Quick links: BDSM Toys Definition | How We Pick Products | Initial Products List | Testing Criteria | Test Shortcomings | Scoring Explained | Scoring Example | Before Publishing
Our BDSM Toys Experts
HarliQ Bio | Read More
HarliQ is a long-time member of the BDSM community. She identifies as a switch who has spent time in both Dominant and submissive roles in a diverse array of different scenes. She has experience in a wide variety of kinks and fetishes.
HarliQ enjoys sharing her passion for the BDSM lifestyle with others and providing education and information to those new or evolving in the community. She is pursuing her Master of Psychology with a focus on human sexuality. Her goal is to remove the stigma many people associate with BDSM activities and open this world to anyone interested in exploring their whole self.
Contact: [email protected]
Oliver Bio | Read More
Sex dolls, male masturbation toys (fleshlights, pocket pussies, onaholes, blowjob machines, penis milking machines), etc… epic sex toys to put your dick in. NO DOUBT ABOUT IT. Hi/hello, I am Oliver and you can think of me as a seasoned sex toy tester. Why? Been part of Sextopedia’s team for 2 years now – tested over 100 dick stimulators, so I know what I am talking about. I am not a conservative thinker and I am not afraid to speak my mind. My reviews will always be right to the point and voice my personal experience. To spice up my sex life, I also joined the world of BDSM back in 2019.
Oliver’s Areas of Expertise
- Pocket pussies, fleshlights & onaholes
- Blowjob & penis-milking machines
- Dildos
- Prostate toys
- BDSM
Contact: [email protected]
What We Mean By BDSM Sex Toys, Gear, and Fetish Wear
When we talk about BDSM (Bondage and Discipline, Dominance and Submission, Sadochism, and Masochism) sex toys, gear, and fetish wear, we refer to:
- Bondage restraints like wrist & ankle, cuffs, collars, leashes & leads, straitjackets & bondage suits, rope, straps, chains, yokes, spreader bars, body harness restraints, etc.
- Whips & paddles,
- Gags and muzzles,
- Nipple toys,
- Electrosex toys,
- Chasity,
- BDSM furniture,
- Sex machines,
- Cock & Ball Torture Toys,
- Women’s fetish wears like harnesses, lingerie, tops, skirts, dresses, catsuits, corsets, accessories, etc.
- Men’s fetish wears like thongs, jockstraps, aprons, body suits, harnesses, shirts, shorts, etc.
- Fetish wears accessories like masks, jewelry, pins, gloves, hats, bags, etc.
How We Pick BDSM Sex Toys, Gear, and Fetish Wear What We Test
Our experts test BDSM Gear & Toys, and Fetish Wear that you’ll see in retailers, both online and offline. The BDSM Gear & Toys, and Fetish Wear we test mostly come from major sex toy brands and resellers like:
- Adam & Eve,
- Lovehoney,
- Stockroom,
- BIJOUX Indiscrets,
- Hismith,
- Extremerestraints,
- Vondage,
- Kinklab,
- Stupid Cute,
- Velvet Nest,
- Syren Latex,
- Clear CTRL, etc.
This is not an exhaustive list and will be continuously updated.
All the BDSM Gear & Toys, and Fetish Wear brands that we mention in our content are vetted at the beginning of our relationship and once a year after one year of cooperation or whenever we receive a complaint about the brand or reseller.
How We Come Up With A List Of BDSM Gear & Toys and Fetish Wear
To come up with the initial list of BDSM Gear & Toys, and Fetish Wear to review, we do in-depth market research by gathering information from various media channels including but not limited to:
- Search engines (organic search),
- Paid advertising,
- Social media,
- Niche forums.
Once we’ve compiled our initial list of BDSM Gear & Toys, and Fetish Wear to review, we track and analyze market sales information to understand demand dynamics.
We then analyze customers’ experience, feedback, and overall sentiment via cross-platform comments (forums and social news websites) on these sex toys.
We also reach out to BDSM Gear & Toys, and Fetish Wear manufacturers and resellers to collect more information about the best-selling products.
