Give a sex toy as a present - 7 tips when choosing an erotic gift

In recent years, I think we have all noticed that a little extra love is always welcome. Love in the form of a gift is most of the times received with a big smile. You are looking for a gift for your (secret) lover (or whoever you would like to give a sex toy) and this time you’re thinking out of the box and choose to give an orgasm as a gift in the form of a sex toy. Self-pleasure is the ultimate self-love and an important and not to be underestimated part of overall health.

At Hot Stuff we regularly get the question by mail (or live chat): I want to buy a sex toy as a gift, but I don't know where to start so can you please help. Of course we do that with all the love, but I thought it would be nice for those who might not dare to ask these questions to have some handles. In this blog I will give you 6 tips that will help you on your way when choosing an erotic gift. Also in the store I am daily asked to help with choosing my first sex toy, so if you prefer face to face advice, you are of course welcome to visit our sex shop in the Red Light District in Amsterdam.

Tip 1: How do you know if a sex toy is the right gift?

Choosing a sex toy is an art in itself and above all a matter of being clear for who it is and by that I mean how that person feels about sex toys. Before you spend money on a sex toy, it is therefore wise to gauge whether the recipient is open to receiving a sex toy. Just start a conversation about sex toys and ask what kind of sex toys seem interesting to them (or which not) and also try to find out what does or does not appeal to them when it comes to sex toys. Starting a conversation about sex toys can sometimes feel a bit uncomfortable, so be open about your own experiences and share your thoughts about sex toys. Sharing your thoughts (and possibly your experiences) about sex toys can help the other person feel more comfortable. If you are still not sure after checking whether a sex toy is the right gift, then ask the man. No is of course always no and it is important that you respect the boundaries of another. If someone indicates that they are interested in using a vibrator or masturbator, discuss your sexual experiences with each other or maybe you know that they already have sex toys at home (who knows, you may have been to a sex shop together) then you can assume that that your gift will be received with open arms.

Tip 2: How much money do I spend on a sex toy?

Of course I can't look in your wallet, but usually when you give someone a gift (whatever it is) you want it to last a long time and for the recipient to enjoy it. It's no different with sex toys. And besides, what you give to yourself, you also give to others. If you deserve the best, so do your loved ones. What you actually mean by giving a sex toy is: I grant you all the pleasure in the world in the safest and most pleasant way. It is therefore wise to choose a good quality sex toy, because these last a long time and that is durable. Durable materials include glass or metal dildo and anal plugs. Vibrators and masturbators with a silicone coating (and that is also very body-safe) and vegan leather bondage toys. All in all, when choosing a sex toy, if we look at the price, it is about what you get for your money. You can get a good sustainable sex toy for 5 euros and you can of course make it as expensive as you want.

Tip 3: What kind of sex toy is a nice gift?

Sex toys come in all kinds of different shapes, sizes, structures, colors and there are also sex toys with very unique functions. When choosing a sex toy for someone else, the first thing you look at is what function it has and what the recipient's experience will be like. To me, sex toys are pretty much the same as tomatoes for a market vendor, but I can well imagine that sometimes others can't see the wood for the sex toy trees. Whether you choose a bondage toy, anal toy, a vibrating sex toy, air pressure vibrator, blow-job masturbator or partner toy; think especially of the shape and ease of use. By ease of use I mean pay attention to how the controls of the sex toy work. The fewer buttons, the simpler the controls. 

Nowadays there are many sex toys with an app that can be controlled remotely, which fortunately makes it a lot clearer. I still remember when I bought my first sex toy and found the control buttons way too complicated, so I threw the thing in the closet and never looked back. You want to avoid this! Keep it nice and simple. The shape is also an important one to consider. Sex toys come in abstract and highly realistic forms. So think about whether the recipient will appreciate it if you arrive with a sex toy that looks exactly like a penis or vagina. Is this desirable? Go for it! Not sure? Then choose sex toys with discrete shapes, such as a wand massager, because it resembles a microphone!

Tip 4: Think about the functions of the sex toy The next thing you should consider are the functions of the sex toy.

Vibrators and masturbators have a whole host of exciting functions such as vibrating, pulsing, sucking, oscillating, moving up and down, finger movement (come hitter), rotating and even heating. The choice is huge and of course not every vibrator or masturbator has all these functions, but it is important to take them into account. The more functions a sex toy has, the more pleasure it can provide. An important feature that you may like is that the sex toy is waterproof. With a waterproof sex toy, the user is not bound to dry use, but can also take it with you in the bath or shower. Do not hesitate to also look at sex toys with a special shape or double function, such as a rabbit vibrator or wand massager that can also be used for body massage. Last but not least: sex toys that you can control remotely. App controllable sex toys are super fun to gift to them in a long distance relationship: just saying!

Tip 5: Share what you like instead of choosing one gift

it might also be nice to make a bundle of different pleasure products. And it doesn't have to be expensive. For example, what is your favorite massage oil? Or do you have a stimulation gel that you are very pleased with? Make a nice package out of this! This makes giving a pleasure gift a little more personal and it also helps you to normalize the conversation about self-pleasure in your environment.

Tip 6: Lubricant and Toy Cleaner are must-haves!

When you give a sex toy as a gift, it is important to make sure that you also give products that make the pleasure of using the sex toy comfortable and maybe even optimize it. Therefore, always include a (water-based) lubricant with your gift. Never give a silicone lubricant to sex toys! You cannot use a silicone lubricant on silicone-coated toys, because a liquid and solid form of silicone do not mix. Silicone lubricant damages silicone sex toys and you naturally want to prevent that. That is why you always go for a water-based lubricant in combination with silicone sex toys. Of course, high-quality sex toys (read: those with a silicone coating) can easily be washed under the tap with a soft soap, but especially if you give a sex toy to someone who has no experience with it, it is wise to also have a toy cleaner with you. to give as a present. A toy cleaner has an antibacterial effect and this cleans a sex toy as it should; free of bacteria and ready for the next round.

Tip 7: Buy a Sex Toys Gift Card

We understand it can be out of your comfort zone to buy a sex toy for yourself and maybe even more for someone else. It could be you don't find it very comfortable to have a conversation based on the above tips, no problem we got you! Of course you can also just buy a gift voucher and give it as a present. In this way you break open the conversation about sex toys and the recipient can decide for themselves what kind of sex toy or lingerie they buy. On our website you will see the link to the gift card in the footer under the heading "extra". If you click on this, you will immediately be taken to the page where you can order your online sex shop gift voucher. You enter the name of the recipient and you determine the amount of the gift voucher yourself. You can even indicate for which occasion the voucher is and you can also leave a message for the recipient (we don't read this!!). You then pay for the Hot Stuff gift voucher in your shopping cart and you will receive confirmation of your payment and order by e-mail. Our automatic system ensures that your gift voucher is delivered to the recipient by e-mail. The recipient can then spend the personalized gift voucher code with us in the webshop.

Well, I hope I was able to point you in the right direction with these 6 tips when it comes to buying a sex toy as a gift for someone. If you still have questions, never hesitate and send us an email (support@hotstuff.nl) or ask your questions via the live chat on our website. Are you in Amsterdam? Feel free to drop by and we'll explain everything in great detail and help you choose a sexy gift.