the app isn't required to enjoy the Switch.