We tested the Fun Factory Tiger G4 vibrator, a vibrator with ribs running its entire length. Not to be confused with the Tiger Stubs dildo by the same brand.
The big brother of the Stronic Eins, this vibrator is a more classic sex toy: it vibrates.
Of course, I didn’t hesitate for a second.
I like Fun Factory products, and this model looked rather promising.
With its curved shape and nub at the base, this thing aims to provide dual stimulation, rabbit-style, in a textured version. Let’s see if it does the job.
Packaging of the Fun Factory Tiger G4
Like the Stronic Eins from the same brand, the Tiger G4 comes in a cardboard box, which is actually quite similar.
Its outer edges are grey, with raised “dots” surrounding photos of the sex toy, viewed from the front and side. Once you take this off, you find a golden-grey box.
Pleasant packaging to look at, then, but there’s no permanent storage (no pouch or sturdy container for long-term storage).
Looks of the Fun Factory Tiger G4
The Tiger G4’s feline name probably comes from the side ridges covering its front, which bring tiger stripes to mind.
It’s rather phallic in shape, albeit extremely stylised. Fuchsia pink, curved at the tip, with a “nub” at the base to stimulate the clitoris. The side ridges are raised.
The Fun Factory Tiger G4 is 3.5 centimetres in diameter and 22 centimetres long, but its silicone section is only 16 centimetres, and its insertable section is 12 centimetres.
For comparison, in the photo here, it’s shown next to a large lighter (rather than a small one, as with most of the sex toys photographed on this blog).
Texture and material
The Tiger is made from medical-grade silicone. A body-safe, non-porous material that doesn’t smell odd. And speaking of smell, just like the Stronic, it smells of raspberry!
Powering the Fun Factory Tiger G4
It’s no surprise that, like the Stronic’s, the Tiger G4’s charger (it’s the same one, the Click & Charge) comes in a separate box. Fun Factory sells the charger as an extra.
Update: the brand seems to have realised that skimping on chargers isn’t very classy, and now includes a charging cable (but no plug adapter) with every vibrator.
- The good thing is that all rechargeable Fun Factory toys are compatible with one another when it comes to chargers, which is handy if you have several.
- On the other hand, here’s a downside: one of the two Fun Factory chargers we had to hand stopped working properly after just a few weeks, due to a loose connection. But perhaps I was unlucky or clumsy? I’ll give it the benefit of the doubt, but I remain suspicious about how sturdy these chargers are.
The Click & Charge recharges the vibrator using electromagnetic induction, which means the sex toy has no socket, so there are fewer possible entry points for moisture.
The sex toy’s instructions have a logo that seems to indicate you can submerge it in water to clean it. So we can assume it must be waterproof, although this isn’t explicitly stated.
If submerged, it seems to me that water could seep (at least in small quantities) under the silicone coating where it joins the handle. Maybe that doesn’t happen and maybe I’m a bit paranoid, but to be on the safe side, I won’t be giving it a bath.
Controls and modes
The Tiger’s controls are on its handle.
Three buttons. From bottom to top:
- A star, to switch on the sex toy (press and hold) and cycle through the modes (short press).
- A “-“, to reduce the vibration intensity, then switch off the sex toy if you press and hold it.
- A “+”, to increase it.
The controls are pretty intuitive and easy to locate by touch: even in the heat of the moment, you can work out how the thing operates without difficulty.
The Tiger G4 has four modes:
- A “classic” vibration mode, the only one with adjustable intensity.
- Three pulse modes.
Using the Fun Factory Tiger G4
Handling
The Tiger G4’s handle has an oval hole. The sides of this opening are rounded and smooth, with a metallic finish.
You can put one or two fingers through it to handle the sex toy more easily. It’s quite comfortable for your fingers.
Anal use
Unlike the Stronic, the Tiger G4 isn’t “verboten trillili”: its instructions say so.
Because of its wide base, it is suitable for anal use.
I haven’t tried using the Tiger G4 anally yet, though, because with its curved shape, it seems more suited to vaginal penetration.
On the clitoris
The Tiger’s pointed tip is soft, vibrates pretty well, and so I thought it might be a good candidate for clitoral stimulation.
I was right: applied to the clitoris, it can bring you to orgasm in a few minutes.
Switching between vibrations and pulses (especially the first pulse mode) is particularly effective for gradually building up pleasure. The pulses are powerful but spaced out, keeping you waiting without stopping the stimulation.
For this kind of use, I appreciated how simple the controls are. Some vibrators are very easy to understand when you’re looking at them, but when you’re using them, you don’t necessarily look at the controls, and you don’t necessarily want to stop concentrating on your pleasure to work out whether you need to press the fourth button down six or seven times to get back to the mode you just accidentally lost while trying to turn up the power. So in the end, you give up, focus on a mode you like, and stick with it until the end.
With the Tiger G4, there are only three buttons, which are easy to distinguish by touch, and ultimately quite few possible combinations: one, two, three or four presses on the star to choose a mode, and, if you want, press “+” when it’s vibrating. You stay in control of the toy throughout its use: playing around with the modes becomes a much more rewarding experience.
Vaginal use
When I used the Tiger G4 for vaginal penetration, I let it have a bit of fun with my clitoris first, to bring me to orgasm. The vibrations from the tip of the sex toy are ideal for a bit of foreplay before penetration.
The Tiger G4 isn’t very wide. It’s still a perfectly respectable size (it could rival an average-sized penis), but once you’re already in the mood, you can insert it fairly easily — especially with a little lubricant (water-based for this silicone sex toy).
Once the sex toy is inserted, the nub at its base does indeed stimulate the clitoris, but less powerfully than its tip did. If you use long in-and-out strokes, it isn’t in continuous contact with the clit: in short, the clitoral effects are definitely there, but they’re just an added bonus. It’s not really a rabbit in disguise.
The texture of the side ridges is noticeable in a pleasant way, while the curved tip effectively stimulates the area associated with the “G-spot”.
Conclusion on the Fun Factory Tiger G4
The good points:
- It’s made from a body-safe material, and it smells nice.
- It’s effective. Doubly effective, in fact, since it’s good for both clitoral and vaginal use.
- Its controls are intuitive and easy to use. This makes it possible to stay in control of how the Tiger G4 works throughout its use.
- Its price seems perfectly reasonable to me (under 70 euros) for perfectly decent quality.
The bad points:
- I’m really not a fan of the “Click & Charge” system, a nice name for “charger not included”. [Update: a USB charging cable is now included]. The charger is a great idea in principle: having a single, compatible charger that works by induction is obviously very handy, but with one out of two breaking after a short time (without having been particularly mistreated), I have some doubts about how sturdy it is. Mind you, it’s probably under warranty, but still…
Review score
Pros
- Safe material
- Effective
- Intuitive controls
- Reasonable price
Cons
- Fragile charger
Overall, I really liked the Tiger G4. Effective and very pleasant to handle, it also gives an overall impression of good quality (body-safe material, no visible flaws, details that make it more ergonomic, etc.).
The only drawback is that its charger doesn’t exactly thrill us. Other than that, no particular problems, very respectable performance, and a price that isn’t excessive.
