Sweet Embrace (by Evolved) Vibrator Review
Fed up with lackluster “luxury” sex toys I turned a curious eye to the Evolved Novelties brand. I’d recently written product descriptions for pretty much all of their line and while many would have appealed to me a lot more about 5 years ago some of them still give me pause. I don’t judge a toy on how much it costs, learning that harsh lesson from too many over-priced under-whelming vibrators. I settled on the Sweet Embrace, frankly, because of the combination of girth and supposed power. The fact that it has 7 functions and a dual motor were secondary. The shape of it overall and the size of the larger end also reminded me of a wooden dildo I love, the NobEssence Seduction.
When I first tried out the toy I thought it was broken. It acted like a defective product – the power button was all wonky, it would turn on and then stop, I wasn’t able to find the straight vibration and then I wasn’t able to turn it off. Tried another set of batteries, same thing. Ready to return it to EdenFantasys for a new one I tried a last-ditch effort with a pair of absolutely positively brand new batteries. Success! Turns out, if your batteries are lower on juice than you thought….the vibrator doesn’t know what to do with half-assed battery juice and just goes all random. Defective product? Probably not. High quality product? Probably not. So I have kept my original item.
The Sweet Embrace is marketed as a G-Spot vibrator. Therefore, meant to be inserted. The dual motors (and yes, there is a motor at each end) and their product description indicate that both ends are suitable for insertion depending on your size preference. But man that’s a big jump! The smaller end has a max width of just barely an inch while the big end has a max width of 1.75 inches. But here’s the other problem – it’s short. Which at first I didn’t think would be a problem. After all, the g-spot is located anywhere from 1-3 inches up the front vaginal wall so a maximum insertable length of 3-ish inches should be enough to do the trick. If you don’t want the button actually inside of you (being right at your entrance isn’t much better though) then the insertable lengths are a bit less than stated in the description on the site.
The bigger end appealed to me more but after insertion I figured out why this won’t work: the power button faces your ass and by the time you insert it so that it is more comfortable, with the widest portion resting back on your g-spot, the button is either right at your entrance or just inside of you. *blinks* Ok, fine. I don’t give a hang about the functions and we all know I only care about the top speed so I don’t need to hit that button, but many users might. The thinner end at least has the button facing your clit but the thinner end is also a bit shorter. The button remains buried in flesh. Luckily it is a silicone button with a raised power symbol on it so it is slightly better to push when it’s all wet but it’s a bitch to get to no matter how you slice it.
Ok so what about using it for clit stimulation, instead? It’s powered by 2 AAA batteries, a fact that some of you may scoff at. I didn’t think anything of it, since my two favorite bullets are powered by 2 AAA batteries and they are gorgeously rumbly and powerful. I have read reviews that say that the Sweet Embrace is buzzy; for once I disagree. It’s a lower-pitched vibration, it isn’t itchy; it’s certainly more rumbly and powerful than the Lelo Tiani, Isla, or Mia; more rumbly than the Bnaughty bullet, the G-ki or Zini Roae; but certainly less powerful and deep than the Vanity VR6‘s insertable portion. I pretty much need the power and depth of vibration provided by the VR6 to make my g-spot give a shit about vibrations. But the power of the Sweet Embrace just isn’t quite enough for me to use as a clit vibrator. The larger end seems to be more powerful (so if you were thinking about enjoying more pin-point, forget that). With fresh batteries and on top speed the larger end could give me a clitoral orgasm if I’m willing to wait a little longer – I can get off with less power if the motor is rumbly enough and this is rumbly enough (the smaller end I might classify as more buzzy, though). I’ve figured out though that because of the dual motors, each motor is powered by one of the batteries. One goes into the smaller end, one the bigger end and you screw it together. If you were able to shut off one of the motors (since you can’t possibly use both at the same time because it is S-shaped, not C-shaped) and have the power of both batteries this would be much more to my liking. Plus if you are holding the larger end you’ll be distracted/irritated by the vibrating handle.
Many reviewers said that when used externally, the Sweet Embrace is quite noisy – it can be. The problem is that the motor, like in many bullets, is sensitive to angle. At certain angles it suddenly goes very rattly and loud. That effect is lessened when it is firmly grasped, inserted or otherwise “steadied”. I’ve actually been sitting here writing this review, clothed, with the larger end on my clit; because of the S-shape the vibrator can be more vertical rather than say pointing outwards like a unrestrained hard cock. Because the smaller end (which I find is more susceptible to the rattles) is firmly against clothing and the larger end is pressed firmly to flesh it isn’t very loud. Granted I’m in a room with two running computers so it isn’t total silence in here but I can barely hear the thing. If I change it to one of the pulsating functions then it gets more noisy because there are a few functions in which the strongest pulse is stronger than the top steady setting. Irritating, because I know it had the potential to be that strong but they chose not to. If I go to move it though it does get louder without the pressure around it.
Will I actually use this as intended, as a g-spot vibrator? Nope. Only because it lacks the power I need for me to really feel that internally. BUT I do quite like the fat end’s shape – that pronounced bulb lends a different g-spot-only quality as opposed to a dildo that is 1.75 inches around the whole thing. This bulb design offers the girth I want for easier massage of my g-spot but with a tapered neck so that my vaginal opening isn’t being stretched. Sometimes I want that stretched feeling all over and sometimes I don’t. I can see myself using this as a dildo. The more I think about it, this might be a pretty decent travel toy – keep the two halves unscrewed and the batteries elsewhere and it’s decently portable. Combined with my bullet on my clit and using this as a dildo I’d get off wonderfully. With this as my only toy I’d have to alternate between g-spot pressure and a long, slow climb to a clitoral orgasm (which means I’d have to be sure to keep a spare set of batteries on hand) but it’s doable. Is this a perfect toy? Definitely not. But I don’t think it will go unused. Which is a lot more than I can say for the last 4 luxury vibrators I’ve tried.
Don’t like pink? Evolved also makes this exact same toy in black but markets it to men as a prostate massager, the Provoke. I don’t think this would be a good prostate toy, though. Inserting the smaller end is safe because of the larger end, but inserting the larger end then means you have no flared base for safety. So there you have a fat, vibrating handle to hold, a max insertable length of less than three inches and a definite certainty that the button will be covered in lube and will require thorough toothbrush scrubbing to get it really clean. Oh and as I figured out, the button is actually the lesser of two evils for cleaning. See that raised crap there? WTF is that. It’s not even a logo. Anyways it is a bitch to clean. It requires a toothbrush for that bit.
- 3 speeds, 4 pulsating functions
- Waterproof (although using it in the bathroom would be stupid, IMO, if you’re at all concerned about noise levels)
- ABS hard plastic (silky, matte finish as opposed to shiny and slick) – click here for cleaning and lube info
- Single button – push to turn on to low steady, then it will move through the other 6 settings. To turn it off, you must press and hold the button for 4 seconds
- Rumbly vibrations that are moderate but pleasurable
- Travel-friendly if you leave the two halves unscrewed
- Give it a helping hand: Use fresh AAA batteries by Duracell or Energizer in their “more power for high drain devices” type (which are, yes, more pricey). Try a warming lube or one that stimulates the g-spot or clitoris if you’re like me and not an easy O.
