This $15 Vibrator Is Proof You Don’t Need Size to Deliver
· Vice
If you’re deep in your “little treat” era, where a $15 sweet or a tiny splurge gets you through the week, there’s a new lover in the rotation that actually earns its keep: Bean, the mini wand vibrator by Gen Z’s fav sex toy brand, Unbound. It’s small enough to feel like an impulse buy but powerful enough to avoid feeling like a throwaway or trinket that later sparks regret.
Bean isn’t a new sex toy, though. It’s just come back after completely selling out across all shopping platforms, and, dare we say, given the economy, this is the perfect time for this price point to be celebrated. Sidebar: If you ask Fortune, Gen Z’s love of little treats is going to bankrupt them. But if you’ll never be able to buy a house… Who really cares?
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As someone who loves the finer things in life (yes, even luxury sex toys), this $15 vibrator immediately piqued my interest (and my skepticism). Once you’ve experienced the buttery-soft finish and deep, rumbly power of a $200 vibe, your standards unfortunately grow to unspeakable levels. So when an email about Unbound’s new uber-mini vibrator, the Bean, landed in my inbox, it felt like the ultimate test. Could something this tiny (and tbh, cheap) actually deliver pleasure I’d appreciate, or was it just another piece of junk disguised by great marketing?
TL;DR – My Quick Verdict
I tested this in total for about two hours across two pleasure sessions, and it stayed with full charge the entire time. My partner had a timeeeeee using Bean to stimulate my nipples. It’s tinier than expected, so definitely fit for travels – especially my purse.
By the time I got home, I found myself stashing my second one (yes, I keep a few toys on me) in the living room. The charger situation isn’t ideal, but given the price point, I’m glad I’m compromising on the charger situation and not the power.
(opens in a new window) Unbound BabesBean Mini Wand Vibrator (opens in a new window)
$15 at Unbound Buy Now (opens in a new window) $15 at Amazon Buy Now (opens in a new window)How I tested
Now, to know whether Mr. Bean lives up to the best-selling claims, I wanted to test a few qualities. First, just how loud is this thing? Is it waterproof for my water sport adventures? Is it compatible with partnered sex (aka can I put this on my clit while my man strokes me? Or is it too clunky for that? Cause I love a little bit of both). How strong is the vibe? Is it super loud to the point that my host will hear? Does it give $15 worth? Or is it just right? Last but not least, would it go off in the TSA belt line if I didn’t take my electronics (aka Bean) out of my bag?
This product was tested in two environments: the TSA line and on a family vacation (I know, it sounds chaotic, but I needed to test its volume in a realistic environment). Sometimes, you can’t get your roomie out of the house, and you still want to nut. So, I was trying to replicate that and see if the “can they hear us fucking” fear came around.
I’ve only ever tested medium and larger-sized wand vibrators, so this was truly a little treat for me. Larger wand vibes tend to feel clunky for me and just unnecessarily large, so I tend to skip them. I will say, however, they do get the job done fabulously. The size just doesn’t work for my travel itinerary.
I used this during solo sex on my nipples and vagina, and also during partnered sex. This would help me decipher if it was tiny enough to slide in between us during sex, so I can get clit play while being penetrated. Also, were the settings worth using while with my lover? Or should I ditch the vibrator and rely on him?
During solo sex, I was mainly testing loudness and how each zone of my body enjoyed the vibration patterns. Were they giving cheap just like the price? Or did it give me a real bang for my buck?
Verdict: Small But Satisfying
Unound’s Bean is a cute—but deeply satisfying experience.
For context on just how mini this is, it’s only 3.5 inches long and 1.2 inches wide at the tip. The handle is realistically about half that size, so it fits right in your palm (big plus for travel and saving space for other items). I had no issues traveling with this and would definitely bring this along with me moving forward.
My favorite use of this hits two bits: down there and my nipples. The vibration settings are insanely strong (which might explain the volume. More on that later, though) and add a little mystery when it comes to the patterns, like your lover would do while sucking your nipples. You don’t know exactly how they’ll do it each time, but it always feels good. That kind of pleasure.
If you have your sex playlist on, it’ll drown out some of the noise. But, it isn’t quiet, so make sure you have a buffer set up. For context, things got spicy during Real Housewives, so that was more than enough to drown it out. I did test this in a silent room, and it was rather loud.
