Affordable AF! Part 2: Couples Toys for Under $40 by Phallophile Reviews

When people say “couples toys,” they often mean couples vibrators—usually remote-controlled luxury toys¹ designed to be used during penis-in-vagina sex. But really, any toy can be a couples toy, and can be used in just about any kind of sex.² 

Even though there are tons of cheap sex toys out there, many of them are not body-safe. This is why I’ve sorted through Peepshow Toys’ collection of body-safe sex toys—to find popular and affordable options that two people can easily use. 

Whether you want to have more orgasms, add some kink into the mix, or just increase the amount of intimacy between yourself and your partner, then sex toys can help. This article discusses bullet vibes and wand vibes, cock rings, paddles and impact toys, and massage oils. If instead you’re looking for an affordable dildo to use with your partner, see the first part of this series, “Body-Safe Dildos for under $40.” 

Keep reading for all the options, or click here for information on how to enter a giveaway to win a $40 Peepshow Toys gift card so you can get any of these toys for free!

But First Things First: Communication

Talking to your partner might seem like an obvious piece of advice, but it’s easy to assume that you know what’s going on with someone else…when in fact you have no idea. Good communication can improve pretty much any sex act,³ and it’s critical when buying sex toys too. There are so many different types of toys out there because people’s preferences (and anatomies) vary a lot. For example, not everyone with a vulva will like the same vibrator, or will even want to use a vibrator during sex. This is why I recommend you talk with your partner about their specific desires and needs before you buy. (Especially if you’re in a new relationship or haven’t been very expressive with your partner in the past.) Communication is free, and can save you money on toys that the other person will end up hating.

Plus, picking out toys with your partner is sexy in and of itself. You get to learn what they’re interested in, while fantasizing about how you might use new toys on or with them. 

So, now that you’re considering all the toy options together, the question is: Which of these sex toy categories will work best for both of you?

1. Bullet Vibes 

Bullet vibrators are always in demand. They can be used to stimulate the clitoris during vaginal or anal sex. Or you can use them on nipples, penis, testicles, or anywhere else⁴ that you like vibrations.

If you like pinpoint vibrations, then you’re in luck, because more and more inexpensive but rumbly⁵ vibes have come on the market in the past couple years. Plus, all the following bullets in the $29–40 range⁶ are USB-rechargeable, so that you don’t have to buy watch batteries when the power dies.

• The Charged Vooom is a body-safe ABS plastic bullet. The highest steady setting is fairly rumbly; overall it’s a more middle-of-the-road vibe, which is great for more sensitive users (like me!). It also fits well into the bullet holes of most vibrating dildos.⁷ 
• The VeDO Bam is a silicone-coated bullet that has one (intense) steady setting plus nine patterns.

 2. Wand Vibes

Some people don’t like the very concentrated (pinpoint) vibrations that bullet vibes produce, and that’s why there are wand vibrators too. Good choices for under $40 include: 

• With a silicone head almost the size of a traditional wand massager (that’s almost four times the price)⁸, the Bthrilled Classic Wand Massager is a great value. Plus it can be used as a back massager.
• Blush Novelties has recently released a line of powerful “mini wands,” the Noje series. These toys come in three slightly different shapes, so you can pick which one works best for you. The Noje W3 Mini Wand-Style Vibe, for example, has a curved handle. 

3. Cock Rings

Penis rings make erections last longer and feel harder, plus make the wearer’s orgasm more intense. Some cock rings are meant to be worn about the penis only, while other can be stretched around the balls too. (See the first section of this beginner’s guide to Toys for Penis & Prostate Pleasure for more information.) Some even vibrate, and can stimulate the clit of the wearer’s partner. Here are some quality, inexpensive cock ring options:

• The Screaming O Charged Skooch is my own partner’s favorite, because the ring is thick but really flexible, so it’s easier to stretch underneath his balls. The soft fins, though, when worn on top of the penis, are designed for clit stimulation. Both this and the Charged Monarch—which is a double cock ring!—include the fairly powerful Charged Vooom bullet vibe.  
• Tantus Super Soft C-Rings are available in a normal and a vibrating version. The stretchiness of these rings means that they’re not especially tight on an average-sized wearer, but they will fit more easily around both cock and balls. 

4. Paddles and Impact Toys

Want to exercise your dominant side, or learn to be a submissive? Then the majority of toys in the BDSM collection are very affordable. Nipple clamps, restraints of all kinds, ball gags, whips, and paddles can all allow you to live out your deepest fantasies while you and your partner build a relationship of trust. (If you’re new to BDSM play, read this guide to safety and this one on consent.) 

As someone who enjoys hitting others (consensually), these are my top picks:

• The Sex in the Shower Silicone Slapper is incredibly affordable and also versatile: one side is a nice, smooth silicone, while the other has rounded dots for a more textured experience. The longer length gives this slapper a greater range of motion and more flexibility (that is, it wraps around the butt or thighs well).
• Tantus Thwack is a broader, thicker paddle. If—true story—you’ve managed to break the joint in your pancake-flipping spatula while hitting your partner, the Thwack is a sturdier, body-safe replacement! (As always, use caution and stay safe.)
• The Spartacus 20” Black Leather Thong Whip (also comes in purple) is real leather, for a very different feel. Silicone paddles have more impact, but leather whips produce a certain sting that can be very appealing.

5. Massage Oils

If you’d rather be pampered than tied up and/or whipped, then massage oils are the way to go. A nice, slow massage can be a huge turn-on, or a great form of aftercare. I recommend these massage products, to name just a few, as a way of building intimacy in your relationship:

• Sliquid Organics Massage Oil, made by the top brand in body-safe lubricants, Sliquid. It’s made of all-natural ingredients, including almond, coconut, and sunflower seed oils.
• Earthly Body Edible Massage Oils are available in five vegan flavors, including strawberry and vanilla. Unlike some other lubricants, Earthly Body’s products are never tested on animals: the company appears on PETA’s “No Test List.”

A Conclusion

I’m really excited to have compiled this list of cheap and body-safe products that couples can use to enhance their sex lives. From vibrators to cock rings to impact toys, the affordable options just seem to be getting better every year. 

Thanks for reading. As always, enjoy yourself!

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^1.There are a few exceptions that are neither remote-controlled nor expensive, like Satisfyer’s Partner toys, all under $50. Though I haven’t tried these myself, reviews seem to indicate that these vibes suffer from what I call “the couples vibrators curse”: they become dislodged at some point mid-sex.^↩

^2.But never use a toy without a flared base for anal, or else this could happen to you. ^↩

^3.Not always during the act—sometimes, you know, you might just want to be tied up and whipped. But before and after, for sure. ^↩

^4.Besides inside your rectum, because you just might not be able to remove it once it gets pulled in! 

^5.Rumbly describes deeper, more penetrating vibrations, as opposed to buzzy, which means more surface level (and usually weaker) vibrations. Really cheap battery-powered vibes tend to be more buzzy, though there are a few battery-powered vibes that are strong.^↩

^6.If you have just a few bucks more to spend, check out the FemmeFunn Ultra Bullet, which is very rumbly and more flexible than your typical bullet. ^↩ 

^7.Check out this section of my Silicone Suction Cup Dildo Guide for a list of body-safe vibrating dildos that have a bullet hole.^↩

^8.I’m talking about the Hitachi (Vibratex) Magic Wand, whose Rechargeable Version has a body-safe silicone head and more patterns than the original.^↩