The sex toys company Lelo has just released a new clitoral stimulator : the Sona Cruise , the first Sonic Pressure Wave stimulator
After being one of my favorite brands for a long time, Lelo left me a little disappointed these days. Rotating sex toys, or twirling ones, but vibrating with less intensity than their predecessors. Strange experiments like the Tara, the Ida or the Ora, whose originality was not enough to have me convinced… And finally, an unexplained rise of the prices of their “old” models. Is Lelo lost in the meanders of sexual snobbery, condemned to sell only 24-carat sex toys for one to masturbate with the little finger raised ? Should we give up discovering new orgasmic wonders from lelo such as the Mona 2, the Smart Wand or the Gigi 2 ?
Don’t give up on Lelo yet, because they are making a huge comeback with the SONA Cruise. This is a pressure wave type vibrator, that is, with a tip that wraps around the clitoris, in the manner of Womanizer or Satisfyer.
I can already hear your jaded sighs: “Another Womanizer-like? There are already plenty of them…”. But the Sona Cruise is a different kind. First, it does not work by sucking air: it spreads waves of sonic pulses, which spread deep into the clitoris.
This is our review of Sona Cruise de Lelo .
Before diving into the specs and observations, note that there is a “lesser” version of this sex toy, the Sona (not Cruise), sold at a more affordable price. We’ll talk about that later.
Packaging
The packaging, a cardboard box with a plastic window to observe the sex toy, is clean and classy. Less solid than older LELO boxes, it is definitely disposable.
A satin cover is provided.
Sona Cruise Appearance
When it comes to first impressions of the toy appearance, the LELO Sona Cruise is miles away from the first Womanizer. To summarize in a few words: it is simple and pretty.
All in curves, small and rounded, it fits in the palm of the hand, marrying its shape. Its concave back is covered with a metallic silver-tone plaque, simply adorned with the brand’s logo. The rest of the sex toy is plain pink, with some sort of hollow “beak” (unlike the Womanizer and Satisfyer, the Sona has no removable tip). It is under this “beak” that we will put the clitoris and that the magic will operate.
The Sona Cruise comes in three colors: pink, fuchsia and black. We received the pink version.
Texture and materials
The Sona Cruise is made of silicone, rigid and firm, but very soft , with a “peach skin” feel, while the plate on its back is in ABS plastic. Both of these materials are body-safe.
Power and Charging
The Sona Cruise is battery powered. Its charger (which is the same for all LELO sex toys, with the exception of Smart Wand Large ) has a proprietary tip that plugs into the base of the sex toy, and a USB tip at its other end.
It is, of course, totally waterproof (we expected no less from Lelo), and once charged, its battery holds up for a good number of uses.
Sona Cruise commands and modes
The controls of the Sona Cruise are located on its convex part (its “belly”). It has three buttons: a “minus”, arrows and a “plus” .
- The “+” allows you to turn on the sex toy and increase the intensity.
- The arrows navigate between different modes .
- The “-” decreases intensity, turn off the sex toy.
The Sona Cruise has eight modes, each with 8 intensity levels :
- a constant mode
- three pulse modes (slow, medium, fast)
- two sawtooth wave modes
- a smooth wave mode
- a random mode
The Sona Cruise by Lelo, next to the Gary O2 from Tantus, the Fairy Mini and the Europe Magic Wand
Noise level
The noise level of the Sona Cruise varies a lot depending on whether it is pressed against the clit or “idling”. in the air, it emits a rather low sound, clearly audible, but less unpleasant than the fart sound produced by the Womanizer. Once against the clitoris, the sound is muffled and much more discreet.
How it works
Like the Womanizer or the Satisfyer, the Sona Cruise has a small hollow head, which will be penetrated by the clitoris in order to stimulate a larger surface area.
But the core principle differs from that of the Womanizer and Satisfyer. Indeed, there is no aspiration, but sonic pulsations (just like some toothbrushes!) which surround the clitoris, and spread inside it, deeply.
