Sex Toys: Battery Operated

Today, most of the sex toys that are used are battery operated. As discussed in the History of Sex Toys post, early vibrators were plugged into the wall. As with most hand held electronics today, there are many advantages to being battery operated. Some of the advantages of battery operated sex toys include:

• they are generally less expensive
• they are portable - you can use them many more places where a wall outlet doesn't exist!
• they have a wide range of pleasing styles and designs
• they create a wide range of wonderful sensations
• they are waterproof - you can use them in the spa, tub or shower!
• they have a lot of interesting textures

However, like most things, they do have a couple disadvantages:

• they can have an unpredictable lifespan
• sometimes are not as powerful

There are a few things to keep in mind that will allow you to extend the life of your B.O.B. (battery operated boyfriend):

• make sure you clean them before and after use with a sex toy cleaner. Please see the sex toy cleaner post for more important information.
• if you don't use your toy at least every other day, remove the batteries after use and store them in a plastic bag. This will extend the life of your batteries as well as the life of your sex toy.
• keep non-waterproof sex toys out of the water. If you let these type of toys get even the slightest bit of water internally or on the battery contacts, it can cause corrosion and will definitely shorten the life of your adult toy.
• make sure you always use a lubricant with your sex toy. This increases the level of enjoyment of your toy.

A very important point to make note of: never use a vibrator or massager on unexplained calf pain. There could be a more serious condition and when a vibrator is used on this condition it could cause a blood clot to break loose and travel to another part of the body. If this clot travels to the brain or heart, it could cause a stroke or heart attack. So please heed this warning.

A tip for those who think their battery operated sex toy is too powerful: use less expensive batteries or run down your new batteries first. Leave your sex toy run for a few minutes and allow the batteries to become a little weaker. Then your toy will not be as powerful and the sensations not as intense.

If your sex toy has a cord that goes to the controller, like a vibrating bullet, do not use the cord as a retrieval line. The cord is generally only attached lightly by a knot or a small bit of solder and this is not meant to handle the stress of being pulled on. So for sake of embarrassment, please only use toys that have specific retrieval lines for that purpose.

Since battery operated sex toys generate heat with use, never lie on the battery pack or fall asleep during use. This can cause damage to the sex toy and might cause you harm as well.

Sex Toys History

Many people do not know the history or origins of sex toys. Many people believe they have Asian roots. After all, the Ben Wa Balls are Asian. However, sex toys actually have their roots in other cultures. The Greeks sold dildos made of wood or leather many years ago. They were not very pleasurable to use and the only type of lubrication they had available was olive oil.

Around the middle of the 1800’s, rubber dildos were brought into existence. These dildos were more like the dildos that are available today. Later in the 1800’s, vibrators were invented. The vibrator was used for massage and was thus camouflaged from the social stigma of being a sexual apparatus. Vibrators were used to treat a female condition called “hysteria”. The symptoms of this condition were irritability, sexual fantasies, pelvic heaviness, uterus anxiety, and excessive lubrication. We know today that these "symptoms" are actually related to female sexual arousal. But remember, in the Victorian era, females were not considered sexual. To treat this condition of "female hysteria", doctors would use a vibrator and massage the clitoris. The resulting relief was called "paroxysm" which is actually an orgasm.

In the mid 1800’s, health spas began to offer water jets and steam powered vibrators. Then, in the early 1900’s electrical powered vibrators were invented. However, they were still mostly only sold to physicians. This all changed when the big catalogs and magazines started to advertise vibrators to the public. In 1918 Sears & Roebuck advertised a vibrator as being very satisfactory and an aid every woman appreciates. In 1921 another magazine urged men to buy them for their wives to keep them young and pretty and free from hysteria.

The old blue movies from the 1920’s changed the social view of vibrators permanently. The blue movies showed women using the vibrators for sexual stimulation and thus removed the camouflage that vibrators were only for massage and treatment of medical conditions. The ending result was seen in the 1930’s when vibrators were no longer advertised.

Today, sex toys still carry a social stigma. Some states have laws restricting the possession and use of sex toys. Many online sex toy stores allow for private and discreet shopping by shipping the sex toys in an unmarked box. Sex toys are not just for individual pleasure, but also for bringing new and exciting sexual adventures for couples.



Explore many varieties of vibrators, dildos and sex toys at our online sex toys store.