Sex Toy Guides

Sex toy guides for choosing the right toy type, finding what suits your body, and exploring pleasure with clarity and confidence.

Welcome to my Sex Toy Guides hub. This is where I collect my deeper, toy-type specific guides: the ones you read when you want to understand a category, compare options, and figure out what is likely to work for you before you spend money. Think less “general advice”, more “show me the best options for this exact kind of toy”. These guides focus on specific toy categories, features, and use cases, helping you compare options and choose with confidence.

If you want choosing, safety, hygiene and care guidance, head to my Sex Toy Advice hub. If you want practical bedroom techniques, browse Sex Tips. For broader reflections on pleasure, desire and identity, explore Sexuality Articles.



Start Here

If you only read three guides first, start with these. They will help you orient yourself quickly, especially if you are buying your first toy in a new category.



What These Sex Toy Guides Cover

This category brings together my guides to specific toy types, niches and formats, including:

  • Vibrators, from small and discreet to powerful and plug-in
  • Anal toys and butt plugs, including beginner-friendly options
  • Prostate toys and P-spot stimulation
  • Penis strokers, masturbators and hands-free options
  • Pumps and enhancement toys, including hydro styles
  • Remote and app-controlled toys, including long-distance play
  • Advanced and specialist toys, explored with safety and consent in mind


Niches, Styles and Situations

Sometimes it is not about a toy type, it is about how you want it to fit into real life. These guides help when you have a specific vibe, goal, or situation in mind.



Where To Start

Not sure what you need? Start with whatever matches your body and curiosity right now.



Browse popular areas and jump straight to the guides that match your interest right now.


Scroll down to explore the latest guides in this section, and use the links above to jump straight into the toy type you are curious about.

Hybrid Lubes Guide

In my recent overview article relating to the huge and diverse world of sexual lubricants, I talked about sex lubes in general, why they're fantastic, what not to use and briefly covered the various types. In this feature, I'd like to introduce one of those types in greater detail. Hybrid sex lubricants are relatively new to the sex lube scene -and are therefore at risk of being misunderstood and sadly avoided. Let's correct that today. Welcome to my hybrid lubes 101: your complete guide!

Oil-Based Lubes Guide

In my recent big guide to sexual lubricants, I looked at the huge and diverse world of lube. There are various types, each with their own pros and cons and recommended usage. Today, I'd like to take a closer look at oil lubricants in particular. What sort of oil can you expect to find in these lubes? What can you use oil lubes for – and what should you avoid? Welcome to my oil-based lubes 101: your complete guide!

Silicone Lubes Guide

Recently, I wrote about the various types of sex lubes in my recent big guide to sexual lubricants. Today, I'd like to delve a little deeper into one of those types in particular, silicone lubricants. Why would you choose a lube which is silicone based? What can you use them for – and what are the pros and cons? Welcome to my silicone lubes 101: your complete guide!

Water-Based Lubes Guide

Water-based lubes are sexual lubricants with a formulation that has water as its main or 'base' ingredient. There may be various other components to the formulation, but water is the main one. As well as a descriptor of the main ingredient of these lubricants, the label 'water-based' helps to quickly and easily differentiate them from the various other types of lubes: silicone, oil-based, hybrid etc.

Complete Guide To Sex Lubes

LUBE. What is it? Who uses it? What are the different types? What is it used for? How and why is it used? Welcome to my big guide to sex lubes!

Bondage Toys Guide: Best Gear for Kinky Play

What can you use to restrain someone (or enjoy being restrained) in bondage? That's where bondage sex toys and bondage accessories come into their own. It helps having some background knowledge of just what's available in terms of bondage equipment, and why it's important to use items specifically designed for bondage rather than any old belt, strap or rope...

Spanking Toys Guide: Implements, Tools and Techniques

Does the mere thought of a raised Dominant hand, or a spanking toy whistling through the air, stir the tendrils of arousal? You might be wondering which spanking tools are best for effective corporal punishment. Welcome to my big spanking toys guide, in which you'll also find links to all our spanking toy reviews.

ElectraStim Sex Toys Guide: How to Use Electrosex Safely

Welcome to this ElectraStim Sex Toys Guide, brought to you by Joanne’s Reviews, an expert in electroplay and a trusted voice in the community. Whether you’re new to electrosex or curious about trying these unique toys, Joanne shares clear, practical advice regarding how to enjoy electrosex toys safely and confidently.

