First things first, I own 3 Le Wands– two from the folks at Peepshow Toys and one from the folks at Le Wand themselves. That’s a lot of one toy to own, especially when it’s a toy I started off hating. Even weirder? I use one of them (only the one though- it’s marked with red tape so I don’t get confused) and I use it pretty often – I’ve even traveled with it! So how did this happen?
We meet (not cute)
So we know that generally I love wands but I’ll be honest, Le Wand and I got off to an incredibly rough start when I received my first one from Peepshow Toys in April. From the pretentious name: I like to say “Le Wand: It’s french for ‘The Wand’ because french is fancy or something”. To the “it’s just like the Magic Wand Rechargeable but, you know, pretty!” design, to the “we’re reinventing the wand!” hype (because reinvention doesn’t involve near-identical products that don’t do anything different), to the way the first one I received sounded like a freaking buzzsaw, it was all bad.
We meet again – was it all a misunderstanding?
I received my second Le Wand from the folks at Le Wand after I posted a video of the so-loud-I was-afraid-to-use-it-in-my-apartment first wand (okay and maybe I joked about it on social media)
Then @theellechase and I discussed the logistics of using the super-loud wand https://t.co/D3tVpL47FZ pic.twitter.com/GPC915OKhM
— JoEllen Notte (@JoEllenNotte) April 22, 2017
The theory was that my first one was broken/ they weren’t actually supposed to be that loud. I was excited to get to try a version that I didn’t feel self-conscious using in my apartment building. When it arrived it was admittedly less jarring than its predecessor but I genuinely couldn’t tell if it was actually quieter. That combined with the fact that there was still no discernible difference between Le Wand and the Magic Wand Rechargeable (you know, except prettiness) irked me. I just couldn’t get past my feeling that Le Wand was like that guy in your class (any class, everybody knows that guy) who raises his hand just to repeat what someone else has already said but louder and with more words.
I put my Le Wands – one in each color, btw- aside and moved on with my life.
It’s just a wand, standing in front of a girl…
Then I got a message from the folks at Peepshow Toys while they were at a trade show. They had seen a new, improved version of Le Wand, was I interested? I was gearing up to heave a belabored sigh when I spotted an intriguing piece of information: the new version had 10 steady vibration speeds and the option to hit the buttons to go up and down one at a time or hold them down to glide through the speeds.
Okay, so here we have a difference and, as far as I’m concerned, a pretty important one.
The place most toys come up short (as far as I’m concerned) is a shortage of steady vibration options. So many are like “Here are 3 steady speeds and 87 patterns- have your orgasm to the rhythm of Edelweiss!” when for many of us the steady vibration is what does it. Hell, I’ve always said the one flaw of the Magic Wand is that it needs a speed between its 2nd and 3rd steady speeds (the jump is too big) and part of my great love of the Doxy Wand is the way steady vibration is the focus and patterns are a “oh, yeah those also exist, I guess” kind of thing. For me, when Le Wand showed up to the table with 10 steady vibration settings and the ability to glide up and down through them they went from another annoying knock-off to a genuine contender.
And the sound issue? I won’t lie to you, while it is better (I feel okay using it in my apartment now), it’s still a bit louder than I’d like (I hesitate to use it when it’s very late at night). Also, it seems to get louder when you press down with it so it feels like it’s announcing “Hey everyone, I’m MASTURBATING!!” I have been assured that the folks over at Le Wand are aware of the volume is still issue and are working on it.
My biggest clue that the new Le Wand was winning me over? I received mine from the folks at Peepshow Toys the week before Woodhull’s Sexual Freedom Summit and I actually took it with me on my trip – it was the first non-Doxy wand to ever go to Woodhull with me (my Doxy came too, let’s not get too wacky here). This was a big deal and surprised even me.
We ride off into the sunset?
So, has it unseated my Magic Wand? Not really? I keep them both next to my bed and sometimes I pick one and other times the other. I can’t really articulate what makes that decision for me (except when it’s 2 am, because then it’s volume) but I think it has something to do with nuance. I feel like I pick Le Wand when I want more control over exactly how much power is happening- it has those 10 speeds- or if I want to explore a bit and the Magic Wand when I’m feeling more direct- those times I just turn it all the way up and go for it. Then, because I know this will be a question, I still use my Doxy in exactly the same situations I did before- when I want that deeper rumblier thing that only the Doxy has (it’s its own thing…).
So, I say I have a rom-com relationship with Le Wand: we met, I hated it, it pursued me, made a key change in itself and now I like it (shit, rom-coms are unhealthy). But will it sweep you off your feet?
Here’s what you need to know:
What is it? Le Wand is a wand style vibrating massager with a flexible neck and soft silicone head.
What does it do? It vibrates. Le Wand has 10 distinct vibration speeds and 20 vibration patterns
How does it work? Le Wand has 3 buttons. The top turns it on and increases the speed, the bottom lowers the speed and turns it off and the middle takes you through the vibration patterns.
What does it come with? It comes with something they are calling a “texture cover” (it’s like a really thick Tenga Egg) and a travel case– the travel case is soft and grey and kind of reminded me of a Member’s Only jacket from the 80s. I was underwhelmed by the case until it was time to travel and then I realized it fit well in my suitcase and kept the wand safe, I ended up using two (I have 3 after all) on that trip, putting my non-Le Wand wand in one too because it was really convenient.
Additionally the folks at Le Wand call the packaging “giftable” and yes, the boxes are good quality and sturdy (in that “I’m having a hard time throwing them out and there are 3 Le Wand boxes under my desk” way) but they also have printing all over them. I’m of the mind that to be “giftable” packaging can’t be covered in print. The OhMiBod Lovelife line always serves as the prime example of legit “giftable” packaging- they may have ruined that term for everyone else.
Finally, it comes with international adapters, kind of a big deal- I know it’s the only one at Peepshow that does.
What colors is it available in? Pearl White and Grey.
Any cool features? It’s splash proof (so it can get wet but not soaked, don’t run it underwater… generally when I see splash proof I just don’t get the toy wet) and rechargeable. It also comes with a 1 year warranty. OH! Also it has a travel lock. I keep almost forgetting to say that and it’s kind of a big deal because it is unique to this wand and did help make my choice when I decided to travel with it.
Anything else that’s cool? In general I always think it’s pretty cool when companies actually listen to consumer feedback and that’s exactly what Le Wand did when they made Version 2. Plus, Le Wand comes to us from Alicia Sinclair, the woman who also founded b-Vibe, a pretty rad company devoted entirely to cool anal toys.
Brass tacks: does it work? For me, yes, absolutely. I am a wand girl and this one has made it’s way into my regular rotation.
How much it is it? $170.00 – so, it’s the more expensive of the rechargeable wands but not the most expensive of the fancy wands (that title goes to the Doxy Die Cast)
Where can you get it? Peepshow Toys. Save 10% with code REDHEAD!
Thank you to the folks at Peepshow Toys and Le Wand for sending me ALL the Le Wands to test.
I accepted compensation to review this product. The views expressed here are my own. My review policy is simple: I will never lie about liking a product if I don’t but when I do like something it’s hard to get me to shut up about it.