10 best sex toys for couples that keep things interesting in the bedroom
Whether you find yourself in a new relationship or a long-term one, keeping things exciting and romantic should be a top priority. If you’re searching for a way to spice things up a bit, allow us to open your mind to the world of sex toys.
Thanks to the internet, buying a sex toy no longer means shuffling into a black-windowed shop and blushing all the way home with your carrier bag. But there’s so much choice online it can be difficult to know where to start, and how to make sure you’re investing wisely.
Sex toys can be as cheap as a fiver or as expensive as several hundred pounds, but spending lots of money isn’t always a guarantee of quality. So, we’ve put together a list of the key items you need to supercharge your sex life – a sort of capsule collection, if you will.
How we tested
All of these products have been given real-life trials (though we’ll keep it light on detail to spare everyone’s blushes) and have been found to be worth their weight in gold when it comes to spicing things up. We used them over a period of weeks (and in some cases longer) assessing how enjoyable they were to use, as well as how simple they were to integrate into our sex life.
Every toy featured got an A+ for being user friendly, and for having a very respectable battery life where applicable, because nothing ruins the mood more than searching for a charger and waiting for it to recharge. And it (almost) goes without saying that each is made from high quality body safe materials and can be used with a water based lubricant.
Just as a final word before we get into the good stuff, you should always buy sex toys from reputable retailers. Counterfeit products are not unheard of and might be made from less body safe materials.
The best sex toys for couples in 2022 are:
Best for overall pleasure – We-Vibe tango: £79, We-vibe.com
Best for equal gratification – Lelo Tiani 3: £111, Lelo.com
Best for temperature play – Lovehoney curved G-Spot sensual glass dildo: £19.99, Lovehoney.co.uk
Best for female orgasm during penetrative sex – G Spotter u shaped: £16.99, Amazon.co.uk
Best for clitoral stimulation – Ann Summers rabbit ears cock ring: £8, Annsummers.com
Best for securing a strap-on dildo – Corset strap-on harness: £66, Sh-womenstore.com
Best for spanking – Coco de Mer flogger: £65, Coco-de-mer.com
Best for men who struggle to climax – BlowYo intense ticklers textured blowjob stroker: £26.99, Plusshop.com
Best for simultaneous orgasms – Fun Factory nos cock ring: £69.99, Harmonystore.co.uk
Best for couples who like to change it up – BangOn rocker sex cushion: £68.99, Uberkinky.com
We-Vibe tango
The bullet is most women’s first sex toy. It’s a classic, and you can pick up a very cheap one from Amazon for about 10 quid. But this bullet is not like the others. This is a life-changer. Women who have always struggled to orgasm say that this made the difference.
It’s got the full, round vibration of a much bigger toy (like the Hitachi magic wand) but in tiny form. It’s perfect for couples because it will fit between you in any position, and it will make the elusive mutual orgasm all the more likely. Plus, the vibrations give penis-owning partners a nice boost too. Just shy of £80 is not a small amount of money to drop on a sex toy, but if you're ready to make a significant investment in your sex life, this is the very best place to start.
Buy now £79.00, We-vibe.com
Lelo Tiani 3
Just like a cheaper u-shaped vibrator, the Lelo tiani is designed to help you and your partner derive equal amounts of gratification from sex. And it absolutely works. It’s an expensive toy, especially when you can buy something similar for a fraction of the cost. But the latex is velvet soft, the vibration patterns are well thought out, it’s easy to use and it lasts well. It comes with a one year warranty, and if anything goes wrong in the first 10 years of ownership you get 50 per cent off a replacement. Lelo also makes a version of the tiani which has 24K gold involved, but it’s rather more expensive and it’s not quite clear how, or if, the gold makes sex more enjoyable.
Buy now £111.00, Lelo.com
Lovehoney curved G-Spot sensual glass dildo
Glass might sound like a counterintuitive material for a sex toy, but these dildos have been tested beyond an inch of their life to make sure that when correctly used, accidents don’t happen. This one is made from borosilicate glass which means it’s safe for you to heat up or cool down. It’ll meet your body temperature quickly, if that’s your preference, and if you use it in conjunction with a vibrator it will take on some of the vibration. They’re suitable for vaginal or anal use and the bulb shape is designed to stimulate the g-spot or the prostate, so the world is basically your oyster.
Buy now £19.99, Lovehoney.co.uk
G Spotter u shaped
The U-shaped vibrator is a relatively recent invention, an answer to the problem that while most men can orgasm from penetrative sex, most women can’t. The idea is that the vibrator sits inside the vagina, stimulating the g-spot, and hugs your body, also vibrating over the clitoris. You wear it during sex and the vibrations heighten the experience for both partners, especially whoever is wearing it.
We found this one, from Amazon, to be a really decent offering – and the online reviews seem to agree. It’s reasonably priced, so it’s without some of the bells and whistles of a more expensive toy, but unquestionably gets the job done.