Then, we contact BDSM Gear & Toys, and Fetish Wear experts, who are external to our organization, to get 3rd party opinions on the BDSM Gear & Toys, and Fetish Wear included in our list.
After these steps and likely changes in the initial BDSM Products List, we purchase the products, either online or in-store.
We purchase these sex toys the same way as the regular consumer would in order to avoid conflicts of interest with product manufacturers and resellers.
How We Test Fetish Wear, BDSM Toys, and Gear
We make sure that the BDSM Gear & Toys, and Fetish Wear brands and/or products we recommend are considered safe and not harmful in any way. We do that because sex toys are not regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) nor the Consumer Protection Service Commission (CPSC).
Sextopedia goes above and beyond to make sure that despite the lack of regulation, Sextopedia’s readers are only recommended products that won’t cause any harm during use.
You can read more about Safe Sex Toy Materials here.
Our expert reviewers test and compare BDSM Gear & Toys, and Fetish Wear quality and functionalities (if applicable) through various methods listed below.
Based on Sextopedia’s proprietary in-house due diligence, external research, and interviews with sex toy experts; we consider the following as the key criteria to assess whether BDSM Gear & Toys and Fetish Wear is “oh-so-pleasurable” or whether it lacks in performance promised by the manufacturer/reseller.
We decided to limit the BDSM Gear & Toys, and Fetish Wear scoring to 4 components as it removes unnecessary subjectivity, making our in-house scoring significantly more valuable to the end-user (easier to consume information). In case we do add or remove any elements from the proprietary in-house scoring model, we will make the necessary announcement and adjust product scores retrospectively.
Ability To Induce Orgasms | 40% Weight In The Final Product Scoring
Sextopedia’s expert BDSM Gear & Toys, and Fetish Wear testers measure and map how different BDSM equipment compares to each other in terms of stimulation, sensations, intensity, texture, vibrations, visual effects, movement restriction, etc.
Our BDSM Gear & Toys, and Fetish Wear testers use these sex toys in different sex positions & settings; and explore different motions, movements, and pressure settings to find out how well the sex toy actually delivers an orgasm.
Build Quality & Durability | 30% Weight In The Final Product Scoring
Our BDSM Gear & Toys, and Fetish Wear experts verify packaging requirements and check for quality defects. In case of a defect, we record this information and order a new (same make and model) sex toy to understand whether this defect was just unique to this specific product or if the potential issue is widespread.
We also measure and map the normal wear and tear of the BDSM Toys & Gear and Fetish Wear. We aim to understand whether a specific Fetish Wear, BDSM Gear and/or BDSM Toy under review can withstand longer-term use without breaking down soon after purchase.
Affordability | 20% Weight In The Final Product Scoring
BDSM Gear & Toys, and Fetish Wear can cost anywhere between $5 to +$1000$, depending on the brand, model, and functionalities it includes. More expensive sex toys do offer better quality, but the high price tag isn’t always justified.
Sextopedia’s sex toy experts test Fetish Wear, BDSM Gear & Toys in different price pockets and recommend the most affordable option that doesn’t compromise on quality, stimulation & safety.
Easy-To-Clean | 10% Weight In The Final Product Scoring
Taking good care of Fetish Wear, BDSM Toys & Gear is a MUST if you want to avoid any kind of bacterial infection and/or STI transmission in case you are sharing your BDSM sex toys with someone and do not use proper protection, like a condom.
We like BDSM toys and fetish wear that can be cleaned in multiple ways, so you don’t necessarily need to get a “sex toy cleaning kit.”
Our sex toy reviewers clean BDSM Gear and Toys using soap and water, a damp washcloth, and/or special sex toy cleaning kits.
Sextopedia makes sure that reviewed BDSM sex toys retain their safe usability if properly cleaned multiple times.
Extensive Warranty
Having an extensive warranty states that the product manufacturer or reseller is confident in the quality of the BDSM Gear & Toys, and Fetish Wear it sells. We at Sextopedia, alongside with majority of consumers, appreciate that a lot as it makes the manufacturer of the product more trustworthy.
