Suction: The Vibrator Innovation For Mind-Blowing Orgasms

If you’ve taken a tour of a sex shop lately, you’ve probably noticed there are a lot of goddamn sex toys in the world. Like, a lot. And, while a lot of them are good, some of them are great and the rest of them are—well—not so good, a lot of them are also kind of similar.

And then, every once in a while, a toy comes out that does something different, something new, a toy that provides a brand-new sensation and experience. As sex toys hit the mainstream, we're seeing that innovation more and more as companies finally have the "Look, we have buyers!" they need to bring to investors.

You can see it in:

• The Balldo, a toy that facilitates ball sex.
• The Odile, an all-in-one anal dilator.
• The Enby, a flexible vibe designed for all anatomies.
• The Strap-on-Me Bendable Strapless Strap-On, a remote-controlled, bendable strap-on toy.
• The Waterslyde, a water masturbation toy.
• The Orion VibePad 2, a sit-on vibrator with licking functionality.

And that's just to name a few! Honestly, the sex toy industry has been exploding with genuinely new ideas lately. (We're here for it!)

What led this explosion of innovation, you ask? Only one of the most popular types of "new" clitoral stimulation: air suction.

Leading this charge into air suction stimulation was the company Womanizer. Back in 2015, Womanizer released their first toy, the Womanizer W100, to (literally) explosive results. People couldn't stop talking about it.

Exhibit A:

Instead of the industry-accepted-standard of vibrations, the Womanizer W100 was offering something else: suction. Instead of simply vibrating the clitoris, the W100 "sucked" on the clitoris, providing gentle tugs and suction to simulate some of the best oral sex. In fact, it didn't even have any vibrating functions!

But that didn't stop anyone from enjoying the W100—or seriously gushing about how well it worked.

READ: Sex Toy Review: Womanizer Duo.

Let's not get ahead of ourselves, though. Let's talk about how air suction works.

How Do Suction Vibrators Work?

Suction isn’t a new idea when it comes to sexual stimulation. Pumps designed to increase blood flow to the clitoris and labia have been around for a long time. But while these products helped expedite arousal, they couldn’t push anyone over the edge. Plus, many of them are bulky which can make them seem impractical and unsexy.

Air suction toys took the basic "pumping" premise and added onto it. The tip of an air suction toy includes a silicone nozzle designed to fit right over the clitoris and form a seal. With the seal in place, the toy can create pulses or blasts of air to stimulate the clitoris with minimal effort from the user—and we mean minimal: some people can even go hands-free!

An important feature of a properly-fitting air suction toy is that it never directly touches the clitoris. Unlike vibrators and other types of sex toys that require contact with the clitoris to provide their stimulation, an air suction toy surrounds the clitoris for stimulation, with minimal direct contact. This can prevent overstimulation and, for a lot of people, unlock multiple orgasms because it avoids direct contact with the uber-sensitive clit after orgasm. (In fact, one of our staff members can only have multiple orgasms with air suction toys!)

READ: 7 Masturbation Tips for People with VERY Sensitive Clits.

This also makes air suction toys an "all-in-one" solution for a lot of people. As an unaroused clitoris is extremely sensitive to direct touch, an air suction toy's lower settings can stir arousal without causing discomfort. As the user gets more and more aroused, the higher settings can continue to up the pleasure potential while still avoiding much direct contact with the clitoris.

Reviewers have described the sensation variously as “suckling,” “nibbling,” “tapping” and even “alien” and “magic.” Some reviewers also felt it mimicked the sensation of oral sex.

The Best Suction Sex Toys

Like we said: the first air suction sex toy was released in 2015. That means the industry has had seven years to expand on the world of air suction technology—and each company does it a little bit differently, with its own design to facilitate the suction sensations. (After all, they have to! Patents exist!)

READ: The Best Suction Vibrators, Ranked By Orgasm Speed.

That said, if one type of suction isn't a perfect fit, don't write off the entire category. A different suction technology, and a different sex toy tip, can make a drastic difference in how the sensations feel—and it might be a much-better fit for your body!

We could (and probably will!) write an entire article about getting the best suction sex toy for yourself, but the basic tips boil down to:

• Getting the Right Tip Size: Every clitoris is different—from placement, to protrusion, to thickness to engorgement during arousal. Since air suction vibrators rely on getting a good seal around the clitoris, this means getting the right fit with the tip of the toy—the part that will surround the clitoris—is vital. If you think your clitoris is smaller or larger than average, we recommend selecting an air suction vibrator that offers a replaceable/interchangeable tip, like the Womanizer Premium. This can help you in get the right fit for yourself!
• Trying Multiple Sessions: Especially if this is your first air suction vibrator after years of standard vibrators, it can take a bit to get used to air suction. It's so different—and it feels a bit like a precision instrument compared to the "set it and forget it" design of most vibrators. Give yourself multiple masturbation sessions to figure out if you like air suction as you experiment with the exact placement and pressure of the air suction vibe.
• Trying It By Yourself: Air suction vibes can make good couple's toys. Especially if you're new to the sensations, however, you might find it easiest to control the toy yourself—and without an audience. As noted, air suction toys are a more precision instrument than most vibrators, which means a millimeter-sized movement can make or break the sensations. You might prefer to save partnered play for when you can reliably instruct your partner about how to make air suction amazing for you.

