Out of the Toy Box

by Kyra Saunders

Mia Rechargeable Vibrator

I’ve liked a lot of Lelo’s toys so when I saw the lovely Mia Rechargeable Vibrator, it was like a dream come true – a toy, in a cool color, that charges via USB! I had to request it! I saw that it had notes from other users saying it didn’t have much power, but my eagerness overcame any fears of inadequacy.

When the Mia came, it was lovingly packaged is one of Lelo’s fitted and sturdy boxes. If they didn’t attract unwanted and underage attention at my house, I’d keep them out.  I ended up with the Deep Rose color – which was fine by me. Under the toy, the user’s manual and a short (about 1 foot long) USB extension cord are stored. The Mia also comes with a small silky bag to put the vibrator in – I would assume for ease of travel or tucking it in a purse or bag without the bulk of the entire box.

After getting the plastic cover off the vibrator and extracting it from the form-fitting recesses, I was pleased to discover the Lela Mia Rechargeable Vibrator was just as well made, clean and finished as I am used to from this manufacturer. There were no burrs, no odd smells and no flaws I could find. I did carefully wash the Mia, keeping it out of running water and settling for a washcloth and toy cleaner instead. Because the Mia is both non-waterproof and is USB rechargeable, I worry that it’s a bit more susceptible to water damage than a typical vibrator.

When I went to charge the Mia, I discovered it was a very good thing that Lelo had included a USB extension cable. The body of the vibrator could be plugged into a USB port directly – IF you have enough room surrounding the port. In my case, I did not so I used the short extension cable. It took the Mia about an hour to charge fully and the red LED glowing inside the toy to change to a white color. Though I charged it after the kids went to bed, I did wonder if they would even notice that I had something new plugged into the computer. My getting some new piece of electronics is not at all an unusual event around here. But I figured it was better to not be asked.

Once charged, I retired to the bedroom with the toy to play. I didn’t read the user manual before playing with it, I’ll admit. After working in the software industry for a while, I’m a tad complacent about the RTFM rule.  Instead I started pushing the two control buttons.

The Mia Rechargeable Vibrator has four basic vibration patterns from a straight vibration to three intermittent patterns. The controls are a simple plus and minus which make it simple to operate but does mean you have to go through the patterns in one direction or the other to get to “off”. So don’t think you can instantly turn the Mia off. I’m not typically thrilled with pulsing or intermittent patterns of vibration on my clit – I’d rather control the rhythm and intensity myself – so I had no trouble figuring out how to get to the straight vibration and then back to off.

As soon as I turned the Mia on, I was surprised by how quiet it was. This is definite a toy that would not attract undue attention if you wanted to sneak in a quick orgasm. But when I applied a little lube to the Mia and started to play, I discovered the downside of the low volume level. The Mia is indeed a very mild vibrator.

I was still concerned about the USB internals under the removable cap without a water-resistant seal or even threads to keep extraneous moisture out, so I was distracted a lot during play. The cap end of the Mia has a flat section that makes it look a bit like a lipstick and which was quite nice to press against my clit. I did also have some concern about scratching the finish of the cap with my steel clit ring but I think I’m probably just paranoid – I couldn’t find any evidence of a scratch later.

Unfortunately, the Mia is just not a strong enough vibrator for my preferences. I spent about an hour playing with it but ended up resorting to my hand and a nearby glass dildo in frustration. I think the Mia could be a fun toy used for foreplay or to keep someone teased but not fulfilled for a period of time. I just could not have an orgasm with it.

Because of my concerns about the lack of a seal or protection for the USB, I would not recommend using this toy for insertion and definitely not in water or situations where there is a lot of liquid. I tried both ends of the Mia and the non-cap end actually seemed to deliver stronger vibrations. The small size of the Mia (4 ¼ inches long and 7/8 of an inch thick) didn’t suit my preferences for insertion but I did run the vibrator around my vulva and the opening of my vagina for a very pleasant feeling.

I believe I’ll keep the Mia and see what my partner can do with it. Maybe he’ll have more ideas or the use of it as mostly foreplay will show me it’s true colors. It’s just too well-made and too fun to evict from the Toy Box right away.

The bottom line is that if you are looking for a quiet and mild vibrator that won’t cost you batteries and even adds a geek fun factor, the Mia Rechargeable Vibrator would be a good choice for you. If you need strong vibrations to achieve orgasm, you may want to look further.

Now if only I could store files on the Mia as well!

Material:  PC-ABS Plastic Exterior
Powered by: USB Rechargeable
Waterproof: No
Recommended Cleaning: Anti-bacterial soap or toy cleaner on a damp cloth. Do not immerse. Do not wet the USB end.
Recommended Lube: Any
Care: Clean thoroughly after each use.
Good Vibrations Buy Link: www.goodvibes.com

Kyra Saunders
March 2010

  Read more of Kyra Saunders' Out of the Toy Box reviews in ERWA 2010 Archive.

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© 2010 Kyra Saunders. All rights reserved.

About the Reviewer:  Kyra Saunders is a published author who loves to play with an explore new toys and found a way to do both while giving people her opinion at the same time! She and her partner (and their Toy Box) live in the Pacific Northwest and new plain brown boxes on the porch make every day seem like Christmas, at least to the person whose name is on the label. Suggestions, comments and requests can be made at Kyra's Toy Box.

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