The charger situation isn’t my favorite, as it’s not a USB-C charger, meaning it’s not compatible with my phone. It also doesn’t use Unbound’s universal charger, so if you like ease in this area, unfortunately, you will have to pack another charger cord and bring a charger box that plugs into the wall, as that’s not provided, either. However, for the price point, it makes sense that you don’t get the same “taken care of” set up as with luxury toys.
In comparison to other wand vibrators on the market, the strength of this bad boy is niiiiiiice. I don’t feel like it skimps on the strength at all, and the vibration patterns were hella fun to explore. I let out a gasp on setting 5. It’s not as strong as a large wand, duh, it’s tiny AF. But the vibration speeds and patterns will absolutely get you off. Also, it’s waterproof, so no issues with certain… watersports.
Outside of solo sex, it was a great fit, too. Because it’s so tiny, I was able to use this on my clit during doggy style, cowgirl, and missionary very comfortably. As shared above, I think my lover had too much fun swapping between using Bean on my nipples and sucking them. But, no complaints here. We love a nipplegasm.
Overall, this is a good little treat option, and it has me wondering just how many under $20 sex toys can hold a torch to my more expensive toys. If you’re traveling, this will have a dual purpose in your life, so I think it’s worth the cop. The reason being, it can work for you at home or on the go.
Unbound Bean at a Glance
- Best for: Travel and folks who like keeping a sex toy on hand — literally. It’s small enough to keep close, which is great if you want to incorporate pleasure more into your life. Can genuinely fit almost anywhere. Doesn’t flag TSA scanners.
- Cons: Less than ideal charger situation
- Where to buy: $15 at Amazon
Worth Noting: The Rise (and Risk) of Cheap Sex Toys on Amazon
Cheap sex toys are all over the internet, especially on Amazon. You can get a dupe for any viral or luxury toy at the click of a button. Have Prime? You can get it in 2 business days, max. But just as nothing is ever free, these cheap toys come with a hidden cost. That cost comes in the form of sex toys that are unregulated and unsafe. For example, sex toys are supposed to use body-safe silicone, and on Amazon, that feels more like a suggestion than a requirement. Unsafe materials are extremely risky and can harbor bacteria that give you infections. Given the state of health insurance in this country, that’s truly not a risk worth taking.
It’s best to read the seller’s verified purchase reviews and product details to ensure safety. But honestly, going directly to a trusted and transparent vendor like Unbound is your best bet. They’re also already on Amazon, so it’s not like you have to put in any extra work or wait an extra delivery day.
EXPERTS ON TRAVELING WITH SEX TOYS
Reading about my travel experiment and getting nervous? Makes sense. Sex is considered taboo, but I promise you, you’re not the only one traveling with toys. According to Lovehoney, “For the average traveler, the odds of TSA flagging your carry-on as suspicious and publicly rummaging through it are slim. Even on the off chance that they do, they’re not gonna pick up your sex toy and wave it in the air like they just don’t care – TSA is looking for weapons, not dildos. Weapons of mass destruction, not ass destruction, if you will.“ So, lots of ease on the travel front.
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Cindy Gallop, founder of MakeLoveNotPorn, a spicy site for couples who like to film their own.. stunts… told VICE that she always keeps a condom in reach. Why? Staying ready keeps her life sexier.
“I believe in operating with condoms the same way Robert J. Woodruff of the Coca-Cola Company spoke about his Coke distribution strategy: There should always be one within an arm’s reach of desire. If we start getting into it on the living room couch, I only have to reach for the decorative box on the coffee table to grab a condom.”
I take the same approach with my sex toys and orgasms. A tiny treat kept on hand is always going to make me (and my vagina) happy. That small tip has kept my sex life alive, especially considering I spend more time fucking myself for my job than I spend fucking my man (sorry, babe. The girls need me). Given Bean‘s size, it could potentially fit right into this category of easily accessible pleasure, so it made me all the more excited.
(opens in a new window) Unbound BabesBean Mini Wand Vibrator (opens in a new window)
$15 at Unbound Buy Now (opens in a new window) $15 at Amazon Buy Now (opens in a new window)The post This $15 Vibrator Is Proof You Don’t Need Size to Deliver appeared first on VICE.