Which Suction Vibrator Should I Try?

Now that you have some tips under your belt, check out a few of these air suction sex toys to start you off in your new air suction orgasm journey:

1. The Satisfyer Pro 2

OK, OK, we'll admit it: Some people simply don't have the cash to drop on a brand new type of sensation. If you're in that camp, consider the Satisfyer Pro 2. While it doesn't have the same power or intensity as the Womanizer Premium Eco, it also offers interchangeable tips and lets you explore the world of air suction sensations with ease.

Plus, you can always "upgrade" to a different toy later if you want to!

Reviews are in, too! As T. said, "This results of using this is so different than just a vibrator. I just cannot believe all the feelings from it...by far the most intense O’s I’ve had from a toy!"

2. The Womanizer Liberty

Travel often? The Womanizer Liberty might be the right fit for you.

Crafted to make it easy to travel with your air suction sex toy, the Liberty brings the power of the Womanizer brand into a small, portable toy that includes a protective (and discreet!) cap for when you're not enjoying its powerful orgasms.

3. The Lora DiCarlo Baci

Don't settle simply for clitoral pleasure. The Lora DiCarlo Baci's claim to fame is its full-vulva thrumming that accompanies its air suction sensations. Simply settle the Baci's tip into the perfect spot, and the elevated, thrumming platform will stimulate the rest of the vulva too!

READ: How to Finger a Vulva.

Glowing praise for this toy is abound! Reviewer M. K. says, "I love it way, way more than a lot of my Womanizer toys, and if I'm going for a really intense orgasm, I'll pull out the Baci. It's pretty much my go-to clitoral toy right now. The thrumming platform around the suction whole really makes for full-vulva pleasure in addition to some serious clitoral pleasure, and I rarely have to move it off of the lowest two power settings to orgasm."

4. The Womanizer Duo

The Womanizer Duo promises something few other suction-based vibes do: internal and external vibrations. Its internal arm vibrates against the g-spot while the external stimulator provides Womanizer's patented air treatment. (We even have an entire Womanizer Duo review!)

Reviewer P. has some glowing praise for the Womanizer Duo, too, saying:

"This is by far the best suction/vibrator I have ever bought! (And I've tried sooo many!) The suction is amazing and combined with vibrator it'll have you screaming in mins.(Literally) I've bought two already in the past three years and I will definitely be buying another soon. It's also lasted way longer than any other [vibrator] I've purchased, and like I said, there have been a lot. I recommend this to everyone. It's amazing."

5. The We-Vibe Melt

Interested in using your air suction vibrator during intercourse? That's exactly what the We-Vibe Melt was made for!

Smaller in size than most air suction vibes, the We-Vibe Melt is crafted to slide between tight spaces—like between your two bodies. Enjoy air suction during penetration!

READ: Sex Positions That Work Seamlessly With Air Suction Vibrators.

6. The Arcwave Ion

Let's deviate away from the clitoral focus here for a second. The Arcwave Ion, by the makers of Womanizer, was brought to the sex toy industry very recently and whew, are we impressed!

The Arcwave Ion takes the air suction technology we've been talking about and perfectly positions it for penis pleasure. Just slide the penis into the stimulating toy and the air suction sensations will target the most sensitive part: the frenulum. It's a whole different way to masturbate!

As reviewer T.S. put it, "Being an older gentleman, I rarely find the need for self-stimulation, however, I thought I would try the Arcwave to see if it actually worked. Yep, it works. Once you find the “right” area, it’s pretty amazing. To say that I can last a long time with straight masturbation would be an understatement….the Arcwave gets you over that set of beliefs and takes self-stimulation to another level of experience. I was so surprised that I had to try it several nights in a row just to see if it was a “one-time” thing….nope…actually got better the more I figured it out."

7. The LELO SONA Cruise

The LELO Sona Cruise is a bit of a favorite over at Kinkly. It's beautiful, it's powerful and the cruise function kicks into high gear right when you need it—ensuring plenty of pleasure.

READ: Sex Toy Review: LELO SONA Cruise.

As reviewer A.L. said, "What I can attest to is that this toy produces one badass orgasm after another in short order."

The bottom line? If your sex toy collection is feeling a little blasé, suction could be just the thing to spice it up.