Buy now £16.99, Amazon.co.uk
Ann Summers rabbit ears cock ring
Different cock rings work for different people, and it can be difficult to find the perfect one. This version encapsulates the classic Ann Summers rabbit ears, which many women report as their favourite sex toy, and puts it in cock ring form. This means that during sex you’re enjoying clitoral stimulation, not just vaginal. The use of a familiar sensation – if you’re a rabbit fan – can be really helpful if you’re struggling to orgasm.
Not all cock rings are created equal, so even if you’ve had bad luck with a previous one, it’s worth trying a few different options to find one which works for you. This one is just a fiver, so you really can’t lose. People who are worried about plastic could consider trying a metal or leather version (though they don’t vibrate).
Buy now £8.00, Annsummers.com
Sh! corset strap-on harness
Pegging – the practice of a woman using a strap on with her partner – is still on the taboo side, but if you’ve been in lockdown together for the better part of a year, you might well feel that it’s time to start taking on some of the raunchier positions in the bedroom. Sh! makes the Chanel’s of the strap on world, and this model gets extremely solid feedback for its ease of use (not always a given) and the support provided to the wearer. It’s perfect whether you’re a same-sex or straight couple. Please note that you will also need to purchase a dildo to use with it – otherwise you might end up with a “no batteries on Christmas day” feeling.
Buy now £66.00, Sh-womenstore.com
Coco de Mer flogger
Often items sold in the (ahem) adult stores tend towards the aesthetically offensive – lots of black leather and red love hearts. Luckily Coco de Mer exists as the antidote to all of that, making genuinely beautiful things that you’d probably have on display if that wasn’t a bit of an overshare.
The Coco de Mer flogger is tactile, sensuous and feels more expensive than its price tag. It’s perfect if you’d like to lightly experiment with spanking, but also feels great as a stroker if you’re not into the pain side of the pleasure/pain continuum. It’s small enough that it’s suitable for whichever part of the body appeals (within reason – use your common sense!).
Buy now £65.00, Coco-de-mer.com
BlowYo intense ticklers textured blowjob stroker
Some men struggle to orgasm from oral sex, especially if they’ve always achieved orgasm from other stimulus. This often means that they take a long time to get there, which makes them self-conscious, in turn making it even more difficult to climax. Using a toy during oral sex can help break that vicious circle and allow the person receiving the oral sex to relax and orgasm faster.
This toy is especially good for anyone who climaxes more easily from manual sex. It’s a simple but effective design, easy to use and (apparently) intensely pleasurable. There are cheaper options on the market but this one is cleverly designed. Also – without wanting to upset anyone – if silicon is too sticky it can get tangled in pubic hair with disastrous results, which this toy avoids entirely. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.
Buy now £26.99, Plusshop.com
Fun Factory nos cock ring
If you’ve tried a cock ring before and liked it but not loved it, it might be that you need something a bit smarter. The cheaper ones work for lots of people, but it’s tricky for these toys to be one size fits all. The more expensive, higher-tech versions of the cock ring have a better chance of getting you off because their vibration is more powerful and there are more options to tailor them. This one has four full settings, and one “flirt” setting which is far lighter and perfect for anyone who struggles with over stimulation.
It’s not just the clitoris owner who has been considered here though. Unlike most cock rings, the Nos ring isn’t circular because, as they point out, the penis isn’t either. Apple don’t make cock rings, but if they do this is probably what it would look like. Thoughtful, intelligent design. Of course it’s not cheap, and there are far less expensive examples on the market – like the Anne Summers option (£8, Annsummers.com) – but it’s a very clever, very sexy option.
Buy now £69.99, Harmonystore.co.uk
BangOn rocker sex cushion
Buying a special sex cushion might sound laughable, but don’t knock it until you’ve tried it. If you’re a couple who doesn’t like to stick to the same position every single time, or if you have limitations on your mobility, this might really change your sex life.
While it’s true that you could just use your normal pillows, but in order to get enough purchase to really support your body you’re going to have to build something tantamount to a pillow fort. This pillow is firm enough to support your weight wherever you put it, and the possibilities are endless. And, the angle means you can use gravity to intensify levels of penetration. Better support during doggy, putting it under your hips to spice up missionary, the world is your oyster. It’s small enough to shove under the bed when you’re not using it, and on a more prosaic note, it’s actually lovely behind your head while you’re reading a book.
If you’re feeling kinky you can also experiment with your senses and buy it a vinyl pillowcase. It’s suitably hardwearing, with the waterproof case coming off so you can wash it.
Buy now £68.99, Uberkinky.com
The verdict: Sex toys for couples
A bullet vibrator is the quickest and easiest way to heighten your mutual pleasure. If simultaneous orgasm is something that you’d like to experience, then it’s the perfect place to start. This We-Vibe isn’t a cheap bullet and there are certainly less expensive versions on the market but, when it comes to sex toys you often really do get what you pay for, and in this instance it’s completely worth the investment.
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