Masturbators are pretty much all the same. I recently discovered the pleasure of vibrating cock toys, but unfortunately, some of them are very hit and miss…
I don’t really want to have to relive the experiences with the Paso or the Zini Bang Bang… but it just shows that just because it vibrates, doesn’t mean it’s a good thing! The Fun Factory Cobra Libre had been the only vibrating masturbator that actually word, did didn’t feel like it was tearing my knob to shreds. When I saw the Power Stroker, I was intrigued (but it doesn’t take much really to peek my interest).
When Lovehoney reached out to me to ask if I would be interested in reviewing, I of course said YES because, well… it’s always an honour to be asked to review a product. And selfishly, I just wanted to have it. But it all worked out well for everyone in the end…
First Impressions
I apologise now for the pictures – I’ve had this in my toy box for quite a while and the outer packaging has taken a bit of a beating! So please forgive me!
The packaging of the Apollo itself is VERY basic, in terms of design and construction – in fact, it’s really quite flimsy. As a long term storage option, it’s not really going to work (as you can see in the pictures). The stroker looks almost like a fleshlight in terms of design, but it’s actually smaller and sleeker. It’s also a hell of a lot lighter! Inside the box, you get the Stroker and the detachable suction cup (which will allow for some hands-free fun!). There’s no ‘instructions’ but I don’t think it takes a genius to work out what to do. You’ll need 4 x AA batteries which are sadly not included.
The stroker has a fairly wide opening (about 2inches/55mm) and narrows as you get deeper and has a depth of about 3.5 inches/90mm. The sleeve has a very similar design to the Cobra Libre in that there is a ‘ridge’ that has clearly been designed to stimulate the frenulum. The sleeve has a ‘wavy’ texture inside which turns into little bumps at the bottom, which is supposed to stimulate the glans.
Generally, the Stroker looks really good, and it feels quite ‘premium’ in hand, despite the cheap/flimsy packaging. One thing I noticed was the fact the stroker wasn’t waterproof, which is a real shame – as having the suction cup would mean you could have some great fun in the shower – however don’t let that put you off – there are plenty of ways to have fun this this toy.
In Use
It’s really simple to use, and the toy boasts 30 (yes, you read that correctly… 30) different vibrations and patterns. To operate, you simply push the ‘power’ button and then press the pattern button to cycle through. This is where I encountered my first ‘problem’ with the toy. You can only cycle through the speeds/patterns one direction – you cannot go back. So if you miss the speed/setting you want – you either have to go all the way through them to get back to the one you want – or turn it off and start again. It’s a minor issue really, however in the heat of the moment, if you accidentally press the button just as your building up a good rhythm on a particular pattern, it can be a little frustrating! Anyway.. in order to actually use the toy, you need to of course, lube yourself and the opening of the Stroker with a good quality WATER-BASED lube (as the sleeve is made from TPE and will not appreciate silicone/oil-based lubes). To get the best results, you’ll want the buttons to be facing you when you slide in. This means that the raised ridge inside the sleeve is actually resting on the frenulum. When you’re ready to go, press the button and away you go!
The first think I noticed was that the vibrations where actually quite strong, which is surprising for a battery operated toy (although I suppose when you’ve got 4 of the buggers inside, you’d hope it’d be bloody powerful!). They are consistent and strong, but not too over-whelming (which I did find happened with the Cobra Libre when it was on high). But generally, the vibrations felt good, and it did feel like the vibrations were being felt all around (and not just on the frenulum). Now, as this is called the Power Stroker, I decided that it would perhaps be a good idea to actually try ‘stroking’ with the toy. Whilst it’s not impossible, it’s not the most satisfying stroking experience – as the canal is just too shallow, and the opening gets too wide to really do anything. However, with some very gentle up and down motions – it actually felt rather pleasant, and at one point, it actually did feel like I was getting a wet, deep-throated blow job. It wasn’t perfect, but I’m not going to complain because whatever it was, it felt incredibly good!
Of course, this wouldn’t be a complete test if I didn’t at least try out the suction cup. Now, as the toy is not waterproof – shower fun is out of the question – however, I did have another idea in mind. As I am lucky enough to work from home, I find myself alone quite regularly and whilst the husband works away, I get ‘urges’ and sometimes you just have to satisfy them. So one afternoon when I was alone, I brought the Power Stroker downstairs and I stuck it under my desk. With some minor adjustment of the chair, I was in the perfect position. I slipped inside, turned it on and sat there. My eyes rolled to the back of my head almost instantly and before long, I found myself gently thrusting into the Stroker. All this whilst sending emails to clients. If only they knew… But you can stick it to work-tops, tables – generally the suction cup is pretty sturdy and I had no problems with it at all – and you can swivel it 180 degrees into whatever position you want it to be in.
So in terms of function, the toy is a winner – it brought both me and my husband to orgasm in pretty good time. So what’s stopping me from totally loving it? Well there’s a couple of things that are stopping me from totally adoring it. Firstly, it’s the batteries. A toy like this would benefit from being rechargeable! It takes 4 batteries at a time, and whilst I’ve been able to get a couple of good uses out of this before having to replace (6 x 30 minute sessions before the power starts to feel weaker) – it’s still frustrating at having to replace them.
Secondly, this toy desperately needs to be waterproof. Not just for pleasure but for cleaning as well – it’s not the easiest thing to clean! Plus if you’ve got the suction cup, it would be great to take this into the shower and have some fun.
Clean-up and Maintenance
As the toy is not waterproof – you need to take a bit of care when cleaning. The best way of cleaning it, I found – is to put just a small amount of water into the actual sleeve to ‘rinse out’ and then use a damp, soft cloth and your fingers, to work inside and clean out – you’ll want to be through as there are little lumps at the bottom of the canal that could trap lube/spunk if you’re not careful – then leave it to dry before putting it away. Which leads me to wish it had some sort of cap to place over the opening once your finished, to keep the sleeve from getting dusty (which is always a bug bear with toys like this).
Summary
OK, so whilst it may seem that there is a fair bit to not like about this, there is still fair bit to actually really like about it. The vibrations are strong and consistent, and with over 30 functions, there is bound to be something there to please even the most fussiest of people. It’s really light, and incredibly easy to use, and because it’s not really shaped like anything in particular – it’s perfectly discreet and perfect for either solo playtime (especially with the suction cup) or even with couples play (it’s quite fun using it on my husband and watching him squirm).
Where to buy
Unfortunately, since reviewing this product, it is no longer available from Lovehoney. However, if you are in the US, CA, AU or UK – you can still get hold of one at SheVibe.
The Apollo Power Stroker was sent to me free of charge in exchange for an honest review.
