7 Things to Know About Rabbit Vibrators

"The Rabbit," as it has come to be know, is a vibrating icon. Ever since the first bright, sparkly sex toys rolled off a Japanese assembly line in the 1980s, these dual-stimulation vibrators have remained one of the most popular and most recognizable vibrator styles around. But in recent years, this toy has grown up. Like many sex toys, the rabbit vibrator category has recently benefited from new designs and innovation that has brought the toy from cute to cutting edge.

Are you a rabbit lover? Here are some things to know about these vibrators, past, present and future.

They're Designed to Deliver What's Called a "Blended Orgasm"

Despite all the forms they've taken, rabbit vibes have one thing in common: they're designed to stimulate both the clitoris and the G-spot to deliver what's often referred to as a blended orgasm.

So, what does that mean, exactly? Here's the deal: Many people are able to experience pleasure and/or orgasm from stimulation of either the clitoris or the G-spot. Some people also report that the way that an orgasm feels is influenced by which area is stimulated. In other words, the feeling of the orgasm produced by G-spot stimulation, and the one produced by clitoral stimulation is, for many people, qualitatively different. Rabbit vibrators aim to stimulate both areas at once and provide the best of both worlds. For some people, this can mean a bigger, more intense orgasm. (Learn more in Blended Orgasms - What, How and Why?)

They Aren't All Cute

The very first rabbit vibrators featured the now legendary rabbit as the clitoral stimulator. In the first rabbit vibes, that little guy wiggled and vibrated his head and ears to tickle and tease the clitoris. This cute design wasn't just an attempt to woo conservative consumers. It was a tactic to get the toys out of Japan, where phallic designs were not allowed. The not so cute part? The shaft on these early designs was made to look like a human head, complete with a smiling face, fancy hair-do, earrings and a pearl necklace. Creepy much?

Thankfully, later models dropped this touch - but stuck with the rabbit tickler. More modern innovations on the rabbit model have moved away from the rabbit ears altogether to focus on more ergonomic - and effective - shapes.

Newer vibrator models like the LELO Soraya have ditched the rabbit ears and focused on ergonomics.

Rabbit Vibes Got a Boost from a 1998 Episode of Sex and the City

Although rabbit vibrators first appeared in the United States in the early 1980s, what really launched them to super-stardom was a cameo appearance in a 1998 episode of Sex and the City. In that episode, the more conservative character, Charlotte, gets hooked on a rabbit vibrator. The rabbit had broken into mainstream culture. Its popularity has only grown since!

Rabbit Vibrators Don't Fit With Everyone's Anatomy

Despite their popularity, one major criticism of rabbit-style vibrators is that they don't line up with everyone's anatomy. Vulvas are a lot like faces. Each one is totally different in its size, shape and proportions. For example, research has found a huge variation in the space between a person's clitoris and vagina. We also know that people have all different body shapes and sizes; some are fat, some are thin and some are somewhere in between. What that means that some toys just don't work for some people. This is especially true when that toy is designed to hit two erogenous zones at once.

That said, some newer iterations of rabbit-style vibrators, such as LELO's INA 2, have attempted to address this issue by creating a flexible arm. This helps the toy "fit" a wider range of body types.

Rabbit Vibrators Multiplied ...

Following Sex and the City, rabbit vibrators took off in a big way, leading to many crappy copycats - as well as sleeker, better designed new innovations. These newer versions boasted more grown up designs as well as higher quality materials like silicone and more powerful motors. The rabbit has grown up, and the latest generation of this toy offers more power and more options for play.

But They're Still Very Popular

According to market research, rabbit-style vibrators make up about 38% of vibrator market share, a figure that is expected to expand beyond 40% by 2019. In other words, people still love this type of toy!

Materials and Design Matter

When it comes to buying a rabbit-style vibrator, there is now more choice than ever, but materials and design matter. Today's higher-end rabbits, such the LELO INA 2 and INA Wave, are made of body-safe materials such as silicone. They also include powerful, long-lasting motors, and are rechargeable and waterproof, for easier care and cleaning. Cheaper versions might get you off, but the pleasure provided by these thoughtfully designed toys extends beyond the bedroom as well.