Strap-On Dildos Guide

You may remember my last 'big guide' - the Big Guide To Strap-On Sex Harnesses I published last month. Obviously you'll need a fantastic dildo to attach to your new strap-on harness, so here's the follow-up feature: my big guide to strap-on dildos!

Strap-On Harnesses Guide

Strap-on sex (sometimes known as pegging) is enjoyed by many adults and within various types of relationship; for example, lesbian/bisexual sex, in BDSM as part of FemDom, or to help a penis-owner pleasure their partner in different ways. There are many types of harness available to help you achieve your sexual pleasure aims – welcome to my big guide to strap-on sex harnesses.

Penis Chastity Devices Guide: How to Choose and Use a Cage

Whether you’re looking for your first chastity device, or seeking to add a chastity cage to your *ahem* growing collection, it can be baffling when you realise just how many variants are available. This is particularly the case for lock-up fans who don’t have a Keyholder/Mistress/Top to guide them, and simply wish to explore chastity fetish by themselves. Welcome to my big guide to penis chastity devices!

Sex Machines & Fucking Machines Guide

Time to talk about the big boys... What do you know about sex machines and fucking machines? If you're a sex toy fan or love watching porn (or both, why not), you've probably heard of the Sybian. I reviewed the Sybian sex machine myself a few years ago. That's not the only sex machine around though...

Jiggle Balls Guide (Love Eggs, Kegel Trainers & Ben Wa Balls)

Whether you call them jiggle balls, love eggs, kegel trainers or Ben Wa balls, it all amounts to pretty much the same thing. Rounded products you insert into the vagina for pleasure, health benefits, or both. Are you a jiggle ball fan? Have you considered buying a love egg but don’t know which one’s right for you? Welcome to my big guide to jiggle balls, love eggs, kegel trainers & Ben Wa balls!

Bullet Vibrators Guide

I’ve written previously about why I love bullet vibrators so much. They regularly appear in my top 3 favourite sex toys, which constantly evolves due to ongoing advances in pleasure tech. There are so many bullet vibrators to choose from – how can you be sure the one you’re buying from an online sex shop is going to be orgasmically effective? Welcome to my bullet vibrators guide! I’ll also be referencing the many bullet vibrator reviews here at the Cara Sutra sex blog.

Sex Toy Materials Guide: Porous v Non-Porous, Phthalates & More

How are you supposed to know which material is the best? Are there any you should specifically look for? And, more importantly, which ones should you actively avoid? My sex toy materials guide is here to help you choose a body safe sex toy you can enjoy all-encompassing pleasure from, every time. 

The Most Powerful Vibrators You Can Buy

Happy National Orgasm Day 2018! It's difficult to believe it's been a year already since the last National Orgasm Day – the year has just flown. In the past I've written about the sounds of an orgasm, the importance (or not) of simultaneous orgasms, about not being able to orgasm through oral sex and about having orgasms while I'm asleep. As many of my orgasms are helped along a little bit (OK, a lot) by sex toys, today I want to discuss some of my favourites. The toys which are, for me, the best powerful vibrators for extra strong orgasms.

Small Butt Plugs For Beginners & Tight Arses

I've written plenty of beginner's guides to anal toys and butt plugs in the past, and you can find plenty of sex toy advice throughout the Cara Sutra sex blog. Today, however, I wanted to present what I feel are the true top picks when it comes to easily insertable (yet still body safe) small butt plugs for tiny bums.
Big Guide To Magic Wand Vibrators and Our Magic Wand Vibrator Reviews

Wand Vibrators Guide

What’s the absolute best wand vibrator? Which is the most powerful wand vibrator? If you’re looking for a mighty toy which can deliver unforgettable orgasms, then sex toy connoisseurs know to head straight for the magic wand vibrators.

Bondage Hogties Guide: How and Why to Hogtie Safely

The favourite bondage hogtie piece I have in my own collection is the Shots Media Ouch! Wrist and Legcuffs Restraints, which isn't readily available in the UK any more but you can take a look at my review here. There are definitely other, good quality bondage hogties you can purchase to give you the session you desire, however.

Anal Sex Toys Guide: Finding The Best Butt Plug For You

Bums. Everyone has one, and very useful they are too. Our undervalued derrières not only house the exit which keeps our bodies functioning healthily, but offer comfortable padding when we need to take the weight off our feet. Did you realise that your bottom also has the potential to give you incredible pleasure, as well as a mere sigh of relief any time you sit down?