The 10 Best Long-Distance Sex Toys, Tested by Staffers and Experts

Long-distance romance has gotten a fun boost lately, now that a range of long-distance sex toys are available online. Keep the spark alive even when you’re far away from one another with couples' sex toys that include travel vibrators, app-enabled devices and wearables. I’ve been reporting on sexual wellness and the mainstreaming of sex toys since way back at the start of the pandemic, and in the five years since, the designs have really popped off, so I’ve tested the toys and enlisted colleagues and friends to do the same. Not only that, I’ve hit up some sexual wellness experts to explain how and why you might want to experiment with a new toy, as how exactly couples use them. (Spoiler: Trying a new toy is a recommended way to spice up a marriage.) Here’s the down-low on a rising category of sex toys (and don't forget shopping the best lubes for women at the same time).

I tested and considered more than three dozen products to come up with the best long-distance sex toys, with our team testing dozens more. Editors nominated toys that they personally tried, in addition to devices that were similar to models they had used before. For something to be deemed “best,” it was rated on the following characteristics against other models of its type.

• Special Design/Capability The first qualification was that the toy had to have something about it that enables it to be of special value to the long-distance couple—meaning perhaps it’s got an especially compact size you can easily fit in your carry-on if you’re away from home on a business trip, or if the vibrator is app-enabled, so that you can manipulate your partner’s device’s pulses using nothing more than your phone, while you’re 3,000 miles away.
• Quality Construction A device has to be made of quality silicone, as well as have a substantial battery life, if it’s going to be worthy of a recommendation. Additionally, it has to have a convenient charger or small battery slot; extra points if it comes with its own carry-case. Plus, weak speeds need not apply.
• Ease of Use No one wants a sex toy that requires an MCAT-level prep course to understand how to use it. I want intuitive buttons—and while we’re at it, the option to control by button as well as by app if it’s app-enabled. Lighted, well-marked buttons are always welcome.
• Value Years of reporting on toys and sampling products have enabled me to understand that there’s room in a toy chest for an affordable ABS plastic battery-powered mini-vibe as well as a high-tech remote-operated gizmo with multiple settings and speeds. However, it’s important for devices to be priced accordingly, so I’ve taken this into account.

In my experience, everything looks bigger on the internet (!). Seriously though, the size of a device is important to consider, especially if you are the one who is going to be packing it in a suitcase. Generally, volume is not a huge consideration, since unless otherwise noted, devices are no louder than a hum. High-quality materials like silicone are to be sought out, and clearly marked, intuitive device control buttons as well as charging ports are preferred. For discretion’s sake, a carry-case that allows a device to be charged when not in use is appreciated by anyone cleaning your room. And finally, for larger-ticket items, do be sure to choose a device that comes with a replacement warranty.

• Dr. Alice Agar is a licensed marriage and family therapist and certified sex therapist based in California, specializing in sexual health and wellness. Her passion for sex therapy emerged during her studies at California State University, Northridge, where she earned her MS, and continued through her doctorate in Clinical Sexology at the Modern Sex Therapy Institute in West Palm Beach, Florida.
• Dr. Candice Nicole Hargons is an award-winning psychologist and associate professor at the Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, where she studies sexual wellness and liberation. As a leading expert in sex research, Dr. Hargons is the author of the just-published Good Sex: Stories, Science & Strategies for Sexual Liberation. Dr. Hargons also directs the SAMHSA-funded Neighborhood Healers Project, which trains Black community members in Mental Health First Aid to reduce mental health stigma and increase mental health literacy and service utilization.
• Natasha Marie Narkiewicz is deeply embedded in the sexual technology industry through her involvement in Women of SexTech, Women of Wearables, Future of Sex, Love & Sex with Robots and Sx Tech Eu. She has worked with leading sextech brands like Lora DiCarlo, Xbiz, Sexual Health Magazine, Rosy, and Aurore. In 2021, Natasha joined MysteryVibe as Head of Communications and quickly became thein-house sexual wellness expert.