Our BDSM sex toy testers reach out to the customer support of a manufacturer and/or reseller to understand how easy it would be to return or swap the product if it breaks during the warranty period.
Body-Safe Materials
We disregard all BDSM sex toys that may cause tissue damage, itching, burning, rashes, and/or any other negative bodily reactions.
We don’t like porous materials and BDSM sex toys made from jelly, rubber, thermoplastic elastomer, thermoplastic rubber, and/or PVC/vinyl but admit that using proper protection, like condoms, makes the use of these toys safe.
We recommend body-safe BDSM Gear and Toy materials that are non-porous and hypoallergenic. Our experienced BDSM sex toy testers ensure that all products are made from body-safe materials and report on any kind of bodily reactions after use.
In case both body-safe and non-body-safe materials have been used in the making of a specific BDSM sex toy or gear then this will be discussed in-depth and reflected in the final product rating.
Other BDSM Toys Test Criteria
Our sex toy testers also measure, map, and test BDSM Gear & Toys, and Fetish Wear against criteria like:
- How well you can use the specific product with a partner,
- How easy is it to use the BDSM sex toy/gear,
- How it looks (shape & color),
- Is it waterproof?
- BDSM Gear & Toys, and Fetish Wear ergonomics.
BDSM Gear & Toys, and Fetish Wear Test Shortcomings
We are all different in many ways, like how quickly one could achieve an orgasm or what might induce an orgasm, to begin with.
With that in mind, we cannot assure you with 100% confidence that a specific recommended BDSM Gear & Toys, and Fetish Wear helps you achieve a similar orgasm (s) as described in the review article.
Our articles only reflect Sextopedia’s authors’ own experience with a specific BDSM sex toy, and that can materially differ from the experience other product owners may have.
Nevertheless, we do our best to give you as accurate and unbiased information as possible based on multiple testing scenarios.
BDSM Gear & Toys, and Fetish Wear Testing Criteria, Explained
We rate all BDSM sex toys based on the following criteria and weights:
- Ability to induce orgasms | 40% Weight
- Build quality and durability | 30% Weight
- Affordability | 20% Weight
- Easy-to-clean | 10% Weight
We use a rating scale of 1-5 with the following interpretation:
- 1 – Poor
- 2 – Needs Improvement
- 3 – Meets Expectations
- 4 – Exceeds Expectations
- 5 – Exceptional
Once we’ve reviewed the BDSM sex toy, we assign a criterion-weighted score between 1 to 5. After reviewing all the products, we can compare them to each other based on the criteria-weighted scores.
Product Is Recommended
BDSM Gear & Toys, and Fetish Wear having a combined (criterion-weighted) score of at least 4 out of 5 (80%) and above are recommended.
The Product Is Not Recommended
We don’t recommend BDSM Gear & Toys, and Fetish Wear that has a combined (criterion-weighted) score of less than 4 out of 5 (below 80%).
BDSM Sex Toys Scoring Example
Let’s assume that we are evaluating a BDSM gear named “Cuffs XXX” that scores as follows in our in-house proprietary product test.
- Ability to induce an orgasm – 4.8 | 40% Weight
- Build quality & Durability – 4.6 | 30% Weight
- Affordable – 3.7 | 20% Weight
- Easy-to-clean – 4.2 | 10% Weight
The combined (criterion-weighted) score for this product will be calculated as “specific criteria rating * its weight”, and then summed up.
So in our example, the rating would be 4.8*40% + 4.6*30% + 3.7*20% + 4.2*10% = 4.5. Since the combined score is 4.5 out of 5 (maximum score) or 90% out of 100% (4.5 / 5 = 0.9) then we think that this BDSM sex toy can be considered a good deal and thus suitable (recommended) for end-consumers.
Before Publishing Our Fetish Wear, BDSM Gear & Toys Related Content
We strictly follow the framework of product testing outlined in this document.
Our in-house Editors team checks the content before publishing it to make sure that each and every sentence meets our General Review Guidelines and Editorial Standards.
Our content has always been and will be unbiased, accurate, clearly communicated, backed by research, and vetted by industry professionals.
