When it comes to clitoral vibrators, there are two general categories that most toys fall into. The first is toys that offer pinpointed stimulation. Toys like bullet vibrators and rabbit vibes have tapered tips that direct the vibrations to one specific spot. The second type of clitoral vibrator gives broad stimulation. Wands or pebble vibrators cover a larger surface area and diffuse the sensation over the clitoris and labia. Generally speaking, most people with vulvas prefer one type of toy over the other. Personally, I’m a fan of broad-surface toys, so when Vibease offered to send me their Ruby vibrator to try, I wasn’t convinced that it would be a good fit for me.

The Ruby is part of Vibease’s Jewel Collection, a series of three budget-friendly vibrators with a variety of shapes and functions. The Ruby is a bullet-style vibrator with two flexible petals that flicker when the toy is switched on. It’s intended to be used for clitoral stimulation, and offers very pinpointed vibrations. Ruby is made from 100% body safe silicone, is rechargeable and comes in a soft petal pink colour.

My first impressions of Ruby were positive. I was struck by how lightweight it is and by the jewel-shaped texture on the handle which makes it easy to grip. The soft pink shade reminds me of the petals of blush-coloured roses. The silicone is incredibly soft to the touch and aesthetically it’s a very pleasing toy.

When I put Ruby to the test, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed using it. As I mentioned before, I tend to prefer toys that diffuse vibrations over a much larger surface area. In the past I’ve been less enthusiastic about pinpoint toys because I find that they’re either too buzzy or way too powerful. When you’re channeling all those vibrations into one tiny spot, the vibration speed and quality has to be just right or my fussy clitoris won’t bear it. To my delight, Ruby was nice and rumbly on the lowest setting, but not so powerful as to be too intense. Ruby has three speeds and four pattern settings, but I only used it on the lowest speed. The vibration quality got very buzzy as the speed increased, and I found that it began to feel kind of itchy on my skin. I prefer rumbly, penetrating vibrations and the buzzier settings weren’t satisfying for me. I found the patterns to be too erratic and none of them really worked for me.

I had a fantastic time experimenting with Ruby and finding different ways to use it. The flickering petals are very flexible, and you can easily push them apart or squeeze them together to create different sensations and direct the vibration exactly where you want it. The text on the box suggested placing one petal on either side of the clitoris, enveloping it in sensation. This felt wonderful, but the thing that felt best for me was putting both petals off to one side of my clitoris. Funnily enough, one thing I’ve learned over the years is that most clitorises have a “dominant side” or one particular spot slightly off-center that feels more sensitive than other areas. If my clitoris were a clock, that magic spot would be precisely at 11 o’clock. It was fascinating to play around and find exactly which point felt the most intense for me, and the Ruby was a great tool for targeting that most sensitive area.

Ruby is also an excellent toy for folks with penises. The petals can be pushed apart and fitted over either side of the shaft, and with a little lube it becomes a vibrating stroker. The pinpointed tip is also fantastic for directing vibrations directly to the frenulum, which is often one of the most sensitive parts of the penis. On an uncircumcised penis, the frenulum is the little triangle of skin that attaches the foreskin to the shaft. It’s often a slightly different colour to the rest of the penis and it’s packed with nerve endings that often respond to vibration. If you have a penis and you want to experiment with vibrations, the Ruby would be a fantastic budget-friendly toy to play with.

There were a few downsides to this toy. The first, as I’ve mentioned, is that the vibration quality became increasingly buzzy as I moved up to the faster settings. The toy is marketed as being “powerful and quiet”, but I thought the motor was actually pretty loud for it’s size. On the lowest setting, it was bearable but as the speed increased, the noise became louder and more high-pitched which wasn’t terribly sexy. I also wasn’t thrilled that the single control button is set into the handle, and there really isn’t any tactile cues to help you find the button other than a barely-discernible circle. Every time I’ve used this toy in the dark, I’ve had to switch on a light to find the button to turn it off. And in order to switch the toy off, you have to hold the button in for five seconds, which is a very long time if someone is knocking on the door or the phone is ringing.

Overall I think Ruby is a pretty good toy for the price point. It’s a versatile vibrator which can be used in lots of different ways and is fantastic for a variety of bodies. It’s small and lightweight, which would make it a fabulous travel vibrator. I would recommend this toy for anyone who enjoys pinpointed vibration or wants to experiment with very focused sensation.