I do not have a penis, so all penis toy (or you preferred term) opinions come from my current partner. The reviews are written by me, based on the thoughts and opinions of myself and my partner.
Since my partner has been buying vibrating strokers for himself he has always said he would really like an enclosed loop, since many others are open half circles, so when he came across the Desire Luxury 20 Function Vibrating Stroker from Lovehoney he was instantly sold. Lovehoney calls this a “male stroker” on their website which is frustrating because there’s no need to label it as “male”, as toys can be used by anyone and there’s no need to make people feel alienated. Thankfully though (at the time of our purchase), the actual product box, and the toy’s instruction manual has no mention of gender. Hopefully in the future companies will stop labeling toys for specific genders on their websites.
The Desire Luxury Stroker is made of body-safe silicone, with a metallic-coated plastic plate on the bottom, where the charging port is. The handle is ribbed for an easier grip and it contains a 3 button control panel. Lovehoney did a really good job designing this control panel, as it has + and – buttons for changing intensity easily and a separate button for patterns. You turn the toy on by holding down the + button for a few seconds, and you turn it off by holding the – button down; depending on what level of intensity you’re at the time it takes to power down will vary. This stroker has 12 steady vibrations, and 8 patterns. To access the patterns you hit the pattern button (middle button), which is a circle, and to switch patterns you press this button again. Now, one of the biggest perks about operation that really excites me is the patterns in this toy are adjustable intensity. Hold down the + or – buttons to increase and decrease the pattern’s intensity levels. Whatever power level you’re at will carry into the next pattern though, so if you’re at top speed the next pattern will start at top speed. This option is also available in the steady vibration speeds, so you can hold down the + or – button until you hit the perfect intensity for you. Toys that allow for very specific power selection like this, and adjustable pattern intensity are the bees knees, in my humble opinion. And on top of all of this, it also has a travel-lock which you can engage, and disengage by holding down the + and – buttons together for 3 seconds. The travel-lock can also be disengaged by putting the Desire Stroker on its charger.
The reason my partner has been so adamant about wanting a vibrator with a closed loop design is because vibrators that cover his entire head do not work very well for him. When his entire head is covered it will often overwhelm him to the point of numbing him out, and he won’t be able to reach orgasm. This is a temporary effect, and it quickly goes away once he’s not using the vibrator; please don’t buy into the myth that sex toys permanently desensitize you. The loop design of the Desire Stroker allows him to stimulate his dick exactly like he wants, in the specific areas that he wants. He loves to go in the pattern of stimulating his glans above the frenulum, moving down to his frenulum and overall foreskin, and then the shaft, repeat. He also enjoys using it to push his foreskin up and down for extra stimulation, and it never catches or drags. The open loop design is perfect for edging, and allows him to not become overstimulated or numb, since he can move the sensations whenever he needs. The other reason he really wanted an enclosed loop was because he wanted to be able to hold the toy more freely, and in either hand. With open or half-circle vibrators the vibrations can often only be felt in very specific spots because of where the motor is placed, which means your hand is stuck in a rigid, often awkward position to keep the toy placed in a specific spot. The Desire Stroker’s motor is placed at the top of the handle (I call the charge port end the bottom), where the texture circle design is, but the vibrations transfer to the entire loop, which gives you a lot of freedom for placement. My partner does most of his masturbating with his right hand, but he holds the Desire Stroker with his left hand, because the left side of his dick is more sensitive. He says that holding it in either hand works equally well and overall placement will just depend on your individual tastes.
He says that the way the weight of the Desire Stroker is distributed is good because it’s higher in the handle, and this allows you to move the loop very freely on your penis (or your preferred term), without it feeling heavy. The angle of the loop was also thought out well, because it slants down, instead of being at a harsh right angle and this allows for better placement, and more variation in sensation. You can hold the circle at different areas, or distances for varied sensations that can feel more fluttery and teasing, or more intense. He does wish that the handle was looped the way Fun Factory’s Manta handle is, because his pinky finger specifically will cramp sometimes from the way he holds the toy.
My partner said the vibration motor in the Desire Stroker is a mix of rumble and buzz; more buzzy than the Manta from Fun Factory but more rumbly than the Satisfyer Men Wand. This is the only vibrating toy he can use on his glans and still switch to a non-vibrating stroking toy and not be too numb or desensitized to enjoy the stroking sensations. This is due to the mix of the vibration frequency and the fact it’s a loop and not a closed glans stimulator, that covers everything. Just as he needs his non-vibrational strokers to have more room inside, he does best with a vibrator that doesn’t hug his penis too tight. The gap between his skin and the loop of the Desire Stroker allows for more fluttering, and pinpoint-style sensations, while still having the option to put pressure on a specific spot if he chooses to. The silicone that coats this toy is very smooth, and the loop is rounded off so there are no harsh edges. There is a seam on the toy that you can visually see but it’s smoothed out enough you don’t feel it in use. My partner says very little lube is needed if he’s not stroking his entire shaft length because it feels so smooth, but the longer his strokes are the more lubricant he needs, but of course personal preferences for this will vary. Remember no silicone lube with your silicone toys, water-based lubricant is your safest option.
The Desire Luxury Stroker also works very well for penetrative sex, for us. We can push the loop all the way to the base of his penis, and then I can grind on the handle while I am on top, using the vibrations of the toy to stimulate my clit and reach orgasm. It also works for us in doggystyle, I just have to hold the handle against my vulva. Or I can align the loop to the entrance of my vagina, with the handle on my mons for missionary. I wasn’t really thinking about the benefits of using this during penetrative sex when my partner bought the Desire Stroker so it was definitely a welcome surprise. As someone who rubs their clit or uses a vibe during sex, every single time, I definitely enjoy just having a handle to grind on while I am on top, freeing up both of my hands for other things. And the fact it’s coated entirely in silicone, making it body-safe for both of us is great, and gives me complete peace of mind.
The Desire Luxury Stroker also has a pretty good battery life, running up to 50 minutes on a full charge. My partner has never had an issue with the toy running out of battery before he reaches an orgasm, or decides to switch to another toy. It’s also waterproof, and submersible, according to Lovehoney. My partner has washed it in running water, but has not tested its submersion capabilities as he’s not a bathtub masturbator. Also, make sure the charging port is completely dried out before you plug it up to charge it, as it’s big enough to potentially get water inside. Washing is easy overall, just make sure you clean the grooves, and ridges well with mild soap and warm water since lube and body fluids are likely to pool around these areas. You can use a soft cloth or a soft toothbrush to make this easier. Storage is also made more convenient by Lovehoney, as the Desire Stroker comes with a case to store it in. You can purchase your own Desire Luxury Stroker from Lovehoney for $99.99 (prices are at the time of writing this and subject to change).
