It’s taken me quite a while to gather my thoughts on this whole “suction”-based toy trend. In reality, I’m fairly certain that these clitoral vibrators work by using puffs of air and a vibrating motor, but since I understand absolutely nothing about engineering, I couldn’t tell you for sure. But I can give you my opinion, since that’s ostensibly what you came here for.
I was sent the Womanizer Plus [Size] and Womanizer 2Go, as well as the Satisfyer Pro 2, Satisfyer Pro Penguin, and the Satisfyer 2. Now, it’s time for a Smackdown.
Womanizer vs Satisfyer: The Original, and the Copycat
The original design, the toy that started it all, was the Womanizer. The first model was god-awful hideous, but it was an immediate hit. The design mimics some of the sensations that oral sex can provide, and at the time of launch, there was nothing else like it on the market. Sometimes, there truly is innovation in this industry. Since they launched the original, they’ve expanded to include a range of models in various sizes and shapes. The two least expensive models are the W100 and Pro40 — unfortunately, I don’t own either of those.
Satisfyer arrived on the scene shortly after with a familiar business model: Take a great idea, make it cheaper. Unfortunately, they rushed to market so quickly that they ended up releasing updates to their models before most people even had time to review the first round. And, oh my, what’s that? They’re releasing even more new models soon? Grrreeeaaat. While all of the Satisfyer models are less expensive than the Womanizer range, they also feel considerably cheaper.
Build Quality
With the exception of the W100, which is splash-proof (aka shower-proof), every Womanizer is advertised as water-proof. The same is true of the Satisfyer range. However… There were so many problems with the waterproof claim on the Satisfyers that SheVibe ceased stocking them. The same has not been true of Womanizer.
While both lines are made of plastic with silicone heads, Womanizers feel a bit more solid and expensive. The seams of the toys are thinner and less obtrusive and the plastic feels a bit thicker and sturdier. Of the Satisfyer models that I own, the Pro 2 is definitely the sturdiest (and the best-performing). The Satisfyer 2 feels the cheapest, with the Pro Penguin coming in at goofy, but not horrible.
But that doesn’t mean the Womanizers are perfect: The cap on the Womanizer 2Go is poorly fitted. Mine slides right off, which makes it easy to lose, which kind of undercuts the product’s claims of discretion. The Womanizer Plus [Size] looks like if a Kardashian designed an ear thermometer, but its long handle is legitimately useful.
Still, the winner of this round is undoubtedly Womanizer as a whole.
Noise Level
None of these are whisper-quiet, unless you don’t know how to whisper.
As with many toys, the pitch and the volume of the toy changes as you cycle through different settings. That being said, some of these are much quieter than others. The loudest one of all five was the Womanizer 2Go, while the quietest was the Womanizer Plus Size. Among Satisfyers, the Pro 2 was loudest, followed by the 2, and the quietest was the Penguin.
Here’s a very important note about volume: Because of the way these are designed, they’re much quieter when their heads are in contact with your bits. They’re significantly louder if they’re not nestled in a vulva.
The winner: Womanizer Plus Size.
Heads & Nozzles
Part of what makes these toys “unique” is the head or nozzle. That’s what’s coming into contact with your body, it’s what distributes the vibrations in most cases, and it makes a huge difference as to whether the toy is going to be comfortable for you.
With either Womanizer product, you get 2 different heads — one with a smaller opening, and one with a bigger opening. This means that if one Womanizer head doesn’t quite work for you, you can try the other, and you might find it to be a better fit. (I personally prefer the slightly larger heads because inner-labia stimulation is *hot fire emoji* *bomb emoji*.) This isn’t so with Satisfyer. Again, you’re getting what you pay for.
The tiniest, thinnest head belongs to the Satisfyer Penguin, which is why I found it downright uncomfortable and unpleasant to use. The Satisfyer 2 wasn’t much better, despite having just a smidge more cushioning. Of the Satisfyer models, I far and away prefer not only the head on the Pro 2, but just about every aspect of that model’s design.
Both companies have labeled the removable heads as silicone, meaning all of the toys are equally body-safe and easy to clean.
The winner: Womanizer, by a hair.
Controls
For the love of all that we hold dear, can we please cut it out with the single-button bullshit? Three of the five models I’m examining today have only one button to cycle through modes. Maybe this is wild, but I like to turn the intensity both up and down at different times in my jerking off process. I don’t want to cycle through every setting. What if I cycle past the one I wanted to use? I have to waste another five seconds fiddling around? No, thank you.
The only toy that gets a pass for using this type of control is the Womanizer 2Go, which legitimately only has space for a single button. The Satisfyer Pro 2 definitely has space for improved controls.
Once again, this round goes to the Womanizer Plus for its clearly marked up-and-down controls and the placement of its Power button, which is towards the nozzle end of the toy, making it more difficult to accidentally shut off during use.
Strength
It’s a bit harder to interpret strength with these toys, as opposed to a traditional vibrator. They use a combination of vibration and air pulsation to create the sensation of suction. Overall, I found the Womanizer models to be stronger and more intense than the Satisfyers, but the Satisfyer Pro 2 does pack a punch.
One major pro for the Womanizer Plus Size is the sheer range of settings: It has 12 speeds, ranging from feather-light to thuddy. This is perfect if you’re the kind of person who likes to start low and slow and then ramp things up. Personally, I really only use the Plus Size on settings 4-7.
The Womanizer 2Go and the Satisfyer Pro 2 are quite similar in that they both are very powerful from the lowest setting up to the highest. For me, this translates to achieving orgasm a bit faster, but your mileage may vary.
And now for the weak links: Satisfyer Pro Penguin is a bit weaker than the Pro 2 and does not transmit vibration as nicely, while the Satisfyer 2 is just weak all around. Skip both of these.
This round was a tie: Womanizer Plus Size and Satisfyer Pro 2.
Price and Value(s)
I can’t avoid addressing the elephant in the room: Both of the Womanizer models I received are fucking expensive. In fact, you could buy all three of the Satisfyers featured here for less than the price of the Womanizer Plus Size on its own.
In the past year, I’ve become more and more concerned about the price of the toys I feature here. I still review luxury items — I still love many luxury items — but I can’t ignore the class implications of luxury pleasure. I can’t, in good conscience, say that you absolutely need a £200 sex toy.
I also am concerned with the practice of pilfering designs and concepts. Womanizer did it first, and Satisfyer rode in on their coattails. They’re not making knock-off products (unlike some companies and their dildos that look suspiciously like the nJoy Pure Wand…), but they are profiting from someone else’s design work, in my opinion.
So, what’s more important? Accessible pleasure, or ethics in toy design? Honestly, I don’t think there’s one single, neatly summarized answer to that question. I think you’ll have to decide for yourself.