Okay, with so many higher end sex toys coming in for review it is easy to overlook some of the low priced offerings that come out all the time.  These are toys that provide a modicum of pleasure at a price many of you can't pass up in these troubled economic times, the major toy companies like Doc Johnson realizing there is a need for all sorts of variations and pricing tiers.  That said, today's novelty to be reviewed is the Briana Wicked Curves vibrator, a small but pleasing little affair you can pick up for under $20 if you look hard enough.

Wrapped in an environmentally unsound hard plastic that you will toss upon opening, the device measures just over 7" long with about 6.25" usable for the intended purposes.  It has a small tip with two sections with the widest spot close to the base where the two AAA batteries are inserted.  The control mechanism is easy enough to understand as it is the twist type of potentiometer (the more you turn it clockwise, the higher the setting) and it is advertised as being waterproof if you twist the cap tightly (though I would refrain from inserting it all the way or using it in the bathtub; more on that later).  While made and packaged in China, the TPE rubber used to encase the motor and batteries is said to be phthalate free for those that worry about toxic chemicals too.

The first thing I noticed upon testing the strength of the vibrator was how it wasn't a work horse like some others I had tested with Nadine of late.  This isn't always a bad thing considering that many women do not need such powerful toys to play with, the life of the batteries greatly extended over the motorboat kind of buzzing those bigger toys provide.  The bed testing lasted long enough to get a feel for the general quality (it was decent if unexceptional) and the pretty pink jelly like coating was in line with a great many other toys on the market these days.

The batteries lasted quite a long time and the high end of the vibrations was just above those put out by a high end cell phone placed in the vibrate mode.  This was an issue for Nadine since she is a seasoned toy user from way back and that limited the pleasure it gave her to using it as much as a dildo or a clitoral stimulator as anything else.  It was not a bad experience for the price though and she enjoyed herself, this one being more in line with her pocketbook than the better stuff reviewed of late.

The waterproof testing yielded some uncertain results though.  I tightened up the base and dropped it in the sink (saving water over the tub test used for bigger toys) with some minimal moisture noticed when I took it out a bit later and opened it up.  The O ring had held firm and did not appear to be an issue (my secret manner of knowing whether it was operator head space issues or toy problems is very reliable in most cases) so it might have been how I opened it leading to the moisture content but it was very minimal (the toy did not have appreciable amounts of water in it) so I am pretty sure it was related to operations.  That said, just be careful and dry it off completely should you buy one.

Okay, Nadine liked the toy enough to merit a rating of Recommended but it was a limited recommended based on price and experience level; if you are well versed in toys and need something stronger, try something else but don't discard the Briana Wicked Curves vibrator off your Christmas list if you appreciate a smaller, less expensive toy to round out your collection.