Buying gifts can be difficult for anyone. But the challenge is compounded when you consider buying gifts of an intimate nature, i.e., sex toys. Most people struggle with buying and gifting sex toys because they have various concerns. Will they be offended? Will they enjoy using it? How do I know if it’s the kind of sex toy they like? Will it be awkward? These are all important questions you must ask yourself — depending on whom you’re presenting the gift to, the answer might differ. Below, we provide some useful information on how to gift the best sex toy.
General tips about gifting sex toys
Tip #1. Only gift sex toys to people you have a close relationship with.
Depending on the person and your interpersonal relationship, sex toys can be the best gifts or the worst gifts, bordering on abusive. When considering a sex toy gift, your very first concern should be the nature of your relationship with the recipient. How intimately do you know them? What is your current relationship status or dynamic?
It goes without saying (we hope) that you shouldn’t gift sex toys to coworkers or colleagues (that’s workplace harassment), strangers (must we explain why that’s bad?), family members (for obvious reasons), or someone you want to have sex with (gifting sex toys is NOT the correct way to proposition sex). Generally speaking, you should only gift sex toys to a current sexual partner(s) or extremely close friends with whom you often discuss your sexual lives.
Tip #2. Talk about the possibility of introducing sex toys into your relationship.
Even if you want the gift to be a surprise, you should at least talk about it in the abstract to gauge where they stand. Sex toys aren’t for everyone, and you should be certain that they’d actually like to receive them. If you’re gifting it to a sexual partner, you can introduce the subject of trying sex toys into your dirty talk or general conversations. If you’re gifting it to a friend, strike up a conversation about sex toys, talk about your favorites, and gauge their reaction. If they don’t seem enthusiastic about the idea of sex toys, you can get them something else they’d be into.
Tip #3. Manage your expectations — it’s about them, not you.
This tip mostly applies to those gifting sex toys to their sexual partners. Often, people gift sex toys with the expectation that they’d use the toys together, incorporating them into their playtime. But people have different relationships to their sex toys — some like using them in sex, some use them solo, and some don’t like using them at all. Sexual exploration and preference is a completely personal choice, and you must respect whatever they decide to do with your gift. Remember that it’s a gift for them, not you.
Tip #4. Present the sex toy at the right moment and time.
You must be extremely careful about when and where you present the sex toy. If you’re surrounded by a close group of friends with little to no boundaries, you can gift the sex toy publicly. However, if you have a large party with lots of strangers, it’s possible that getting your friend or sexual partner to unwrap a sex toy would be embarrassing for them. If that’s the situation, it’s better to gift the sex toy in private or with a close group of friends.
Tip #5. Consider the recipient’s personal preferences with sex toys.
Choosing the best sex toy is tricky because it involves having an intimate understanding of the recipient’s sexual desires and preferences. If they already have sex toys, you should consider if your gift will add anything to their collection. If they’ve never tried sex toys before, you can start them off with someone small and non-threatening. And if you have no idea about their sexual preferences or if they own sex toys, then you probably shouldn’t be gifting them sex toys, to begin with.
Factors to consider when choosing sex toys
#1. Body-safe materials.
You must look for sex toys made of body-safe materials, specifically body-safe silicone. Sex toys go into the most intimate parts of your body, so they must be as hygienic as possible. Sex toys made of jelly, rubber, PVC plastic, and latex are prone to bacterial growth and yeast infections because they’re extremely porous and become breeding grounds for germs. You should only get sex toys made of body-safe silicone because it’s extremely soft and non-porous, so there’s no risk of bacterial colonization.
#2. Type of sex toy.
You have several types of sex toys to consider. If you’re getting a sex toy for someone with a vulva, you can choose clitoral stimulators, traditional dildos, or even clitoral suckers. Traditional dildos offer vaginal penetration, clitoral stimulators (or vibrators) provide clitoral stimulation, and clitoral suckers indirectly stimulate the entire clitoral structure (rather than just the tip). Butt plugs are another fantastic option - they add a unique dimension of pleasure for those interested in exploring different sensations. Everyone has different preferences — choose the toy most likely to please the recipient.
#3. Ribbed and pleasurable material.
You should ideally get sex toys with a ribbed texture that enhances the pleasure. Ribbed sex toys can also be glided over the erogenous zones for enhanced pleasure, making them far more effective than traditional dildos and average sex toys. Generally speaking, look for ribbed sex toys with a soft and squishy surface. This is especially true if the sex toy will be used for penetration.
Namii: the most exciting sex toy gift you can find
Biird’s Namii is currently one of the most exciting sex toys for people with vulvas. It’s a clitoral suction sex toy made of body-safe silicone with a ribbed texture. It uses air pressure to create a suction force around your clitoris and delivers sonic pulses that stimulate your entire clitoral structure, inducing deep and powerful orgasms. Namii is also extremely attractive and discreet and comes with a cute charging base that doubles as a mood lamp — your friend or partner can even put it out on display without anyone being wiser.
If you follow all the tips mentioned in this article, you’ll soon find the ideal sex toy for your friend or sexual partner.