The Cruise Control feature
Second unique feature, the “Cruise Control“. Under this name, straight from a Sci-Fi series (I can easily imagine a robotic voice announce “Cruise Control engaged. Jump into hyperspace in 15 seconds “) there’s a well-thought idea.
In “regular” operation, the sex toy only runs at 80% of its maximum power . The remaining 20% are reserved for particular circumstances. Indeed, when using a vibrator, sometimes, in the heat of action, you press it against the clit, especially when you’r about to come, trying to maximize the sensations, and then you don’t always have a perfect control of your gestures. And for a small sex toy, overcoming that pressure is not easy for the motors, which can result in a weakening of the vibrations.
It is to avoid this weakening that the Sona Cruise then throws its secret trick, automatically unleashing the 20% extra surprise power in order to boost the engine. Thus, no loss of intensity is felt, and nothing interrupts the path to orgasm.
The Sona Cruise is not the first vibrator to be equipped with a “turbo” mode for special occasions. But, first, Cruise Control intervenes automatically, without having to press any “turbo” button. Second, this boost is far from a palliative to a lack of intensity for when it’s not active. the Sona Cruise does not lack power.
Sona Cruise’s fake twin Sona by LELO is not equipped with Cruise Control … I have not tested the Sona pas-Cruise* , but it seems that this is the only difference between these two sex toys. The good point is the Sona is cheaper.
(*) Edit (December 16, 2012) : Now I did : [Read our review of the Sona].
Effectiveness
While, contrary to the many people, the first Womanizer did not totally convinced me, when it comes to sensations, I immediately fell in love with the Sona Cruise.
To me, the main problem of the Womanizer, Satisfyer, and other suction pressure wave stimulators is that they’re not well thought to deal with “tumultuous” situations. Indeed, if, in the heat of the action, a suction vibrator can (and will) deviate, even for a brief moment, from its millimeter precise position above the clit, letting even a tiny quantity of air flowing in, and the suction effect is lost, and you have to start over again.
With the Sona Cruise and its sonic pulsations, there is no aspiration, no suction, so you don’t have to deal with this problem.
The Sona Cruise with the Satisfyer 2, the Womanizer W500 (left), but also the Womanizer Pro 40, the Fontaine de Jouvence and the Satisfyer Pro 2 (right)
Another point is, the Sona Cruise is really powerful. Its pulsations are much stronger than those of suction-based stimulators, even on the first level of intensity … Knowing that there are eight of them, I let you imagine what the ninth level feels like.
If your clit is very sensitive and the Womanizer is already too brutal for you, the Sona Cruise may not be the sex toy you need. But if the Womanizer seems a little soft, or if you just feel ready to go up a notch in terms of sensations, go for it, the Sona Cruise is for you.
Conclusion
Pros :
- Its incredible effectiveness. Indeed, when it comes to sensations, it’s comparable to a Womanizer type, but much better, more intense, and less dependent on the position.
- Its look: finally, a pretty pressure wave vibro ! Until now, the best-looking in the category was “not too ugly, but still looking like a medical device”.
- It’s made of silicone, waterproof, with good battery life, intuitive controls …
It is a good quality sex toy overall, practical and well designed.
Cons :
- Its price when it is no longer on sale ? Currently, and since its release, the Sona Cruise is “on sale”, at 99 euros instead of 179 . It’s still an investment … But for a premium sex toy, and given the many intense orgasms it will provide, it’s an investment that’s worth the money. It is cheaper than the Womanizer (almost the same price as the Pro 40, significantly cheaper than all other models), much more efficient, and prettier. Is that “on sale” a trick to make you buy it as soon as possible, or will it come back to 179 euros – and if so, when? We don’t know.
Review score
Pros
- Extremely effective
- Nice looking
- Waterproof and with good battery life
- made of Silicone
- Easy and intuitive controls
Cons
- The price once the sales end
