Review: Lora DiCarlo Baci Robotic Massager

Lora DiCarlo’s Baci looks like a space pod. It’s an oblong device that would have no trouble blending into the set of HBO’s next prestige sci-fi drama. (I say next because, well, we don’t talk about Westworld in this house.) It’s sleek, sexy, and surprisingly discreet. But despite its unassuming exterior, this little gadget will take you for a magic carpet ride.

Of all the sex toys on my nightstand, this is the one my partner and I reached for night after night, even for solo use. It’s an excellent companion for a little afternoon delight when you’re fed up with an endless parade of Zoom meetings that always (always) run long.

The Baci is a mechanical suction toy. If you're unfamiliar, these types of sex toys use an internal mechanism that moves a diaphragm up and down, creating high and low pressure that simulates a sucking sensation not unlike oral sex. It’s really cool tech, and it’s only getting more popular, especially for people with clitorises.

Even if you don’t have one, it’s a powerful suction stimulator for any number of erogenous zones. I encourage you to experiment! Use it on your arm, your nips, your genitals—whatever shape they might take.

The toy has a hard plastic side, which is the part you hold, and a silicone underside that's meant to nestle between the inner or outer labia, depending on your preference for direct or indirect stimulation (more on that later). It does so very comfortably. 

However, it can be tough to position it correctly if you’re looking for direct stimulation. Most suction toys look like tiny vacuum cleaners. They’re narrow, so finding the right spot is easy. Baci’s cozy, broad shape can make that difficult, like trying to write with a pen between your middle and ring fingers. But once you find the right spot, the world melts away and you get to star in your own personal “A Whole New World” montage.

There are a few buttons on the Baci, but they're easy to use. Use one rocker for changing the intensity and the other for cycling between suction patterns. The power button is circled by four LEDs that indicate battery life, which is pretty great. It lasts around an hour usually, a little less if you use the highest setting.

The translucent plastic shell that comes with it is a nice touch. It goes over the silicone side and hides it away, turning the Baci into a mysterious-looking orb.

The Baci.

Photograph: Lora DiCarlo

It’s great to be able to climax almost immediately from a toy that doesn't overstimulate in the way some vibrators can. That said, the Baci can be too powerful and sometimes feels industrial-grade. Like a suction jackhammer, or a reverse pressure washer. Its lowest setting isn’t exactly gentle, so if you're sensitive, you might want at a less powerful toy like the Satisfyer Love Triangle.

The sensitivity of your erogenous zones is something to consider with any sex toy. “Powerful” generally means it’s too intense if your clitoris or other erogenous zones don’t tolerate direct stimulation well. “Gentle” is usually the code word for “good for people who like indirect stimulation.”

The Baci is absolutely what I’d describe as “powerful” in this context. After surveying a couple of other people who have used the device, that’s the consensus. That's amazing if direct stimulation is your thing, but too intense if things are a bit more delicate for you. 

At $160, it’s not cheap. But don’t hold that against it. This is a premium sex toy, and it’s appropriately priced for what you get. Good-quality suction toys are usually around $100, with a few standouts like the Satisfyer Love Triangle coming in under that mark. The internal tech is more complex than a typical vibrator, so higher prices are common.

Reading Baci’s product description, it sounds like something with a mind of its own. Lora DiCarlo calls it a “premium robotic personal massager,” and I’m not sure that’s accurate. There’s nothing robotic about it. It’s a killer sex toy, a personal pleasure device par excellence, but it’s not Wall-E.

One thing you should keep in mind when shopping for a suction toy—or any toy, really—is that the tech is pretty much the same across the board. Think of them like smartphones. Apple didn’t invent the microprocessor or the capacitive touch screen; these are all things you'll find on every smartphone. 

What you’re paying for is the configuration, the design, and the stimulation patterns. That’s where the Baci shines. It’s less an innovation than a refinement of a sex toy that’s been on the market for years. That’s not a bad thing! It’s that refined design that makes this toy stand out in an increasingly crowded bazaar.